Ok, we're not going to draw fresh from news this time around. Instead I'm going to recall my own trials and tribulations and offer up some advice on producing your own wonderful designs. Detailing how to avoid the troubles I had to deal with.
1) Double check your models for holes.
I actually didn't have any problems here however, I have found helping others, this is a common problem. Tiny holes can really screw up a print so always double check your model for holes. You can use functions like Cap or Patch in Rhino/Matrix. While the Close Holes option in Zbrush will fill in any undesirable spaces that you may have accidentally left behind using Dynamesh on your model.
2) Double check your file types.
Before you throw your computer out the window trying to upload your precious 3D model to service sites like Shapeways. Check what file types they take and what your program saves them as I've accidentally gotten enraged at Shapeways for mistakenly trying to upload .3dm and .ztl files several times. Most print service sites like Shapeways take .stl/.obj files. Most modeling software also have the ability to save in those. These are the two formats I usually default to. Of course if your site requires other file types you may have to use converters like netfabb which you can pick up for free.
3) Check your model's walls.
This is one that put me in multiple pickles. A lot of my models have had issues regarding "thin walls" It's not something a designer thinks about consciously, while attempting to create art. You don't want to be spending weeks in limbo with your print service trying to fix thin walls. This is less of a problem for designers using Rhino/Matrix and more of a problem with heavy Zbrush users like me. Pixologic hasn't included a real life grid measurement system so always double check your wall thicknesses before uploading. It'll save you a lot of time and heartache. Programs that are especially designed for rapid prototyping work will have less of an issue with this as there are built in measurement tools and customizable sized grids.
Increasing wall thickness in Zbrush is fairly easy, functions such as Inflate in the Deformation tool menu can easily fix some of these thickness issues. Just be aware that it may distort your model a little. Be prepared to re-adjust your model accordingly.
Likewise in Rhino and Matrix you can simply go back to your curves and re-size them before extruding into a surface. Similarly you can use T-splines to try to manipulate them accordingly.
4) Double check the size of your model
This one is pretty self explanatory. But, I actually goofed and almost printed what should have been a 60mm across bracelet as almost a 30mm across bracelet. That would have been a really tight fit XD Luckily orders are easily cancelled at Shapeways so when someone pointed my mistake out I was able to quickly re-upload the appropriately sized model.
Rhino and Matrix has multiple ways of scaling using the Gumball feature you can simply scale your model accordingly by dragging the tiny square at the end of the arrows. Or you can use Scale 2-D/3-D depending on what you need to increase.
Zbrush has similar scaling mechanics with the Transpose tool in the move menu. However, it's best to size your model before bringing it into Zbrush to sculpt.
5) Double check your site's upload rules.
Some places don't allow X-rated materials to be posted. So always double check lest you wish to get in trouble by breaking TOS (Term of Service). If your site does allow X-rated material, great. Then you can probably ignore this rule.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Monday, October 27, 2014
Next Gen 3D Pen
In today's market evolution happens right quick. You barely have time to blink. I remember just reading last year about the great new sensation that the 3Doodler would be and earlier this year the Wix Pen kicked itself off with a thinner option that could extrude filament with less clutter.
Fast forward to the present and now we have a STL (stereolithography) pen. The Polyes Q1 looks a lot like the 3Doodler in shape and size, but, instead of using ABS/PLA plastics the material it takes is resin. Yes, resin, and prints things with lasers.What does that mean for 3D printing enthusiasts? It means quite a lot actually lets break it down into a 3form factor.
1) You'll be able to print without the plastic odor. I know the smell of burning plastic is one of the least enticing things to people and with this pen you'll probably only be smelling the resin for a brief few seconds.
2) You're printing with a laser. Yes, a laser. So that means you won't have to burn yourself or whoever you're printing with if you happen to have sweaty hands. This also means it's safer for children to use than conventional 3D printing pens. There are two features that allow for this, the Polyres Q1 is built so that pointing it upward automatically stops the pen's functions and an alternate optional resin that hardens under blue light excluding the need for higher-energy uv-light.
3) No material feed and wires. Some older models relied on a material feed or to be plugged into an outlet. This means more limited motion and also limited workflow and space. This means bigger more elaborate projects with less down time and mess.
