3D Printing News

A roundup of the top 3D printing news from June 3 to June 9:

Wednesday, June 5

• MakerBot Celebrates Dads and Grads with 3D Printing Deals

Friday, June 7

• SupplyBetter Launches 3D Printing Comparison Engine to Give Designers More Choice

MakerBot Offers 3D Printing Deals for Dads and Grads

Every year, June marks Father’s Day and graduation season, or “Dads and Grads” as marketers call it. If you’re looking for something unique to celebrate the occasion, 3D printer company MakerBot has a few great gift ideas.

First, MakerBot is offering access to their 3D Photo Booth in their NYC store, free on June 9 from 12pm to 6pm.

We visited the store in April and checked out the scanner for ourselves. Here’s how it works:

• You sit in a booth and are surrounded by cameras.
• You line your head up so that it fits in the frame shown on the screen.
• Cameras take multiple photos from multiple angles.
• And that’s it! In a few hours, you have a digital head waiting for you on Thingiverse.
• You can buy a 3D printed version of your head for $20 to $60.

The second offer is for Grads:

We’ll also be celebrating graduates this June at the MakerBot Store.  Any recent graduate that brings in a copy of his/her diploma or proof of graduation will receive a free MakerBot 2013 Graduation 3D printed lithopane. If you’ve seen our lithopanes on Thingiverse, you already know about the awesomeness in store. Graduation lithopanes will be available June 1 – 30, so be sure to stop in while supplies last.

Via MakerBot.

Dad’s love to fix things. Many a dad has a wood shop or tool shed, and increasingly digital creation software as well.

Although Dad can easily use a hammer and nails to repair part of the house, it is nearly impossible to fix something “Made in China”, that was, before 3D printing.

Here is a story from Duann Scott at Shapeways about fixing his child’s stroller when a plastic piece broke.

Being a father is one of life’s greatest adventures, simultaneously rewarding and incredibly challenging. Some of the most rewarding moments are those when you get to overcome those challenges in a creative way.  I have had the pleasure of using 3D printing to solve some of the challenges fatherhood raises and to help my children understand they can make whatever they want, now.

My crowning victory in domestic innovation and DIY mastery came when I repaired my broken stroller for under $25, saving money and opening my wife’s eyes (and many other geek dads) to the potential of 3D printing. It was incredibly empowering after being abandoned by a manufacturer because a product was out of warranty that I could crack it open and fix it, like a modern day handy man, using LASERS….

Morale of the story

This Father’s Day, give Dad the newest tool in home improvement: a 3D printer.

Or, maybe a gift card to Shapeways?

Via Shapeways blog.

Death’s Head Hawkmoth Skeleton

The Wrap – cable winder for Euro iPhone charger

TriStand – iPhone Case with 3 Built In Stands

See more at Shapeways blog.