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Tag: 3D printers

  • HP 3D Printers: Multi Jet Fusion Coming in 2016

    Like many PC manufacturers HP has been struggling in recent years. As consumers began to embrace portable computing devices such as smartphones and tablets, PC makers have seen sales of desktop and notebook PCs dwindle.

    When HP’s mobile device initiatives failed to have a significant impact on sales the company put its focus on the enterprise solutions market and big data. This led to the purchase of both EDS and Autonomy, companies that would eventually cost HP billions in lost revenue.

    Now HP is looking toward the future and has a plan to revive its printing business. The company recently announced that it is developing a 3D printing platform called the HP Multi Jet Fusion. The technology is part of HP’s “Blended Reality ecosystem,” which also includes an “immersive computing platform” named Sprout.

    “We are on the cusp of a transformative era in computing and printing,” said Dion Weisler, EVP for Printing & Personal Systems at HP. “Our ability to deliver Blended Reality technologies will reduce the barriers between the digital and physical worlds, enabling us to express ourselves at the speed of thought – without filters, without limitations. This ecosystem opens up new market categories that can define the future, empowering people to create, interact, and inspire like never before.”

    HP stated that it is committed to developing a 3D printing platform that will become an industry standard. It hopes to do this by improving on the speed and quality of current 3D printers while also reducing costs.

    The Multi Jet Fusion’s rollout will involve HP working with its current 3D printing customers to improve the device. The company will focus primarily on commercial 3D printing applications and expects to distribute its new platform more widely starting in 2016.

    “As we examined the existing 3D print market, we saw a great deal of potential but also saw major gaps in the combination of speed, quality, and cost,” said Stephen Nigro, SVP of Inkjet and Graphic Solutions at HP. “HP Multi Jet Fusion is designed to transform manufacturing across industries by delivering on the full potential of 3D printing with better quality, increased productivity, and break-through economics.”

  • More UPS Stores Are Getting 3D Printers

    More UPS Stores Are Getting 3D Printers

    UPS says its 3D printing pilot program has gone swimmingly, and because of that it’ll soon introduce 3D printing in 100 additional UPS stores nationwide.

    “We are committed to offering small business owners, entrepreneurs and consumers high-tech solutions in order to assist with all of their business needs,” said Michelle Van Slyke, vice president of marketing and sales at The UPS Store. “We launched the pilot to evaluate if there was demand for 3D print and we’re excited to be announcing an expansion, giving even more small business owners access to high-quality, professional 3D printing. We look forward to being a part of the future of the 3D printing industry.”

    UPS first offered 3D printing in six markets, using the Stratasys uPrint SE Plus – which the company says delivers “added precision and reliability, higher print quality and a success rate that is unmatched by a home printer.” UPS says that “simple objects” will take around 4 to 5 hours to print, while a more involved job may take 24 hours.

    So, if you own a small business and you need something 3D printed (a prototype, manufacturing fixtures, 3D models, etc) – UPS wants your business. Of course, even when this expansion is complete, only about three percent of all the UPS stores in the country will be able to 3D print something for you.

    Image via UPS, YouTube screenshot

  • ROKIT Announces Three New 3D Printers

    ROKIT may not be as instantly identifiable as MakerBot or 3D Systems, but the Korean 3D printer manufacturer should definitely be on your radar. The company launched the 3DISON+ 3D printer in 2013 and sold 4,300 units in a year. Now the company is prepping three more 3D printers for launch in 2014.

    ROKIT announced over the weekend that it will be launching three new 3DISON 3D printers this year – the Multi, Pro and H700. Each printer will serve a unique portion of the 3D printer consumer base with the Multi serving hobbyists and general consumers while the H700 is intended for industry professionals creating mechanical prototypes and more.

    While the three new 3DISON may be of different sizes, they do share a few similarities. For starters, all three printers feature a universal extruder. In other words, it’s compatible with 50 materials. All three models also sport a 25 micron printing resolution and an auto-leveling build plate.

    As for specific differences, the Multi features a 300mm/sec print speed and a 7.2 liter build volume while the Pro features a 1,000mm/sec print speed and a 15.1 liter build volume. As for the H700, it also has a 1,000mm/sec build speed alongside an absolutely massive 41.6 liter build volume.

