Digital fabrication tools have revolutionized the way designers, engineers, and artisans express their creativity. With the right resources, you can learn to use these powerful instruments in no time! Whether it’s 3D printing or laser cutting that interests you, these articles will provide useful tutorials and inspiration for makers of all levels. Discover how digital fabrication can open up new possibilities so that your craftsmanship is truly extraordinary!
Michigan Tech’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering has an interesting challenge out to the 3D printing community in the form of their 3D Printers for Peace Contest. From their site: 3D printing is changing the world. Unfortunately, the only thing many people know about 3D printing is that it can be used to make […]
Yesterday, 3D Printing service Shapeways announced the availability of a new material in their already-impressive lineup, a flexible plastic polymer. Printing with this “Elasto Plastic” will cost $1.75/cm3, and like many of the other materials, is laser-sintered one layer at a time.
Last summer a student organization based out of the University of Washington, WOOF (Washington Open Object Fabricators), successfully created the world’s first 3D Printed Boat. The boat was printed on a large-format FDM printer, which was hacked together from a plasma cutter, and prints with post-consumer milk jugs.
Leather lends itself to the intricate design possibilities of a laser cutter, because it is pliable enough to wear on the body, but sturdy enough to hold its shape, even with large cutouts. I’ve collected a few of my favorite examples of laser-cut leather here, to serve as inspiration.
Engineer Ben Kokes created this incredible engagement ring featuring LEDs that light up when he and his fiance hold hands.
Jeshua Lacock recounted his experience of casting metal parts directly from 3D Printed PLA with a fantastic photo-filled writeup and video. He prints the part with his Ultimaker and pours mold material around it before letting it set. After the mold hardens, it’s placed in his homemade furnace to melt away the PLA, leaving a beautiful female mold behind, into which he can pour molten metal.
If you were hoping to pick up Brook Drumm’s new Printrbot Simple at Maker Faire Bay Area this year, well…you’re too late. The Printrbot Simple beta edition sold out Saturday afternoon. Still, with alpha availability slate for June, you don’t have too long to wait.
