3D Printer Store » 3d technology http://www.3dprinterstore.com Sat, 22 Oct 2011 09:11:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 3D Printing on Ceramics http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/3d-printing-on-ceramics.html http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/3d-printing-on-ceramics.html#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:45:39 +0000 3D Printer Store http://www.3dprinterstore.com/?p=126 This story is, literally, stone age meets digital age: University of Washington researchers are combining the ancient art of ceramics and the new technology of 3-D printing. Along the way, they are making 3-D printing dramatically cheaper.

About five years ago, Mark Ganter, a UW mechanical engineering professor and longtime practitioner of 3-D printing, [...]]]> This story is, literally, stone age meets digital age: University of Washington researchers are combining the ancient art of ceramics and the new technology of 3-D printing. Along the way, they are making 3-D printing dramatically cheaper.

About five years ago, Mark Ganter, a UW mechanical engineering professor and longtime practitioner of 3-D printing, became frustrated with the high cost of commercial materials and began experimenting with his own formulas. He and his students gradually developed a home-brew approach, replacing a proprietary mix with artists’ ceramic powder blended with sugar and maltodextrin, a nutritional supplement. The results are printed in a recent issue of Ceramics Monthly. Co-authors are Duane Storti, UW associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Ben Utela, a former UW doctoral student.

Source: www.uwnews.org

]]> http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/3d-printing-on-ceramics.html/feed 0 Technology: 3D Printing http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/technology-3d-printing.html http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/technology-3d-printing.html#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:23:23 +0000 3D Printer Store http://www.3dprinterstore.com/?p=109 A new online service aims to bring customized manufacturing to the masses by allowing consumers to submit digital designs of products that are then printed, using 3-D printers, and shipped back. Currently, such 3-D printers–in which successive layers of different polymers are sprayed gradually, building up a 3-D object–are very expensive, says Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of [...]]]> A new online service aims to bring customized manufacturing to the masses by allowing consumers to submit digital designs of products that are then printed, using 3-D printers, and shipped back.
Currently, such 3-D printers–in which successive layers of different polymers are sprayed gradually, building up a 3-D object–are very expensive, says Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of Shapeways, a spinout from Philips Research, in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. masses-3d-printing

But the new service, launched last week, makes this technology accessible to anyone: budding artists, architects, product designers, and general hobbyists.
The 3-D printers that Shapeways is using are commercially available, made by Israeli firm Objet and Stratsys in Eden Prairie, MN. The company also aims to increase the range of plastic materials that can be printed, and eventually move on to metals and ceramics. But currently, these tend to require laser sintering and thus are considerably more expensive and time consuming, says Weijmarshausen.

Source: www.technologyreview.com

]]> http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/technology-3d-printing.html/feed 0 What is a 3D Printer? http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/what-is-a-3d-printer.html http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/what-is-a-3d-printer.html#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:55:24 +0000 3D Printer Store http://www.3dprinterstore.com/?p=93 3D printing is a technology that allows building real objects from 3D drawings. This is done by “cutting” the virtual object in 2D slices and printing the real object slice by slice. Slices are printed on top of each other’s and since each slice has a given thickness the real object gain volume every time [...]]]> 3D printing is a technology that allows building real objects from 3D drawings. This is done by “cutting” the virtual object in 2D slices and printing the real object slice by slice. Slices are printed on top of each other’s and since each slice has a given thickness the real object gain volume every time a slice is added.

Source: www.createitreal.com

]]> http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/12/what-is-a-3d-printer.html/feed 0 Future of 3D Printing: What’s In Store for the Next Generation http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/10/future-of-3d-printing-whats-in-store-for-the-next-generation.html http://www.3dprinterstore.com/2009/10/future-of-3d-printing-whats-in-store-for-the-next-generation.html#comments Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:14:21 +0000 admin http://www.3dprinterstore.com/?p=14 From the world of two-dimensional printing, you are now welcomed into a new technology known as 3d printing. Who would ever imagine that such a breakthrough can happen? When this change was introduced, the life of every industry that depended on fabrication services and production also transformed for the better.

Also known as rapid prototyping, 3D [...]]]> From the world of two-dimensional printing, you are now welcomed into a new technology known as 3d printing. Who would ever imagine that such a breakthrough can happen? When this change was introduced, the life of every industry that depended on fabrication services and production also transformed for the better.

Also known as rapid prototyping, 3D printing is the process by which a computer aided design software is utilized to produce the three-dimensional output. On a simpler definition, the process depends upon the use of a 3D printer and the computer. The technology was created to change the usual fabricating job into a faster phase. You may use it in designing something then get the actual results only after a few hours. The rapid prototyping technology is indeed futuristic.

The future of 3d printing technologies

Just like other products, 3D printers started with a very simple design. In fact, although the gadgets make work faster, the old printers in three-dimensional forms were slower than how you see it now. Therefore, there are still other promises to take note of when it comes to the future of rapid prototyping technologies such as:

1. Speed improvements. As mentioned awhile back, some 3D printers still function slower than the standard required by the industry. If manufacturers would endeavor to produce faster-paced versions, then everything else will be done quickly. Three-dimensional printer companies should not stop developing the output in order to improve its speed.

2. Accuracy and surface finish improvements. The 3d printers of today are accurate in the x-y plane but are not that accurate in the z direction. This somehow defeats the purpose of the 3d technology. With the fusion of laser optics and motor control, accuracy will be increased in all of these planes and directions.

3. The use of other materials. Aside from making use of powdered metal, polymers and paper, there should be an effort to concentrate on other non-polymeric materials for processing of 3d printing outputs. Utilization of materials such as composites, ceramics and metals will be much anticipated for the future of 3d technologies. These materials will produce more functional parts essential to functional testing. 3d printers of today do produce great visuals but fail in the functional testing aspect.

4. Size capacity increase. As of the moment, 3d printers are only capable of machining objects that are less than 0.125 cubic meters. These smaller parts should be joined together in order to produce a larger object. This somehow slows down the entire 3d printing process. Large prototype techniques need to be adapted.
With these future developments in 3d printing, more industries would be able to make use of the technology for their respective needs. This promises a better and brighter future for all industries that also want to produce commodities at a quicker pace. Now, even the US military started experimenting on the use of rapid prototyping for putting broken tanks together and for creating guns and ammunitions. This then marks the beginning of endless improvements for this technology.

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