    The new 3DISON 3D printers have received certification from regulatory agencies in Korea, Europe and the U.S. There’s no word yet on when these 3D printers will be available for sale in the U.S., but we’ll let you know when they are officially released.

    [h/t: 3ders]
    Image via Jihye Kim/YouTube

  • The Micro Gets Affordable 3D Printing Right

    Making 3D printers more affordable has been an arduous task to say the least. The manufacturer of these devices either has to make them smaller, build them out of low quality components or even ship them in a kit that the buyer has to build themselves. Now a new 3D printer has arrived on Kickstarter that wants to solve most of these problems.

    The Micro, a new 3D printer from M3D LLC in Bethesda, Maryland, arrived on Kickstarter over the weekend to unprecedented excitement. The $200 3D printer that’s ready to use out of the box was asking for only $50,000, but has so far raised over $271,000 in a day. The team was only offering the $200 version of The Micro to 250 backers and they’re all gone. The next tier raised the price to $249 and those are all gone as well.

    So, what does The Micro do differently that has everybody so excited? As far as the technology goes, nothing much. It’s a small 3D printer with 50 to 350 micro resolution, support for numerous types of material and a 4.6-inch print height. The reason everybody is so excited is due to the price. A similar mini-3D printer – the MakerBot Replicator Mini – costs $1,375. On Kickstarter, M3D was offering a similar 3D printer for only $200. Sure, it might not have MakerBot’s new smart extruder, but even beginners don’t need technology like that to fully grasp the potential of 3D printing.

    M3D also boasts that The Micro sports 15 innovations:

    1. Most space-efficient 3D printer ever made.
    2. Light-weight, portable design fits nicely on your desk.
    3. Micro motion chip provides completely automatic leveling and calibration.
    4. Most quiet 3D printer ever made.
    5. Lowest power consumption 3D printer ever made.
    6. Carbon fiber rods: light, sturdy, self-lubricating and long-lasting
    7. Ceramic heater for rapid heat-up, power efficiency, reliability and safety.
    8. Bold colors. Choose from Silver, Black, Blue, RedOrange, and Green.
    9. New filament materials like Chameleon PLA.
    10. Inspirational Micro filament spools.
    11. Modernized touch-capable software.
    12. Replaceable print beds for alternative materials.
    13. Replaceable nozzles for experimenters.
    14. Designed for fast assembly in the US for quality control.
    15. An ABS-based print bed allows you to print larger ABS parts.

    While some of these “innovations” aren’t exactly what I’d call innovative, it’s still impressive to see all of the above in a sub-$500 3D printer.

    Now, if you’re still not sold, here’s their pitch video:

    If you want to get your hands on The Micro, it now costs $299. There are over 2,000 3D printers in this tier left, but you may want to jump on it fast before it jumps to the $599 tier.

    Image via M3D LLC/Kickstarter

  • 3D Systems Gets Into Medicine With Acquisition Of Medical Modeling

    3D Systems Gets Into Medicine With Acquisition Of Medical Modeling

    3D printing is going to change the face of medicine. That’s at least what some people will tell you. It’s hard not to believe them either as there have already been amazing success stories of lives restored thanks to 3D printing. Now 3D Systems thinks it’s going to be a big business going forward and wants a piece of the pie before anybody else gets to it.

    3D Systems announced today that it has acquired Medical Modeling – “a leading provider of personalized surgical treatments and patient specific medical devices, including virtual surgical planning and clinical transfer tools, using 3D modeling and printing.” Alongside the acquisition, 3D Systems is also consolidating its healthcare division under a single unit led by Medical Modeling President Andy Christensen. He is now 3D Systems’ Vice President of Personalized Surgery and Medical Devices.

    “We are thrilled to become part of 3DS,” said Andy Christensen, President, Medical Modeling. “We already use most of 3DS’ leading professional design-to-manufacturing tools including its Geomagic Freeform modeling software and haptic tools and advanced manufacturing Stereolithography and ColorJet Printing professional-grade 3D printers,” continued Christensen. “Working with surgeons around the world on tens of thousands of patient cases gives us a unique perspective on surgical planning opportunities that, together with 3DS technology platform and resources, could accelerate our global growth and enhance overall patient outcomes.”

