3D Printing
SinterHab concept calls for a sustainable moon base made from baked lunar dust
The race to build a manned research station on the moon has been slowly picking up steam in recent years, with several developed nations actively studying a variety of construction methods. In just the past few months, the European Space Agency revealed a design involving 3D-printed structures and the Russian Federal Space Agency announced plans for a moon base by 2037. Now international design agency, Architecture Et Cetera (A-ETC), has thrown its hat into the ring with a proposal for SinterHab, a moon base consisting of bubble-like compartments coated in a protective layer of melted lunar dust. Read More
The list of personal 3D printers got bigger today with the successful launch of re:3D's Gigabot on Kickstarter, which raised more than US$40,000 in a couple of days. With so many options to choose from already flooding the market, re:3D decided to go big or go home, resulting in what it calls a "large format" 3D printer that can output more objects in a single batch and much larger individual pieces. Read More
MakerBot founder Bre Pettis kicked off the first day of the South By Southwest Interactive festival (SXSW) running from March 8-17 in Austin, Texas, by introducing a desktop 3D scanner dubbed the MakerBot Digitizer designed to let users scan a physical item and digitize it so it can be replicated using a 3D printer. Read More
Back in November, we hoped that it wouldn't be too long before 3D printing vending machines broke out of university and made their way into the public domain. That day is getting closer, with the arrival of the Dreambox. Currently being readied for its first installation ahead of a wider rollout, users will be able to choose an existing design from an online catalog or upload their own via an online interface, set the machine in motion and then receive a text message when the object is ready for pickup. Upon arrival at the vending machine, a unique unlock code is entered and the 3D-printed object retrieved from a drawer. Read More
3D printing has already gone well beyond the bounds of model making, and biotechnology is one of the new frontiers where the technology is set to make a huge impact. Nanoscribe GmbH, a spin-off of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), is pushing the boundaries of this space with the release of what's claimed to be the world’s fastest and highest resolution commercially available 3D printer of micro- and nanostructures – the Photonic Professional GT. Read More
Nike is showing off a new cleat designed to help American football players excel in the all-important 40-yard dash. NFL scouts regard the dash as incredibly important, and Nike's new shoe is designed to help athletes decrease their times. What makes the Nike Vapor Laser Talon interesting is its 3D-printed cleat plate, which is a first for athletic cleats. Read More
Last week, MakerBot and GrabCAD announced the winners of their recent 3D Printer Challenge in Brooklyn, New York. The challenge required designers to come up with futuristic vehicles for the year 2040, with the concept models optimized for printing in 3D on a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer. Out of 151 entries, six winners were selected, with the first prize receiving a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer and the runner up a MakerBot Replicator 1 Desktop 3D Printer. Read More
London-based architecture team Softkill Design has entered the race to create the first 3D printed house. Unlike the first plans for 3D-printed houses that emerged at about this time last year, Softkill thinks that the future of 3D printed housing lies in prefabricated components rather than printing houses whole using vast uber-printers on site. By using plastics rather than sand or concrete, Softkill may just have hit upon a concept that actually feels... 3D printery. Read More
Computer models are typically created by specialists using dedicated CAD software or animation packages. The more detailed the object, the more time and experience it takes to make it. One shortcut would be to scan a real life version of the desired object (if it exists), but 3D scanners are generally expensive, bulky machines that aren't practical for the average person. The advent of affordable, desktop-sized 3D scanners like the CADScan3D could change all that – and presents troubling legal issues for the growing maker movement. Read More
3D print your own robot with Hello Robo's MAKI
Hot on the heels of InMoov, the 3D-printable android, comes a similar but much less intimidating project for DIYers by Hello Robo. MAKI is a cute communication robot that can be assembled from 3D-printed parts and some off-the-shelf electronic components for less than US$500, making it an affordable platform for hobbyists and university labs. Hello Robo has opted to launch MAKI via crowdfunding site Kickstarter, where a $30 pledge will net you the 3D blueprints. Read More