This pen is going to allow a lot of more artistic people the ability to create amazing pieces with the freedom and high resolution of resin and lasers.Will this completely wipe out ABS pens? Specifically the Wix. I don't think so. ABS pens will most likely become cheaper as this comes out and fit into a retro niche market with the plastic also giving a particular styling effect.
Current cons
1) The current iteration of the Polyes Q1 is bulky, I understand that it's resin so the tank has to be large or you won't be able to print anything. However, holding that looks like it could be a challenge for people with smaller hands.
2) It operates on battery. Meaning it needs to be plugged in when it's out of power. That's pesky if you want to make larger sculptures.
3) Cartridge operation. It's a marketing thing. Cartridges are convenient but I would have rather seen a refillable resevoir tank. It would save on the plastic and be more conducive to just being refilled instead of replaced.
However, at the end of the day this is all speculation the Kickstarter for FutureMakes Polyes Q1 has not yet to start. Look out for the project sometime in November.
You can check out their website here http://www.3dp.fm/
Fast forward to the present and now we have a STL (stereolithography) pen. The Polyes Q1 looks a lot like the 3Doodler in shape and size, but, instead of using ABS/PLA plastics the material it takes is resin. Yes, resin, and prints things with lasers.What does that mean for 3D printing enthusiasts? It means quite a lot actually lets break it down into a 3form factor.
1) You'll be able to print without the plastic odor. I know the smell of burning plastic is one of the least enticing things to people and with this pen you'll probably only be smelling the resin for a brief few seconds.
2) You're printing with a laser. Yes, a laser. So that means you won't have to burn yourself or whoever you're printing with if you happen to have sweaty hands. This also means it's safer for children to use than conventional 3D printing pens. There are two features that allow for this, the Polyres Q1 is built so that pointing it upward automatically stops the pen's functions and an alternate optional resin that hardens under blue light excluding the need for higher-energy uv-light.
3) No material feed and wires. Some older models relied on a material feed or to be plugged into an outlet. This means more limited motion and also limited workflow and space. This means bigger more elaborate projects with less down time and mess.
This pen is going to allow a lot of more artistic people the ability to create amazing pieces with the freedom and high resolution of resin and lasers.Will this completely wipe out ABS pens? Specifically the Wix. I don't think so. ABS pens will most likely become cheaper as this comes out and fit into a retro niche market with the plastic also giving a particular styling effect.
Current cons
1) The current iteration of the Polyes Q1 is bulky, I understand that it's resin so the tank has to be large or you won't be able to print anything. However, holding that looks like it could be a challenge for people with smaller hands.
2) It operates on battery. Meaning it needs to be plugged in when it's out of power. That's pesky if you want to make larger sculptures.
3) Cartridge operation. It's a marketing thing. Cartridges are convenient but I would have rather seen a refillable resevoir tank. It would save on the plastic and be more conducive to just being refilled instead of replaced.
However, at the end of the day this is all speculation the Kickstarter for FutureMakes Polyes Q1 has not yet to start. Look out for the project sometime in November.
You can check out their website here http://www.3dp.fm/
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Magnetic Designs
Something not new but rather unique to the 3D printing world is magnetism. By that, I mean using magnets to create 3D printed work.
Even though his work with magnets isn't entirely headline news. Jólan van der Wiel does have compelling influence and knowledge in this area. Starting from his Gravity Stools.
It is an interesting process. He hangs a magnet right above a rotating potters wheel while extruding a wet clay mixture (slip) with iron filings inside. This allows van der Wiel to manipulate the slip to some degree, creating really interesting pieces. They contain both natural and mechanical elements as the magnetism cannot be influenced, on the other hand the clay extruder nozzle can be directed. Resulting in structures created both by man and nature.
Fast forward a few months. Iris van Herpen has created a new line of apparel, her SS15 ready-to-wear collection titled "Magnetic Motion". This line was inspired by the chaotic forces of magnetism.
In her new Spring'15 line, the designer utilizes Jolan van der Wiel's technique of laying down layers of metal and pulling them in different directions with magnets. This yields shoes and accessories with similar stalactite variations.
But, not depending entirely on van der Wiel's methodology she inserts injection molding, laser cutting, and hand crafting to further tailor the clothing to suit her models. The result of this fusion between similar ideas is clothing that looks both wearable, yet, definitively unique. It has both organic and non-organic elements. This embodies van der Wiel's original premise of having both natural and human influence on structure. The flexible materials move with the models contours and create a feeling of chaos yet strange subtlety. It is not quite as gravitationally influenced as van der Wiel's constructions; I believe this will easily pave the way for more designers to embrace natural elements into their clothing. The dresses below show influence from Philip Beesley and Niccolo Casas. Beesley's influences can mostly be seen in dresses like these
Niccolo Casas has influenced this piece in particular.
