Author: 3D-Master-Add

Comparing Open-Source and Low-cost 3D Printers with Commercial Products

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When the typewriter was introduced in 1868, it was to people what virtual reality is to us now. It was something people had never seen before, a new idea that added value and made things a little more perfect. The typewriter created perfect typography, but one mistake meant the paper had to be re-written. The same is true today as more and more people learn how to use 3D printing and rapid prototyping. One over-looked mistake in the design of a piece can be fatal to a budget or to the project itself. For that reason, in this article we will discuss the implications and differences between open-source low-cost 3D printers, and commercial rapid prototyping machines. Open-Source Low-Cost 3D Printers Open-Source is the term given to software that is free to use and be edited by people other than the creator. This made a shift in the way that creators and 3D enthusiasts create objects. Imagine if the software was not open-sourced, what would happen? People would have to create and design their own 3D …

Favorite Applications of 3D Printing Technology

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A multi-billion dollar industry was born at the turn of the 21st century when the process of 3D printing was introduced in the 1980s. In the past thirty eight years, a lot of changes have been done to the industry, allowing buyercs to purchase their own 3D printers for less than a laptop. It is estimated that by the year 2019 this industry will be worth more than 20 Billion dollars. We estimate it will be worth more if certain industries, like the medical and housing, put these printers to use for mass production. Though there are hundreds of ways in which the 3D printing technologies can be used, we’ve narrowed it down to some of the favorite applications. This article is focused on describing those applications, and is open to interpretation for you to do further research. Favorite Applications These applications are not in order of importance, because they are all fascinating in their own ways. We’ve chosen to discuss food items, innovation and a faster and inexpensive way to prototype, prosthetic components and …

Rapid Prototyping in the Fine Arts, Architecture, Jewelry and Industrial Design

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The art that has lived through the centuries, that of Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Picasso, among others, is still loved because of the time it took to make, and the precision of the artists’ hand in creating it. The Sistine Chapel, for example, took four years to paint. The statue of David took three years to sculpt. Now, we can print beautiful and perfect items with the use of rapid prototyping and 3D printing, within hours or days. There’s a company in China that is creating art for a purpose. They are 3D printing houses in twenty four hours. In this article, we will discuss the ways in which rapid prototyping and 3D printing are making it easier for people to delve into the fine arts, architecture, jewelry, and industrial design. Fine Arts Wouldn’t it be amazing if one could eat a course in fine arts and be able to create paintings the same way Van-Gogh or Picasso did? Well, that reality is getting closer and closer. In an article provided by Bloomberg, a 3D printer …

Medical Applications of Rapid Prototyping

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There comes a time in humanity’s time-line, when a dent is created in the universe. This dent, allows us to live in excitement and curiosity of what the future will hold. In this time of our life, we can now use rapid prototyping in the medical field. There have been plenty of movies showcasing a human with robotic parts, a cyborg. With rapid prototyping coming into the medical field, we are getting closer to the day when we are half human and half robot. In this article, we will discuss the ways in which rapid prototyping is revolutionizing the medical industry. Prosthetics In the past, prosthetic and implants were provided to patients with a standard measurement scale. We know that one size does not fit all, and though some people may have a similar body-type and can wear the same length of jeans or size of shirt, it is completely different when it comes to a body part. Rapid prototyping has changed this and can now provide a very accurate measurement of a prosthetic product …

What is the difference between an RP machine and a 3D printer?

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In the past decade, we’ve come across some amazing discoveries and inventions in technology, which have allowed our society to create, test, and understand new methods of production. Arguably the biggest break-through has been that of the 3D printer, which had the whole world speaking about it after it was showcased at the annual CES convention. Rapid prototyping has been around for much longer. Used as a way to quickly test a new product or process, it has allowed entrepreneurs to get their ideas out and pivot with speed. 3D printing, however, is a revolution of its own. In this article, we will discuss the differences between rapid prototyping machines (RP Machines) and 3D printing. Rapid Prototyping So what is RP, or “rapid prototyping”? Just like the name implies, it is a method of rapidly creating a prototype of an idea that may work in theory, but may not work as perfect, in reality. In order to know whether or not the idea or product will work, one must create the prototype (preliminary model). Most …

