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Jeweller at your doorstep- 3D Printed Engagement Rings by Brilliance

brilliance 3d printed engagement ring model

The worst part of online shopping is that you cannot try out the product before buying it. You can understand the product better once you have it delivered to your house. The trouble seems to multiple when you find out that the item that you have bought isn’t of the right size. The returning policy of some e-tailers is complex and expensive. Due to all these drawback people tend to buy stuff from the stores rather than online especially for occasions such as marriages and other family functions. On such cross roads 3D printing has come to the aid of e-tailers.

An online company by the name of Brilliance.com is using 3D printing to custom fit their products. This online website gives the customer the opportunity to download files that can be used in order to 3D the replicas of the rings that has been selected by the customer. The customer can in turn use a 3D printer to print these rings and try them on and also check the size and shape of the gemstones that have been put on the ring. The rings which are 3D printed have a coarse and sandy texture but they fit comfortably.

This usage of 3D printing is like having a high tech jeweler at your service without you having to go out to the store. The best part of all this is that you don’t have to feel pressurized while having to make crucial decisions quickly, you can take your time relax, weigh other options and then select the one that is apt for you and your partner.

Image Credit: Tela Chhe (flickr handle: telachhe)

 

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Replication of Chinese Artifacts through 3d Printing

chinese artifact replicated by 3d printing

Imagine the case when we could replicate the artifacts that are a property of the government! Then, we could all be the proud owners of replicas of the priceless properties in a matter of days. All this and much more are possible with the help of 3D printers. The copying of artifacts might be of no reason to worry for some but for a few it is an issue of damage to national property by fabricating the antique.

An artist by the name of Oliver Laric 3D printed seven Chinese cultural artifacts, which lead to a much heated argument among many in the 3D printing industry as well as the Chinese government. Laric 3D printed seven columns from the Old Summer Palace in Beijing. Despite Laric having 3D printed many such artifacts in the past; the replication of the seven columns was not received very positively by everyone. These columns have been 3D printed in Norway, where they are currently stored since being looted from the Chinese way back in 1860. The 3D prints which were generated by Laric are stored in the Entrée Gallery. They are on display till July 13, 2014 for public viewing. Laric has been generous enough to have uploaded the blueprints on the internet so that everybody can have their own Old Summer Palace.

Some feel that Laric steals the artifacts with the help of modern technology but Laric feels that what he does is a form of art which is an example of contemporary open source society.

The columns are all set to be sent back to China after a Chinese real estate developer Huang Nubo visited the museum of KODE and had a discussion with the authorities. The Norwegian government has agreed to return the relics back to China’s Peking University.

Image Credit: Randy OHC (flickr handle: mariya_umama_wethemba_monastery)

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This 3D printer can make permanent tattoos !

3d printer for permanent tatoo

For some years now we have allowed robots to build the cars that we drive and the vacuum the road that we drive now. Now let’s ask ourselves if we are ready to allow these robots to give permanent tats to our body.

During a recent electronic workshop which was held at the ENSCI-Les Ateliers Design School in Paris, a group of students decided to modify a MakerBot extruder for a pen. Within a few hours the extruder had changed into a pen which could draw simple and short squiggle on skin. These generated temporary tattoos, the team then decided to add a few parts from the standard tattoo machine and the result of this addition was impeccable. A printer which could give permanent tattoos! The concept behind this is that a normal 3D printer creates objects by layering the melted plastic in this case a single layer of ink was used. The first design was very simple as it was a circle and the robot managed to pull it off with utter precision. The design was created in regular modeling software. As of now the printer can draw only simple figures and outlines. Human skin is flexible and curved which makes printing on skin a challenge. A tattoo artist while tattooing a person holds the skin tight so that the needle just gets into the upper layer of the skin whereas in this case ensuring that the skin is taut and flat is the biggest problem.

The first tattoo was made on simulated skin and after the success at this level finding volunteers to get inked was child’s play.

Image Credit: instructables.com

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Wheelchairs of Hope are affordable and 3D Printed

According to the estimates made by the World Health Organization (WHO) almost 1% of the population in the world comprise of people who are disabled and urgently require wheelchairs. This would mean that almost 65 million people are in need to wheelchairs. This situation worsens when statistically seen that about 20 million people need wheelchairs for their mobility but don’t have the access to them. Out of this 20 million, 5 million are children. So the demand of wheelchairs is sky high.

