March 11, 2014

Supportless, magical 3D printing of metal

Filed under: Design,Technology by Orangemaster @ 7:42 am

3D-printing-robot-by-Joris-Laarman-draws-freeform-metal-lines-_dezeen_8

The Joris Laarman Lab, located in Amsterdam, is known for experimenting and tinkering with the new possibilities of upcoming technology alongside craftspeople, scientists and engineers. Their latest feat includes a technique for large-scale 3D printing of 3D objects made from steel, stainless steel, aluminum, bronze or copper on any work surface that does not require any additional support structures. “The MX3D-Metal method combines a robotic arm typically used in car manufacturing with a welding machine to melt and then deposit metal, to create lines that can be printed horizontally, vertically, or in curves without the need for support structures.”

Back in 2010 we wrote about Joris Laarman’s solo exhibition in New York featuring ‘bone chairs’.

Watch the video to see how it is possible to create metal structures in mid-air, as it has something quite magical to it.

(Links: phys.org, www.dezeen.com, Photo of freeform metal lines from dezeen.com)

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August 8, 2013

Kickstarting Dutch ideas: inventions and culture

Filed under: Bicycles,Design,Film,Sustainability by Orangemaster @ 8:35 am

If you want to feel like an investor, maybe even invest in a project or just browse to get some ideas, have a look at these Dutch projects on Kickstarter. At first glance, films, software and design/inventions seem to be major categories, but I also saw some well-funded music.

Amsterdam: The Belll (yes, extra l), got funded. A customisable, loud, Dutch-made clip-on bell for your bike.

Groningen: The Last Holdouts: ‘One couple’s journey from Antarctica to Holland: A documentary about impossibility and the creative process’.

Amersfoort was the busy city at the time of writing, with three projects vying for cash, although one stood out: Doodle 3D, a sketching tool to print your own personal drawings on a 3D printer.

See also:

Charge your gear on the go using your travel bag (older pic above).

Two inventions—a charger in a safe, and a power strip in a book (and a bonus invention).

(Screenshot: Kickstarter)

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July 24, 2013

Fly your own drone-like favourite objects, DIY style

Filed under: Design by Orangemaster @ 8:49 am

With this kit, you can turn your favourite object into a drone (the popular term) or actually an UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), as designer Jasper van Loenen explains.

As of 1 June 2013 you no longer need to have a permit to use a drone (thanks big corporations), so it’s time to get your favourite items up and flying. Allowing satellite pictures be made of the entire country, but then fining drones that take pictures for spying was finally considered obsolete.

Many of the parts in the kit can be created with a 3-D printer. Van Loenen made the printer files available, so that people can get into DIY mode with 3-D printing. About the printed parts, he said, “I recommend printing them in ABS or something similarly strong and durable. I printed them in ABS with a fill of around 50 percent and a rectangular mesh, but I think printing them with slightly more fill might be better. It will not increase the weight that much (all the printed parts are pretty light) and might increase the strength quite a bit.”

(Link: phys.org, Photo of Drone by Karen Axelrad, some rights reserved)

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July 17, 2013

Dutch designed 3D printed shoes debut on Paris catwalk

Filed under: Design by Orangemaster @ 12:02 pm

A manufacturer of 3D printers and production systems for prototyping and manufacturing Stratasys has announced the unveiling of 12 pairs of 3D printed shoes during Paris Fashion Week. In collaboration with Dutch designers Iris van Herpen and Creative Director of United Nude (shoe above) Rem D. Koolhaas, Stratasys 3D printed the shoes with a number of intricate geometries designed to mimic elements of nature. Following the success of van Herpen’s recent collaboration with Stratasys for an elaborate 3D printed dress, Van Herpen teamed up with Rem D. Koolhaas to design a tree root inspired shoe.

(Link: www.dutchdailynews.com, Photo United Nude)

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December 11, 2012

Two companies to offer 3D printing services early next year

Filed under: Gadgets,Technology by Branko Collin @ 2:03 pm

A company called 3DSVP will start offering 3D printing services on the premises of the Meneer Paprika store in Haarlem next January, Hyped.nl reports.

The store expects to sell products mainly made of polyamide, but also jewellery made of silver and stainless steel. 3DSVP has been running a web shop since September, showcasing the type of products that you can have them print.

