This is quoted from http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344 .

To date, the D-shape concept has been restricted to ‘printing’ two storey buildings with an area of up to 1100 square metres from a mixture of sand and mortar. The proposed Möbius house represents an ambitious attempt taking 3D printing a few steps closer to being just another construction method. - See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

Dutch Architect plans 'endless' house using 3D printer technology

Like this article4

By Robert Myles

Feb 26, 2013 in Technology

- See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.ve5jMIke.dpuf

To date, the D-shape concept has been restricted to ‘printing’ two storey buildings with an area of up to 1100 square metres from a mixture of sand and mortar. The proposed Möbius house represents an ambitious attempt taking 3D printing a few steps closer to being just another construction method. - See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

Dutch Architect plans 'endless' house using 3D printer technology

Like this article4

By Robert Myles

Feb 26, 2013 in Technology

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A Dutch architect hopes to use 3D printer technology to ‘print off’ a futuristic 12,000 square feet ‘endless’ house. Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe Architecture aims to complete construction of his concept 'Landscape House' in 2014.

The futuristic house uses the principle of the one-sided Möbius strip, the mathematical conundrum of a strip of paper twisted on itself. To the eye, a Möbius strip clearly has two sides but tracing a finger along its surface confirms the ‘impossibility’ of a uni-dimensional object. The architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars of the Dutch company Universe Architecture is collaborating with artist mathematician Rinus Roelofs and Enrico Dini. It was Dini who is credited with inventing the D-shape, sometimes called a three-dimensional (3D) printer. The D-shape is a machine capable of constructing three dimensional objects by placing layers of sand, or some other suitable building material, on top of each other combined with a glue or binder to hold the structure together. The new project, which the architectural and mathematical team have named ‘Landscape House,’ aims to construct a genuine 3 D structure using 3D print technology. To date, the D-shape concept has been restricted to ‘printing’ two storey buildings with an area of up to 1100 square metres from a mixture of sand and mortar. The proposed Möbius house represents an ambitious attempt taking 3D printing a few steps closer to being just another construction method.

Universe Architecture

Mobius design concept Landscape House bu Universe Architecture

Like this image

Speaking to Pursuitist.com, Ruijssenaars said, “We started to ask the question if a building can be like the landscape, in order to make a building that would not harm the landscape, or at least learn from the landscape.” “We analysed that the essence of landscape is that it has no beginning or ending, so it’s continuous, not only the fact the world is round but also water goes into land, valleys into mountains, it’s always continuous.” On the Möbius strip concept, he continued, “you have to make a strip and then bend it in order to make this Möbius strip. But with a 3D printer, even a small model, we could make the whole structure from bottom to top without anyone seeing where it is beginning or ending,” According to Business Insider, the entire project would cost an estimated $5.3 million (€4 million). It's estimated that Landscape House would take at least 18 months to complete. The team designing the Möbius 3D house hope to present their new building at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition to be held in Venice from June 7 to November 23, 2014. Further photos of the Landscape House concept can be found on Universe Architecture's Facebook page.

- See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

A Dutch architect hopes to use 3D printer technology to ‘print off’ a futuristic 12,000 square feet ‘endless’ house. Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe Architecture aims to complete construction of his concept 'Landscape House' in 2014. - See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

A Dutch architect hopes to use 3D printer technology to ‘print off’ a futuristic 12,000 square feet ‘endless’ house. Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe Architecture aims to complete construction of his concept 'Landscape House' in 2014. - See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

+

A Dutch architect hopes to use 3D printer technology to ‘print off’ a futuristic 12,000 square feet ‘endless’ house. Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe Architecture aims to complete construction of his concept 'Landscape House' in 2014.

The futuristic house uses the principle of the one-sided Möbius strip, the mathematical conundrum of a strip of paper twisted on itself. To the eye, a Möbius strip clearly has two sides but tracing a finger along its surface confirms the ‘impossibility’ of a uni-dimensional object. The architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars of the Dutch company Universe Architecture is collaborating with artist mathematician Rinus Roelofs and Enrico Dini. It was Dini who is credited with inventing the D-shape, sometimes called a three-dimensional (3D) printer. The D-shape is a machine capable of constructing three dimensional objects by placing layers of sand, or some other suitable building material, on top of each other combined with a glue or binder to hold the structure together. The new project, which the architectural and mathematical team have named ‘Landscape House,’ aims to construct a genuine 3 D structure using 3D print technology. To date, the D-shape concept has been restricted to ‘printing’ two storey buildings with an area of up to 1100 square metres from a mixture of sand and mortar. The proposed Möbius house represents an ambitious attempt taking 3D printing a few steps closer to being just another construction method.

