The Surprising Reason Behind 3D Printing Production Times
In our 3D printing factory, we try to make production as fast as possible. However, many people are surprised to hear that getting their 3D printed parts can take several days or even weeks. What’s the main time driver in a 3D printing factory? How can you get faster online 3D prints? And what are the steps in the production process in a 3D printing factory? (more…)
3D Printing in 42 File Formats: i.materialise Enlarges Armada of Accepted File Formats
Every designer uses a different design software, and each design software comes with its own file formats. To make your life easier, i.materialise keeps widening its spectrum of uploadable and printable 3D file types. You can now 3D print in 42 formats!
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Life As a Professional 3D Designer: Meet 3D Artist Pekka Salokannel
Pekka Salokannel lives the 3D printed dream. The industrial designer from Helsinki creates 3D printed products, gives 3D modeling workshops, has worked for Tinkercad, Makerbot, and Mozilla, and launched his own 3D design company in 2013. Pekka is currently developing 3D printed eyewear, jewelry, and fashion items – reason enough for us to talk with him about his future projects, the ambition of professional 3D modelers, and the added value of 3D printed products. (more…)
3D Printed Shoes: Combining 3D Printing in Plastics & Steel with Traditional Craftsmanship
Meet Eric Meijer, designer of a new collection of 3D printed shoes. His innovative approach: combining 3D printed plastics, 3D printed steel and traditional craftsmanship for creating one-of-a-kind high heels. We spoke with the Dutch innovator and took a look at his latest designs.
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The World’s Largest Rubik’s Cube Comes to i.materialise: Meet Its Designer
If you believe that a Rubik’s Cube is only a puzzle with 3x3x3 fields, then you haven’t heard of Oskar van Deventer yet. Thanks to his design skills and the use of 3D Printing, these twisty puzzles exist in any imaginable shape or size now. Read on to meet the designer of the world’s largest and toughest Rubik’s Cube.
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How to Get Your Perfect Multicolor 3D Print
Being able to get a print from a multicolor 3D printer is one of the coolest things. However, we get quite a few questions about the look & feel of this material. In this article, we want to explain to you what our multicolor material actually is, what color you will need to expect, and how you need to model your 3D design to get a great multicolor print!
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Calling All Makers! Create Ideas Worth Making and Contribute to Innovative Educational Tools
Do you believe that 3D Printing can add value in education? Are you a 3D printing enthusiast? Do you like helping others? Create Ideas Worth Making and enter for your chance to win amazing prizes! (more…)
10 Examples of How 3D Printing Is Changing Consumer Products
Everybody’s talking about 3D printing: 3D printed implants, 3D printed cars, 3D printed houses. While the media likes to focus on big projects, a large part of this new industrial revolution is happening in small design studios, backyard sheds, and start-ups by makers, designers, and other creative minds. In this post, we show you some examples of how 3D printing is changing our everyday consumer products. (more…)
2014 New York Maker Faire Wrap-up: Our Favorite Moments!
Maker Faire New York 2014 ended on Sunday, September 21, topping off one of the biggest 3D printing and design events of 2014. The i.materialise outreach team joined over 85,000 attendees to connect with makers from around New York and across the world!
Among them were the winners to our free ticket giveaway, who received VIP 3D print goodie bags! At least 500 people visited our Touchable 3D Printed Art exhibit, featuring 3D printed metal, ceramic, and plastic art. We were proud to connect with some of New York’s finest designers, engineers, programmers, and families— and to share our passion for 3D printing with you.
Read on for our Maker Faire New York 2014 summary and some of our favorite moments! For more photos, see our Facebook gallery here. For a list of official exhibitors for 2014, go here.
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The Secret Sensuality of Trees: Michael Winstone’s Globe-trekking Race to Scan and 3D Print Trees Lost to Deforestation
For the past 20 years, Michael Winstone has traveled the world’s forests to scan and 3D print trees that are in danger of being cut down. His work is currently on display in museums, galleries and private displays around the world. His most famous work is 41°40’00’’N.00°54’30’’W, and other permanent public works include “N1-53-32-8:132º42′.34º45′.JA” in Takamiya, Hiroshima, Japan and “IGN.185: iv.269.904, Coto Redondo, Pontevedra, Spain.”
His sculptures feature human-like plant forms and simple fractal elements. These join together to create complex organic-shaped structures that feature “self-similarity” in anatomic texture, body and construction.
Winstone’s 3D printed trees preserves the bark striations and forms of real trees that no longer exist, as well as current trees that may be lost to disease, old age, or ongoing deforestation.
Read on about his life’s work.
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