Meme Monday

Here are some random 3d printing memes I saw on facebook :-)

3Drag Printing Chocolate

3DRAG (aka Velleman K8200) is still being used in some projects like this one where it extrudes chocolate paste. Omnomnomnom...

Here are some Halloween decorations:





Here is the general overview of chocolate printing ... mmmm ... chocolaaateeeeee  ...




Oh yes, bread and 3d printed nutella, breakfast of the champions!

TRENDi Maker V3 3D Printer

TRENDi Maker V3 DIY 3d printer follows the tradition of small machines with 3d printed parts. It is a RepRap essentially. It uses metal rods and other vitamins but there are no additional support elements lake lase cut parts other than 3d printed supports.

Project description:

This is my small 3D printer. It is not mini (A little bit smaller, than standard Prusa). No parts for laser cutting. Basic things You need to have in mind, if You want to make it:
6 mm smoth rods(relatively LM6uu bearings), M5 threaded rods for Z(2x 20mm M5 nuts), PC PSU 350W, E3DV5 (reworked) clone, Mega2560+RAMPs 1.4, Nema17 motors and Geeetech 152x152mm heated bed. My build size is XYZ 110x140x90mm. Z can be extended to 100-105 mm. X can be extended to 140 mm, if You want to lose 3 point bed leveling and to rework Y holder for heatbed.

Printer in action:




All files to make it can be found at:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1850976

Smartfriendz Smartalu 3D Printer

Smartfriendz from France have a new open source 3d printer design. It is the Smartalu based on aluminum frame and a large print area. It looks very sturdy.

Printer description:

Taking account of reprap evolution, we are sliding to all metal construction frames, bigger printable volume and better quality.
This printer is 27x26x25 cm printable size, with all modules made with 3mm aluminium lasercut and some printed parts.
The structure is still our 20x20 aluminium frame assembled with bosh torx 6x16 screws and drilled profiles. We can't find a better system to assemble a solid frame.

Smartalu in action:



All files and instructions to make it can be found at:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1846437

http://smartfriendz.dozuki.com/

You can also buy it as a kit for 645 euro:

http://smartfriendz.com/en/

3D Printable WW2 Enigma Machine Replica

Pascal and his students made a replica of WW2 Enigma encryption machine with 3d printed mechanism. It is a very interesting project and you will learn something more about encryption.

All the code, files and instructions can be found at:

https://pascalr2blog.wordpress.com/3d-printing/enigma-replica/

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1813308

https://pascalr2blog.wordpress.com/3d-printing/enigma-replica/how-it-works/


Here are two videos that explain Enigma machine and the science behind it:

Star Track 3D Printable DIY Astronomy Pointer and Tracker

Görkem Bozkurt developed an Arduino powered astronomy pointer and tracker that can be made on a DIY 3d printer.
It could probably be customized to move a small telescope or asrophotography setup.

He described his project as:

Star track is an Arduino based, GoTo-mount inspired star tracking system. It can point and track any object in the sky(Celestial coordinates are given as input) with 2 Arduinos, a gyro,RTC module,two low-cost stepper motors and a 3D printed structure.

Do keep in mind that lasers are dangerous and that there are strict laws against pointing at airplanes.




Very detailed build guide can be found at:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Star-Track-Arduino-Powered-Star-Pointer-and-Tracke/

Open Source 3D Printable Mechanized Prosthetic Foot

Team Aractapod is developing open sourced 3d printable prosthetic foot that is motorized and has electronic control to make a disabled person walk easier.




Project homepage:

https://hackaday.io/project/13312-mechanized-prosthetic-foot

3D Printed Automatic Sunglasses

Yousif Ashoor developed a 3d printable sunglasses that automatically move to cover his eyes when exposed to sun.
He wrote that he did it: "To protect my virginity and my eyes". Mission accomplished.



But seriously: Cool shades bro! Cooooooooool shades. Share the design. It could become the new style.

Angus Debunks Some 3D Printing Myths and Misconceptions

Angus lays it down as it is. Hear Hear!

