Blog Archives
Fixing First Layer Sticking Problems
Sometimes PLA and ABS printers can run into problems with the 3d print sticking to the print bed. First layer adhesion is affected by many factors, so here are a few ways of how to make the first layer of … Continue reading
NAMII Crowdsourcing Demo
NAMII, the national additive manufacturing innovation institute, wants you to help demo crowdsourced 3d printing at the First Robotics Competition Championship. They put out a call to action asking for companies and individuals to mail them 3d prints of a … Continue reading
3d Print GCode Store: Grain3d
Grain3d has a unique solution to the issue of how to sell 3d files without giving away the originals. When buying an item to 3d print on your own printer, Grain doesn’t send you the original stl or obj file. Instead, … Continue reading
Where to find Models for 3d Printing
Once you have a 3d printer, you’ll need some content to start printing. Here are a few repositories that have free and paid 3d models ready for 3d printing. Thingiverse The largest 3d printing community resource, with tens of thousands … Continue reading
Painting 3d Prints – PLA and Nylon
Without a multiple extruder setup, single color 3d prints can get boring after a while. You can make your 3d prints more interesting by painting them. You just need to know the right paints that will bond correctly to your … Continue reading
RigidBot: Extendable, Affordable 3d Printer on Kickstarter
The RigidBot, a new entry into the affordable category of consumer 3d printers distinguishes itself by its extendability. The printer uses standard components that they claim are available at any big hardware store. So if the base build volume of … Continue reading
EFF Asks for Help Fighting Bad 3D Printing Patents
With a large number of patents being applied for and granted in the growing space of 3D printing, sometimes the patent office can be overwhelmed and grant overly generic patents, or invalid patents that already have prior art. The Electronic … Continue reading
Large Format 3d Printing with Gigabot
The first consumer level large format printer just announced they’ve raised twice as much as their funding goals on Kickstarter. Gigabot, the first product from Austin-based startup re:3D brings huge sized prints to a low price point. The build envelope is … Continue reading
MakerBot Digitizer Scanning for 3D Printing
MakerBot announced today a new product called the MakerBot Digitizer. The Digitizer combines laser and camera sensor input to scan an item on a rotating platform. The 3d model of the scan can then be 3d printed on a Makerbot … Continue reading
3d Printing Overhangs and Bridges
When you’re prepping a 3d model for printing, try to use the 45 degree rule. If your model doesn’t have any overhangs greater than 45 degrees anywhere on your model, you won’t have problems with drooping or dropped loops. But … Continue reading