In May 2012, Google acquired Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion, marking a transition for Google from search engine to consumer electronics manufacturer. After a period of turnaround and renewal, the Motorola Mobility unit of Google has launched smartphones like the Moto X and Moto G.

Now Motorola Mobility, a Google company, has unveiled plans for its most ambitious project: a 3D printed modular smartphone.

The company announced Project Ara in late October as a “free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones.” In a blog post, Motorola Mobility’s Paul Eremenko wrote, “We want to do for hardware what the Android platform has done for software: create a vibrant third-party developer ecosystem, lower the barriers to entry, increase the pace of innovation, and substantially compress development timelines.”

And in the most recent update to Project Ara, 3D Systems has been selected as the 3D printing partner for the new phone.

3D Systems Wins the Google Contract

3D Systems announced that it has entered into a multi-year development agreement with Motorola Mobility LLC, A Google Company, to create a continuous high-speed 3D printing production platform and fulfilment system in support of Motorola’s Project Ara.

“With Project Ara, we asked the question, ‘How do we bring the benefits of customization and an open hardware ecosystem to 6 billion people?’ That is our driving application. It requires technical advances in areas such as material strength and printing with conductive inks for antennas. And those advances must support production-level speeds and volumes, which is a natural partnership with 3D Systems,” said Regina Dugan, Senior Vice President and head of Motorola’s Advanced Technology & Projects group.

“Project Ara was conceived to build a platform that empowers consumers all over the world with customization for a product made by and for the individual,” said Avi Reichental, President and CEO of 3D Systems. “3D printing promotes a level of sustainability, functionality, and mass personalization that turns these kinds of global ambitions into attainable local realities. Project Ara combines two exponential technologies, and we expect that the resulting high-throughput advanced manufacturing platform will have far reaching implications on the entire digital thread that stitches together the factory of the future.”

As part of this agreement, 3D Systems plans to substantially expand its multi-material printing capabilities including conductive and functional materials. The company also plans to combine additive and subtractive manufacturing methods, and deliver an integrated high-speed production platform. Pending successful completion of the development phase, 3D Systems is expected to manufacture 3D-printed Ara smartphone enclosures and modules as Motorola’s exclusive fulfillment partner.

Motorola and 3D Systems, the inventors of the cell phone and 3D printer, respectively, have previously partnered on the MAKEwithMOTO tour, a series of make-a-thons at the nation’s top engineering and design schools aimed at exploiting the power of open, hackable smartphone hardware and 3D printing to begin seeding an open hardware ecosystem.

Learn more about Project Ara at www.makewithmoto.com.

We are excited for 2013 to be the Year of 3D Printing.

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4. 3D Modeling and Design for 3D Printing: Tinkercad, Sketchup and 123D

3. Why Google Sold SketchUp and What It Means for 3D Printing

2. Why 3D Printing Will Be More Fun Than LEGO: Minecraft Video

1. 3D Printing Stocks are Hot: Top Public Companies Up 180% Over 6 Months

Here are the top 10 most popular stories On 3D Printing brought you in August 2012.

10. 3D Printed Meat for Dinner: Peter Thiel Backs Bioprinting Startup

9. TangiBot has a Kickstarter Project for a Much Cheaper MakerBot

8. Google Employees Treated to 3D Printed Pasta by Renowned Chef

7. Stratasys and HP Part Ways on 3D Printer Manufacturing

6. Open-Source 3D Printer Pwdr Takes on MakerBot, Offers New Materials

5. Finally, an iPhone Case That Does Something Useful (Opens Beers)

4. Video: Beauty and the Beak; a Bald Eagle’s 3D Printing Story

3. Team Great Britain Olympic Cyclists Fitted with 3D Printed Helmets

2. Infographic: How 3D Printing Works, Industry Growth, Stocks, and More

1. 3D Printing at Top of “Hype Cycle”, Gartner Reports

Thanks for reading in August!

A roundup of the top news On 3D Printing brought you from August 14 to August 19.

Tuesday, August 14

• Neil Gershenfeld Speaks With RadioNZ (New Zealand), Talks 3D Printing
• TangiBot has a Kickstarter Project for a Much Cheaper MakerBot

Wednesday, August 15

• Printing Nano-Electronics on Everything: Phones, Planes, Fish Tanks

Thursday, August 16

• 3D Printed Meat for Dinner: Peter Thiel Backs Bioprinting Startup

Friday, August 17

• Google Employees Treated to 3D Printed Pasta by Renowned Chef

3D printing is showing up everywhere; now even in the Google campus cafe.

Chef Bernard Faucher is using 3D printing technology to design specialty pasta. ”My food has a very distinct and customisable shape,” says Chef Faucher.

Google is well-known for its employee perks, including free meals every day prepared by exceptional chefs. Now through 3D printing, Googlers can truly taste and see something unique.

Via ZDNet and MediaPost.

Google cafe photo by rwentechaney used under Creative Commons license.