Z Corp., located in Burlington, Mass., develops and manufactures printers [...]]]> As Jay Leno once said, 3D printing technology is “pretty amazing.” Now, more and more people are becoming fascinated and interested in learning more about it. But what exactly is involved in 3D modeling, and moreover, how can printers get in on this latest technology craze?

Z Corp., located in Burlington, Mass., develops and manufactures printers and scanners that produce 3D models from computer-aided design (CAD), building information modeling (BIM), and other digital data. Companies use Z Corp.’s 3D printers to make prototypes ranging from toys for market feedback to fan blades for functional testing. Similar to how conventional desktop printers provide a paper output of documents, 3D printers provide 3D CAD and BIM users a physical prototype of objects such as a mobile phone, a camera, or a scale model building.

Companies including MTV, Nike, Converse, and Electronic Arts Inc.—creators of the video game Spore—use Z Corp.’s 3D technology for product design and prototypes.

How Is it Done?

“What’s involved in the 3D process itself is the software that’s used to generate the file. The software is broken down into three categories: mechanical and design such as Autodesk, architectural software such as Bentley Component and Form Z, and animation-oriented software such as 3DS Max,” explained Scott Harmon, vice president of business development for Z Corp.

“The 3D printers then take the design and generate a replica of it, but in order for it to be printed, the model has to have volume: It needs to be a sphere, not a circle,” he said.

“Z Corp.’s 3D printers suit applications from high school education through demanding commercial environments. Our 3D printers are the fastest on the market, have the lowest operating costs, and are affordable. The entry-level ZPrinter 310 Plus is a monochrome machine that builds volume of 8×10x8 inches. The mid-range ZPrinter 450 is a full color machine mixes color on the fly. It prints the same volume as the 310 Plus and makes it easy to create creature features,” Harmon noted.

The ZPrinter 650 is considered Z Corp.’s “high end” machine and prints in high definition full color by adding a black channel. The volume output is 10×15x8 inches. Z Corp. machines feature four-color printing through a layer-based system rather than one line at a time. Z Corp. also offers material systems for each printer to satisfy varying modeling needs. The material options allow for customization of model properties for each application.

Many 3D printers do not require an industrial environment to operate. Roughly 18,000 machines in the 3D printing industry are priced below $100,000, but even if you obtain the printers to perform capabilities, “if you don’t have the 3D software, you won’t have a use for the printer,” stated Harmon.

Via: printindustryinfo.com

Wong also promised that the newly acquired OS will be on [...]]]> After purchasing Palm earlier this month for a cool $1.2B, HP promised to “double down” on WebOS. As many are expecting, the company will produce and release a WebOS tablet this year and it could come as early as this summer or very early fall.

Wong also promised that the newly acquired OS will be on smartphones too but not netbooks. Netbooks are more like regular notebook computers is the rationale. So one would assume HP will not spurn Microsoft in that market.

Other devices HP is going to put WebOS on include printers. According to the company’s Twitter feed HP CEO Mark Hurd said they would be loading the OS on web connected printers. What would you want WebOS on a printer for? Maybe it would allow printing over the Internet or as a new kind of Fax machine to both send and receive documents sent to the printer.

While this is not shocking to anyone, it is the closest thing we have to a confirmation, if you can believe the report.

It is hard to read this without remembering of Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer showing off the HP tablet with Windows 7 running on it at CES earlier this year. Will HP have both a  Windows and WebOS version of this tablet? I think that is unlikely. So it looks like Microsoft is the odd corporation out. No more Windows 7 on an HP Tablet or Windows Phone 7 on HP handsets, if that was ever in the works.

Via: notebooks.com

From wall murals and vehicle wraps to tradeshow graphics [...]]]> Small commercial printers have to be extra savvy when it comes to major business decisions. Smart choices are a must if they want to keep up with larger competitors. No one knows that better than Big Print, a large format graphics production house based in Minneapolis, MN.

From wall murals and vehicle wraps to tradeshow graphics and fine art reproductions, the small shop is always looking for new ways to deliver big results for print buyers. That’s why owner Herb Fick jumped at the chance to beta test the new HP Scitex FB500 Printer.

“For smaller shops like us who want to grow business in a difficult environment, it helps to be able to offer a full range of capabilities to customers,” said Fick. “When you need to please people who need high volume at a low cost, the HP Scitex FB500-and the cost savings it offers-is a big plus.”

Along with the significant cost savings offered by the new HP Scitex FB500, the printer’s ability to create high-quality prints on virtually any rigid and flexible media, and its use of new HP Scitex FB251 White Ink, is expanding the possibilities of what Big Print can offer.

After using solvent- and aqueous-based solutions, Fick believes the decision to add the new HP Scitex FB500, which uses HP UV-curable inks, was an easy one to make-especially because of the savings.

Via: wide-formatimaging.com

Home computer printers gave people the ability to produce bank statements, concert tickets, holiday cards and party invitations at the touch of a button.

But what if you wanted to “print out” a dinner plate, the leg [...]]]> Plastic extrusion machines that can make 3-D objects will be commonplace in homes one day, people in the field believe.

Home computer printers gave people the ability to produce bank statements, concert tickets, holiday cards and party invitations at the touch of a button.