    With this acquisition, 3D Systems is aiming to be the largest provider of personalized 3D printed medical devices:

    “The combination of our rapidly growing healthcare business with Medical Modeling’s expanding range of products and services creates the largest 3D printing based personalized surgery and patient specific medical device service capabilities available today,” said Avi Reichental, 3DS President and CEO. “By leveraging our collective expertise, technologies and channels under the capable leadership of Andy Christensen, we plan to deliver an expanding range of direct metal and plastic medical devices designed to address this rapidly expanding opportunity.”

    Medical Modeling is just the latest in a long string of acquisitions made by 3D Systems over the past few years. It’s last acquisition of Digital Playspace put it one step closer to producing 3D printed toys. It’s also getting into the 3D printed food market with its ChefJet Food 3D printer and a partnership with Hershey.

    Image via Medical Modeling

  • Tiles Wants To Make 3D Printed Design As Easy As LEGO

    A kid’s imagination combined with LEGO is a powerful thing. With just some simple plastic bricks, kids can build complex contraptions that put the world’s engineers to shame. Now a startup is hoping to accomplish the same thing with 3D design and 3D printers.

    Cadigo took to Kickstarter this week looking to fund Tiles – a new software program that will make 3D design as easy as building LEGO models. Simply put, the software allows anybody to create 3D models by simply dropping bricks onto a blank canvas. From there, one’s imagination is let free to design whatever they want with these bricks. After the model is finished, it can then be shipped off to a 3D printer to be made into a real object.

    Interestingly enough, Cadigo is applying some game concepts to Tiles to make it more approachable. For instance, there’s a co-operative design mode where two people can help on the same design. There’s also a “first-person mode” where users can see their designs from a closer perspective. Despite all this, Cadigo insists that Tiles is not a game:

    It would not hurt to think Tiles as a game, but in reality it really isn’t one. We are not making another Minecraft clone. Instead, we are taking the voxel concept and applying it to the practical world of 3D modelling. Tiles can be the gateway and your first step into the previously difficult world of 3D modelling. We want a world where everyone can 3D model.

    Here’s the pitch:

    Cadigo is looking to raise $30,000 to make Tiles a reality. For only $5, backers can gain access to the basic Tiles software alongside the co-op and first-person modes. Larger pledge tiers will give backers access to larger canvases, more colors, more textures and beta access. By pledging $35, backers gain access to the Founders tier which gives them an unlimited canvas size and lifetime access to all updates. Cadigo also notes that it will be able to release a mobile version of Tiles if they can raise $120,000.

    Image via Cadigo/Kickstarter

  • 3D Printer Revenue to Accelerate in Coming Years

    The 3D printer market has now emerged from garages and is quickly becoming an industry to watch. Newer 3D printing technologies have now been used to create every thing from houses to dresses. As the market for 3D-printed goods begins to grow and evolve, the money being invested into the industry will soon begin to grow at an impressive rate.

    Market research firm Canalys today released a report predicting that revenues taken in by the 3D printing market will rise to $16.2 billion by the year 2018. This is a significant rise from the estimated $2.5 billion the industry is estimated to have taken in during 2013 as well as the predicted $3.8 billion the industry is predicted to earn this year – an annual growth rate of over 45% for the overall segment.

    Right now print-to-order services by 3D printing companies represent a large portion of the 3D printing market. Canalys expects this to remain the status-quo in the coming years as more 3D printing companies pop up, offering clients large and small the low-cost custom building that 3D printers can offer. This reality will also benefit customers who need custom products produced locally, lowering the wastes and distribution costs associated with traditional long-distance manufacturing orders.

    The market for 3D printers themselves is expected to grow to $5.4 billion by the year 2018, up from the estimated $1.3 billion to be spend on the devices this year. The services and materials market surrounding 3D printers is expected to grow even larger, up to $10.8 billion in 2018 from the $2.5 billion Canalys estimates the segment will take in during 2014.