We see more traditional van der Wiel construction with this dress.
Even though his work with magnets isn't entirely headline news. Jólan van der Wiel does have compelling influence and knowledge in this area. Starting from his Gravity Stools.
In her new Spring'15 line, the designer utilizes Jolan van der Wiel's technique of laying down layers of metal and pulling them in different directions with magnets. This yields shoes and accessories with similar stalactite variations.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Revolutionizing 3D Scanning: Materialise Gets Serious
3D Scanners aren't by any means new or marvelous. The technology has been available for a while now, at both a professional and consumer level. Hollywood uses it to bring various objects into movies, game designers use it to bring actors into games, and 3D designers use it to bring humans/objects into digital workflows. The concept of it has been around and many companies have experimented with it to varying degrees of success.
Professionals probably have the best of it, mocap has been used for a while now to bring actors into films and games. Most notably in movies like Avatar and games like Beyond Two Souls. However, the printing industry and likewise the entirety of the consumer industry have gotten the short end of the stick. There are 3D Scanners made available to these groups, but, generally the quality has not been as good as those used professionally. This is to be expected given the cost of professional equipment.
Some examples available to us are the
Each of these devices has their pluses and minuses all sharing one major minus, that being quality of scans. Generally that has also been the biggest problem for non-commercial/commercial scanners.
Materliase is taking a stab a bridging that quality gap. News has recently surfaced that Materialise has begun to embrace professional 3D scanning services. With 20 years of experience already in the 3D printing industry. This giant has the tools and knowledge to crack open what would be considered more or less impossible for others.
Jurgen Laudus, Director of Additive Manufacturing Solutions at Materialise believes it'll strengthen the company's leadership position a the forefront of the 3D printing evolution. “Materialise is committed to providing its customers with high-quality, 3D Printed products,” he said. “The Scanning and Measurement Service is a result of our continued efforts to provide expertise at every step of the design process and help our customers realize the full added-value offered by 3D Printing. Combined with our expertise in software, design, and engineering, this new service helps us truly become the innovators our customers can count on to push the boundaries of 3D Printing technologies.”
The benefit to consumer 3D scanners is as larger companies like Materialise make headway in both research and technologies, smaller companies can more readily make better scanners available to the general enthusiast. Eventually reaching and influencing all fields currently tied to the 3D printing industry, spanning anywhere from fashion to games. Indie developers and startup companies will more readily have the tools to reverse engineer products and scan detailed objects into a digital field at a lower cost.
Professionals probably have the best of it, mocap has been used for a while now to bring actors into films and games. Most notably in movies like Avatar and games like Beyond Two Souls. However, the printing industry and likewise the entirety of the consumer industry have gotten the short end of the stick. There are 3D Scanners made available to these groups, but, generally the quality has not been as good as those used professionally. This is to be expected given the cost of professional equipment.
Some examples available to us are the
Sense,
Makerbot Digitizer,
and Artec 3D Scanner
Materliase is taking a stab a bridging that quality gap. News has recently surfaced that Materialise has begun to embrace professional 3D scanning services. With 20 years of experience already in the 3D printing industry. This giant has the tools and knowledge to crack open what would be considered more or less impossible for others.
Jurgen Laudus, Director of Additive Manufacturing Solutions at Materialise believes it'll strengthen the company's leadership position a the forefront of the 3D printing evolution. “Materialise is committed to providing its customers with high-quality, 3D Printed products,” he said. “The Scanning and Measurement Service is a result of our continued efforts to provide expertise at every step of the design process and help our customers realize the full added-value offered by 3D Printing. Combined with our expertise in software, design, and engineering, this new service helps us truly become the innovators our customers can count on to push the boundaries of 3D Printing technologies.”