Universe Architecture

Mobius design concept Landscape House bu Universe Architecture

Like this image

Speaking to Pursuitist.com, Ruijssenaars said, “We started to ask the question if a building can be like the landscape, in order to make a building that would not harm the landscape, or at least learn from the landscape.” “We analysed that the essence of landscape is that it has no beginning or ending, so it’s continuous, not only the fact the world is round but also water goes into land, valleys into mountains, it’s always continuous.” On the Möbius strip concept, he continued, “you have to make a strip and then bend it in order to make this Möbius strip. But with a 3D printer, even a small model, we could make the whole structure from bottom to top without anyone seeing where it is beginning or ending,” According to Business Insider, the entire project would cost an estimated $5.3 million (€4 million). It's estimated that Landscape House would take at least 18 months to complete. The team designing the Möbius 3D house hope to present their new building at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition to be held in Venice from June 7 to November 23, 2014. Further photos of the Landscape House concept can be found on Universe Architecture's Facebook page.

- See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

Dutch Architect plans 'endless' house using 3D printer technology - See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

Dutch Architect plans 'endless' house using 3D printer technology - See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

Dutch Architect plans 'endless' house using 3D printer technology

Like this article4

By Robert Myles

Feb 26, 2013 in Technology

- See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

Dutch Architect plans 'endless' house using 3D printer technology

Like this article4

By Robert Myles

Feb 26, 2013 in Technology

Comments

 3  2  12  1 Google +2

+

A Dutch architect hopes to use 3D printer technology to ‘print off’ a futuristic 12,000 square feet ‘endless’ house. Janjaap Ruijssenaars of Universe Architecture aims to complete construction of his concept 'Landscape House' in 2014.

The futuristic house uses the principle of the one-sided Möbius strip, the mathematical conundrum of a strip of paper twisted on itself. To the eye, a Möbius strip clearly has two sides but tracing a finger along its surface confirms the ‘impossibility’ of a uni-dimensional object. The architect Janjaap Ruijssenaars of the Dutch company Universe Architecture is collaborating with artist mathematician Rinus Roelofs and Enrico Dini. It was Dini who is credited with inventing the D-shape, sometimes called a three-dimensional (3D) printer. The D-shape is a machine capable of constructing three dimensional objects by placing layers of sand, or some other suitable building material, on top of each other combined with a glue or binder to hold the structure together. The new project, which the architectural and mathematical team have named ‘Landscape House,’ aims to construct a genuine 3 D structure using 3D print technology. To date, the D-shape concept has been restricted to ‘printing’ two storey buildings with an area of up to 1100 square metres from a mixture of sand and mortar. The proposed Möbius house represents an ambitious attempt taking 3D printing a few steps closer to being just another construction method.

Universe Architecture

Mobius design concept Landscape House bu Universe Architecture

Like this image

Speaking to Pursuitist.com, Ruijssenaars said, “We started to ask the question if a building can be like the landscape, in order to make a building that would not harm the landscape, or at least learn from the landscape.” “We analysed that the essence of landscape is that it has no beginning or ending, so it’s continuous, not only the fact the world is round but also water goes into land, valleys into mountains, it’s always continuous.” On the Möbius strip concept, he continued, “you have to make a strip and then bend it in order to make this Möbius strip. But with a 3D printer, even a small model, we could make the whole structure from bottom to top without anyone seeing where it is beginning or ending,” According to Business Insider, the entire project would cost an estimated $5.3 million (€4 million). It's estimated that Landscape House would take at least 18 months to complete. The team designing the Möbius 3D house hope to present their new building at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition to be held in Venice from June 7 to November 23, 2014. Further photos of the Landscape House concept can be found on Universe Architecture's Facebook page.

- See more at: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/344344#sthash.8aXpcrpf.dpuf

3D Printer related Video 11

3D Printer related Video 10

This is quoted from http://blog.objet.com/2012/11/07/the-jet-car-from-buckaroo-banzai-3d-printed/ .

The Jet Car from Buckaroo Banzai – 3D Printed!

November 7, 2012

I think I must have just missed this growing up. But judging by the trailer, it looks like a cult hit. Our famous Octopod artist, Sean Charlesworth (who’s undergrad was in Film and TV by small chance!) has now used his Objet Connex multi-material 3D printer to re-create the iconic Jet Car from the film.
Another incredible job from Sean! Check out his fantastic model below:

Wireframe of the Objet 3D Printed Jet Car – by Sean Charlesworth

And now for the 3D printed model:

Objet 3D Printed Jet Car in Rigid Gray Material

 
How about some close-up’s to show the detail of the jet?

Objet 3D Printed Jet Car in Rigid Gray Material – Back View

And here we can clearly see the tire treads in this underside shot:

Objet 3D Printed Jet Car – Underside with Detail of Tire Treads

 

This is quoted from http://blog.objet.com/2012/10/31/the-claw-created-on-an-objet-3d-printer/ .

