Learn Laika's Lessons for Full-Color Printing

Photo Credit: Laika

3D printing in full color can be challenging when color matching is a top priority.  As RapidMade and our Portland neighbors at Laika can attest, "what you see" is not necessarily "what you get..."  It takes expertise to ensure a client's color choices translate well from the CAD files to the Color Jet 3D printer.

Laika Entertainment, a stop-motion animation studio, has been using Color Jet printers to create characters for its feature films including Boxtrolls and ParNorman.  By necessity, Tory Bryant, its in-house specialist,  has learned to master the nuances of its various printers to maximize color control. 

Her first lesson?  The 3D printer likes blues and greens, flesh tones - not so much - which, given the work Laika does, is an obvious challenge.  And so began a process that led them to develop a process to ensure quality control.

The following excerpt is courtesy of Creativeblog.com 

Create a color-matching book:

This technique is difficult for anyone without direct access to a 3D printer...

“Tory printed every Pantone colour formula with the 3D printer. She painted the same formula on the computer screen. Then she compared the two and figured out the digital formula she needed to match the printer’s colour.

’A blue on the screen might be green in the printed material,’ she says. ‘I needed to trust that if I followed the rule, in the end, I would get the result I was looking for. I have to be very methodical.’”

Use colors to enhance details:

Manipulating the files prior to printing is strongly recommended. 

“To enhance edges and pop details, Tory uses complementary colours. ‘Lips can go orangey-red,’ she says. ‘So, if I want bright red lips, I put green with a little blue on the edge of the lip line. Our eyes read the lips as brighter and more vibrant. Sometimes I put a bright yellow around a freckle. Having elements around the freckle keeps the print heads active, so I get sharper edges and cleaner colour.’”

Paint on the inside:

Use a multilayered technique to create "depth and detail."

“ ‘The powder-based material is translucent,” she says. “I could paint on the back and have it bleed through as the front bleeds into it. I created veining on Snatcher’s face, blush in the cheeks, elements that come in and out of his face.’”

The impact of thick and thin:

Recognize that darker colors are applied more deeply than lighter colors and factor this into your design.

Check the file format:

File compression can result in lost information which produces poor quality prints.  

This is one reason you should select your printing provider with care.  Many will simply print what you send them without first evaluating the print-readiness and quality of your files.  RapidMade always reviews files and identifies problems  before the print is made.  In addition to color issues, part thickness can also be a problem that requires redesign.

We would also recommend you consider your printer choice.  When the outcome matters, choose an industrial-grade machine like ours which has:

• Full color, ceramic-like composite material

• a turn-around time as little as a single day.

• A full palette of over 390,000 colors

If you have a figurine or model you'd like to get printed in color, learn more.  

3D Scanning Insures Access to Critical Spare Parts

Today, it is too easy for firms to become dangerously dependent upon their suppliers.  Imagine that a key distributor goes out of business or a critical supplier stops making spare parts. What happens when your supplier has your tooling, and you need to modify it?  When your machine breaks down, and you need to replace the part, you don’t want to learn repairs are no longer possible - orders are backing up; production is at a standstill, and you are stuck scrambling to find an alternative. Even if you find another supplier or new equipment, you’ve already spent considerable time and money, something every business and entrepreneur has little to spare.  

Now imagine an insurance policy that guarantees that no matter how old the part or obscure the producer, you know that the part can be made and the job can get done with little delay. How?  Scanning and converting parts and products into digital 3D images reduces your dependence on unresponsive suppliers. 

Digitization allows companies to:

• Create a catalog library or parts inventory.

• Find spare or obsolete parts.

• Reverse engineer an existing product or part.

• Replicate a new product.  

Rapidmade, renowned for its 3D printing, scanning services and engineering capabilities, efficiently and effectively renders these services for Fortune 50 and small start ups alike.  

Why use us?

• Professional 3D laser scanners are able to capture fine details and are not susceptible to issues with reflection, thickness, and color.

• Our software can accurately smooth and sculpt the part allowing you to have consistent quality.

• We ensure that there are no errors and can often print the part for assurance.  