The benefit to consumer 3D scanners is as larger companies like Materialise make headway in both research and technologies, smaller companies can more readily make better scanners available to the general enthusiast. Eventually reaching and influencing all fields currently tied to the 3D printing industry, spanning anywhere from fashion to games. Indie developers and startup companies will more readily have the tools to reverse engineer products and scan detailed objects into a digital field at a lower cost.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
3D Libraries
As a 3D Artist, your value lies not only in your ability to create, but your 3D Library. What that means is the works that you have either collected or created over your lifetime doing this particular field of work. This includes, models, textures, color palettes, etc... The list is fairly extensive. Sometimes we all need a boost to our repertoire. Most times it's not worth it to create it from scratch. With numerous base models that already exist it's really hard to justify devoting time to create a proportionate human from scratch.
That's where free 3D Model Libraries come in. Some are fantastic others are so so.
That's where free 3D Model Libraries come in. Some are fantastic others are so so.
Grabcad
Perhaps one of the better options after registering you have both the option to share models and download models free of charge. Other than having to register for an account there's no real downside to this other than perhaps that this is largely related to CAD;so the type of material uploaded tends to be architectural, inanimate, or of the non-organic nature.
Perhaps one of the better options after registering you have both the option to share models and download models free of charge. Other than having to register for an account there's no real downside to this other than perhaps that this is largely related to CAD;so the type of material uploaded tends to be architectural, inanimate, or of the non-organic nature.
DAZ
DAZ is weird. I wanted to like DAZ when I first tried it but I really couldn't. It's got the tools to make it great buts its promise of "FREE" is really smoke and mirrors since there's a premium for textures and certain model packs. It also doesn't have the ability to alter any of its existing models and if I recall correctly the models are not compatible with anything other than their program. It's still got some great models and you can rig and pose models freely in their program which is a great benefit all its own.
DAZ is weird. I wanted to like DAZ when I first tried it but I really couldn't. It's got the tools to make it great buts its promise of "FREE" is really smoke and mirrors since there's a premium for textures and certain model packs. It also doesn't have the ability to alter any of its existing models and if I recall correctly the models are not compatible with anything other than their program. It's still got some great models and you can rig and pose models freely in their program which is a great benefit all its own.
Conceptually the same idea as Grabcad but on a much smaller scale. It's library consists of 5 items right now. However, it does include other benefits such as V-ray program tutorials and lack of registration.
This site includes models of all types human ones also. Because, of that there is an 18+ rating on this website due to the ability to upload nude models. Sometimes it's necessary. All of the models are free to grab and it certainly is one to hold in the memory banks.
This place needs more quality as the uploads are quite random and scattered. Most are free some are premium. I think it truly depends on the uploader here. The nice part about all this is that the site is very accessible to someone non-CAD attuned.
Has a great library all organized into multiple respective categories. On the downside this site is pretty much all a premium. A good premium mind you but a premium nonetheless. If you need almost finished models then this is probably your best place to look if you've got some cash to spare. There's around 9 pages of Free models with around 500+ in commercial or premium models.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
The Da Vinci 1.0- A review
After getting lucky with ordering one from Amazon, I've been busy playing with the factory features and software. This will be my first 3D printer review so bear with me. The review criteria will include Performance, Pricing, and Aesthetics/Build Quality.
PERFORMANCE
First of all the one thing that everyone cares about most. Performance! I mean a 3D printer that can't produce workable prints is about as good as a wet match will be in a dark cave. Luckily the Da Vinci 1.0 delivers a decent print. I've spent about 2 weeks printing objects from both their demo reel and from my own library of designs. I have to say that the print quality is impressive. Considering that it is an abs extruder type printer. The heated bed keeps prints from warping; a problem that earlier abs printers like the Makerbot Replicator had. There have been one occasion in my experience where the Da Vinci has produced variably warped models, but from the roughly 20 successful and failed prints, the fact that I've produced only 1 very minutely warped model impresses me. I do have to fault XYZ printing however for the bottom few layers. Every print I've produced so far has some inherent problems with the quality of the bottom few layers of each object. ( It's uneven, and shaky, it almost looks smushed). Perhaps this is the fault of the factory standard software I am still using.
Regarding the speed of the printer it feels average. Large prints with high density take quite a long time to produce, My longest print time was 17 hrs with a 0.2 layer thickness and 50% object density. Despite tinkering with the settings there also problems with the quality in prints. As to be expected from extruder type printers the layering of heated filament produces a rough exterior. But, my complaint about quality isn't with the exterior finish but the problem in fine details and its inability to produce wholly triangular shaped objects. The extruder nozzle minimum thickness and inaccuracy of the print head are most likely the culprits for this.