The Claw! Created on an Objet 3D Printer

October 31, 2012

 

The claw in these photos is a replica from the Creature from the Black Lagoon for Factory Entertainment, a collectibles company. The incredible detail on this 16” long life-sized fossilized hand of the Creature was sculpted by artist Tyler Ham and brought to us by Moddler, a premier 3D printing company located in San Francisco and the proud owners of an Objet 3D printer. Check out their incredible portfolio of 3D printed models.
The 3D CAD of the model was first divided into parts to maximize the surface quality during the 3D print stage and then used as a pattern for molding of the final part.
Happy Halloween – and to all our American friends on the East Coast, hoping you are all well and safe after the storm.

3D CAD Image of the Claw – Prior to 3D Printing

    


 

3D Printer Cubify Cube Client Software Available for Macs

This is quoted from http://blog.3dsystems.com/2012/11/cubify-client-software-available-for.html .

November 14, 2012

Cubify Client Software Available for Macs

Cubify Client Software is officially compatible with Macs. Mac users are able to start designing their own .STL creations and print on the Cube. For more information, check out our press release! Now everyone can design and print on the Cube. Happy printing mac lovers!

3D Printer related Video 9

This is quoted from http://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2009-08/3-d-printing-now-stainless-steel .

3-D Printing, Now in Stainless Steel

Have your designs fabricated in metal, quickly and cheaply, from the comfort of your computer

By Molika Ashford

Stainless Steel Moebius Strip courtesy Shapeways

You can stop pounding on that anvil now; steel fabrication has moved onto the web. Shapeways, a company that made its name offering custom 3-D printing in plastic and resin, will now print your designs in stainless steel. All you have to do is upload your brilliant CAD design (or pick from a range of stock items). Shapeways will print it out in cold, shiny steel, and mail it to you.
As with any 3-D printing, the object is built up in layers. In this case, powdered steel is laid down, alternating with a binding material, in thin layers until the whole piece appears. Then your finished model is heated, cured and, according to Shapeways, "infused with bronze."




Steel printing from Shapeways is limited to models that pass specific size and detail guidelines. The printing leaves some lines and visible layers in the object, they say, so be prepared: your finished piece probably won't look as smooth and perfect as other bits of metal you own. Shapeways' cost chart quotes $10 per square centimeter for steel printing, which could add up to a hefty price for larger items. That said, being able to make your own metal objects without big equipment or the threat of horrible burns is pretty cool at any price.
[Shapeways via Crunchgear]

This is quoted from http://www.3dprinter.net/3d-printing-ceramics-at-sculpteo .

3D Printing Ceramics in 8 Vivid Colors at Sculpteo

by mark on June 11, 2012

Have you always wanted to try your hand at some simple ceramics, but didn’t want to buy a pottery wheel? And you didn’t want to go share a station with 20 screaming kids at the local pottery workshop? Now you can create beautiful, perfectly crafted ceramic pieces — without even getting your hands dirty.

3D printing service Sculpteo has launched 3D printing in ceramic in eight beautiful colors. All the colors are vivid, and your objects will come out smooth and shiny. And unlike the uneven results you’ll get spinning a pottery wheel for the first time, you can make perfectly symmetrical (if that’s what you want) items, or perhaps pieces an amateur pottery hobbyist could not even create traditionally. Regardless of what you want to create, it will come out exactly as you designed it in your 3D modeling program. For those of us who are not very good with our hands, artistically, yet can create a mean model on a computer, this is great news — we’ve got one more way to create something tangible, something we can hold in our hands, show to our friends, place on the living room table.
And like traditional ceramic, it is heat and water resistant. That means that you will be able to make all the traditional items that people love to make with ceramics: vases, mugs, dinner plates, ashtrays…does anyone make ashtrays anymore?
For those of you already doing some 3D printing with materials such as ABS, know that you won’t be able to render some very small details you are used to with ceramics. So make simple, not complex pieces. The minimum thickness is 3mm (0.118 inch) for an overall size under 200mm (7.8 inch) and it’s 4mm (0.15 inch) if the object is under 300mm (11.8 inch). Maximum size (X + Y + Z) is 400 mm.
8 colors are available:

• White Glossy
• Oyster Blue
• Tangerine Orange
• Turquoise
• Aquarius Blue
• Satin Black
• Anis Green
• Lemon Yellow

3D printing continues to bring us more ways to make things, without getting our hands dirty.

This is quoted from http://www.3dprinter.net/how-3d-print-bicycle .