A similar service will be offered by Office Centre in the first quarter of 2013, the difference being that the Easy 3D printing service will use paper as its base material. Office Centre is a Dutch company (founded in 1993 as a merger) that is now owned by American office supplies company Staples. According to Engadget the service “will handle architectural designs, maps, medical models, replica weapons and anything else that can be made with fragments of paper arranged in 0.1mm layers up to a maximum height of six inches”.

Note that realistic replicas of guns are strictly forbidden in the Netherlands.

See also: Ultimaker, a lightning fast 3D printer.

(Link tip: Laurent Chambon. Photo of an Ultimaker-printed casing for a small video camera by HeatSync Labs, some rights reserved)

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April 12, 2012

3D print your own iPhone case at Kees

Filed under: Design,Technology by Branko Collin @ 1:58 pm

Kees is a Dutch online company that lets you customize and 3D print iPhone cases based on a large number of presets.

You can even add your own lettering to the sides.

The cases cost around 40 euro, and take about 3 weeks to deliver.

The company is an initiative of brothers Jonas and Daaf Samson. The company name is a common Dutch given name (short for Cornelis), and is pronounced ‘case’. Unfortunately, you don’t seem to be able to opt out of the rather large company logo that is also printed on the side.

Anyway, the customization process is really simple, so I suggest you check it out to see what a Kees is all about.

(Link: Bright, Photo: Kees)

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February 11, 2012

83-year-old woman gets 3D-printed titanium jaw implant

Filed under: Health,Technology by Branko Collin @ 12:35 pm

BBC News writes:

A lower jaw created by a 3D printer has been fitted to an 83-year-old woman’s face in what doctors say is the first operation of its kind.

The transplant was carried out in June in the Netherlands, but is only now being publicised. The implant was made out of titanium powder – heated and fused together by a laser, one layer at a time.

The operation was performed in a hospital in Sittard-Geleen in Limburg. The jaw was made by a company called Layerwise from Leuven, Belgium, which published this video of the process:

According to De Pers, the woman got to go home after just 4 days in the hospital. She will receive matching teeth ‘soon’.

(Video: Youtube / Layerwise)

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August 7, 2011

Ultimaker, a lightning fast 3D printer

Filed under: Gadgets,Technology by Branko Collin @ 12:40 pm

Three guys who met at the Fab Lab in Utrecht two years ago decided to go into business together as manufacturers of a 3D printer. The resulting Ultimaker costs only 1200 euro, and is apparently very fast.

According to Make magazine last Monday, “more than 120 printers have been sold and close to 70 have been shipped so far. It takes between four and six weeks between order and delivery. Half of the new printers have been sold in the Netherlands, thanks to exposure on a national TV program. Customers include a disabled Dutch woman whose Ultimaker has printed gripper hands for robotic arms that she uses to grasp small candies, something her previous gripper could not do.”

The printer arrives as a kit, and comes bundled with open source controller software for Mac OS, Windows and Linux. According to the manual, “assembling the unit—though requiring some dedication and love—does not require special skills”.

There are plenty of videos showing off the speed of this thing on Youtube.

(Source photo: Ultimaker.com)

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April 11, 2011

3D printed chair by Bram Geenen designed using the same methods as the Sagrada Familia

Filed under: Design by Branko Collin @ 10:14 am

Writes Bram Geenen:

Designed using the same methods […] Antoni Gaudi [used], who made models of hanging chains [which, when viewed] upside down, showed him the strongest shapes for his churches. […] The chain models […] combined with a software script are used to generate the structure of the ribs. This is necessary because of the complexity of the forces in a chair’s backrest.

This video shows you what this means:

The chair can be bought from its printer, Amsterdam-based Freedom of Creation, who have over ten years experience with 3D printing. The measly sum of 15,977 euro, making the chair not as cheap as a CatCase, will ensure this treasure becomes yours. Not a word on whether you get complimentary new car smell with that order.

(Link: Bright. Photo: Studio Geenen. Video: Vimeo / Studio Geenen.)

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December 18, 2010

3D printed shoes by Marloes ten Bhömer

Filed under: Design,Fashion by Branko Collin @ 3:38 pm

These winged women’s shoes were designed by Marloes ten Bhömer and were 3D printed using photo polymer material.

The advantage would seem to be that you can have them made to fit your feet perfectly. The Rapidprototypeshoe is on display at the Design Museum Holon in Israel until 8 January 2011, where visitors can apparently have a pair made to measure for themselves.

(Link: Bright. Photo: Marloes ten Bhömer.)

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