In order to help these people, former plastic executive, Pablo Kaplan turns the expertise in the plastic field into the humanitarian project of ‘Wheelchairs of Hope’. Kaplan and his team are designing the world’s first affordable wheelchair which will be built especially for kids with the help of a 3D printer. This project aims to help the millions of disabled children in all the developing countries to get their own wheelchair and get to school. This project is being backed up by the UN, the World Health Organization (WHO) and two eminent noble prize winners Aaron Ciechanover of Israel and Sir Richard Roberts of UK.

With the extended help from WHO, these wheelchairs of hope are signed up with three regions in Israel, Tajikistan and Palestine as the production sites. At present the project is looking forward for investors to invest on this project. Kaplan pans to produce around one million chairs in the next seven years and also guarantee shipment all over the world at an affordable price of $100.

Image Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography (flickr handle: PinkSherbet)

 

 

 

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3D printed two- fingered hand enables a little boy

3D printed prosthetics are becoming a great boon for all those who are born with physical imperfections or have lost their body parts because of some fatal accident. These prosthetics are cheap and are custom made. So no more adjusting, the adjustment that is to be made will be done by the prosthetic hand since its custom made i.e. it is made according to the requirements of the patient.

There are many organizations that are on their mission to enable the differently- abled people with the help of these 3D printed prosthetics. One such organization is e-NABLE, which gave a little boy named Odysseus, in Greece a 3D printed prosthetic hand. This prosthetic is quite different from the prosthetics that have been produced by the organization till now. Odysseus who was born without a palm and fingers on his left hand, the major challenge in this was that Odysseus’s wrist had no movement. For the prosthetic to work the minimal movement of the wrist is required in order to flex the fingers. Since Odysseus’s wrist was non-functional, for the starters the team decided to make a prosthetic with two fingers and one thumb. Bending of two fingers requires less tension which would thus allow Odysseus’s weak wrist to control and bend the fingers. The team hopes to give Odysseus a five finger hand after he has gained control on the device and also has rejuvenated the muscles of his wrist which have become atrophied, and no longer function correctly due to lack of usage.

This has undoubtedly opened up a lot of new doors in Odysseus’s life and many others who have a similar problem.

Image credit: http://enablingthefuture.org & http://www.thingiverse.com/profbink/designs

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Google’s Project Ara pushing the limits of 3D printing

Google is one company that is always at the forefront of innovation. The company came up with lots of break through innovations like Google Glass, Google Maps and so on that have far reaching effect across the world. If such a company announces partnership with one of the largest 3D printing company to produce custom products, it can be considered a landmark event in the evolution of 3D printing. And it is an understatement if we talk about 3D printing evolution as pre Google’s Project Ara and post Google’s Project Ara. Read to find more information on Project Ara.

When Google announced that they are teaming up with 3D systems to launch “Project Ara”, an initiative to print millions of smart phone modules, many within the industry were confused. Given that 3D printing speeds are incredibly slow, they are confused how 3D systems can print millions of modules for smartphones.  But last month 3D systems announced that they are creating a continuous, high-speed 3D printing production platform and fulfillment system to accommodate production level speeds and volume. They informed that such a process was made possible by creating a continuous motion system using a racetrack-like architecture that would “allow the module shells to move in a continuous flow with additional ‘off ramps’ for various finishing steps, including inserts and other module manipulations.”

In the current 3D printing methods, the print head / platform slows down and speeds up as and when it changes the direction. This creates major speed impediment and that slows down the whole printing process. To overcome this challenge, 3D systems will create a very large scale print bed thereby allowing extremely fast straight line printing of a lengthy area before the printer head begins a directional change. It is estimated that the printing speeds used within the manufacturing of modules for Google’s Project Ara will increase by approximately 50X over current 3D printing methods.

Google’s Project Ara is expected to begin production in the first quarter of 2015. This project is a major test for 3D Systems new manufacturing capabilities. If everything goes as intended, we could see other manufacturers adopting 3D Systems high speed, mass production 3D printing set up.

Image Credit: Carlos Luna (flickr handle: carlosluna)

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Is Autodesk creating an android for 3D printing?

Google came up with an open source mobile operating system called Android to drive the adoption of smart phones and thereby drive the usage of Google products. Many mobile manufacturers incorporated this free operating system into their devices and this led to increased adoption of smart phones. Andorid has become wildly successful and currently enjoys more than 60% market share in smart phone market. Is Autodesk trying to do the same with 3D printing? Read on to know more.

Autodesk, a global provider of 3D modeling and CAD software services has announced it will create a new open-source 3D printing platform called Spark which Autodesk hopes will become the go-to operating system for commercial 3D printing. Autodesk CEO Carl Bass boldly describes the system as “Android of 3D printing”. To facilitate the growth of its software, Autodesk has announced it will produce and sell its own desktop sized 3D printer which will become the first device to feature the company’s new open source 3D printing software. This is similar to Nexus range of phones that Google released in the market to increase the adoption of Android software.