How to 3D print your own carbon fiber bicycle

by mark on June 18, 2012

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I know, I know, the title and lead photo of this article makes it sound like you can 3D print your own bicycle — frame, chains, wheels, tires and all. Sorry, you can’t even 3D print just frame. Well, people have, but not in a practical manner. What we have here is someone using 3D printing to create just the crucial parts of his bike frame, enough to be able to customize its size and shape, and then piecing it all together with some traditional methodology. It’s a small step, but that’s how all new technologies begin.
The DIY bikemaker is Andrew Leinonen, and he set out to make a bike frame without the associated cost of fabricating a jig and other expensive steps. Here’s the goal he set for himself:

I wanted to design a process for building bicycles that allowed an enthusiast to spend less overhead, less time on finicky details, and put the emphasis on actually designing and making a bike that you want to ride…The process that I came up with takes advantage of the growing availability and affordability of CAD and 3D printing to allow people to build themselves a unique custom bicycle with unparalleled design flexibility.

So where does 3D printing come in? He used a 3D printer to print socket-style lugs that will be used to join together commodity tubestock, like so:

The joints are reinforced with carbon fiber and epoxy:

Once the tubing is cut to the proper lengths, all the pieces are snapped together. Yup, it’s that easy.
Easy? Yeah, right. I’m kidding. You need to go to the Instructables page where he documented all the steps. It’s insanely cool. There are dozens and dozens of photos and very detailed instructions. Even if you are not going to be making a bike yourself, it’s worth the time just scrolling down his page to get a quick idea of what he’s accomplished.

World first as entire working bicycle is made using 3D printer

This is quoted from http://forums.canadiancontent.net/science-environment/99102-world-first-entire-working-bicycle.html .

World first as entire working bicycle is made using 3D printer
Mar 20th, 2011

A bicycle is the first in the world to be made by printing it out on a computer.

The Airbike is made of nylon, is as strong as steel and aluminium but weighs 65 per cent less.

The bike is the creation of British scientists at the European Aeronautic Defence and Space group (EADS) in Filton, near Bristol who designed the bike on a computer and sent it to a printer, which placed layers of melted nylon powder on top of each other to build-up the machine.

Individual components such as gears, pedals and wheels are usually manufactured elsewhere in different factories. However, the Airbike is a single, complete part.

Robin Southwell, chief executive of EADS UK, said: 'The Airbike is a fantastic example of British innovation at its very best."

Go on, print me a bike! The technology that enables a computer to run off a full-working cycle

By Daily Mail Reporter
20th March 2011
Daily Mail

This bicycle is the first in the world to be created simply by printing it out on a computer, using groundbreaking new technology.

The fully-working cycle, which is made of nylon, is the result of an extraordinary project and is as strong as steel and aluminium but weighs 65 per cent less.

Scientists in Bristol designed the bike on a computer and sent it to a printer, which placed layers of melted nylon powder on top of each other to build-up the machine.


Let's ride: The fully-working cycle, which is made of nylon, is the result of an extraordinary project and is as strong as steel and aluminium but weighs 65 per cent less


On the move: Scientists designed the bike on a computer and sent it to a printer, which placed layers of melted nylon powder on top of each other to build-up the machine

Individual components such as gears, pedals and wheels are usually made in different factories and assembled into a finished bike but the Airbike is a single, complete part.

The wheels, bearings and axle are incorporated into the 'growing' process, known as Additive Layer Manufacturing.

The Airbike can be built to the rider's own specification so requires no adjustment. It also requires no conventional maintenance or assembly.

It is made by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space group in Filton, near Bristol, The 3D printing method allows products to be made from a fine powder of nylon, carbon-reinforced plastics or metals such as titanium, stainless steel or aluminium.

They are drawn using computer-aided design and then sent to a printer, which is filled with the powdered material.

A computer splits the 3D design into many 2D layers and a laser beam is used to melt the powder material into the first of the layers.

This is then covered by a new layer of powder and the process is repeated with the next 'slice'.

The manufacturing process uses about one-tenth of the material required in traditional methods, reducing waste.

The technology is likely to be used in industrial applications such as aerospace, the motor industry and engineering.

Lead engineer Andy Hawkins said: 'The possibilities with ALM are huge - it's a game-changing technology.

'The beauty is that complex designs do not cost any extra to produce. The laser can draw any shape you like.

'Many unique design features have been incorporated into the Airbike, such as saddle cushioning or the integrated bearings encased within the hubs.'

Robin Southwell, chief executive of EADS UK, said: 'The Airbike is a fantastic example of British innovation at its very best.

'The team at EADS in Bristol includes world-class engineers who continue to push boundaries by working at the forefront of technology.'

dailymail.co.uk

This is quoted from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2117570/Amazing-3D-printer-action-Watch-working-wrench-printed-powder.html .

Amazing 3D printer in action: Watch a working wrench being made from powder

By Ted Thornhill
PUBLISHED: 20 March 2012

We’re going to need a lot of tools as we expand into space – to build and maintain space stations and craft.
However, the problem of how to replace tools should they break has always been a worry. After all, it’s quite an undertaking to fly them into orbit.
But now scientists believe astronauts will be able to build unlimited replacements – simply by printing them.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Hi-tech: The Z Corporation's 3D printer can make just about anything

Image is everything: The wrench is scanned into a computer

It sounds like science fiction, but a YouTube video made by National Geographic shows that the remarkable process is actually science fact.

