3D Printing

Generally speaking, injured cartilage doesn’t heal well ... if at all. In recent years, however, scientists have successfully regrown cartilage at injury sites, using things like hydrogel, microspheres and collagen-based nano-scaffolding. Now, a team of scientists led by Prof. James Yu of North Carolina's Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine have developed something else – a 3D printer that creates implantable cartilage.  Read More

In what are very probably two patent lawsuit firsts, 3D Systems, makers of the Cubify 3D and other 3D printers, is suing 3D printing startup Formlabs over the design of its Form 1 3D printer. But in an eye-opening twist, Cubify 3D has extended the lawsuit to include Kickstarer, the crowdfunding site through which Formlabs raised almost US$3 million. It's a development that could have far-reaching implications for both Kickstarter and crowdfunding sites in general, beyond the sphere of 3D printing. It is believed to be the first patent infringement suit between two 3D printing companies as well as the first leveled at Kickstarter.  Read More

While the explosion in the popularity of consumer 3D printers has been enabled by cheaper and cheaper devices, they’re still beyond the reach of the average university student. But students at Virginia Tech need not worry about such monetary concerns when looking to turn their ideas into a physical reality thanks to the DreamVendor 3D printer vending machine located in Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering. (And no, the machine doesn't vend 3D printers.)  Read More

Makerbot is holding the grand opening of its first retail store today, and it has partnered with ShapeShot to provide a novel 3D photo booth. The system uses digital cameras to capture your mug from a variety of positions, which it analyzes to create a three-dimensional model. The process only takes a few minutes and costs just five dollars. Visitors can have 3D prints made at the store, including a bust of their very own face.  Read More

In what could be described as the ultimate memento mori – a genre of art that reminds us of our own mortality – Dutch sculpture Caspar Berger has reproduced an exact copy of his own skeleton. He underwent a CT scan, which provided detailed anatomical data, which was then output on a 3D printer.  Read More

Ever wanted a life-like miniature of yourself or loved ones? Now's your chance, thanks to Omote 3D, which will soon be opening what's described as the world's first 3D printing photo booth in Harajuku, Japan. There, visitors will have their bodies scanned into a computer, a process which takes about 15 minutes. Then the company prints your statuette on their 3D color printer in one of three sizes.  Read More

With 3D printers gaining more popularity it's only a matter of time until people start printing their own functional gadgets at home. We've seen some creative designers build working guitars and even firearms in just the past few months alone, but these aren't exactly products most people would need around the house. Teague Labs' John Mabry may have found a much more practical device to print with his "13:30" headphones, which were assembled from 3D printed components and fitted together by hand.  Read More

Researchers at Disney Research Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University are experimenting with 3D printed optics using clear resin. Printed optics can create a variety of effects within 3D-printed objects, from focusing light within printed prisms to channeling light through honeycomb-like "light pipes," which give the effect of individually lit pixels.  Read More

Usually when we think of materials that can be used in 3D printers, we think of substances that can be melted, like plastic or resin. What we don't think of is wood. Nonetheless, a new product allows users to create 3D-printed wooden objects ... depending on how you define “wooden.”  Read More