DIY Silicone Nozzle Cover

One way to protect your nozzle from getting dirty is to wrap it in a cover, sock, sleeve or boot and prevent all the hot nasty stuff sticking to it. E3D released their silicone sock for Vulcano nozzles but someone found a way to make a DIY version.

Ubermeisters used 3d printed model of the nozzle and made a mold around it and than used some high temperature silicone mixture to produce the final cover. All steps are photographed in detail.

Here are the files and the instructions:

https://www.youmagine.com/designs/e3d-volcano-silicone-casting-mold

Build log gallery:

http://imgur.com/gallery/vHDmL

And here is the E3D sock:

http://e3d-online.com/Socks-Launch

Ultimaker 3 is released!!!

Much anticipated Ultimaker 3 is just released in two versions, where one version is extended with bigger print volume.

Key features include:

•  Build volume of 215 x 215 x 200 mm and 215 x 215 x 300 mm for the Extended model
•  Layer resolution up to 20 micron for 0.4 mm nozzle
•  Print temperature up to 280 ˚C
•  Dual extrusion with a soluble support material
•  Swappable print cores
•  Heated build plate with active leveling

It is priced at 2995 euro for Ultimaker 3 and 3695 euro for Ultimaker 3 Extended without the VAT.

Promotional video:




Here is the video overview of Ultimaker 3 new features:




Unboxing video that shows the content of the package:




Hopefully we will have some reviews and independent tests soon.

Here is the Ultimaker 3 homepage:

https://ultimaker.com/en/products/ultimaker-3


Ultimaker also released Ultimaker PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) water soluble support material:




It is priced at 39,95 euro without VAT for 350g.

PVA homepage: https://ultimaker.com/en/products/materials/pva

Here is the video with dual extrusion of a gyro model:




The design of the machine is very simillar to previous model:

Update:

Here is what looks like test print of 3D Benchy with dual extrusion of two colors:




Here is Thomas giving his opinion and impressions on new Ultimaker:

How to 3d print GPX data

Thingiverse user "snrk" aka Per from Sweden shared his method of converting .GPX data from a GPS in 3d printable files. He used Processing to with additional libraries to  parse the files and translate the data to points in a voxel array.

Here is the example of 3d printed run data recorded on a GPS device in .gpx format:

Full instructions can be found here:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:276911

What if you could carry a small 3d printer everywhere?

What if you could carry your 3d printer with you as a small bag? What if 3d printers were everywhere? Researchers at HPI explored this possibility with actual hacked 3d printers and 3d printing pens to  test the implications on everyday life.
It would basically give you magic power to repair and replace everything on the spot with incredibly low cost. Sure, we are not there yet, but technologies and concepts are slowly converging to this point.

Here is a detailed talk by Thijs Roumen about the entire concept, the research conducted and the results:



Here is a video focused on the mobile printing process:




They used modified M3D machine which was cut down to more compact size of 9cm in hignt, equipped with a UDOO control PC computer, shoulder strap and a battery. I expect that someone will make simillar open sourced machine soon.

HPI page about this project:

https://hpi.de/en/baudisch/projects/pervasive-fabrication.html

Detailed research paper in PDF:

https://hpi.de/fileadmin/user_upload/fachgebiete/baudisch/projects/Pervasive_Fabrication/2016_UIST_Mobile_Fabrication.pdf

Bumpy is cool looking minimalist DIY MP3 player

Bumpy is a minimalist DIY MP3 player with 3d printable case developed by Matt Keeter. It plays MP3s from SD card and it's open sourced. I've been thinking about getting rid of my smartphone, buying a dumb-phone and using stand-alone MP3 player and this looks very interesting.

The case is printed on Formlabs machines, but you could also probably do it on other 3d printers:

http://formlabs.com/blog/diy-open-source-mp3-player/

You can find all the information about Bumpy and how to build it here:

http://www.mattkeeter.com/projects/bumpy/

https://github.com/mkeeter/bumpy-pcb

https://github.com/mkeeter/bumpy-firmware

ONO Smartphone Illumination DLP 3D Printer

ONO is a novel approach to 3d printing and it uses your smartphone as a light source for curing of daylight resin. It should cost just 99$.
DLP 3d printers that use visible light from an LCD panels are getting more developed and should lower the price.