The software provided leaves a lot to be desired. however, for first time printers, the options and simplicity make it accessible to printers of every skill level. More advanced users will want to opt for 3rd party software though as the adjustable options are extremely limited.
PRICING
Regarding the price of the printer it is simply top notch. A pre-assembled machine for 500$ that has the capacity/ ability to produce prints of its 2000$ cousin the Replicator 2. There are some quality control issues that need to be looked at into with regards to the machine. Upon un-boxing of our Da Vinci 1.0 I noticed that one of the hinges to the door that covers the power plugs was snapped same as the front door. There was a piece of the plastic that was noticeably snapped off. Neither of these faults affected performance though so we decided to keep the machine. It is worth something worth noting though as some users may find the lack of quality control as a troublesome sign. The manuals and software are also designed with its original consumer base in mind. So a lot of the staffed help and manuals regarding the Da Vinci are written in Chinese.
Cartridge pricing leaves much to be desired. They're difficult to open up and just replace the spool meaning you have to purchase both the abs spool and cartridge directly from them. I wish they had a replaceable cartridge model which allowed users to spool their own abs rolls in. This effectively limits you to purchasing their 28$ 600g cartridges. I've heard rumors of people cracking open their cartridges to insert their own rolls of filament but I have yet to try it. (Will update when that information becomes available).
Pricing receives an astounding 9/10 as it is literally the most cost effective hobbyist printer that is available on the market. However, due to the price of the cartridges and the difficulty of replacing them I had to take a few points off.
AESTHETICS/BUILD QUALITY
The entire machine itself is actually very aesthetically pleasing. I enjoy the overall form factor of the machine, the lines are sleek and well rounded and it fits well into the design of where I keep the Da Vinci. My qualm lies in its build quality. The quality of the plastic used for its outer shell is really flimsy and leaves much to be desired. It would have been better if they used a more resilient plastic. or sheet metal like the inside. As noted before, there were small damages to the plastic shell discovered after the unboxing.
PERFORMANCE
First of all the one thing that everyone cares about most. Performance! I mean a 3D printer that can't produce workable prints is about as good as a wet match will be in a dark cave. Luckily the Da Vinci 1.0 delivers a decent print. I've spent about 2 weeks printing objects from both their demo reel and from my own library of designs. I have to say that the print quality is impressive. Considering that it is an abs extruder type printer. The heated bed keeps prints from warping; a problem that earlier abs printers like the Makerbot Replicator had. There have been one occasion in my experience where the Da Vinci has produced variably warped models, but from the roughly 20 successful and failed prints, the fact that I've produced only 1 very minutely warped model impresses me. I do have to fault XYZ printing however for the bottom few layers. Every print I've produced so far has some inherent problems with the quality of the bottom few layers of each object. ( It's uneven, and shaky, it almost looks smushed). Perhaps this is the fault of the factory standard software I am still using.
The software provided leaves a lot to be desired. however, for first time printers, the options and simplicity make it accessible to printers of every skill level. More advanced users will want to opt for 3rd party software though as the adjustable options are extremely limited.
At the end of the day performance receives an 8/10. For good overall quality.
PRICING
Regarding the price of the printer it is simply top notch. A pre-assembled machine for 500$ that has the capacity/ ability to produce prints of its 2000$ cousin the Replicator 2. There are some quality control issues that need to be looked at into with regards to the machine. Upon un-boxing of our Da Vinci 1.0 I noticed that one of the hinges to the door that covers the power plugs was snapped same as the front door. There was a piece of the plastic that was noticeably snapped off. Neither of these faults affected performance though so we decided to keep the machine. It is worth something worth noting though as some users may find the lack of quality control as a troublesome sign. The manuals and software are also designed with its original consumer base in mind. So a lot of the staffed help and manuals regarding the Da Vinci are written in Chinese.
Cartridge pricing leaves much to be desired. They're difficult to open up and just replace the spool meaning you have to purchase both the abs spool and cartridge directly from them. I wish they had a replaceable cartridge model which allowed users to spool their own abs rolls in. This effectively limits you to purchasing their 28$ 600g cartridges. I've heard rumors of people cracking open their cartridges to insert their own rolls of filament but I have yet to try it. (Will update when that information becomes available).
Pricing receives an astounding 9/10 as it is literally the most cost effective hobbyist printer that is available on the market. However, due to the price of the cartridges and the difficulty of replacing them I had to take a few points off.