Scanning Cameras

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In the forefront of recent cool technological advances, 3D printing has to be at the top of the list. The average person now had the ability to print just about anything, providing they have a 3D model. With a 3D scan and a 3D printer, you can literally reproduce anything, from a piece of jewelry to a building. Scanning cameras can also be used as a platform for developing totally new creations. For a frame of reference, think about Photoshop and how using a photo, you could modify an image in a variety of different ways. 3D scanning cameras give you the same capabilities, but with objects. Shooting for 3D Scans Making a 3D model involves a camera and software. Many different types of cameras can be used from GoPros to videos and smartphone but DSLR cameras work best. First, the object must be still, not too big, small or shiny. There needs to be lots of surface details and not too many areas that are uniform and have no definable features. Thin, delicate parts …

Additive Technologies in Injection Molds

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Injection molds can be produced faster and at lower costs using additive technologies rather than subtractive technology. In addition, additively produced tools can be used to indicate the performance of a final hardened tool. The use of additively-fabricated molds can create plastic components by the dozens, and in some cases, the millions, to be used for prototypes or testing. Subtractive CNC or spark erosion drawbacks: Methods are slow and expensive. Skilled workers for these methods are in short supply. Product complexity is high, product cycles are short. More precise tools are needed from declining supply of toolmakers. Benefits of Additive Technology The benefits of the process of additive technology in injection molds include saving time and labor. In addition, additive technologies can provide the option of improving mold performance that supersedes subtractive technologies. It provides the ability to build conformal cooling channels which assist with increased thermal performance. It also allows for the use of multiple or gradient materials which optimizes the performance of molds. These benefits decrease cost and may be a revolutionary development …

3D Scan Helped to Recreate the World of Star Wars

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Photo scanning, also known as photogrammetry, is the process of capturing reality through the use of regular or 2D photos. Those photos are then used to create computer generated algorithms that in turn create textured 3D models. The first job of the 3D scanner is to create a point cloud which is geometric samples on the subject’s surface. The points are then used to create the shape of a subject, a process referred to as reconstruction. The colors are collected at each point recreate the subject realistically. A 3D scanner has common traits with a camera in that they both have a cone-shaped field of view and can only collect information about surfaces that have an unobstructed view. Basic photos collect color information in its field of view. A 3D scanner collects distance information about everything in its field of view. This virtual photo produced by the 3D scanner gives information about the distance to each surface point. This provides a 3-dimensional position for each surface point that needs to be identified. A single scan …

Metal Castings – Investment Castings

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Additive technologies involve the use of injection molds which can produce components faster and at lower costs than the traditional use of subtractive technology. Additive technologies can be utilized as investment casting patterns. Casting methods are one of the first industrial processes developed by humans and have been utilized for thousands of years. The results can yield detailed and intricate results. One of the first materials used for the casting process was bees wax. This process is so adaptable that the forms of the bees have been used as patterns for producing detailed and stunning gold jewelry. One of the modern applications for additive casting patterns is creating environmentally friendly and socially conscious jewelry. On the other end of the spectrum, applications for casting patterns have produced products that contain a variety of metals and can weigh several hundred pounds. Additive casting patterns involve a thick coating or investing, which is a pattern that melts or burns out quickly as opposed to a material like ceramic, which doesn’t. A gate can be built into the …

Scanning Technologies at a Glance

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There is a plethora of companies that currently manufacture 3D scanners and digitizers. This growing market produces instruments able to digitize objects microscopic in size to entire constructions sites. The speeds for data acquisition vary from a few points per minute to a million points per second. The price ranges vary from a thousand dollars to a hundred thousand. This broad spectrum represents the large variety of devices now available. The market and technology base for these products may be premature and not fully developed. Another field that also has a wide range of technology is rapid prototyping. Coincidentally, the Reverse Engineering (RE) used in this field may also be reverse-rapid prototyping. RE develops converted point cloud data, acquired through digitization or noncontact scanning in CAD models. The CAD models can be then used for fabrication materials by removing methods like milling or material incremental methods. Key Components There are three key specifications when considering digitizers: volume, speed, and accuracy. Volume is usually not much of a limitation because scans can be stitched together to …