Theoretical physicist David Kaplan, from Johns Hopkins University, visits a company called Z Corporation in Burlington, Massachusetts, which specialises in 3D printers that can make almost anything – even with moving parts.
In the amazing film a huge adjustable wrench is first of all scanned into a computer, down to the accuracy of 40 microns – slightly less than the width of a human hair.

Remarkable: The finished wrench is pulled out of the powder tray

Robust: It's even strong enough to undo a nut

The image is then sent to a printer that doesn’t use ink, but a ‘specially engineered composite material’ that starts out as a powder and is then bound together with a type of resin.
This is what the printed wrench is made from.
Within 90 minutes Dr Kaplan is shown a fully working, robust copy of the original wrench that even features the adjustable head.
He said: ‘So going into space, you just take a printer and you can print whatever you want.’

This is quoted from http://www.technewsdaily.com/6305-3d-printers-computers-homes.html .

Will 3D Printers Conquer the Consumer Market?

Jesse Emspak, TechNewsDaily Contributor

02 October 2012

The Ultimaker churns out a tiny, yellow robot figurine. View full size image

The 3D printer seems to have gone mainstream, at least for the do-it-yourself movement that populates the Maker Faire. But it remains to be seen if some "killer app" will make these printers a must-have item for consumers.
This year's Maker Faire devoted an entire tent to perhaps a dozen brands of 3D printer, many of them for sale at the faire or for later delivery. While all share the same basic functionality — they build a shape in plastic, layer by layer — they each present slight design variations.
Their proponents are enthusiastic about the printers’ potential. "It's like a new industrial revolution," said Siert Wijnia, a founder of Netherlands-based Ultimaker. "[3D printers] are where the microcomputer was 30 years ago."
To an extent that's true: in the early 1980s, it was just starting to become commonplace to have a computer in the home, and prices for top-end Apple or IBM-type machines were in the $1,000-$1,500 range, or about $2,200-$3,000 in current dollars. The 3D printers are, if anything, cheaper. Ultimaker sells its version for about $1,600. The software is open-source, and it works with most computer-aided design packages, including some available free on the Web.

Early computers, by contrast, weren't open source. So there are two questions: what is the "killer app" that gets everyone printing stuff out, and how do the various entrants compete in a market with few barriers to entry? Makerbot, the grand old man of the 3D-printer universe, has moved to proprietary software and design — perhaps an acknowledgement that it's hard to keep innovating to stay ahead of the competition with no intellectual property. [Why a DIY Pioneer Dislikes 3D Printing]

An early model 3D printer from SeeMeCNC.com

View full size image

In the meantime, the designs keep coming. The Rostock Max, for instance, gets away from the box shape typical of most 3D printers. Built by PartDaddy, an engineering company that makes machine parts in Goshen, Ind., it uses a three-armed system to move the printer head along both the horizontal and vertical axes.
The software is also different from that of other 3D printers, says Steve Wygant, CEO of PartDaddy. He is seeking $10,000 by Nov. 24 for the Rostock Max under his SeeMeCNC brand name on the crowd-funding website Indigogo. A fully assembled Rostock should sell for about $1,500, while a kit to build your own goes for about $850. Unlike most other 3D printers, the Rostock can be re-purposed as a "pick and place" circuit-board assembler, because the arms are not restricted to horizontal movement.
Wygant's background is in engineering, but it's notable how many people getting into the business come from design backgrounds. The open-source technology has become simple enough that designing and building a 3D printer isn't just the province of hard-core engineers anymore. Vancouver-based Justin Sy, for one, studied design at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. Tinkerine, which Sy founded with friend Andy Yang, has already produced a couple of models of its 3D printer, the Ditto. The acrylic version showcases an aesthetic sense as much as solid engineering.
John Cabrer, of Tjiko, noted that the patents on most 3D printer designs have run out, which is why so many people can build them. He came up with a kit that doesn't require screws, so it can be slotted together like some IKEA furniture. "I have been doing a lot of improvements in my career," he said, referring to his background in software engineering. He added that removing the need for tools improves 3D printers by simplifying them.
So with all this enthusiasm, what are the limits? For one thing, few 3D printers print in more than one color at a time. Some can be equipped with multiple "extruders" (the part that puts the plastic down). But generally, they only come with one, so that if you want multicolored parts, they have to be assembled outside the printer. The machines also suffer from some limits on resolution, or the thickness of the layers of plastic. Generally, that is about 200 microns, or 0.2 millimeters, which is not a lot, but enough to give the pieces a rough "feel" that must be sanded down.
Then, there is the choice of plastic. Most 3D-printer makers have chosen to “go green," using a biodegradable compound called PLA, or polylactic acid. Others use a material called ABS, famous as the material used in Lego bricks. But don't expect your bricks to look, feel or work the same. The Lego company notoriously makes theirs with very tight tolerances, far smaller than a homebrew machine can achieve. The printers don’t work in metal, either, which is still the province of industrial equipment.