• Rapidmade offers cost effective and competitive pricing schemes that include a quantity discount:  having multiple parts scanned at the same time allows us to offer an inexpensive 3d scanning option.

Having a digital parts catalog liberates you from unresponsive suppliers. You insure your assets; why not ensure that your business is safe by digitizing critical parts?

 Contact us to learn more.

 

 

 

Just a Reminder, PSU's Business Accelerator's Company Showcase is Tonight

Come see RapidMade at PSU's Business Accelerator Company 11th Annual Showcase.  We are officially graduating from the program tonight, Monday, May 18 at 5:15!

Here's the agenda:

Doors at 4pm
Pitch group 1:  4:30pm
Pitch Group 2 & Company Awards: 5:15pm
Pitch Group 3: 6:00pm

"CROWD COW" Project "Udder" Fun for RapidMade

Adam McGee's sons, Nicolas and Damon "ham" it up with Crowdcow

RapidMade recently participated in Portland's 3D Printing Meetup group project, "Crowd Cow" which was unveiled last week at the Urban Farmer restaurant in the Nines hotel.  

“Their latest “why not” project is half a life-sized cow, made of 99 pieces printed on 14 separate 3D printers representing 700 hours of printing. It’s in collaboration with Urban Farmer restaurant, who will add an interactive, multimedia component and display the cow in their front window, showcasing the different anatomy of the various meat cuts (Stephanie Yao Long, Oregonian Live).”

The Crowdcow is a vivid example of 3D printing's ability to convey educational concepts in a concrete, understandable way that utilizes more of our senses.  It allows one to literally capture his or her imagination.  Many firms have asked RapidMade to help them educate clients, patients and students with hand-held replicas of body parts, industrial equipment and commercial products.   The life-sized cow?  That was "utterly" fun .

"

Son Helps Father Get a 3D Printed Face

Reconstructive Scientist scans son's face to 3D print a prosthesis for his dad (Photo Credit: 3Dprint.com) 

Anyone who has experienced facial scarring can appreciate the pain and embarrassment that often accompanies the disfigurement, no matter how minor.  After four relatively simple surgeries to reduce the scarring and improve the shape of my nose, I am still sensitive about how it looks - but then I read the following story in 3dprint.com which described the medical miracle of a man who got a new face - and lease on life - through 3D printing.  To say it put things into perspective would be an understatement...

“Every year, thousands of individuals are left with terrible deformities due to their courageous battles against cancer. This was the case for a 74-year-old man named Keith Londsdale who had started his battle again cancer all the way back in 1990, undergoing 45 different procedures to save his life against a very aggressive form of basal cell carcinoma.

When all was said and done Londsdale’s life was spared. However, he was left without an upper jaw bone, cheekbones, his nose, and his palate, and in their place was a gaping hole. Without the ability to properly speak, eat or drink, doctors sought out a solution to make this brave man’s life as normal as possible.”

Until recently, most prostheses have been functionally or cosmetically lacking.  (I remember a patient who had lost her lower jaw to disease, and she had a basic plastic cup that just sat where her jaw had been).   Now, 3D scanning, modeling and printing are achieving lifelike results that closely match the recipient's existing features.

Keith Londsdale is one such beneficiary of medical additive manufacturing.  His son, Scott, worked with Jason Watson, a Reconstructive Scientist at Nottinghams' Queen's Medical Center, to create a prosthetic that incorporated Scott's features to ensure a familial likeness.

“Watson had Scott come into the hospital where they 3D scanned his face. From the scans, a sophisticated computer algorithm created a 3D printable model, which the team at Queen’s Medical Centre was able to print out. Basically doctors now had a 3D printed physical replica of a portion of Scott’s face they then were able to copy in wax and create a mold from. From that mold they then created a silcone mask from Scott, which fit Keith’s face nearly perfectly.”

Imagine the day when such prostheses are bio printed using living skin cells.

RapidMade Adds New Fortus 250mc For Faster ABS Print Turnaround

Franklin's new home...

RapidMade recently welcomed a new addition to its production line:  the Fortus 250mc.   Franklin (as it is affectionately known) allows us to rapidly produce end-use parts, manufacturing tooling and durable prototypes in production-grade thermoplastic ABS.  