Here is Adafruit Industries talking with ONO crew about their machine:




ONO homepage:

http://www.ono3d.net/

PS: I'm not sure how do they expect that millennials give up their phones for the time needed to print something...

3D Printable Smart Glasses based on Raspberry Pi Zero

Ricard Ferro developed the DIY smart glasses based on Raspberry Pi Zero. They have a 3d printed frame that holds everything together.  Interesting project with many possible applications, hopefully it will be developed further and get a community of contributors.

Here is a video showing OCR recognition:




Project description:

At a lose for words? Can't describe an object? PiZero SmartGlass can help you with that by using image recognition tech. Make your own smart glasses easily with the Raspberry Pi Zero! Affordable and easy to build, retro-wearable 3D Virtual Stereo Digital Video glasses are around $75 along with the Pi Zero. This display uses composite video to connect the Pi Zero's video out pins and are easily customized. There are many applications for image recognition, which allows computers to translate written text into digital text. The PiGlasses can help with the field of machine vision, recognizing people and objects. Add a battery pack and your PiGlasses are ready to go!

Project pages:

https://hackaday.io/project/13332-raspberry-pi-zero-smart-glass

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1654678

3D Printing History 6 - Small Soldiers

Here is probably one the first appearance of a 3d printer in mainstream cinematography. It was in a movie named "Small Soldiers" from 1998. My kid brother really liked that one.

They show an early stereolitography machine, the model looks realistic when it comes out of the resin tank, but the process was made to look faster and with visible lasers.

Here is the video from YT:




For other posts about history of 3d printing just click at tag "history" beneath.

BoxBotix Open Source Robotics Platform

BoxBotix is an open source robotics platform that uses 3d printed modules to create several different types of robots.

BoxBotix introduction video:



Quadcopter configuration:




BBTank with 3d printed threads made from TPE using a Lulzbot Taz6




BotBotix homepage:

https://boxbotix.com/

Project homepage on Wevolver with all the files and build instructions:

https://www.wevolver.com/coby.leuschke/boxbotix/main/description/

3D Printed Robotic Shielding with TangoBlack+

Researchers at MITs CSAIL devloped a method that uses standard 3d printer with advanced programmable viscoelastic materials like TangoBlack+ to make shock absorbing skin for robots.

Those 3d printed shielded robots use only 1/250 the amount of energy they transfers to the ground and also allow the robots to land nearly four times more precisely.




Source article with more information:

http://news.mit.edu/2016/3-d-printed-robots-shock-absorbing-skins-1003

Research paper:

http://groups.csail.mit.edu/drl/wiki/images/3/30/2016_MacCurdy-Printable_Programmable_Viscoelastic_Materials_for_Robots.pdf

Here are their jumping robotic cubes:

Testing 3D Printed Carabiner Strength

MatterHackers crew did a series of strength tests on different 3d printing materials with 3d printed carabiners.




TL:DW: Polycarbonate performed best.

Here is the full test article with all the data:

http://www.matterhackers.com/news/filament-strength-testing

Carabiner 3d printed on MarkForged from Carbon Fiber Nylon

MIT Foundry software is amazing, but will it be available to public?

MIT CSAIL scientists developed Foundry CAD / CAM software which they call "Photoshop for 3d printing". It looks amazing with many advanced options.

The main question will be open sourced and available for wider 3d printing community? I strongly support that all software developed by public funding be released under an open source license.
One of the articles claim that the developer, Kiril Vidimče, wants to integrate it  into the workflow of existing CAD systems. We will see ...

Here is a video of Foundry in action:



More information about Foundry:

http://vidimce.org/publications/foundry/

https://news.mit.edu/2016/designing-3-d-printing-foundry-1011

One of the objects designed in Foundry. Foundry news release claims it can be used by novice users also. 

Open Source Universal Carriage

Marcin Jakubowski is developing a set of machines that can be made to restart the civilization and is making them available under open source licences. It is very interesting project with many already available designs.