AESTHETICS/BUILD QUALITY
The entire machine itself is actually very aesthetically pleasing. I enjoy the overall form factor of the machine, the lines are sleek and well rounded and it fits well into the design of where I keep the Da Vinci. My qualm lies in its build quality. The quality of the plastic used for its outer shell is really flimsy and leaves much to be desired. It would have been better if they used a more resilient plastic. or sheet metal like the inside. As noted before, there were small damages to the plastic shell discovered after the unboxing.
Regarding the inside of the machine. Most of the wiring is neatly bundled and everything is quite cleanly assembled. However, the manufacturer decided to use zip ties to hold some of the wires up making this commercialized machine look like a college engineering majors' final project. I had expected they use something more becoming of professionalism but the zip-ties do their job venerably. It should be noted that the manufacturer says that their build platform is pre-adjusted and should not be fiddled with but upon further instructional videos I revealed that our platform was not adjusted to appropriate levels and spent 3-5 hours tinkering with the settings and recalibrating by hand until it was workable. [There is no automated electronic calibration for the build platform which leaves the user open to a lot of guess and check; There are also no automatic sensors so adjustments have to be made by hand after using their auto-calibrate process which takes 5-10 minutes per each run.
Due to these problems I can only give the Da Vinci 1.0 a 6.5/10 in this category. I was rather disappointed and frustrated even though most of my expectations were met.
The Printer's overall score rounds out to a s score a 7.8/10. This is actually a pretty fantastic printer but the faults do really detract from making it 100% successful in its ventures. If you're looking for a cheap alternative to the Replicator 2 this is probably the best available option next to DIY 3D printers.
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Saturday, April 5, 2014
3D Printer Pens- Something like 2.5D
The basic principle is also similar to a high resolution hot-glue gun so don't get your hopes up of free-wire entanglements as well as having to continually feed plastic rods through the back of these pens. The size of the swissPen, 3Doodler, and 3DYaya are also not to be trifled with. The new lix pen being the only artist friendly form factor so far. I'd say if you have a machine don't give it up. These pens are not going to replace their usefulness in any way. Not unless you're a robot and can draw perfectly layer material together without any shaking from the hands. However, it is definitely an alternative to mocking-up concept ideas on paper. Being able to see Z-Axis prints can help in some aspects of the design process.
For more information on 3D Pens feel free to check out the websites of each of the makers listed above.
Some common cures for warping as provided by the makerbot blogs
Saturday, March 15, 2014
3D Design Looking Forward from my POV
While I'm waiting on my Formlabs printer, I thought I'd enlighten everyone on what it was really like to a 3D Modeler. In short it's not easy, I'm still learning so this may still account for why I'm speaking with a bias. However, I feel it is fair to say that it's just flat out hard. I have never spent so much time mastering one particular skill. Well maybe other than gaming. It could be that I haven't had any "proper" classes. I've been learning most of my skills pretty much by myself or through some form of online class. Sometimes I feel like working on a particular project is a complete daze. I go through all the motions, but 1-2 days later I've forgotten the minute details that allowed me to reach my project goal. I don't blame my online classes for that, it's my fault for taking the task of learning something as complex as 3D design, lightly. Here is where I go for my tutorial and lesson videos: Digital Tutor
I also spend my days reviewing and playing games, I find this a tad more entertaining, I'll admit. But, I love doing both just the same. It's my passion to work in the gaming industry and I want to eventually be more than just a low rung QA Tester (Sorry QA guys, I know you're really important, but you have to admit the position is pretty unsatisfactory as it stands). I'm working hard toward my goal and next week as both a reward and a job search opportunity I'm going out to GDC 2014 in San Fran, CA. I'll be sure to take keen notes and share my experiences when I get back. I'm super excited for the trip, enough to actually make the butterflies in my stomach change into raging dragons.
It'll be good to see how the development community has embraced 3D going forward. Perhaps there will be a panel on emerging technologies for practical usage in gaming. As most of the current applications seem to only involve just design. However, to truly appreciate what 3D Design is as a whole you need to look at other applications such as virtual reality. Products like the Oculus Rift which are still in their "developmental" stages should be looked at seriously for the next step forward in gaming. I want to embrace the world stepping forward into even something as fantastical and interacting with a 3D hologram.