Fortus Facts:  

• Utilizes Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology
• Has a print bed of 10x10x12" (254x254x305 mm)
• Capable of producing three layer thicknesses:  .007, .010 and .013" (.178, .254, and .330 mm)
• Can manipulate the strength, precision and appearance of parts with high accuracy (ie. aerospace quality prints)

Help us put Franklin to work.  

3D Printing Assists Wrist Surgery - No Sleight of Hand Needed

3D Printed Wrist Model (3DPrint.com)

Having recently endured wrist surgery on New Year's Eve, I was pleased to see this story (and not just because RapidMade prints 3D models)..

Doctors have again turned to 3D modeling and printing to assist them in a challenging surgery.  This time, it was to fix a wrist injury which, unlike mine, couldn't be routinely repaired.  A university student broke his hamate bone and fourth Metacarpel  - a complication that created difficulties.

“This caused a significant problem for orthopedic surgeon Liu Rong, who could not accurately see the exact breaks of both these bones on traditional x-rays and CT scans. Since the breaks were so close together the surgery seemed nearly impossible. There was hope though, as Liu Rong and his team decided to utilize 3D printing in order to more accurately assess the damage to Wang’s right wrist.”

Dr. Rong's team took images from the patient's CT scans and used them to print the model pictured above.  Having an exact replica of the broken bones, the surgeon was able to plan the surgery in advance which reduced operating room and anesthesia times.  Shorter surgeries save hospitals money and less anesthesia improves patient outcomes.  

My post-op wrist via traditional Xray image.

Personally, I'm looking forward to widespread adoption of this technology...  My own surgery took longer than planned because my wrist was worse than expected - there were bone fragments that had to be removed.  As a result, the anesthesiologist had to fully sedate me, and I ended up spending New Year's Eve in the hospital - not a Happy start to 2015, so while I hope to never go through a similar procedure again, I'm heartened by the adoption of 3D printing.

UC Berkeley Powder Prints "Bloom"

Photo Credit: 3DPrint.com

Universities erecting new buildings have become commonplace these days, but UC Berkeley's recent installation of the "first and largest powder-based 3D printed cement structure built to date" made history.

Under the direction of Associate Professor Ronald Rael, graduate students used 11 3D Systems printers, spending more than a year to individually print and assemble 840 "iron oxide-free Portland cement polymer" blocks.  One cool construction feature:  the assembly instructions were printed onto the blocks.  Once completed, the Bloom pavilion towered 9 feet and measured 12 feet by 12 feet.

The structure's design is both functional and aesthetic, yet its formulation may be most noteworthy.  Dr. Rael, with support from the Siam Research and Innovation Co. Ltd., developed the printable cement compound.

“While there are a handful of people currently experimenting with printing 3-D architecture, only a few are looking at 3-D printing with cement-based materials, and all are extruding wet cement through a nozzle to produce rough panels,” Rael said. “We are mixing polymers with cement and fibers to produce very strong, lightweight, high-resolution parts on readily available equipment; it’s a very precise, yet frugal technique. This project is the genesis of a realistic, marketable process with the potential to transform the way we think about building a structure”

Although the resulting structure may be beautiful, durable and lightweight, the production speed doesn't appear to compete with other cement-based printing methods such as the 10 Chinese printed units manufactured by Win Sun which were erected in a single day.

“.”

"Everything Sits on a Ritz" - Will 3D Printed Crackers "Spring" onto Marketplace?

Wish I had been able to print crackers when I worked for Nabisco (Photo Credit: Dezeen.com)

This story reminded me of my days at Nabisco.  For a few years, I was the Baking Manager there.  Making crackers the "old-fashioned" way could be tough enough, so I can't  imagine 3D printing them on a large scale, especially not with seeds, spores and yeast inside that could later sprout and grow.  

But that is exactly what Chloe Rutzerveld, a food designer, has achieved and chronicled in a movie that she made...

“Edible growth is exploring how 3D printing could transform the food industry,” she remarked in her documentary. “It is about 3D printing with living organisms, which will develop into a fully grown edible.