Autodesk Spark 3D printer (Source: Autodesk)
Autodesk Spark 3D printer

Autodesk says it will license the software inside its upcoming printer for free and will let others copy its printer hardware design. Autodesk also plans to work with other manufacturers of 3D printers to integrate the Spark platform into existing hardware designs. Though it is too early to predict the impact Spark software would have on 3D printing industry as a whole, we believe the platform will likely start with a groundswell at the lower end of the market, with small manufacturers of consumer and “prosumer” printers embracing the idea first.

Industry leaders 3D Systems and Stratasys derive most of their revenues from professional and industrial applications in 3D printing and thus are unlikely to implement anything open source in their range of products. They are growing very fast providing high-end printers at a high cost and there is still room for growth in the hi-tech manufacturing industry. So, they have very little incentive to move onto the open source software.

 

 But if this Spark software becomes successful, it could threaten the industry’s biggest names. Autodesk already commands a fair amount of industry clout due to its development of a variety of globally successful 3D modeling software products, including AutoCAD, Maya, and numerous other programs that have defined the industry. An increased adoption of Spark software will in turn lead to increased adoption of its various modeling softwares. All these combined will propel Autodesk to the fore-front of 3D printing revolution.

Image Credit: Ted Eytan (flickr handle: taedc)

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What are the various factors still holding back 3D printing

Every now and then, we get to see news about 3D printing and how it is revolutionizing the whole manufacturing industry. There is absolutely no doubt in the fact that 3D printing is going to completely transform the way we manufacture, transport and replace goods and in the process will disrupt almost all major industries. But how are we going to reach that stage remains a question. The technology is still geared towards passionate, motivated makers and hobbyists. Read on to find out various blocking factors holding back 3D printing. Do note that it is just a matter of time before these roadblocks are removed bringing 3D printing into the main stream.

1. Prices of 3D printers

Price is one major factor that is constraining the wide-spread adoption of 3D printers in the consumer market. Currently, good quality printers cost anywhere above $2000 and printers less than $1000 use a DIY-style kit that requires assembly of machine which average consumers might not be interested in. Also, these printers don’t replicate the CAD designs accurately. Though there are many new low cost printers coming into the market, these printers have limited options and can’t print high-quality products. Once a good quality 3D printer reaches sub $500 price range, then the whole industry takes off in a big way. It takes few more years before the prices reach that point.

2. SLS printers are still very expensive

There are two famous 3D printing technologies in the market currently. One is Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and the other one is Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). FDM uses plastic as the raw material. When the patents on FDM printers expired, there was a huge growth of open source FDM printers that led to this current moment in 3D printing. But FDM has a major limitation as it can only use Plastic as a raw material which isn’t that sturdy.

SLS printing technology uses more materials such as glass, metal, plastic and ceramic. The price of SLS printers reach as high as $250,000. But major patents on Selective Layer Sintering (SLS) printers expired in January 2014. So, the prices of these machines may come down in future. But it takes few more years before the prices reach sub $500 price range.

3. Legal issues and Patents

Many patents on 3D printers will expire this year bringing down the prices of 3D printers. However, there is still lot of confusion over patents as there are few overlapping patents still active. But a bigger issue will be copyright infringement. It is very easy to create a 3D model of an existing copyrighted design and print the 3D object. So, definitely there will be lawsuits and competition between brands over knockoffs and copyright infringement.

4. Utility factor of 3D printing

So far, 3D printing is being used for printing objects like iPhone cases, gifts, novelties. There is no compelling application currently for a 3d printer. Ones that can be printed are low end novelties. These aren’t exactly impactful on our everyday lives nor are they convincing consumers the machines are a worthy investment. One can see some compelling consumer applications some time in 2016. That is when customers would purchase the devices.

5. Plastic filament isn’t sturdy enough

FDM is the most accessible and also the cheapest 3D printers available in the market as of date. These use PLA and ABS plastics for printing the objects. However, the plastic isn’t sturdy and not many household products with moving parts can be created from the material. Printers should use carbon composites or metals to become more useful to the average consumer as well as manufacturer.

