I wrote about Cytosurge technology before. They developed a 3D printer that can print metal on the micro-scale. A true technological wonder. Just imagine small robots floating in your bloodstream to repair your body or extremely complex and fine electronic parts like micro-antenna arrays. Star Trek stuff. This is a technology that makes a large step towards that future.
The company has now improved their machine with ability to print directly and precisely on complex surfaces like existing electronic component boards or microchips.
Tech description:
The new pinpoint metal additive manufacturing process is made possible by two high resolution state-of-the-art cameras integrated into the FluidFM µ3Dprinter. The cameras enable automated loading of the print tips (FluidFM iontips), printer setup, calibration and computer-assisted alignment to print on already existing structures as well as the visualization of the finished structures. The bottom view camera is mainly used for internal system processes, like controlling the automated gripping of the FluidFM iontip. The top view camera images the object or surface to print on. With the high-resolution live video, the exact position of the object or surface to be printed on can be manually chosen and set as starting point for the printing process.
This procedure allows the user to print metallic objects on contact pads that are pre-defined on the surface of an integrated circuit, on micro-electromechanical-systems (MEMS) or on other components.
This unique capability of the FluidFM μ3Dprinter to add 3D printed structures directly onto existing objects or surfaces with pinpoint accuracy opens the door to a new world of additive manufacturing of complex metal objects.
I wrote about LBRY before as a great possibility to decentralize your DIY projects and keep them out of corporate controlled platforms. Here is one example of archery project uploaded by Juleah.
LBRY just announced a small 3D printing and 3D design contest with cryptocurrency rewards. Here is the summary:
Design a chess set that sparks our imagination & win $100 in cryptocurrency. Upload your chess set design (use a zip folder for multiple files) in either STL or OBJ format to the LBRY (library) network. Once finished, email the lbry:// address (automatically receive 10 Library Credits for your first upload) to james@lbry.io by July 4th.
You can win 100 USD for the first place and 50 USD for the second place paid in LBC cryptocurrency.
Lulzbot presents their Lulzbot Cluster for manufacturing of 3d printed parts. It's an interesting video that shows the technology and how it evolved and scaled up.
3dprintapps.de just released a new version of their 3D printing apps GCodePrintr and GCodeSimulator.
Version v3.0 comes with many improvements and several new features, which will help to maximize the capabilities of your 3D printer.
GCodeSimulator App is the free sibling of the paid GCodePrintr App. Both together have been downloaded from Google Play more than 50000 times and are actively used by more than 6000 users.
E3D just presented their water-cooled hot end: the Titan Aqua. The primary usage scenario for the water-cooled hot end is in 3D printers that have heated chamber or passively heated enclosures.
Making your own archery equipment is one of the essential skills any archer should master. Here is a cool and useful DIY project made by Juleah, where she used a 3d printer to make printable arrowheads or field points.
Here you can see two videos detailing the entire target testing and improvement process:
The final version of horizontally printed points is strong enough to go through soft hay targets.
You can find out more about Juleah and her work at:
If you consider yourself a part of DIY or 3D printing community, you most certainly regularly look at other peoples projects or publish your own work on some platform like YouTube, Thingiverse or Instructables. There is an incredible amount of knowledge and value being contributed by users every day - but do they get the fair amount of value back from those platforms?
Since all of the biggest platforms are privately owned, what would happen if those companies decided to close them for any reason destroying all the content in the process? Or decided to charge you a fee for publishing your content or decided to remove your content for some arbitrary reason ... or got hacked ... there are many very negative outcome scenarios since there is too much power accumulated within a single point of failure. Currently, many YouTube creators in DIY space are faced with random demonetization and there have been major problems with Thingiverse in the past.
Is there an alternative? Looks like there is! It is a decentralized, open-sourced blockchain based system named LBRY (Library). With LBRY there is no middleman.
LBRY is best described as a content platform (YouTube or Thingiverse) that works similar to a BitTorrent network where each user downloads and re-publishes the content he viewed.
LBRY is currently a great platform for video creators who want to increase their reach, secure their presence, improve monetization and are not satisfied with YouTube policies and uncertainty due to demonetization or censorship. If you are an existing YT creator, there is a simple YT import procedure you can find here:
The application interface is simple and easy to use, here is a short overview by Wayne Beach:
In the future, there will also be a mobile app available.
LBRY is not only for video, you can also publish all your project files, code or any other digital format on the Library app. LBRY is open sourced, so it can be used in a variety of roles as a specialized platform. One current implementation is spee.ch website which "takes" the content from the LBRY chain and acts as a decentralized image hosting site. Any developer could use the technology and develop a web browser accessible Thingiverse alternative for 3d printing files.
Publishing .STL files is very easy, just click on the green "Publish" icon in top right corner:
Your content can be monetized with LBRY credits cryptocurrency or you can receive tips for your work. LBRY crypto can be exchanged on many exchanges for Bitcoin or the regular money.
Do keep in mind that LBRY is still under development with a constant stream of new improvements and features being added. I know that most of you are more than capable of using this type of software and even give some feedback to the developers to make it even better.
Now go and give LBRY a test run to distribute that great content you made!!! Sharing is caring!
Engineers in ORNL made military’s first 3D-printed 30 feet long submersible hull made from carbon fiber composite material.
The Optionally Manned Technology Demonstrator is a prototype vessel that could be used to deploy divers, logistics capabilities, and sensors. It was made much cheaper and faster when compared with traditional manufacturing methods.
We don't need more weapons guys. We need more technology for permanent peace.
The original Prusa I3 Mk2 is one of the best 3D printers currently available and it just got better with the new version: the MK3.
It features many improvements and cool upgrades that go beyond what many much more expensive machines have.
New features:
Filament sensor
Power Panic
RPM sensing fans and Noctua
Ambient thermistor and P.I.N.D.A 2 with thermistor
EINSY RAMBo motherboard
Trinamic2130 drivers with layer shift detection, faster and silent printing
Chris from Tech2C YT channel made a video showing various settings on his EleksMaker 2.5w laser diode for cutting a 3mm Acrylic sheet. It is mounted on HyperCube 3D printer.
It is an interesting video if you want to go into lasing acrylic with a cheap laser diode and you want to learn something and save some experimentation time.
Tip from the comments: black acrylic is easiest to cut since it absorbs the most energy.