A lot of people think industrialised production methods are unnatural or unhealthy,” Rutzerveld remarked. “I want to show that it doesn’t have to be the case. You can really see that it’s natural. It’s actually really healthy and sustainable also at the same time.”

Based on my experience, printing the dough pieces wouldn't be dramatically different than some of the traditional manufacturing processes currently used.  Neither would depositing the edible agar inside the crackers - depositors have been around for decades.  (Agar application, however, would probably need to occur after baking to ensure it survived).  

But how would this additive manufacturing approach work on a commercial scale?  The product shelf life requirement would literally kill the brand - if not its consumers.  At least for now, this is one idea that is best left to home-based printers and bakers.  It certainly brings new meaning to the advertising slogan, "Anything Sits on a Ritz."  But I have to admit, the pictures remind me of the Chia pets we had growing up as kids.

"Cool" Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing "Foils" Its Competition.

Photo Credit: Plant Services/Fabrisonic

Additive manufacturing technologies are evolving at such a rapid pace that it sometimes feels like a full-time job keeping up with new innovations.  Recognizing that each 3D printing process has its own strengths, weaknesses and applications, practitioners and researchers alike are inventing alternative methods "to get the job done."  Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) is one of the more recent technologies to be adopted.  The following is an excerpt from an article in Plant Services that describes UAM in greater detail...

"One of the newest alternatives to conventional metals and thermoplastics printing is the Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) process. Developed by Fabrisonic, this process takes thin metal foils on the order of 6 to 10 thousandths of an inch thick and typically 1 inch wide, and ultrasonically welds those together in a brick-laying pattern to build up a near-net-shape item.

" 'All of our machines are actually 3-axis CNC mills," says Mark Norfolk, President at Fabrisonic, "so we use the additive piece to get near-net shape, and the subtractive piece to get the exact-fit finished tolerance that you need out of the part. We’re welding with ultrasound, which is unique to our process and which happens essentially at room temperature, so we don’t have to worry about a lot of metallurgical interactions.' "

"The solid-state nature of the final printed product is a key advantage of the UAM process, as it bonds dissimilar metals without creating brittle inter-metallics (see Figure 2), and enables the embedding of electronic components including microprocessors, sensors, and telemetry into solid metal parts."

" 'For example, in aluminums, we see peak temperatures in the range of 200 °F, so we’re not changing the metal at all," says Norfolk. "We can also combine dissimilar materials since we’re doing this at so low a temperature. Taking ultrasound and vibrating the metals back and forth and essentially scrubbing off the oxide layer, with a little bit of temperature and a little bit of pressure, we get a solid-state metallurgical bond.' "

3D Printing "Silences" Dissention

Soundproofing 3D Print (3Dprint.com)

At RapidMade, there's nothing we enjoy more than designing and printing a creative solution to solve a client's challenge.  So we like to follow stories that describe how 3D printing has improved someone's quality of life...

Noise in multi-unit dwellings is an ongoing source of annoyance.  My daughter and her college suite mates are currently battling their RA about allegations that they make too much noise when they walk.  While an extreme example, most of us can easily think of at least one time when traveling sound created neighborly conflict.

At least one researcher, Foteini Setaki, believes the answer relies on 3D printing custom 

"sound absorbers...  based on a principle called passive destructive interference or PDI. It’s the intimate relationship between geometry and acoustic performance that makes PDI absorbers work, and she uses advanced additive manufacturing techniques to build unique, freeform geometries to test and understand the acoustics underlying the performance of various materials and shapes."

Through these trials, Setaki hopes to apply the lessons learned to engineer sound absorbing barriers that are tailored to specific spaces such as lecture halls and gymnasiums.

Unfortunately, the timing won't solve my daughter's dilemma... maybe a cheap carpet will have to suffice.

Hershey To Bring 3D Printed Chocolate to Hershey World

Hershey World 

When my oldest was 5, he and I were invited to tour the Hershey factory - not the Hershey World tour but the plant itself. In what must have been a child's version of heaven on earth, he gazed in amazement as the massive vats of chocolate were stirred, the bars formed and the candy wrapped.

