Markforged is making 3D printers that print metal parts.
Tag Archives: 3D printing
Polymaker is creating new filaments for 3D printing
Nicolas Tokotuu talks about what Polymaker is up to in the 3D world.
Formlabs at CES 2020
Formlabs CEO Max Lobosky talks about cool stuff that can be 3D printed with their products.
New 3D Printers from XYZprinting, including a 3D Copier?
Extending their da Vinci range, XYZprinting have announced two new 3D printers at IFA this year, along with 3D project curriculum packs to help teachers and educators.
The first new model is in the mini series which is aimed at families and the home market. The da Vinci Color Mini is a fused filament fabrication (FFF) printer with an improved air fan for increased print quality and an auto load filament to ensure the filaments are loaded easily and correctly, which is great for family use. The autolevelling removable print bed helps objects stay straight, stick well for a good model and then be removed easily once printed. The internal volume is 13 x 13 x 13 cm which allows reasonably size models to be printed and the printer also features a 5 inch colour touch panel for user friendly and intuitive experience. List price is GB£1599, which isn’t cheap but is affordable for the keen and enthusiastic family. I imagine it would be good choice for smaller schools too.
The second model is the da Vinci AiO (All in One) and it’s decidedly more advanced. A bit bigger, with a 20 x 20 x 15 cm volume, the AiO is able to print in full-colour using colour texture inkjet printing 3D structure, which combines inkjet printing with FFF 3D printing. That’s great but in addition to full colour printing the AiO has a built in engraver and a 3D scanner. The press release doesn’t go into detail into how this works, or the limitations of the 3D scanner but it sounds like we’ve almost got a 3D copier here. That’s pretty cool. List price is GB£2699.
Finally, XYZprinting have a selection of 3D projects to support the STEAM curriculum. That’s STEAM as in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths rather than a popular software delivery platform. These packs help teachers engage with there students using 3D technology to effectively explore the topic areas. The packages will be divided into age brackets for ages 5-11, 11-14 and 14-18 and the content in each age category will be relevant across different subjects. Price to be confirmed.
Full Colour 3D Printer at IFA
With 3D printing, the colour of the substrate determines the colour of the model and as most 3D printers only hold one or two reels of material, it’s held back the visual appeal of the models. Anything detailed needs to be painted in post-production.
That’s all changing now as XYZprinting have announced the da Vinci Color 3D Printer which combines an inkjet and 3D printer, colouring the material as it goes. Because the colour is injected into the substrate, there’s no need to pause to change spools. The da Vinci Color uses fused filament fabrication (FFF) 3D printing and can take advantage of 16 million of shades using its CMYK palette. The print bed is 20 cm x 20 cm x 15 cm in build volume and there’s complementary software to tweak models for colour.
The printer has 4 ink cartridges (20 ml) which are easily replaced by the owner with a recommended price of €65. A new PLA (a polyester for 3D printing) was exclusively developed for the new da Vinci Color. This 600 g transparent coil is also certified DEHP-free & heavy metal-free at a recommended price of €39.
The da Vinci Color will be available throughout the network of XYZprinting partner resellers at a recommended price of €3 599. It’s pricey for home use, but I think that’ll be snapped up by small businesses and education.
If you happen to be at IFA, call into their stand at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, Hall 13 Booth 102, Messedamm, Berlin.
SE3D Offers 3D Printing for Living Cells at CES
While 3D printers struggle to find a place in homes and offices, they’ve revolutionised the world of prototyping and the development of “one offs” within design and manufacturing. SE3D hope to push 3D printing into education and science, and Todd discusses the possibilities with Dr Mayasar Lim from SE£D.
SE3D’s printer differs from other devices through the substrate used for the models. Instead of plastic or metal, it uses organic materials to build the structure. By using plant or animal calls, the model can then be used within demonstrations, experiments and trials to show the response to, say, enzymes or therapeutic treatments.
Aimed at both education and laboratory markets, the basic printer unit is around US$4,000 and SE3D can provide a package for schools that includes curricular materials along with reagents and other materials.
Todd Cochrane is the host of the twice-weekly Geek News Central Podcast at GeekNewsCentral.com.
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3DPhotoWorks Helps the Visually Impaired thru 3D Printing
“Blind people see with their hands” is kind of a cliched notion. Overall, everyone “sees” with all of the senses they have available. Visually impaired people just rely on their non-visual senses a bit more than others, depending on the situation. And while visually impaired people can usually comprehend much about the world around them, items that are flat, two-dimensional, or simply out of reach can be elusive. A company called 3DPhotoWorks is hoping to change that using 3D printers.
3DPhotoWorks has spent the last seven years developing a now-patented process that converts any conventional painting, drawing, collage or photograph into a “3D Tactile Fine Art Print.” The end result is a three-dimensional creation that can be touched and held, greatly increasing a visually impaired person’s ability to “see” the original item:
Using their fingertips, the blind experience 3D Tactile Fine Art Prints through tactile feedback. This feedback creates a mental picture that allows them to ‘see’ the art, often for the first time. To further assist in creating a ‘mental picture,; sensors are embedded throughout the prints that when touched, activate custom audio that describes what is transpiring at that exact coordinate.
The ultimate goal of 3DPhotoWorks is to make its 3D Tactile Fine Art Prints available to museums and other public institutions. The company is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the project.