The acrylic model of the Ditto from Tinkerine, flaked by its wood-framed cousin

View full size image

That said, these machines can do a lot. One trick is making ball bearings, which the machines can build as single pieces. The printer creates the ring around the bearings (with a thin piece of connecting plastic that can be snapped off). The bearings aren't aircraft-quality, but for a lot of applications, they are likely good enough.
But while the thought of making one's own toys or craft projects is exciting to some, it isn't clear that a mass market for these printers will emerge the same way that it did for desktop publishing.
Cabrer said most of his sales, for example, have been to universities and schools. It's also worth noting that desktop publishing's biggest impact may have come in saving existing print publications a lot of money, because the technology eliminated the paste-up room and made it possible for smaller operations to work with big printing houses. 3D printing is certainly a big money-saver for any company doing prototyping, but the justification for its use in the home isn't quite clear yet.
That doesn't dampen some customers’ enthusiasm, though. At the Makerbot booth, where the latest models were being showcased, several people approached and asked about buying one, and at least one sought assurance that no new releases would appear before his was shipped. And at Ultimaker's stand, a common question was, "Can we take one home?"

This is quoted from http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21628875.100-us-military-gets-into-the-3d-printing-business.html .

US military gets into the 3D printing business

• 18 October 2012 by Sara Reardon 

Make me a new wheel if I explode (Image: Richard Nowitz/NGS)

AN ISOLATED military outpost in the middle of hostile territory is a bad place for your equipment to break down. Replacement parts and fuel either have to be air-dropped or driven through dangerous territory. So the US military plans to make remote operating bases and camps self-sufficient, able to generate their own energy and even print their own gadgets.

Advances in radio, GPS and surveillance equipment have changed how the US military deploys its troops, says Bob Charette of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Energy Office. Instead of being bunched in large groups that slowly march across enemy territory, soldiers are now strategically scattered in independent camps that span an entire war zone. These can range from operating bases with a few hundred soldiers to lookout posts of less than a dozen.

Such isolated bases are "the tip of the spear", says Pete Newell, who heads the US army's Rapid Equipping Force (REF). But they often have difficulty getting equipment. It can take months to receive parts that need to be shipped from the US.

To speed up the process, REF has put together three mobile laboratories in 6-metre-long shipping containers. Each lab comes with tools such as plasma cutters and jigsaws, a 3D printer that prints in plastic or metal and a scientist and engineer to run them. The labs, which cost about $2.8 million, can be picked up by helicopter and set down just about anywhere.

The first lab was shipped to Afghanistan in July, and a second will be deployed next month. So far, they have allowed soldiers to fix technical problems on the spot, Newell says. "Every 10th guy has a great idea." For instance, the 54 °C heat in Afghanistan was playing havoc with the batteries in a ground-penetrating radar system used to search for mines, so soldiers used the 3D printer to make a shielding case to protect them. It worked so well that everyone wanted one, Newell says, so the team emailed the design back to the US, where it could be mass-produced and distributed among other combat units.

Soldiers have also used the labs to design hooks for defusing explosive devices, and parts to repair robots. Printing weapons is not on the agenda, Newell says, although fixing them might be. He also envisions printing more complex objects, like batteries and solar panels, which has been shown to be technically feasible (Advanced Materials, doi.org/cm4r85).

Sherry Lassiter at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's FabLab says that the labs could be helpful for rebuilding an area after a natural disaster as necessities such as drug delivery devices or antennas for Wi-Fi communication could be prototyped and printed quickly and easily. But she and Nadya Peek, also of FabLab, worry that for long-term disaster relief missions that can stretch to months or even years, resupplying the raw materials needed to run the labs might prove costly. "The military tends to do things very expensively," says Peek.

From the military's point of view, however, the price of the labs is outweighed by the ability to give combat units an extra degree of self-sufficiency while lowering the number of risky resupply missions that must be carried out.

"We can't be competing against the fragile [fuel and water] infrastructure that's often the root cause of the conflict in the first place," says Newell. "We're trying to get those unit locations completely off the grid."

Soldiers stay powered on the go

Soldiers now carry 4900 per cent more weight in the form of batteries than they did during the Vietnam war, says Bob Charette of the US Marines. So the Corps is testing gadgets to decrease the amount of power radios and GPS need, or draw it from another source. The Lightning Pack backpack, for example, bounces as its wearer walks and can convert that kinetic energy into 40 watts of power - enough to power a radio.
Naval Sea Systems Command, meanwhile, has created backpacks with solar panels attached for the same purpose. The panels charge bulletproof batteries, and a soldier can stay powered up for four days. The Marines will be testing these systems in Australia next year.

