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

The MakerBot’s CupCake CNC is a 3D printer/fabricator that can make just about anything you want. As long as the object you desire can be made out of ABS plastic and stays in a size range of [...]]]> When WebProNews hit Vegas for the CES 2010 conference, we came across a number of new and interesting gadgets.

The MakerBot’s CupCake CNC is a 3D printer/fabricator that can make just about anything you want. As long as the object you desire can be made out of ABS plastic and stays in a size range of 4″x4″x6″.

Once the design is input using 3D modeling software or by visiting Thingiverse for a pre-made template, MakerBot turns the creation into reality. The machine begins ‘printing’ and soon after, a 3D model of the design requested materializes right before your eyes.

These 3D fabricators are priced between $750-$950 and have qualities that even attracted major companies like Google. The MakerBot representatives stated Google has invested in multiple CupCake CNCs.  For what?  We can only wonder….

Source:  webpronews.com

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 2, 2009 — At Autodesk University 2009, Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) and Autodesk unveiled the world’s first full-scale turbo-prop aircraft engine model. It was produced using Stratasys FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology.

The engine’s design was created using [...]]]> The propeller blade-span is over 10 feet in this project that demonstrates how far 3D modeling has advanced.

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 2, 2009 — At Autodesk University 2009, Stratasys (NASDAQ: SSYS) and Autodesk unveiled the world’s first full-scale turbo-prop aircraft engine model. It was produced using Stratasys FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology.

The engine’s design was created using Autodesk Inventor 2010 mechanical design and engineering software, and it was produced on both Fortus 3D Production Systems and Dimension 3D Printers from Stratasys.

The engine model sets a new precedence in scale, and it showcases the potential of 3D printing.

“Our Inventor software with FDM technology takes design innovation to an entirely new level of sophistication,” says Autodesk’s Gonzalo Martinez, office of the CTO. “Today at Autodesk University we’ve shown that with FDM, you can create realistic 3D models of nearly any design. We believe that Stratasys FDM technology is the future of 3D printing and production.”

The engine’s gear box includes two sets of gears, which operate two sets of propellers that move in counter rotation to each other.

With an engine length of over 10 feet, a blade-span of 10.5 feet, and 188 components, the engine model is massive in size. It includes several large parts, such as six propeller blades, each measuring 4.5 feet.

Building this physical model with FDM helped improve its design by identifying four opportunities to make components fit or operate with better precision. Assembling a physical model helps design engineers be certain of component form, fit, and function.

The turbo-prop engine was designed by Nino Caldarola, a freelance designer for Autodesk.

He shared his concept with Autodesk who wanted to bring a full-scale model to life using Inventor software and FDM technology.

Caldarola’s design is a hybrid of newer engine and classic engine design and was partially inspired by the Piaggio Avanti II aircraft engine, the TP 500.

Caldarola worked with engineers at RedEye On Demand prototyping and production service, a business unit of Stratasys, to make adjustments that would ensure an accurate physical model.

Source: pddnet.com