Tinkercad to Close Shop
Tinkercad, an extremely popular web-based 3D modeling tool, announced it will discontinue development and shut down. The company will shift its energies into a new 3D modeling environment and hardware service called Airstone.
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!
Lego Mindstorms Lathe
Arthur Sacek‘s lathe works on floral foam. A project he has been working on since 2005, Arthur recently rebuilt the lathe using the still-robust RCX microcontroller brick, the precursor to the soon-to-be-replaced NXT brick. [via The NXT Step]
Will 3D Printers Save the World?
3D printers have exploded in popularity with promises of reinventing everything from manufacturing to entrepreneurship. While 3D printing has a few detractors and people who point out that it won’t live up to the hype, I believe 3D printing will actually do more than reinvent the way we design and build things. Ultimately, I believe it will dramatically improve lives in 3rd world countries by empowering everyone to improve their own lives.
Making a Bike Out of Car Parts
There is a kernel of a really cool idea in the Carma Project, sponsored by ad firm Leo Burnett Lisbon. They made a bike with as many reclaimed car parts as possible, and it looks kinda sweet! That said, I really would have preferred that it had been made out of 100% car parts, even […]
First 3D Printed Snowboard
The mad snow scientists at California-based Signal Snowboards are at it again. They have a monthly show they put together with Network A, called Every Third Thursday, where they come up with a snowboard concept, regardless of how off the wall, execute it, and ride the board they’ve created. To date, they’ve made a Lego […]
3D-Printed Superhero Figurine Business Cards
When you’re out networking, you could hand someone a plain old flat, rectangular piece of paper with your information printed on it. But wouldn’t it be much more awesome (and memorable) to hand them a 3D-printed figurine of you as a superhero, with your email address on the bottom? That’s what the folks at the Amsterdam interactive design agency Resoluut did. Each employee illustrated a superhero version of themselves and had 20 copies 3D printed, with their email address printed on the underside.
Intellectual Property and the Future of @Home Manufacturing
Like it or not, the ability to pirate physical objects and functional electronics is nearly upon us. In this article we devote some time and space to thinking about that possible future, and what might be done to avoid it. Additive manufacturing makes the entire design process “think it up, design or scan it, create it on-site.” So where does the “research to make sure you’re not conflicting with anyone elses existing intellectual property” step come into play? Before or after you hit the print button?