Digital Fabrication

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!

Aluminalis: Our 16-legged Walking Creature

Aluminalis: Our 16-legged Walking Creature

By Robert Beatty

Robert Beatty

As the founder and CEO of Plex Systems, Robert Beatty was one of the pioneers of the cloud services industry. He retired in 2006 to spend more time with his family and pursue his writing career. Today, he and his daughters build robots for their own fun and learning, and sometimes for museums. His first novel for young adults will be published by Disney-Hyperion in 2015.

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“Let’s build something creepy, Dad…”, my teenage daughters said. We had no idea this creepy crawly creature would utilize our machining skills to the fullest.

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Q&A: Maker Faire Design Challenge Presented by SketchUp

Q&A: Maker Faire Design Challenge Presented by SketchUp

By Nick Normal

Nick Normal

I'm an artist & maker. A lifelong biblioholic, and advocate for all-things geekathon. Home is Long Island City, Queens, which I consider the greatest place on Earth. 5-year former Resident of Flux Factory, co-organizer for World Maker Faire (NYC), and blogger all over the net. Howdy!

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You have until 11:59pm PT on Monday, April 14th to participate in the Maker Faire Design Challenge. One maker or team of makers will win a travel expenses-paid trip to the Bay Area next month. Apply now!

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ThreeForm Scans and Prints Articulated Gymnast Ensembles

ThreeForm Scans and Prints Articulated Gymnast Ensembles

By Aaron Trocola

Aaron Trocola

Aaron Trocola is an industrial designer who has been creating 3D designs and working with technology start-up companies for over 15 years. His experience includes more than 20,000 hours of 3D modeling experience in CAD, animation, and visualization, and he has personally designed, printed, finished and shipped hundreds of 3D-printed products. He helped develop one of the first volumetric display technologies more than a decade ago, and more recently has been working as a product designer, educator, and reverse-engineering technician. He owns 40WestID, a product design, 3D scanning, and consulting service, and it's digital apparel brand Threeform.

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3D printed clothing is good for more than just wearable art and sculpture. With proper design and construction, it can accomplish amazing feats of flexibility, durability, and reliability.

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faBrickation: 3D Printing + Lego for Fast Prototyping

faBrickation: 3D Printing + Lego for Fast Prototyping

By Anna Kaziunas France

Anna Kaziunas France

Anna Kaziunas France is interested practical digital fabrication focused project documentation (anything that turns codes into things), as well as adventures in synthetic biology, biohacking, personal genomics and programmable materials.

She's currently working on the forthcoming book "Design for CNC: Practical Joinery Techniques, Projects, and Tips for CNC-routed Furniture".

She’s also the Academic Dean of the global Fab Academy program, the co-author of Getting Started with MakerBot and compiled the Make: 3D Printing book.

Formerly, she worked as an editor for Make: Books, was digital fabrication editor and skill builder section editor for Make: Magazine, and directed Make:'s 2015 and 2014 3D Printer Shootout testing events.

She likes things that are computer-controlled, parametric, and open— preferably all three.

Find her on her personal site, Twitter and Facebook.

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Stefanie Mueller

By Stefanie Mueller

Stefanie Mueller

Stefanie Mueller is a PhD Student with Patrick Baudisch in the Human Computer Interaction Group at the Hasso-Plattner-Institute, located in Berlin, Germany.

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faBrickation is a new approach to speed up 3D printed rapid prototyping. The key idea is to save time by only printing the parts that require the high resolution and to substitute the remaining volume with standard Lego bricks.

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The State of 3D Printing and Scanning After CES 2014: The Push For Mainstreaming Begins

The State of 3D Printing and Scanning After CES 2014: The Push For Mainstreaming Begins

By Anna Kaziunas France

Anna Kaziunas France

Anna Kaziunas France is interested practical digital fabrication focused project documentation (anything that turns codes into things), as well as adventures in synthetic biology, biohacking, personal genomics and programmable materials.

She's currently working on the forthcoming book "Design for CNC: Practical Joinery Techniques, Projects, and Tips for CNC-routed Furniture".

She’s also the Academic Dean of the global Fab Academy program, the co-author of Getting Started with MakerBot and compiled the Make: 3D Printing book.

Formerly, she worked as an editor for Make: Books, was digital fabrication editor and skill builder section editor for Make: Magazine, and directed Make:'s 2015 and 2014 3D Printer Shootout testing events.

She likes things that are computer-controlled, parametric, and open— preferably all three.

Find her on her personal site, Twitter and Facebook.

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The movement to mainstream 3D printing is aggressively pursuing a sea change that replaces “experimental” with “easy”.

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