How to Improve Your Creative Business with 3D Printing
If you are a designer, jeweler, or creative mind starting your own company, you’ll probably have heard about 3D printing. You might even have thought about introducing it to your company or creative project. However, you may not know where to start or how it can improve your business.
If that is the case, we have some good news for you: it’s easier than you think and well worth your while! (more…)
5 Super Useful 3D-Printed Bicycle Accessories
Whether you’re a total gearhead or not, cycling is fun, environmentally friendly, and all-around awesome. And with 3D printing, these designers are making their rides even cooler! Pimp your own bicycle with their creative designs or get inspired to make your own custom bicycle gadgets.
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You Won’t Believe This Cube Was 3D Printed in One Piece
Meet Kurt Plagge, designer of one of the craziest (and smartest) designs we’ve seen lately. His small 3D-printed cubes are from a world of their own and were printed in one single piece. That’s right — no glue, no screws, and no manually attached parts. Thanks to laser sintering in Polyamide and his extreme 3D modeling skills, Kurt has managed to create a 3D-printed object unlike any other.
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The International Space Station Welcomes The Moon Gallery Art Collection Onboard, Including A Miniature 3D-Printed Cube
Although the Moon is around 238,855 miles (or 384,400 km away), humanity has always been fascinated by it. From ancient lunar calendars to the Moon landing in 1969 to low and high tides affecting shorelines at this very moment, Earth’s natural satellite is entwined in our past and present. But how will it shape our future? Discover how the Moon Gallery — including a 3D-printed cube — aims to teach us about the unique conditions in space for future generations and extend humankind’s cultural reach into this final frontier.
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Recreating Leuven Town Hall In Intricate Detail Using 3D Printing And 100% Re-Used Powder
Leuven is a hotbed for innovation, renowned for its world-famous university and scientific and research-based institutions. The city is also prominent for its drive towards sustainability, gaining accolades such as the European Green Leaf Award (EGLA) and the title of European Capital of Innovation (iCapital) in the last few years.
Stad Leuven is constantly investigating ways to combine innovation and climate-change initiatives to improve the lives of residents, typically working with local suppliers and businesses that share their ethos. That’s why they contacted our parent company, Materialise, to help with their latest project, an intricate 3D-printed model of Leuven’s Town Hall.
Leuven Town Hall: a gothic masterpiece
Leuven Town Hall (Stadhuis in Dutch) is over 500 years old, so it’s normal that the building needs a bit of a renovation. Certain areas will have improved accessibility, while other structures will be worked on in the future. The restoration plan was the inspirat
“3D Printing Is A Revolution”: A Talk With Artist Koen Van Daele
Long-time i.materialise user Koenraad Van Daele combines a classical background with modern techniques, creating some truly inspiring designs. In this user spotlight, we talk to him about the inspiration and techniques behind his work and why 3D printing is so important to him.
When Koen began his first project with i.materialise in 2008, it marked a significant shift in his journey through the art world. Classically trained as a marble sculptor from the age of 18, including two years spent in Carrara, Italy — the center of the stone sculpture industry — Koen now mainly focuses his attention on vector art and 3D modeling. But what inspired the shift?
“I bought my first computer in the 90s and started using graphic programs,” he tells us. “I realized that I had a talent for drawing with software. When you work as a web designer or system engineer like I did, it’s very easy to go from one platform to another, and in between, start designing for 3D.”
The perks of 3D printing
H
Why Not Make Your Own? From Watch Collector To Watch Designer
Five or six years ago, Juha Savisalo started dabbling in a new hobby: collecting and repairing old mechanical watches. As his interest grew, he thought, “Why not create a design of my own?” And that’s what led him to 3D printing watch components through i.materialise. Read on to learn about Juha’s process of creating the watch, why he opted for the methods he chose, and more.
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Brighten Up Your Holiday Season With 3D-Printed Gifts
Whether it’s a gift with an extra personal touch or a decoration for your tree that you just won’t find in shops, there’s plenty to inspire you right here on i.materialise. We’ve dipped a toe into that pool of creativity to bring you some of our favorite ideas in our very own holiday season gift guide.
The lights go up. The sweaters go on. You fondly remember that Michael Bublé exists. It can only mean one thing: the holiday season is here again. It’s a wonderful time of year, filled with friends, family, and of course, a thoughtful gift or two. This year, you can make it more special, unique, and fun than ever by combining it with your love of 3D printing. Just take a look at some of these incredible designs to get you started.
Deck the halls in whatever you want
Tired of tinsel and shiny metal balls? Probably not — it’s hard to beat a classic, after all. But you can definitely add something new to your festive set-up. Take this beautiful Quin Ornament by Bathsheba Grossman or t
Finding The Sweet Spot By Designing For 3D Printing
Confiserie Van Damme produces over 19,500 tons of marshmallows in different shapes, sizes, and varieties every single year: a delicious product with small margins that requires relatively expensive machinery. And that’s where our parent company Materialise’s advisory team Mindware came in. With their knowledge of design for 3D printing, they could efficiently translate an essential machine part for design — the nozzle — into something customizable yet more affordable. 3D printing’s design freedom and short development time was an essential key for the company to open up production, with new designs for clients that they previously had not been able to work with.
Part of being able to introduce new styles of marshmallows is having a unique nozzle that can pump out marshmallow cream in the correct flow, shape, and separation of colors to create a particular design. Typically, a single nozzle consists of 12 metal parts that are welded together and a nut. The conve
3D-Printed Molds For Special Concrete Pillars Brings Revolutionary Sustainable House One Step Closer
Sustainability, environmentalism, and climate change are subjects at the forefront of hearts and minds across the planet. Recent events, from forest fires and floods to record weather temperatures and shifting ecosystems, indicate that we must make a concerted effort to come up with sustainable solutions to global issues. One such problem is providing adequate shelter to urban slum families in sub-standard housing in Africa. What could help solve this crisis? The Tridealhouse project.
Tridealhouse — a triangular house that stimulates happy living, urban farming, and sustainable utilities to help tackle urban poverty — solves five slum household deprivations as defined by the UN-Habitat while providing food and micro jobs. To confront such wide-ranging issues, this ambitious project needed more than just theoretical knowledge, it also required specific materials and expertise. That’s why the Trideal team contacted our parent company, Materialise, to collaborate on making special, 3D-
