Major Tinkercad update: you can now import 2D/3D designs!
Today, the folks at Tinkercad released one of their coolest features ever: the possibility to import existing 2D or 3D designs. Tinkercad is a free 3D design app that runs in the browser by using the latest web technology (web GL). The great thing about it is that you don’t need any previous design expertise. Just open your browser, go to tinkercad.com and start creating!
With the release of the import feature, we can’t wait to see all the crazy mash-ups and modifications people will come up with. The only downside for now, is that the STL import is limited to 25 000 triangles. So don’t go crazy just yet.
So how does an imported 3D file look in Tinkercad? Have a look below.
We can’t wait to see what’s coming next…and don’t forget you can still EXPORT your designs to i.materialise for 3D printing.
Who is….(y)our Product Designer?
Hi everyone!
It’s time to introduce myself. Tatiana, our community manager, has requested it already so many times that I lost count but here it goes. I’m Bert and have been working for Materialise for 3,5 years now. Until recently I only worked for .MGX by Materialise as a Product Development Specialist but now I also lend my services to i.materialise.
Mainly I have been working with designers from all over the world on luminaries and interior products for the .MGX Collection. I was involved in the development of the Cadence.MGX, the Gamete.MGX and the Dragonfly.MGX to name a few. With my knowledge of possibilities and limitations of the different 3D printing techniques, I ‘m well place to give assistance and guidance to the designers. For i.materialise I have developed the instructables, design guides for the new materials and I am working on other (behind the scene) products and material developments.
Enough about my work at Materialise, now a little bit more about m
Back to School Meetup: 28th of September
Did you always want to know more about 3D printing your designs? We’d love to welcome you to our next Meetup at i.materialise.
WHO
Every designer, independant business owner, working professional,…. that’s interested in 3D printing. Journalists are welcome as well to meet our designers and follow a tour through one of the biggest 3D printing facilities in the world.
WHY
It’s a great opportunity to meet fellow designers and share your experiences, so don’t forget to bring your 3D printed design. You’ll get to know more about the services we offer, you can see all te materials you can print in and ask all your questions concerning 3D printing to our support engineers.
PROGRAM
- Welcome
- Presentation and see materials
- Tour
- Drink & Talk
WHERE
Materialise
Technologielaan 15
3001 Leuven
WHEN
Friday 28th of September 2012, 14.00-18.00 GMT +2 (Belgium time)
REGISTER
You can register on this website!
Hope to see you soon.
Summer ends in beauty: Lower prices for jewelry in polyamide and resin
Our Belgian summer is coming to an end and we’re very happy to say that prices of jewelry in Polyamide and resin dropped.
Take a look at our special gallery category Summer ends in beauty to check out all the nice designs.
To give you a few examples; these chandelier earrings, both made by Unellenu in white polyamide, now only costs 21.09 euro instead of 28.9 . Isn’t that great?
NECKLACE
Why not match it with this nice looking necklace? The price dropped from 90 euro to just 41.39 euro.
Or you want some more color in your life? No problem. Michaella Janse van Vuuren made this nice coryl polyp pendant that now costs only 16.55 euro instead of 28.9.
Have fun shopping!
Urban Nomad Challenge: 3 materials, 3 winners!
ABOUT THE CHALLENGE
Inspired by our modern and mobile way of living we introduce to you our new challenge: The Urban Nomad Challenge! Let the nomads inspire you to make something extra-ordinary, never-seen-before or handy 3D printable design. Nowadays, thanks to technology, we can work everywhere; we are urban nomads using all kinds of tools and gadgets to support our mobile life. From iPhone cases to cellphone holders…..Think about it and surprise us, there are so many options: a tool, an ingenious gadget, something to support a mobile lifestyle,…
RULES
Participants need to upload their file here. You can find more information about the file formats in our FAQs under ‘website’. You can choose between 3 materials: ceramics, polyamide or stainless steel. When you upload the file you can mention in the comments section in which material you would like your design to be 3D printed in.
There are limits on the size of the design:
Bounding box polyamide: 12,5 x 12,5 x 12,5
Featured Friday- Showing your 3D printed designs
Another week had passed again and we’re happy to show you these new designs!
