Kickstarter success 3Doodler proved there was a market for 3D printing without the geek requirement, but can crafting in the third-dimension really be as easy as wielding a hot nib? True, you won’t be creating any replacement machine parts, but with a $99.99 price tag that’s probably no surprise. We caught up with the $2.3m […]
Remember the 3Doodler? Odds are plenty of you do, seeing as how the company managed to nab a staggering $2.3 million for its $30,000 Kickstarter campaign. For the minority of you who didn’t participate, here’s a quick refresher: the device is a 3D printing pen. It’s a bit like a hot glue gun for plastic — simple and ingenuous, it melts a single strand of ABS or PLA, allowing you to draw objects in the air, solidifying as you draw up.
The pen was still in early prototype phase when we first saw it, and now, here at IFA its co-creator Max Bogue is showing off the final shipping product (seeing as how Kickstarter funders will be getting theirs later this year). This 3Doodler actually looks pretty similar to that early unit. All the same elements are in place: a slot in the rear to feed in the plastic, the heated tip where it comes out in semi-liquid form, an exhaust fan (which is pretty loud, but should quiet down before people start to get theirs) and two buttons for fast and slow extrusion.%Gallery-slideshow81791%
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Filed under: Peripherals
For all the wonders we’ve seen 3D printers extrude, traditional copy machines still have something to lord over products like the MakerBot Replicator: convenience. Users hoping to duplicate real world objects need multiple devices and specialized software expertise to scan in items, tweak their parameters and print up a copy — and sharing objects remotely isn’t much easier. That’s where AIO Robotics comes in. The company’s Zeus 3D copy machine promises to scan, print fax and copy 3D objects with a touch of a button.
The all-in-one device was announced late last month, but just launched on Kickstarter today, pricing the complete kit at $2,500 for US backers. The setup is designed to make 3D printing, scanning and sharing easy, automatically calibrating the scanning elements with the printing elements and allowing all functions to be easily performed from a single touch sensitive control panel. The device is supposed to be so easy to use, a child could use it — and sure enough, the project’s demo video contains an adorable clip of a child faxing is Play-Doh creations to his Dad. We’re still a long way off from picking up user friendly replicators at Office Depot, but Zeus could be a step in the right direction. Check out the Kickstarter page for yourself at the attached source link.
Filed under: Misc
Source: Kickstarter
Last month, NASA successfully tested its first 3D-printed rocket injector. The test was successful and the pictures were great, but now we’ve got video. Nothing like a good science inferno.
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3D printers are gradually working their way into the mainstream, and as they do so concerns regarding intellectual property and the theft of blueprints have increasingly become the substance of conversation. One startup company in California, Authentise, is offering a solution to this issue however, creating software that streams blueprint information directly to the printer. […]
3D printing has seen a significant rise in its popularity, though they’re not as common as your average printer. The main reason behind this is that 3D printers are expensive, an average unit might cost over $1,000. So even though everyone would like to use it, they won’t be able to because of the evident problem. 3D Hubs is a new service that fixes this issue to an extent. The service will display 3D printers that are available in your locality, you can upload your design and the owner can print it out. You can then meet the owner, pay a fee and pick up the printed object.
The service has been publicly launched today. Once users upload their design, they can choose the nearest 3D printer from an interactive map. The owner of the printer gets to work on a new project and make money as well. A “hub” is only unlocked once a specific number of printers are listed. For European cities, 10 3D printers must be listed before that particular city can be unlocked. For other locations, the magic number sits at 20. Cities unlocked so far include London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Antwerp and Copenhagen. Give the fact that 3D Hubs was launched today, it might take some time before your city gets unlocked. [Image via TNW]
3D Hubs Shows 3D Printers Available In Your Locality original content from Ubergizmo. 
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No 3D printer? No problem. 3D Hubs is a brand new service that lets you find 3D printers you can use in your area.
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3D printing has taken some amazing steps over the past couple of months as it’s been used to save several lives, successfully recreate memorable video game characters and could potentially be used as a source of nutrition. But would you trust 3D-printed skateboard which can be used to carry you at a high rate of speed? Sam Abbott does and Sam Abbott did.
Abbott is a Dutch artist who created this 3D-printed skateboard which features a twin-tipped design that was too large for 3DprintUK’s 3D printer to create, although Abbott was able to successfully create it in three sections. The process required the deck to be assembled and joined together with numerous connector pins, which we hope are extremely secure considering how easy it is for a normal skateboard to break under extreme stress.
The underside of the skateboard features an interesting design as it looks like it has fused with hundreds of octopi considering how many suction cup-like areas there are on the skateboard. The end of the video shows a skateboarder riding on the freshly-3D printed skateboard, and best of all, it doesn’t completely crumble under his own weight. We guess we can consider this a job well done, then.
3D Printed Skateboard Is Sturdy Enough To Actually Ride original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Farecards are annoying. They’re usually flimsy and easy-to-lose, and depending on what city you live in, they can be impossible to swipe. Why not integrate a more high-tech solution into the system? And hey, why not make it a little bit fashionable too? Well, that’s exactly what these MIT students did.
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3D printing has come a long way, and it’s going to go even further, when everyone can easily purchase an affordable and fast 3D printer for their homes. We’ve seen lots of intriguing items output using 3D printing tech, and now a Dutch artist created this 3D printed skateboard.
Sam Abbott’s twin-tipped skateboard design was a bit too large for the 3D printer of 3DprintUK and their competition, but they managed to print it in 3 sections. The deck was assembled and joined together with numerous connector pins. The board is textured quite nicely on its underside, and there are plenty of cool details, which will make any skateboarder lust after it.
I wonder when I’ll be able to whip up something like this on a 3D printer at home. Hopefully pretty soon!
[via designboom]
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