Soon visitors to Hershey World will be amazed in high tech fashion - they will be able to watch the CocoJet 3D printer custom print chocolate creations.  In a sweet collaboration with 3D Systems, Hershey helped develop the printer which was no small feat.  Having worked at Nabisco, I can imagine how challenging it  would be to radically change the way food is processed - especially something as temperamental as chocolate - ensuring the same flavor, texture, quality on a consistent basis can be tough under normal circumstances.

Seeing the Coco Jet 3D printer in action would be worth the trip... maybe I can talk my son into joining me.

Digital Life Goes Live with Microsoft's HoloLens

During its recent Windows 10 Conference, Microsoft showcased its HoloLens prototype.  According to one attendee, PC Magazine's Dan Costa, 

“HoloLens is (an) augmented-reality headset that allows you to mix the virtual world with the real world. Put on the headset and the glass screen can project a digital overlay on top of the physical world. It can be as simple as a Skype window or as complex as a 3D model of a jet engine.”

While I think the technology is phenomenal, HoloLens' ability to create 3D models using its companion 3D modeling program, HoloStudio, excites me the most. Costa witnessed a Microsoft engineer create a koala equipped with a rocket pack.  And I mean witnessed; he could actually watch what the designer was seeing - and creating - on HDTVs stationed nearby.  Reportedly, the engineer "walked around the hologram, grabbing tools from a holographic control panel, and then used a combination of voice and gestures to build and shape the koala."  

And it didn't stop there... dozens of 3D prints designed using HoloStudio and then manufactured on a 3D printer were on display.

Other product capabilities include interactive holographic gaming and Skype - which allowed the other party to see and interface with what the caller was viewing - imagine Technical Support walking, not talking, you through a fix.  The press corp even got a bonus "out-of-this world" experience when the HoloLens 'transported' them to Mars - where they were able to roam the landscape accompanied by a virtual tour guide.

Imagine the possibilities.  Design could be truly interactive and collaborate.  And dare I say possible for even the less tech savvy among us.  

Could 3D Scanning and Printing Improve Splint Production and Fit?

This week, I graduated from a soft cast to a hand splint, custom made from low-temperature thermoplastic and Velcro.  The process was an interesting mix of art and science.  My Occupational Therapist, who specializes in hand injuries, regularly creates them "while you wait."

The procedure began with a gross sizing using a paper pattern placed against my arm to determine how much thermoplastic material would be needed.  After the two sheets were cut down, each was heated in a hot water bath and then carefully molded against my arm to obtain a form fit - a snug, protective shield whose edges roll away from the skin to prevent chafing.  Later the two splints were joined by a series of strategically placed Velcro strips.  Unfortunately, I encountered pinch points which prompted a return visit this morning... alas, as I type this post, I suspect there will be more tweaking needed. 

So I find myself debating whether the fitting process could be improved using a 3D scanner and printer.  Theoretically, a doctor's staff could quickly scan the patient's hand in the office to create a model that could then be used to make the splints.   The final fitting would then be completed during the first OT appointment, allowing the patient to begin therapy during the initial visit instead. 

But would the additive manufacturing approach be much more accurate than the current in-office process?  I suspect it might be more expensive (but I won't know until I get the bill) and since the splints are only worn (hopefully) for about four weeks, insurance companies might not approve.  But given how tender the injured body part can be, anything that minimizes the amount of handling required during the fitting would be welcomed.

If the 3D Screw Fits, Wear It

Screws and plate used to repair a hip fracture (image credit 3Dprint.com

I wish RapidMade's recent blogging silence was due to the holidays.  Alas, I was sidelined by a bad fall down a steep flight of stairs.  Shortly after I broke my foot, shattered my wrist, and learned I needed surgery, I remembered a conversation I had with an NIH representative at the FDA's meeting on 3D printing.  He expressed frustration that, despite additive manufacturing being more widely adopted in medicine, many procedures were not benefitting from its customization.  Ironically, he specifically mentioned the screws used in orthopedic surgery, saying it was frightening that patients' bones were modified to accommodate the screws and not vise versa.

I was in too much pain to think to ask my surgeon if my standard-issued screws and plate matched my bones well enough or ask how often fit is a problem, so I will have to speculate on what factors have slowed its adoption. 