    “We are at the inflection point for 3D printing. It has now moved from a new and much-hyped, but largely unproven, manufacturing process to a technology with the ability to produce real, innovative, complex and robust products,” said Tim Shepherd, senior analyst at Canalys. “This is a fast-evolving market, but it is still in its infancy. Expect to see new major entrants making a significant impact in the industry in the coming years, including giants such as HP. As barriers fall, new use cases emerge, the technology improves and new entrants join, this is a market that will look very different in five years’ time.”

    Image via MakerBot

  • Mamba3D May Just Raise The Bar For Open Source 3D Printers

    The success of 3D printing over the last few years can be greatly attributed to the open source community. By taking expired patents and open source designs, anybody can build their own 3D printer and share it with the world. As with any open source project, some of the 3D printers to come out of the movement haven’t been that great. MyMatics hopes to make one of the better open source 3D printers with its latest hardware.

    MyMatics announced last week that it’s working on a new open source 3D printer called the Mamba3D. The all-metal 3D printer will make its debut on Kickstarter where MyMatics hopes to raise the funds necessary to enter full production.

    “After three prototypes we’ve finally made a 3D printer that meets our high standards”, says Michiel Bieshaar, founder of MyMatics. “Currently we are testing the limits of our printer and we are excited by the great results.”

    So, what kind of printer can you expect from the Mamba3D? It features an all-aluminum frame, a metal extruder, a layer resolution of 50 microns, and it uses FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) printing technology. In other words, this is going to be a pretty good 3D printer if everything comes together.

    Unfortunately, MyMatics is still keeping a lot of it under wraps. It released the following teaser video that shows a few closeups of the printer in action, but we have yet to see what the full unit looks like:

    While we may not have a picture of the full unit yet, MyMatics has shared what the Mamba3D is capable of. Here’s a 3D printed castle – take note of the fine textures on the print:

    Mamba3D Wants To Raise The Bar For Open Source Printers

    Of course, we won’t know everything there is to know about the Mamba3D until the Kickstarter campaign launches. Based upon what we do know, however, it’s already looking incredibly promising.

    Image via Mamba3D/YouTube

  • MakerBot Helped To Make A 3D Printed Dress

    The 3D printed dress is nothing new, but they’re still certainly wild. The versatility of 3D printing has tapped into the wildest imaginations of fashion designers and we end up with dresses that defy reality. The latest comes from Francis Bitonti Studio and MakerBot.

    The dress, called the 3D Printed Bristle Dress, is a white gown that features an almost Disney villain-esque top and flexible skirt. It also fit perfectly the first time. The designer said that 3D printing allows them to print the design to specification so no fitting is required.

    As for the technology involved, the dress was printed on a MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer. It doesn’t have that large of a build volume so the dress had to be printed in pieces and then assembled. The top took 160 hours to print and the skirt took an additional 135 hours for a total of 295 hours. That’s a long time to print one dress, but it certainly seems worth it.

    While the dress is certainly awesome, it’s even more awesome that the dress is available to download for free from Thingiverse. If you have the time and materials, you can make your very own Bristle Dress.

    Image via Thingiverse

  • Roboy Is Back And He’s Still Dangerously Cute

    Roboy Is Back And He’s Still Dangerously Cute

    In early 2013, the University of Zurich’s Artificial Intelligence Lab started work on the next generation of robotics. Its vision was to create a small robot boy that perfectly replicated how the human body works by creating joints that more accurately mimic muscles through springs instead of expensive hydraulic motors. Well, Roboy is now mostly finished and is making the rounds.

    In a video from MobileGeeks, we get a really good look at what appears to be a near final build of Roboy. He still can’t walk, but he can recover from being pushed. The creators call this passive recovery and it’s very similar to how we recover when being pushed slightly to the side.

    One of the more interesting aspects of Roboy is that he was primarily built with 3D printed parts. That will play an important role in Roboy’s future as the source files for Roboy are open source. In other words, anybody can print their own Roboy. The team hopes this will help advance development as other engineers make their own tweaks to the design and software of Roboy.