6. That 3D-printed gun

Any technological evolution brings up both good and bad aspects along with it. Even before majority of people could really understand 3D printing, a man named Cody Wilson printed and successfully fired a 3D printed gun. The STL file was available for free on his website the next day and 100,000 people downloaded it before the U.S. Department of State ordered him to take it down. Since an all-plastic 3D gun probably won’t catch on, other companies are working on using SLS technology to print a metal one. So, in December 2013, Congress voted to renew an expiring ban on plastic firearms that could slip past metal detectors, though it didn’t add any new restrictions on plastic guns. Philadelphia was the first city to ban 3D printed firearms. A Chicago lawmaker wants to make it illegal to use a 3D printer to make gun parts unless the user has a federal gun manufacturer’s license.

Wilson’s plastic 3D printed gun showcased these loopholes in the law and caused an uproar across the country about the potential dangers of 3D printing technology. Whether you agree with it or not, the ability to easily print and distribute weaponry will surely cause skepticism about this technology for some time.

7. 3D printers aren’t that user-friendly

Setting up a 3D printer will need to be as easy as hooking up a traditional HP printer. The 3D printer needs to have fewer wires than a television and fewer buttons than a computer for it to become a household electronic, and right now, that’s not the case. The printers use high-voltage power supplies and specialized equipment and parts. Some of the cheapest printers can’t even connect to wifi and most have low resolution.

Because of the hype around the potential and the cute plastic toys that they produce, 3D printers have come across as easier and more useful than they actually are. The best products that have been created—think tools, musical instruments, car parts—are made using huge, high-end printers that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those sub-$1,000 machines that sit on a desk just aren’t going to be as productive.

8. Complex design software

Printing a 3D object isn’t as simple as right click and print. There are various intermediate steps like creation of STL from CAD model, ensure that the STL is correct and so on. This whole process takes quite some time and one need bit of patience and time to get the final output. This is another reason the technology has primarily been used by enthusiasts up to this point.

9. 3D printers are still slow

3D printers are great for mass customization, but are still too slow for manufacturing lots of objects. To change the manufacturing industry, the parts need to be printed in minutes, not hours. It currently takes anywhere from several hours to several days to print, depending on the size of the model and the quality of the printer. Receiving an order from Shapeways, the company that customizes and 3D prints a variety of products, can take up to two weeks, depending on the materials used.

10. Safety concerns

The FDM printers, which use plastic filament, are relatively safe to use—they are often made for desktops and contain both the mold and the residue—but they aren’t foolproof, and they reach very high temperatures.

Powder-based printers are messy and potentially explosive depending on what is being made from them. They operate at extremely high temperatures and produce waste. It’s not something a consumer would want in their home office. Indoor air quality and the emissions from 3D printers, particularly SLS printers, are also cause for concern.

Hundreds of entrepreneurs and scientists across the world are working hard to remove these roadblocks to bring 3D printing into the main stream. We believe it is a matter of time before 3D printing becomes pervasive

 

Image Credit : toffehoff (flickr handle: toffehoff)

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Biotz, a 3D printing startup from Kerala (India) close to raising Series A round

3D printing is currently one of the hottest sectors with various innovations happening on a daily basis. The pace at which the whole 3D printing industry is evolving is unparalleled in history. Many ambitious entrepreneurs are entering this space to make their mark on this nascent industry. One such entrepreneur is Paul Anand based out of Kochi, Kerala, India. His startup Biotz Intelligent Technologies which develops 3D printing solutions for enterprises is close to secure a Series A round of funding from group of investors.

Biotz was founded in 2012 by Paul Anand, a serial entrepreneur who previously founded Jib, a consumer electronics startup. Biotz has developed a 3D printer called Makifyr. Makifyr can be used to create 3D objects by using computer generated designs. Biotz is selling this printer to healthcare, automobile and aerospace sectors and the product is priced anywhere between 1 – 5 lakhs. Makifyr supports Android on the mobile device besides Mac and Windows platforms for the PC. The company is now working on a consumer version of the device. Other devices available in the market cost close to 20 lakhs. And this is where Biotz built a competitive advantage by creating an indigenous 3D printing technology.

Paul Anand claims that the firm has already bagged over 20 enterprise clients across verticals and has an order book of over 150. Currently, Biotz has outsourced the manufacturing process to a company based out of Mumbai. And Paul believes that once he starts his own manufacturing unit, the device cost can be further reduced to make it affordable to everyone. Biotz is also looking to launch an e-commerce portal for 3D printing in the near future, wherein users will be able to order various designs through the portal.

The capital will be used for setting up a manufacturing unit and R&D centre in Thiruvananthapuram, in addition to product development, marketing and hiring. Biotz had previously raised $50,000 in seed funding from an NRI in April last year.

Image Credit: Ryan (Flicker handle – ryanready)