The first design we want to show you is a real masterpiece. The basic idea for the project of Serdal Bidav and Nilgün Kuscu was to create a floating concert hall for Istanbul. With this building the designer wants to reflect the diversity of the city by creating three different cityscapes.
Next design is a very cool Heavy Metal watch ‘Black Label Society’: the case, bezel and dial were 3D printed. The material used for the wristwatch is paintable resin which was covered with some metallic paint. It perfectly shows how you can use 3D printing in your everyday life.
Check out this train! This model is based on a version from 1924 made in prime gray by Guido Mandorf.
SCULPTURE
Last, but not least: a very nice looking sculpture for an art gallery. It’s the first sculpture ikatz made through 3D printing. It will be great to see it in full glory!
Looking forward to see more of your designs.
Designers: Get your name out!
Ok, now that you started designing, you want to take your creations (and yourselves) a level higher? No problem! Here are some tips to get yourself into the spotlight.
These days, the internet offers great opportunities to do self promotion. Set up a Facebook page for your projects and promote your designs through social media: Twitter and Facebook are perfect platforms to spread news about designing and connect with fellow designers. Or have you ever thought about an online portfolio? There are several portfolio communities to showcase your design. Try Behance , DeviantART, Coroflot or Computerlove. Get in touch with other artists and share knowledge or sell your designs.
VOTE
Promotional websites offer good opportunities to share all kinds of information. Think about Digg: you can submit stories and links and comment or vote on other links. If you have a lot of votes, you’ll get a nice position on the frontpage. Design Float and Design Bump are similar to Digg, but made for
Featured Friday- Showing your 3D printed designs
Another week has passed and we’re happy to show you some beautiful designs again!
The first design we want to show you is a prototype model of an office chair created in Polyamide made by Rendy Himawan from Jakarta, Indonesia. This design gives a better view on shape and proportion so adjustments can be made very easily.
TOWEL TIM
We found this nice looking guy in our gallery, the first official figurine of Towel Tim, created by Julien Chateau. This little fellow is 18 cm tall en 3D printed in Multicolor.
Last but not least: the custom historical hat (British Horse Artillery 1815) in Lego Minifig Scale! The designer loves creating new and interesting hats for this little Legofigurines.
Looking forward to see more of your designs.
PS: don’t forget to post your project on our forum in unbox it. You can win two vouchers of 250 euro with our Facebook/Forum Design Challenge!
Have a nice Weekend!
Wonderboy Guto Requena makes 3D printed chairs with the sounds of the city
“The digital culture changes our relationship with design and the way we build our cities,” Guto Requena said in Freundevonfreunden.com, an online interview magazine. When it comes to designing the Brazilian architect pushes the envelope. He recorded the typical citysounds of São Paulo and let it determinate the design.
As a little child Guto Requena always dreamed about architecture. Then finally, when he started studying architecture he became more and more interested in digitalism and technology. At this moment he is one of the most innovatist architects of Brazil and with his studio Estudio Guto Requena he tries to push the projects he really wants to do.
FUTURE
Requena believes the digital future can make people closer and he tries to experiment with all kinds of design. One of his latest collections is called Nóize, which is inspired by three iconic Brazilian chair designs: Oscar by Sergio Rodrigues, the São Paulo by Carlos Motta and the Giraffe by Lina Bo Bardi, Marc
3D printing in bronze has passed the test
We’re happy to say to you our trial period of bronze is over! So from now on we can serve you with exact prices and details about the designs on our webpage. The maximum size we offer is 50 x 50 x 50 mm, but we do encourage you to challenge us with bigger models. If you come up with a design a little bit bigger than the imaginary box, don’t hesitate to tell us: we can check wheter it’s possible or not. We hope to print bigger models in time as research is still going on.
For the prices: we can say that a design up to 5 cm³ will cost you 38,50 dollar, for every extra cm³ you will pay 8,8 dollars extra. For compact models there’s an extra discount. The more material you have within the imaginary box around your model, the more discount you get for the same model volume.
Bronze is typically used for coins, medals, key or small figures, but don’t hesitate to think out of the box. We welcome any possible design!
Do you have more questions about your design, just mail it to cont