This is quoted from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2023469/Aeroplane-created-using-3D-printer-world-Scientists-create-aircraft-100mph-max-speed.html .

Aeroplane created using a 3D printer in world first: Scientists build aircraft with 100mph max speed

By Daily Mail Reporter
UPDATED: 07:34 GMT, 8 August 2011

This plane is the first in the world to be created using the groundbreaking new technology of  '3D printing'.
The aircraft was built using only a computer - but it can get up to a speed of 100mph and has a two-metre wingspan.
It was produced using a special nylon laser printer that builds up an item layer-by-layer.

Ground-breaking: The plane was produced by a 3D printer - but can still go up to 100mph

The parts were made separately and attached using a 'snap fit' technique so the aircraft could be put together without tools in minutes.
No fasteners at all were used in the manufacture of the plane.

 

The breakthrough by the team of engineers from the University of Southampton's Computational Engineering and Design Research group could revolutionise aircraft manufacture.
Unmanned and electrically powered, the plane can cruise in near silence and is also equipped with a miniature autopilot system.

Assembly: The plane's components snap together so that no other fasteners are needed

The special production process used by the team is known as 'laser sintering' and allows the designer to create shapes and structures that would normally involve costly manufacturing techniques.
This technology allows a highly-tailored aircraft to be developed from concept to first flight in days, whereas using conventional materials and techniques would take months.
And because no tooling is required for manufacture, radical changes to the shape and scale of the aircraft can be made with no extra cost.
Professor Jim Scanlon, who led the team with Professor Andy Keane, said: 'The process allows the design team to revisit historical techniques and ideas that would have been prohibitively expensive using conventional manufacturing.'

Lift-off: The plane contains an autopilot system so that it can fly itself

He said one such structure studied by the team was initially developed by Barnes Wallis and famously used on the Vickers Wellington bomber which first flew in 1936.
He added: 'This form of structure is very stiff and lightweight, but very complex. If it was manufactured conventionally it would require a large number of individually tailored parts that would have to be bonded or fastened at great expense.'
The new printed plane is known as the Southampton University Laser Sintered Aircraft - or SULSA for short - and is part of a wider project using cutting-edge manufacturing techniques.
The University of Southampton has been at the forefront of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle development since the early 1990s.
Unmanned aircraft are currently used primarily by the military, but they are expected to come into increasing use in scientific research.

This is quoted from http://www.geek.com/articles/geek-cetera/3d-printed-aircraft-successfully-takes-flight-20121023/ .

3D-printed aircraft successfully takes flight

Oct. 23, 2012 By: Mark Raby

Who needs hundreds of millions of dollars in manufacturing facilities when you can create an airplane with a 3D printer? Researchers have managed to create a flying vehicle that can rise to the sky on its own using 3D printing technology.
Alright, this wasn’t exactly a Boeing 747.  In fact the craft was a small contraption with a 6.5-foot wingspan created by students at the University of Virginia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. It survived four tests flights in August and September, at a local airfield in central Virginia, and managed to reach a top cruising speed of 45 miles per hour.
One student was chosen to work at the Mitre Corporation based on a YouTube video he posted of a 3D-printed turbofan engine. Mechanical engineering major Steven Easter was successfully able to then turn that experience into a fully working aircraft.

So it’s cool, but what does this mean? Anything? This is actually the third time that a flying device has been created from 3D-printed materials so it isn’t nothing remarkably new, but knowing that a team headlined by an undergraduate engineering student can achieve this accomplishment in a summer internship goes to show just how accessible and how powerful the technology has become.
There is no shortage of exciting 3D printing projects in the works, from increasingly affordable consumer 3D printers to ambitious over-the-top ideas like 3D-printed houses. It’s a far cry to say someone might fly in a 3D-printed plane anytime soon, but the fact that the mere concept isn’t just a thing for sci-fi movies is itself pretty incredible.
via University of Virginia

This is quoted from http://techland.time.com/2012/04/09/the-delicious-future-3d-chocolate-printer-finally-available-for-purchase/ .

The Delicious Future: 3D Chocolate Printer Finally Available for Purchase

By Doug AamothApril 09, 2012

Choc Edge

As the world shifts to an increasingly paperless existence, the lowly computer printer catches fleeting glimpses of its glory days in the rear-view mirror.
“Text me the directions; I’ll pull them up on my phone,” says John Everyman. “Text” used to have a much more significant meaning during the heady times of bubblejets, inkjets, laserjets and the like. Now the word has lost its tangibility. But thanks to recent advances, there’s chocolate to be printed — yes, printers are about to enjoy a delicious renaissance.

