Las Vegas may be the last place you think of when you think of 3D printing, however it may have helped develop that new fun slot machine you’re playing. The team at TriMech have a great video and case study about how 3D printing is cutting lead time and cost of slot machine development. Continue reading
The Attraction of 3D Printed Magnets
Imagine being able to print a magnet in complex geometry with superior properties to conventional magnets. This is the promise of printing with magnetized filament allowing for precise control of the magnetic field in nearly any shape desired for an application. Magnets, energy and electronics are all intertwined, so no doubt we’ll be seeing more applications of precision magnets in the future.
3D Printing in the Bathroom? A Cool 3D Printed Faucet from @DXV!
OK, so the bathroom is the last room in your house I’d probably expect to run into a 3D printed object, but I guess I was wrong. DXV, the luxury portfolio from American Standard, has made some amazing looking 3D printed faucets that will blow your mind. These designs are the type that machining or casting would obviously struggle greatly to produce. Continue reading
The 3D Printing of Tom Brady
If your family is like mine then football is a big part of your Thanksgiving tradition. If you remember earlier this year Tom Brady was suspended 4 games related to playing with balls below the required pressure. He was banned from being around all team activities. A sports site got creative and made this ultra-real looking Brady mask using 3D printing. Checkout the video to see how it was done. Happy Thanksgiving!
Tea, Early Grey, Hot: 3D Printing of Food
Could the future of food be 3D printing? No doubt you’ve seen 3D printed chocolates and other novelties, but what about complete dishes like the replicators in Star Trek created? You may remember Captain Picard’s iconic, “Tea, Earl Grey, Hot” replicator order from Star Trek, but did you know both NASA and the military are actually working on similar technology? Continue reading
3D Printed Trophy at Olympics Instead of Flowers. I Suppose it Beats a Celery Crown…
Copy of Rio trophy that you can buy on eBay.
It appears instead of flowers, Olympians on the medal stand got a 3D printed sculpture. This was said to be less wasteful than flowers and I suppose more of a long term keepsake. You can read more about it here and even buy your own version on eBay like the picture above. I suppose it beats the old Isthmian games in ancient Corinth, there if you won you got a crown made out of celery!
Clean the Ocean with a 3D Printed Bikini?
Components of the Spongesuit bikini. Illustration credit: Eray Carbajo
Would you wear a bikini to help clean the environment? Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have developed a special material called Sponge to clean the water as a person swims. Continue reading
Happy Earth Day
We’ve talked in the past about ways 3D printing can be Earth friendly and reduce CO2, so we’ll just say Happy Earth Day!
First 3D Printed Drug Approved
The first 3D-printed drug has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Aprecia Pharmaceuticals has made a drug called Spritam (levetiracetam) that is used to treat epilepsy. By 3D printing the tablet can be made of layers of the powdered drug for rapid dissolution in what they call the ZipDose® platform. Cool to see another serious medical use of 3D printing!
3D LIDAR Scanning and Self Driving Cars
No doubt you’ve heard of the potential of self driving cars and what they could potentially mean to safety and reduced traffic. With thousands killed in accidents due to driver error one wonders if 100 years from now we’ll wonder why a human was ever allowed to pilot such a dangerous machine. Self driving cars can even let the blind drive! Continue reading
Printing DDD 