    While you may want to start building your own Roboy today, the price might be a bit on the prohibitive side. The project lead says Roboy costs about €200,000 ($277,220 USD) to build. While the 3D printed parts probably aren’t all that expensive, the inner workings that aren’t plastic probably cost a pretty penny.

    Still, it might be worth it as Roboy is the only robot I know of that can blush. It’s kind of adorable.

    [h/t: 3ders]
    Image via Mobilegeeks.de/YouTube

  • Heavy Duty 3D Printer Takes To Kickstarter

    Crowdfunding is arguably the best thing to happen to 3D printing in years. Instead of just having a number of big manufacturers making all the 3D printers, we now have an explosion of open source and inexpensive printers hitting the market thanks to Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Speaking of which, another 3D printer looking for your consideration has just hit Kickstarter and it’s super interesting.

    Ryan O’Donaghy of Syracuse, NY unveiled the HD^2 3D printer on Kickstarter this week. The name HD^2 stands for High Definition and Heavy Duty. By high definition, O’Donaghy says the HD^2 can print in resolutions up to 25 microns. As for heavy duty, the 3D printer has a sturdy aluminum frame that can stand up to even the worst wear and tear.

    The HD^2 is more than just a heavy duty printer though. It features a dual extruder head for printing in two materials or color at the same time. It also has a pretty large build volume of 7.8×7.8×8.8-inches.

    So, how much is this going to cost? If you want to build the HD^2 yourself, you can get a DIY kit for $1,249. If you want to receive the printer pre-assembled, it carries a $480 premium for a total of $1,729. O’Donaghy is hoping to raise $89,000 to fund the HD^2 3D printer over the next month. He’s not off to a fantastic start as the campaign has only pulled in a little over $2,500 in its first two days, but his fortunes may change as the campaign goes on.

    Image via Ryan O’Donaghy/Kickstarter
    [h/t: 3ders]

  • Amazon Partners With 3DLT To Sell 3D Printed Objects

    Last year, Amazon gave some legitimacy to 3D printing when it began to sell 3D printers and filament. Now the online retailer is taking the next step – selling 3D printed objects.

    3DLT, an online retailer that specializes in 3D printing as as service, announced this week that its products will now be sold on Amazon. Its products range from jewelry to smartphone cases with more items to be added in the coming weeks.

    3DLT CEO John Hauer says that Amazon selling 3D printed objects sends a powerful message:

    “When it was announced that Amazon would begin selling 3D printers and supplies last summer, the industry heralded it as a defining moment, a clear indication that 3D printing was going mainstream,” says Hauer. “We think the decision to sell 3D printed products sends an even bigger message. Consumer products are the next frontier.”

    Amazon is apparently testing the waters to see if 3D print-on-demand services are worth offering, but 3DLT thinks its it will be a success:

    “We’re thrilled to be included in the pilot,” says 3DLT COO Colin Klayer. “We think 3D print­-on-­demand will be very attractive to companies who want access to a new, digital channel. It will also be appealing to independent designers who’ve told us they want access to a large consumer market.”

    3DLT’s new partnership with Amazon is a pretty big deal, but it’s a little restrictive compared to some other 3D print-on-demand services out there. With 3DLT, you can only buy certain designs through Amazon. Other competitors – like Shapeways – allows you to design your own products and have them print and ship the completed object to you. Amazon will need to offer a similar service if it wants to truly compete in the 3D print-on-demand market.

    That being said, this is all still fairly new. Amazon is treating this as a pilot and for good reason. Consumers might not see Amazon as the place to go for 3D print-on-demand services. If this pilot does end up being a success though, we might just see Amazon becoming more like Shapeways in the future.

    Image via Amazon

  • Here’s A TEDx Talk On 3D Bioprinting

    You could say that 2013 was the year of bioprinting. Researchers and private companies alike made huge strides in printing live human tissue, from ears to livers. From 2014 onward, we’re going to see some amazing advancements made in the field of bioprinting.

    Ben Harrison, a proponent of 3D printers, recently gave a TEDx talk in which he proclaims 3D printers as the one emergent technology that may one day “counter the degenerative effects of aging and disease on the human body.” In other words, 3D printers are the perfect complement to organ donations.