First, I suspect screws could quickly and easily be cut to fit. But if that is true then why would surgeons ever alter the recipient's bones instead?     

I also wonder if the simple screw and plate designs make 3D printing them more expensive and time consuming than traditional manufacturing, especially if custom fittings are rarely required.  Interestingly, I just read about a hip surgery where Dr. Bagaria repaired a hip fracture by taking CT scans to create a 3D print that allowed him to plan the surgery and customize his approach.

“Using the model, Dr. Bagaria was able to create a 7-hole reconstruction plate that was pre-contured. They then used the model to carry out a surgical simulation prior to taking part in the real thing. The surgeons were able to drill the screw trajectories, measure the screw lengths required, and confirm the positions of the plate, all with the help of the model” (3Dprint.com).”

Perhaps a major reason 3D printed screws aren't in great demand is that surgeons don't often have CT scans of the broken bones and are therefore less likely to know fit will be an issue until the patient is on the operating table.  Honestly, fixing most broken bones is fairly straight foward - and truthfully the xrays were painful enough, I don't know if I'd have welcomed getting CT scans as well.  Having said this, I was told my wrist was worse than expected, requiring more work than expected, so who knows?

I won't know my outcome until Monday when the cast comes off, but I'm guessing screw size won't be a problem.  I'll just be happy to type with two hands.                                                 

RapidMade Helps Bring Spider Dress to Life

Video Credit: Vimeo.com

At my age, I'm well past needing to fend off unwanted advances - especially using high-tech fashion - but there have been times when the revolutionary Spider Dress would have let me better navigate congested streets.  For the past few months, RapidMade has been helping the creative geniuses responsible for the Spider Dress bring it to life... 

Dutch designer Anouk Wipprecht envisioned a creation that would rely on embedded sensors to respond to its owner and her surroundings to provoke a defensive response from the 3D printed dress.  It can detect one's stress levels as well as the proximity and approaching speed of others from as far away as 22 feet.

"'I was keen on re-creating communicative aspects of animal behavior,' Wipprecht tells Co.Design in an email. To do this, she created a garment that reflexively defends itself: If you enter the wearer’s personal space aggressively, the dress attacks. Animatronic arachnid limbs attached to its shoulders lash out at intruders. But if you approach calmly and slowly, these limbs might beckon you forward. 'It almost dances with you,' Wipprecht says."

It has been a thrill for RapidMade to play a role in this project which has included:

"Austrian engineer and roboticist Daniel Schatzmayr. This past winter, she worked with technology company Intel to upgrade the design, using their new microcomputer, Intel Edison. It was test-printed in collaboration with 3-D printing companies Materialise and Autodesk, and the final product was manufactured with Rapid Made, a local 3-D printing company in Oregon. 'They helped me create a perfect white-pearl finish, which I was never able to reach on my prior designs,' Wipprecht says (the prototype was in black). Now, the dress is entirely 3-D printed and mechatronic, with extra-sensitive proximity and stress sensors."

This isn't Wipprecht's first 3D printing venture.  Check out other projects: 

• the Intimacy dress, which becomes transparent when electrified
• the Smoke dress, which emits clouds of smoke
• the DareDroid 2.0, which "makes fresh cocktails for its wearer."
• a dress that can produce 500,000 volts of electricity.  Fortunately, a built-in Faraday cage, protects the wearer from being electrocuted. 

The Spider Dress will debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from January 6 to January 9, 2015, where it is being showcased for Intel.

Mouth Scanned for Same-Day Crown

Image Credit:  http://www.cockeysvilledentist.net/

Recently, I broke yet another tooth which required - of course - another crown.  But this time was different.  Today, after my dentist did the standard tooth preparation, a licensed technician scanned my tooth using a hand-held 3D scanner and then downloaded the CAD file onto the computer right next to my chair.  I got to watch her manipulate the 3D model - the dental office knew I have a 3D printing company, so they humored me.  She explained how she first determines the borders and then calculates the bite (using a scan of the tooth's chewing mate).  She then proceeded to determine the best tooth shape to ensure a proper rough fit.

