Worth Checking Out! An Affordable 3D Printer

I just discovered a company in the Bronx that is making a 3D printer for $499. The company is called Solidoodle. Currently it looks like they are back logged for orders.

More Models in My Shop... And Some 3D Printing News

I have added more models to my shop on Shapeways. Actually, I have put models back into my shop that I had previously removed.  Two of my most popular models are back:

The first one is a 6-Sided Spiked Die which will make your Yahtzee game a Yowtzee game.

The second is a 4-sided Spiked Die for any place you need a 4-sided die.

In the news:  Read Write posted an article and video about a 3D printed record.  I don't think the recording industry has anything to worry about for the near future.  The record sounds horrible!  But, At least you can tell it is a record.  The first song is Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" which sound like "War of The Worlds" (the original) and most likely smells like hot plastic.  It does however show the advances in the resolution of 3D printing technology.

Just to show how mainstream 3D printers are becoming, I found a 3D printer for sale on Amazon. The Afinia 3D Printer H-Series is on sale now for only $1,499!  This printer has a build envelope 5-1/2"(w) x 5-1/2"(d) x 5-1/4"(h) (140x140x135mm) and prints ABS plastic.  Actually, this is not the only 3D printer on Amazons site.  As the number of models increase, hopefully the prices will drop so the that average person can buy one.  If it follows the emergence of computers in the home we could see some rapid price drops in the next year or two.  In 1969 the first truly home computer, the Honeywell 316 Kitchen computer cost $10,000 and weighed over 100 pounds.  In 1977 the Apple II cost $1,298 for the base model.  We will have to see what happens as this technology become more and more popular.  My question is who will take advantage of this boom and develop an easy to use and cheap 3D design tool.  CAD software vendors like Solidworks and PTC still have their prices in the thousands of dollars unless you are a student.  This seem like a market ripe for the picking.

Please feel free to comment on this post to let me know what you think is the future of 3D printing.

New Models for 3D Printing on Shapeways

I added some new models to my shop on Shapeways. The first ones are rings that look like low profile motorcycle tires (http://shpws.me/n2ZD) in various sizes. These are a newer version of one I uploaded earlier this week.

The other model is one I created several months ago. iHold - The iPhone Tripod Mount (http://shpws.me/n30y) is a iPhone bracket for mounting your iPhone to a standard tripod. All you need is a 1/4-20 nut to mount your iPhone in landscape or portrait mode.

Motorcycle Tire Tread Rings on Shapeways

I just finished creating my latest model a Motorcycle Tire Ring on Shapeways and now for sale.  I will be sample model for my personal use soon.  So far I have this available in the following sizes: 13, 12, 11 and 7.  Depending on demand and popularity I will add more sizes.  The nice thing about Shapeways is the number of types of materials they offer.  I have this model available in several colors (in black of course!) and styles of plastics well as stainless, silver, gold plated and bronze plated.  I hope other motorcycle enthusiasts will order a few of them as well.  Have you purchased any 3D printed models?

3D Printing In The News

Here are a few interesting posts related to the world of 3D printing:

Venture Beat posted an interesting post about 3D printing as related to the future of manufacturing.  Be sure to scroll down to see the infographic which really explains how 3D printing works and what the advantages are.

HLNtv posted an article on 3D printing as "The Trend of the Year" and includes a great video that explains how 3D printing (Fused Deposition Modeling) and the Makerbot 3D printer works. It also names seven examples of new developments in 3D printing technology and the range of potential for its use.

Extreme Tech posted an article about the advances of 3D printing with metal and its uses in "additive manufacturing" today.  Check out the three videos in the article:

1. 3D printing with stainless powder.
2. Laser Metal Deposition (LDM) dispenses metal powder into a stream melted by a laser.
3. Shapeways metal printing process with some examples of some models made by the model makers in the Shapeways community. 

Enjoy!

The Replicator Revolution Begins?

I have decided to start a blog to discuss the new and exciting advances of 3D printing which many think is the beginning of what will eventually become the "replicator".  For those of you who are not familiar with that term, please watch a season or two of Star Trek.  Or, continue reading this post...

The replicator basically made almost anything you asked it to make on a molecular level.  At first, it was for making food and drinks, but then many other things were replicated as the series continued.  Everything from pork-chops to power converters were made by just asking the computer to "replicate" whatever they desired.  "Earl Grey, hot," was one of the most common requests from a certain well know captain on the series.

So how does this a blog make?  For the last 12 years I have been involved in some form or another of 3D printing.  Additionally, I have been working on creating 3D models for printing on demand on various sites which I will feature in future posts.  I predict that in the next 5-10 years a 3D printer will be as common in most homes as a laser printer.  You will be able to print a replacement plastic part for your small appliance by downloading a 3D model from the manufacturer or make a replacement knob for a piece of furniture.  Perhaps children will print out their own toys or a scaled model of themselves and their friends to play with.  The possibilities are beyond our current vision but very close on the horizon.

This blog is about my use of 3D technology as well as developments in the technology of 3D printing and its progression into the mainstream and into the average household.  I hope we both enjoy the journey and also appreciate looking back to where we started this revolution from.