Here’s what’s not new and what’s new: What’s not new is the concept of 3D printing – printing three-dimensional objects layer by layer. See this video with our friend Bre Pettis, who’s done a lot to advance the era of 3D printing along. Typical 3D printers are often used to create plastic-like items infused with varying amounts of utility – they’re even being used to bootleg and pirate objects. What’s the so-called “next big thing” in technology? Put 3D printing on the shortlist.
Also not new is the concept of this 3D chocolate printer. We wrote about it last year, and even linked to “edible chocolate structures” created as far back as 2007. If you can print plastic-like 3D objects, why not print 3D food objects? The technology isn’t quite advanced enough to easily create things from complex materials, but it can be used with simple foodstuffs like chocolate.
What is new is that this whimsical 3D chocolate printer from the masterminds at Choc Edge has finally become available to the masses. The Choc Creator Version 1, as it’s called, isn’t exactly cheap – 3D printing in general is still a bit on the expensive side – but can pre-order a unit for £2,488 (about $3,500) if you’re one of the first 90 people to do so.
After that, the price goes up to £2,888 (about $4,600). But – BUT! – if you pre-order, you only have to put 30% down now and then pay the rest when it ships. It’ll pay for itself when you become the only freelance 3D chocolate printer in the neighborhood. “There goes the Chocolate King!” the neighbors will yell. “Wave to the Chocolate King, kids!” Has a nice ring to it, huh?

As for the internals, the machine uses a stepper motor to three-dimensionally print layer upon layer of chocolate, which is extracted out of a refillable syringe.
According to the product page:

Choc Creator utilizes an easy-to-use syringe based chocolate deposition head which allows users to rapidly install and remove syringe head units. The design enables users to refill syringes with fresh chocolate or different chocolates conveniently.

What’s more, when you’ve conquered the world of neighborhood freelance chocolate printing and decide it’s time to move on to different projects, take solace that “Users can use any other materials in their printer for as long as the material can flow out of the printing head.” The machine uses standard 3D design files transferred to it via a USB cable from your computer.
We’re getting ahead of ourselves here, though. For now, you’ve got chocolate to print. And eat. And reprint. And eat. Here’s a video of the printer in action:

This is quoted from http://www.designboom.com/weblog/cat/16/view/12675/3d-food-printer.html .

3D food printer

the 3D food printer, part of the fab@home series by cornell university's computational synthesis lab


with a three-dimensional food printer, the future of food
is just a mouseclick away.

not the only device of its kind, but arguably the most advanced,
the 3D food printer is designed and being further developed in america
by cornell university's computational synthesis laboratory,
headed by dr. jeffrey ian lipton. the team's fab@home technology,
designed as a collection of open-source rapid prototyping systems,
allows three-dimensional objects to be 'printed' by a syringe,
whose movements are determined from computer blueprints and models.
layering lines of material ultimately generates a three-dimensional object
in a process they call 'solid freeform fabrication.'



detail view of a piece of chocolate created with the machine


although they are in no way limited to food,
fab@home machines have already been used
to print chocolates, cookies, and even domes of turkey meat.
while previous models have typically used only one syringe,
the cornell team is now working with them in multiple,
to permit the combination of diverse ingredients in precise proportions.

currently, only liquids and gels can be used as cartridges,
and the researchers have already experimented
with cheese, cake batter, chocolate, and dough.
promisingly, current research that involves mixing raw foods
with hydrocolloids, creating a gel,
may soon expand the repertoire of foods that can be used in the machine.



examples of the device in use, printing chocolate and frosting shapes


on a broad scale, the device would not only
increase the ease and availability of healthful food
to individuals who are unable or unwilling to cook for themselves,
but also produce a number of ecologically beneficial effects,
as it decreases the number of intermediaries involved
between food production and ultimate consumption.
some researchers wonder if one day,
3D printers would even permit the 'growing' of near-raw foodstuffs.



3D printing offers greater detail and more uniformity across multiple copies of objects than does shaping food by hand


moving forward, lipton foresees the greatest difficulty to be
allowing consumers at home to create their own custom food inks,
because different materials will each behave differently.

nonetheless, he imagines 'chefCAD' software
that will allow people to design and print
their own food constructions, share recipes (fabApps),
and easily modify blueprints to reflect personal tastes.



frosting model being used as a cast to make a silicon ball


already, the use of 3D printing on frosting
can be used to create easily degradable molds and casts.
if it becomes difficult to release the object,
the cast can be quickly dissolved in water or broken.
because one of the major benefits of 3D printing
is its consistency and repeatability,
it is simple to create identical new molds.



early collaborations with the french culinary institute in generating food inks



this diagram illustrates some of the variables that must be adjusted in printing chocolate,
suggesting some of the ways in which recipes can be customized pending further developments of the printer