    Harrison explains that those waiting on organ donations far exceed the number of organs being donated ever year. With 3D printing, doctors may one day be able to recreate an organ based on the patient’s own cells. He says we’ll one day find that doctors can simply do a simple CT scan of your failing organs, print a healthy recreation and replace the failing organ with the new one.

    Now, none of this is exactly new to those who’ve been following bioprinting, but the concept has always been a little hard to explain. Harrison’s talk is for those who find it hard to get past all the scientific jargon and just want a layman’s explanation of what bioprinting can do for them.

    Image via TEDx Talks/YouTube

  • XYZprinting To Launch Da Vinci 2.0 3D Printer In April

    Taiwan-based XYZprinting shook up the 3D printing industry earlier this year when it announced it would be a launching a hobbyist 3D printer for only $500. The Da Vinci sported performance on the level of a MakerBot Replicator 2 at a quarter of the price. Now the company has an even better 3D printer set to launch next month.

    XYZprinting announced this week that it will be shipping the Da Vinci 2.0 3D printer in April of this year. As its name suggests, the Da Vinci 2.0 is merely an upgraded version of the original, but it does feature some big improvements.

    To start, the Da Vinci 2.0 sports a dual extrusion head which allows it to print multi-colored objects. This alone already puts it on par with the MakerBot Replicator 2X. Unfortunately, the dual extruder head comes at the expense of a slightly smaller build volume when compared to the original. The original Da Vinci had a build volume of 200x200x200mm while the Da Vinci 2.0 has a build volume of 150x200x200mm.

    The Da Vinci 2.0 isn’t the only new 3D printer out of XYXprinting this year. The company will also be releasing the Da Vinci 2.1 – a Da Vinci 2.0 with even more features. While the two will be mostly the same, the 2.1 features a 5-inch color touch panel, multi-language display, cloud database access and more.

    Here are the specs for both printers:

    XYZprinting To Launch Da Vinci 2.0 3D Printer In April

    The Da Vinci 2.0 will retail for $649 when it launches in April, and the Da Vinci 2.1 will retail for $999. Both are significantly cheaper than the competition and should provide an inexpensive entry point for those interested in 3D printing. Of course, the original $500 Da Vinci 1.0 will still be available as well for those who want an even cheaper option.

    [h/t: 3ders]
    Image via XYZprinting

  • The Government Is Making A Super Fast 3D Printer

    3D printing is the future of manufacturing, or at least that’s what some proponents will tell you. One of the major roadblocks standing in the way of that vision is print speed of current 3D printers. It takes a long time to even print small objects so large scale production would take months when traditional manufacturing only takes days. The government wants to fix that.

    The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Laboratory announced last week that it has partnered with Cincinnati Incorporated to build the next generation of 3D printers. The government said this new machine would utilize polymer and be capable of printing large parts “faster and more cheaply than current technologies.”

    “The Energy Department and its national labs are forging partnerships with the private sector to strengthen advanced manufacturing, foster innovation, and create clean energy jobs for the growing middle class,” said David Danielson, the Energy Department’s Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “Developing innovative manufacturing technologies in America will help ensure that the manufacturing jobs of tomorrow are created here in the United States, putting people to work and building a clean energy economy.”

    So, how much faster is this new printer going to be? The government claims it can create a 3D printer that can print parts 200 to 500 times faster than current 3D printers at sizes 10 times larger than what’s currently possible.

    Using the MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer as the standard, let’s take a look at what the government is hoping to achieve. At 200 to 500 times faster than the current standard, this mythical printer would be able to print at 20,000 to 50,000mm per second. That seems almost unlikely. As for the size, a build volume 10 times larger than the current standard is certainly possible, and printers that large are already being used to print houses in Amsterdam.

    “Cincinnati Incorporated has enjoyed a long working relationship with Oak Ridge National Laboratory,” said Cincinnati CEO Andrew Jamison. “Over the years we have supplied over 40 metal working machine tools to Oak Ridge and its various subcontractors. As one of the oldest U.S. machine tool manufacturers, with continuous operation since 1898, we view this exciting opportunity as starting a new chapter in our history of serving U.S. manufacturing. Out of this developmental partnership with ORNL, Cincinnati intends to lead the world in big area additive manufacturing machinery for both prototyping and production.”