Discover the full ecosystem here: http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/Open_Source_Ecology

They also want to make various CNC machines.

First thing developed in this project is universal carriage that can be used on standard Cartesian CNC systems including 3d printers and should be scalable for different sizes:

Here is a demonstration video:




You can see the project developing and all available documents at:

http://opensourceecology.org/wiki/3D_Printer_Design_Evolution#Working_Doc

Switcher DIY Power Modules For Smart Home Projects

Hristo Borisov developed and published a set of 3D printable socket and switch modules that are controlled by ESP8266.
ESP8266 is very interesting piece of electronics since it is very small, affordable (some 4 USD) and powerful since it has WiFi and can be used as Arduino.
With this project you can control your electric devices via WiFi remotely and setup a simple DIY smart home project for a fraction of a price of commercial proprietary solutions.

Sockets are fully 3D printable and are of standard European "Schuko" type, designed in Autodesk Fusion 360. Design is modular so you could probably easily change it to any other socket standard.

There is even an iOS app for remote control of modules. Project is also open source so they get extra pints in my book.

Project homepage with all the code and instructions:

http://hristoborisov.com/index.php/projects/switcher-a-wifi-open-source-power-switch/

GitHub repository with all the code and STLs:

https://github.com/hborisov/switcher_box

Stay safe when working with home electric power systems :-)

Update:

looks like there is a simillar commercial system that is also very affordable, but it is not open sourced:

https://www.itead.cc/sonoff-wifi-wireless-switch.html

It may be possible to flash it with custom firmware but it doesn't have a socket but the wires should be connected to it.

One Big Machine and Two Rockets

Here is a really big DIY 3d printer with two 3d printed hobby rockets. It looks like it is some 2 meters tall has some 1 square meter build surface.
Supporting structures appear to be CNC routed from some type of wood.

Update:

This machine is the "Printzilla" made in fablab Moscow by Michail Michalin and Vladimir Kuznetsov. It has 0,8 x 0,8 x 2,0 meters printvolume.
Here is the facebook video of it in action:

https://www.facebook.com/moscowmakerfaire/videos/1784490451787976/

BTW: I like the CNC cut chair behind it :-) You can find plans for it at:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:994029


Source: unknown. Please let me know if you have any additional information about this project. Friend of mine sent me this picture without any context and google image search is also not helping.

Simple Fume Extractor For Your 3D Printer

Here is a simple DIY fume extractor for yor 3D printer developed by Bing Lastrilla from Philippines that he installed on his  Flash Forge Creator Pro.
It uses a few 3d printed parts, a simple plastic box, computer fan and a flexible hose (he used a washing machine hose) to lead out the fumes.

All the files can be found at:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1627314

Cool 3d printing picture of the day

Just a cool looking industrial robotic arm with pellet extruder attached to it. 

Source : unknown. Let me know if you find the source or have more information about it. 

Custom 3D Printed Lamy Joy Fountain Pen

Kris Slyka made this custom 3D printed body and cap for his Lamy Joy calligraphy fountain pen. He made it in ColorFabb bronze and bamboo fill filament.

Source:

https://twitter.com/krisslyka/status/769891709375447040

WAZER Desktop Waterjet Cutter

Wazer is first desktop water jet cutter that is affordable and compact enough to use at small workshop. It can cut trough metal and other materials.

Wazer is on Kickstarter now for 4499 USD:




Waterjet technology has significant advantages over conventional cutting methods:

• Cuts any material
• Achieves intricate detail
• Requires no ventilation
• Results in a smooth surface finish
• No heat-induced material warping

How Wazer works and how to operate it:




MAKE presentation:




DiResta Wazer test where he cuts the knife out of old machete:




Wazer technical specifications:

Here is the Wazer Kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1294137530/the-first-desktop-waterjet-cutter/

Wazer company homepage:

http://www.wazer.com/

I'm interested in operating costs of Wazer, specially the consumption of cutting abrasive. I think it is not recyclable. It could be really expensive.