But what if you wanted to “print out” a dinner plate, the leg of an armchair or an eyeglass frame? It may sound far-fetched and futuristic, but plastic extrusion machines that can do this — popularly known as 3-D printers — are poised to enter the home electronics market.

“Tonight Show” host Jay Leno has an industrial version in the warehouse-sized Burbank garage that houses his collection of more than 200 cars and motorcycles. His mechanics design hard-to-find parts on a laptop computer and then use the machine to make them real.

Via: latimes.com

WaveWash was developed to make the 3D printing process nearly effortless and provide a turnkey solution to customers. The cleaning system is as easy to use as a household dishwasher. The system [...]]]> The cleaning system requires no gloves, goggles or other protective-wear. And the pH level of the cleaning solution generally meets drain water requirements worldwide.

WaveWash was developed to make the 3D printing process nearly effortless and provide a turnkey solution to customers. The cleaning system is as easy to use as a household dishwasher. The system automatically fills with water and automatically drains at the end of the cycle.

The WaveWorks system includes a reservoir to contain solution, an agitation method, and a new cleaning agent called Ecoworks(TM) that combines with water to create a solution that dissolves the temporary support structure. The Ecoworks cleaning agent comes in individual packets that dissolve and release contents when submersed in water.

The WaveWash system weighs 36 lbs (16.40 kg), has a footprint of only 18.24 x 17 in (48.33 x 43.18 cm) and requires less than 20 minutes of setup time prior to operation. Additional features include:

– hands-free process

– an 8 x 8 x 6 in (203 x 203 x 152 mm) part capacity

– selectable 2 or 4 gallon water level

– selectable cycle lengths

“WaveWash provides a turnkey solution for Dimension 3D Printer users,” said Stratasys 3D Printing Product Manager Mary Stanley. “All that’s needed is a small space, water source and drain, and standard power.”

The introduction of Wave Wash is the latest chapter in Stratasys’ drive to develop increasingly eco-friendly 3D printing systems. The company has quietly made strides in the greening of 3D printing in recent years. Its dedication is demonstrated several ways. All packaging is now 100% recyclable. Model material and support material are both recyclable, and they are contained in recyclable cartridges or spools. Plastic modeling bases are recyclable. And Dimension uses the FDM process, which has the inherent eco-friendly benefit of using only the material necessary to build a part, with virtually no waste.

Via: marketwatch.com

Stratasys and HP co-developed the exclusive 3D printer systems, which are being manufactured by Stratasys as part of a global manufacturing agreement with HP (NYSE: HPQ), as announced in January.

HP launched its Designjet 3D products in [...]]]> Additive fabrication system maker, Stratasys, Inc., (NASDAQ: SSYS), today announced it has delivered its first shipments of HP-branded 3D printers.

Stratasys and HP co-developed the exclusive 3D printer systems, which are being manufactured by Stratasys as part of a global manufacturing agreement with HP (NYSE: HPQ), as announced in January.

HP launched its Designjet 3D products in Europe today, making it the only major manufacturer of 2D (or paper) printers in the 3D printer market. The products will be available this May in five European markets: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

Technology & Use

Product designers, engineers, and architects who design with CAD (computer aided design) use 3D printers as peripheral devices to “print” or produce a tangible 3D model from plastic or other material to verify the form, fit, and function of designs prior to committing them to production or construction. Designers often seek 3D printers that model with production-grade thermoplastic when they want to best-predict performance of their plastic end-product.

Stratasys manufactures 3D printers under the Dimension brand, and it makes 3D systems under the Fortus brand. Both product lines, as well as the HP-branded 3D printers employ Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology, which creates three-dimensional plastic models directly from a CAD file. The patented process creates parts by extruding semi-molten plastic in thin layers to “grow” the part, layer by layer. The process of producing a part layer-by-layer is known generically as “additive fabrication” or “additive manufacturing.”

Pioneer & Leader

The term “3D printer” was coined by Stratasys when it introduced its first compact system co-developed with IBM in the mid 1990s. 3D printer is now widely used to describe a segment of additive fabrication machines that generally connotes a compact, low-price unit that is quick and easy to operate. Stratasys was an early pioneer of the additive fabrication industry as well as its 3D printer segment. The company has a seven-year track record as the industry’s unit sales leader, and it has an industry market share of 43 percent, as well as a market share of more than 50 percent for the 3D printer segment. The company’s ongoing leadership demonstrates customers’ long-term satisfation with its products and FDM technology.

The technology to produce 3D models directly from a digital design has been commercial for more than 20 years, but recent advances in 3D printers have dramatically reduced their cost and improved ease-of-use and reliability. Stratasys introduced its Dimension 3D printer line in 2002, with the first printer priced under $30,000. Early last year, Dimension broke the $15,000 (USD) barrier with its office-friendly uPrint, which fits on a desktop.

HP’s Graphic Solutions Business – part of the company’s $24 billion Imaging and Printing Group – executed the distribution agreement with Stratasys. HP is a leading provider of Designjet and Scitex large-format printing solutions, Indigo digital solutions for commercial and industrial printing, inkjet high-speed production solutions and specialty printing systems.

Fortus is a trademark, and Dimension, Stratasys, uPrint, and FDM are registered trademarks of Stratasys, Inc. Designjet 3D and HP are trademarks of Hewlett-Packard.

Via: stratasys.com