    The two will start on their journey by retrofitting Cincinnati Incorporated’s laser cutting machine with additive manufacturing technology. From there, the team will add “a high-speed cutting tool, pellet feed mechanism and control software into the gantry system to offer additional capabilities.”

    While much of the work in 3D printers these past few years has been spearheaded by small businesses with big idea, it’s nice to see the government and its much larger vat of resources step in to hasten development. Here’s hoping they share the love once they have a working prototype up and running.

    Image via Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Smithsonian 3D Prints Whale Fossils Because Science

    It’s generally accepted that a lot of the earth was covered in water millions of years ago allowing all sorts of sea creatures to travel to places that are landlocked today. That’s why we can find fossils of sea creatures in the mid-West. Now scientists at the Smithsonian are trying to figure out how a bunch of whales ended up in the desert of Chile.

    3ders reports that the Smithsonian and Chilean scientists stumbled upon an enormous find when they found a bunch of whale fossils in the middle of the Chilean desert. Now, they have an idea of how they died, but it would require more research. The only problem is that the government was building the Pan-American Highway next to the dig site. The site would only be available for five more days so what were a bunch of scientists wanting to preserve this find going to do?

    That’s where 3D scanning and printing comes in.

    The Smithsonian used its state of the art 3D scanners to scan the entire dig site. This allowed them to create a 3D model of the fossils that could then be 3D printed for later research. It’s not the real thing, but it’s certainly close enough.

    As the Smithsonian notes, the prints of these Whale fossils, once completed, will be the largest 3D prints of their kind. I would assume that they will also be put on display for all to see as the 3D printers being used by the Smithsonian allow them to faithfully recreate the dig site and fossil as if it was still around.

    Oh, and as a bonus, the 3D model of the dig site is available online via Smithsonian’s X 3D service. That means you can download the CAD file and 3D print a miniature version of the dig site yourself.

    In short, science is awesome and 3D printers is making it even moreso.

    Image via Smithsonian X 3D

  • ProDesk3D 3D Printer Emerges From The Shadows

    3D printers can generally only print in one or two colors thanks to the limitations of the technology. Stratasys announced last month that it had broken through those limitations with its Objet500 Connex3 3D printer that can incorporate 46 colors into a single print. Before the Connex3, however, there was the ProDesk3D.

    3ders reports that BotObjects revealed the ProDesk3D – one of the very first color 3D printers – last year to much excitement. Since then, it has become somewhat of a phantom as details on the printer are scarce and it keeps missing its shipment dates even though pre-orders opened in May of last year. With hope diminishing, a new video has emerged to prove the ProDesk3D is at least a real device.

    It’s been over a year since the BotObjects have shared video of the ProDesk3D in action. Since then, 3D printer fans could only speculate on the existence of the fabled machine. Well, iGo3D was recently able to record footage of the ProDesk3D in action, and it certainly looks real:

    So, how does the ProDesk3D work? According to TechCrunch, the machine feeds five colored filaments into a single head where a motor melds said filament as it changes color. This enables the printer to add color gradients to objects.

    Despite missing its initial ship dates, it certainly looks like BotObjects is ready for full production with the company saying its already shipping out some orders to its earliest customers. If you want to jump into the world of full-color 3D printing before anybody else, you can order one now for $3,249.

    Image via BotObjects

  • MakerBot Opens Pre-Orders For Its Replicator Mini 3D Printer

    At CES 2014, MakerBot unveiled three new 3D printers – the Replicator, the Replicator Mini and the Replicator Z18. The Replicator Desktop 3D printer is already available, but the other two would launch later in the year.

    3ders reports that MakerBot Replicator Mini will presumably be available soon as the order page went live today. Those who are interested in a small, entry level machine can put in their order today. The Replicator Mini features a build volume of 10x10x12.5cm. While it’s certainly not big, it will be enough for the basic 3D printing tasks that hobbyists usually play around with.