The procedure used was a great example of a hybrid manufacturing process because once the file was ready, the tooth was made using subtractive instead of additive manufacturing.  A block was milled to the correct size and then further reduced by hand through successive mouth fittings.  Once the ideal fit was achieved, the uncured porcelain crown was baked for a mere 20 minutes and then glued permanently (hopefully) into my mouth.

It would have been really cool if it had been 3D printed, but honestly, this process took less time, so for now, that's good enough for me.

Custom 3D Printed Lamps Offer Fun Way to Ring in the New Year

(Photo Credit:  3dprint.com)  Just in time for the holidays, Avooq, an Astralian designer has created the SplashLight, a table lamp that can be made using a 3D printed base, empty liquor bottle and lamp wiring kit.  As the picture depicts, the plastic base mimics the look of wine being poured from the bottle.  After the base is printed, installing the socket and wiring makes it operational.

According to 3dprint.com, "Avooq shared the 3D model for the SplashLIGHT on the 3D printing website My MiniFactory, and the model can be adjusted based on the size of the bottle, particularly the opening into which the splash element, the 3D printed component of the SplashLIGHT, which serves as the base of the lamp, fits."

 The SplashLIGHT is certainly more functional - and attractive - than the wine candleholders we made as kids.

Selective Inhibition Sintering Seen as Affordable Metal Printing Technology

Wrench printed by SIS (Photo Credit:  3DPrint.com)

Many consider the affordable 3D printing of metal to be a breakthrough that would allow greater adoption of additive manufacturing for end-use parts.  According to 3Dprint.com, researchers at the University of Southern California are working on a novel approach to that end:  Selective Inhibition Sintering (SIS) which inhibits powder from melting, instead using it a mold:

"Using this new technique, a machine first lays down a layer of metal powder on a print bed. At this point a commercial piezoelectric printhead deposits a liquid solution which acts an an inhibitor, preventing the metal that it is sprayed upon from melting once it’s heated. The printhead, which is similar to that found in an inkjet printer, only sprays in an area which represents the boundary of the actual print. Where this solution is sprayed, the metal clumps together and hardens.  Layer by layer, more metal powder is deposited, and more of the inhibiting agent is sprayed onto the print bed. The boundary of the object slowly is built up, with metal powder inside.  It basically becomes a mold filled with pristine metal powder. When complete the entire print is then melted at a high temperature, leaving behind a solid object encased inside the inhibitor shell, which is then easily removed."

SIS is being touted as an affordable alternative to other metal printing processes because:

• It relies on printhead technology which is seen as cheaper
• It builds only the boundary of an object and is therefore faster.
• Unused powder can still be reclaimed since the inhibitor is made from sucrose which can be dissolved in water.

While not yet perfected - part shrinkage and inhibitor application problems have occurred - researchers are encouraged by their preliminary results. 

3D Printed Ceramics - a Hot Topic for Many

(photo credit:  TA&T)

Last night, I attended a presentation sponsored by 3D Maryland on 3D Printed Ceramics. Walter Zimbeck and Todd Heil from Technology Assessment & Transfer, Inc. spoke about their company's innovative additive manufacturing and R&D capabilities.  Before the workshop started, I overheard them talking about a co-worker's pottery class she's taking... What an ironic twist, someone working with both the oldest and newest techniques of ceramic production.

TA&T's mission is "Bridging the Gap Between Technology and the Marketplace."  Like many firms in the area, they work a lot with the government and universities to create and commercialize new materials and processes.  Given the interest in 3D printing components that can withstand extreme heat, many of their successful projects have focused on ceramic materials using a proprietary process called Ceramic Stereolithograpy (CS).  According to their website, CS uses

“photo-curable resin filled with a high loading of ceramic powder to produce ceramic parts... Through digital manufacturing, hundreds of complex shapes can be manufactured simultaneously.”

Based on their experiences, CS is definitely a harder process to master than its description implies, and given the end use of their products, one left to the experts...

Todd Heil is a Senior Engineer at Technology Assessment & Transfer, Inc. (TA&T) who holds a Materials Science PhD from Virginia Tech.

Walter Zimbeck manages TA&T's 3D Printing group. He has an MS in Electrical Engineering from UC Santa Barbara.