    Perhaps the most exciting thing about the Replicator Mini is its price. Coming in at only $1,375, the Replicator Mini is one of the cheapest 3D printers of its quality yet seen. While there are certainly cheaper and bigger 3D printers on the market, it’s hard to match the quality of MakerBot which oversees its own manufacturing practices in Brooklyn.

    While previous videos have highlighted all three printers, MakerBot just released a video that focuses exclusively on the Replicator Mini. If you want to see it in action, now’s your chance:

    Unfortunately, there’s still no set date for the launch of the Replicator Mini. All MakerBot will say is that it’s coming this Spring.

    Image via makerbot/YouTube

  • Microsoft’s 3D Printed Xylophone Player Performs The Windows XP Jingle

    It’s common knowledge by now that Microsoft has a maker space on its campus called the Microsoft Garage. Employees use the facility to explore new ideas and the company even holds an internal “science fair” for employees to show off their latest creations.

    Recently, Microsoft decided to show off one of the projects that came out of its makerspace – a 3D printed instrument. Now, the entire instrument isn’t 3D printed, but rather the team created a half machine/half 3D printed instrument that played the Windows XP startup jingle on a xylophone.

    Now, is Microsoft ever going to produce a 3D printed xylophone player? Of course not. Is it super cool? Of course, it is. That’s really the point of this video as it shows Microsoft, which is usually depicted as a hulking monolith where creativity goes to die, as a place that celebrates the individual and what they want to accomplish. While that may not be entirely true, at least Microsoft lets their employees play around with 3D printers on their off time. That’s good enough for me.

    To see more 3D printed instruments, check out this 3D printed guitar and this 3D printed ukelele.

    Image via Microsoft/YouTube

  • Trimaker Unveils Its Latest 3D Printer

    One of the most amazing things about the 3D printing industry is that it’s not restricted to just one part of the world like so many other industries. There are dozens of manufacturers all over the world creating new 3D printers today that offer a little something for everyone.

    Today’s 3D printer comes from Trimaker – a manufacturer based out of Argentina – and it’s called the T-Black. It’s a DLP printer that uses a UV projector to harden liquid polymer one layer at a time. As each layer is hardened, the build plate moves down allowing the next layer to be hardened until the print is complete.

    Now, you may think that the T-Black is very similar to the Form 1. While both printers use a similar method, the Form 1 actually shoots plastic resin with a laser to harden it in parts. The T-Black can harden an entire layer at once with a UV projector. While both will print at about the same speed, the T-Black has a larger build volume and can print at a higher resolution.

    The T-Black is available in its home country of Argentina for 38,720 pesos ($4,936 USD). There’s no word on a release outside of the country, but it’s not likely. If you want one, you’ll either have to import or fly to Argentina to pick it up yourself. You might be able to write it off as a business expense.

    [h/t: Trimaker/YouTube]
    Image via Trimaker/YouTube

  • Here’s What May Be The First 3D Printed Music Video

    Using stop motion in a music video is nothing new. The White Stripes, The Birthday Massacre and more have all utilized the animation style for their music videos. These videos, however, always used puppets or legos for the dolls. One band from Australia may be the first to have used 3D printed figurines for their music video.

    3ders reports that Australian electronic band Cut Copy have released a music video for their latest single “We Are Explorers.” What sets this video apart is that all the figurines seen in the video were created using 3D printers. Doesn’t stop motion animation require posable figurines though? Generally speaking, yes, but Cut Copy printed around 200 figurines to make up for their lack of movement.

    Besides using 3D printers, the video also made of Stratasys’ unique materials, like its UV-reactive filament that glows under a black light. This gives the music video’s production values an even more impressive quality.

    Pretty cool, right? Well, you can make your own music video as well since Cut Copy released the design files for their 3D printed figurines on BitTorrent. They want fans to make their own music video using the figurines and take them on journeys not explored in the original video.

    While Cut Copy’s 3D printed figurines may lack the detail seen in other stop motion animated features, it’s still wonderfully inventive to see the technology being used in this way. Besides, there’s something to be said about simplicity being more artsy.

    Image via Cut/Copy – We are Explorers/YouTube