More on the Oculus Rift here: Oculus VR
I also spend my days reviewing and playing games, I find this a tad more entertaining, I'll admit. But, I love doing both just the same. It's my passion to work in the gaming industry and I want to eventually be more than just a low rung QA Tester (Sorry QA guys, I know you're really important, but you have to admit the position is pretty unsatisfactory as it stands). I'm working hard toward my goal and next week as both a reward and a job search opportunity I'm going out to GDC 2014 in San Fran, CA. I'll be sure to take keen notes and share my experiences when I get back. I'm super excited for the trip, enough to actually make the butterflies in my stomach change into raging dragons.
It'll be good to see how the development community has embraced 3D going forward. Perhaps there will be a panel on emerging technologies for practical usage in gaming. As most of the current applications seem to only involve just design. However, to truly appreciate what 3D Design is as a whole you need to look at other applications such as virtual reality. Products like the Oculus Rift which are still in their "developmental" stages should be looked at seriously for the next step forward in gaming. I want to embrace the world stepping forward into even something as fantastical and interacting with a 3D hologram.
More on the Oculus Rift here: Oculus VR
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Printing Figurines- how to make it rich with nerds
Well the post title isn't entirely accurate. Copyrighted stuff can't be sold, the only people who'll be able to do this are people who have original custom ideas or are making them for their own usage. This came to my attention the other day while I was complaining about the fact that my Formlabs printer is now delayed due to shortage in production. While I believe in large part tabletop games are mostly dead there are still the few and dedicated who enjoy games like D&D and such. They drive a not new but definitely interesting form of business forward. HeroForge is just one example of a kickstarter company that gives players the ability to customize their own tabletop figurine via the usage of 3D printers.
By offering a service instead of a hard product it gives consumers the ability to customize and make a miniature to what they wish. However, like all services there are differences in levels of service. The old saying you get what you pay for holds true here. While HeroForge offers you the ability to use its software to customize a miniature with pre-rigged and posed figurines; 3Distributed hosts an even more intricate service. They allow you to customize multiple things down to the last detail. Of course this service is a bit pricier.
3Distributed offers these customization options for their figures and because they're not borrowing from a pre-made list of options the figurine that comes out will be purely unique in its own right
By offering a service instead of a hard product it gives consumers the ability to customize and make a miniature to what they wish. However, like all services there are differences in levels of service. The old saying you get what you pay for holds true here. While HeroForge offers you the ability to use its software to customize a miniature with pre-rigged and posed figurines; 3Distributed hosts an even more intricate service. They allow you to customize multiple things down to the last detail. Of course this service is a bit pricier.
3Distributed offers these customization options for their figures and because they're not borrowing from a pre-made list of options the figurine that comes out will be purely unique in its own right
- As detailed a visual description as possible (sketches and pictures, however rough, are always useful)
- A personality description to help our sculptors know who they're bringing to life
- Weapon choices
- Stance
- Clothing/armour and other equipment
- Colour scheme and ground description (if choosing 'painted')
- Height (prices below are based on 28mm scale
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Printing turbo strength materials
Seriously though, have you ever had the thought about making something extremely wild? Like out of this world crazy? But nothing on this planet's resources allows you to do so. Too heavy once built? Not the shape you wanted because material constraints? Well speaking of the future that may not be so far fetched. I mean we already have people experimenting with that concept right now. Imagine materials stronger than steel but less dense than water. I could finally make that futuristic battle armor I've always wanted - Alright! Jokes aside 3D printing is beginning to open that venue to a time where we me just be able to do that. German scientists have actually begun developing such material. "Ph.D Student Jens Brauer and his colleagues developed a process for 3D printing microscopic structures that are less dense than water, but stronger that steel. " Perhaps flying cars are not that far fetched for the years to come; maybe we'll finally have regular everyday clothes strong enough to both protect us from bullets and be fashionable.
If you're interested more information can be found here at the source:
http://3dprintingindustry.com/2014/02/07/german-scientists-3d-print-lightweight-material-stronger-steel/
If you're interested more information can be found here at the source:
http://3dprintingindustry.com/2014/02/07/german-scientists-3d-print-lightweight-material-stronger-steel/
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Becoming a Fashion Designer
Have you ever had that dream? Maybe, something less luxurious than that, maybe just the owner of a custom shirt design studio. That avenue of design has always been sort of closed off and limited.
By expanding the everyday persons' creative palette and allowing the design of clothing, Electroloom a 3D clothing printer, promises to change that; PROMISES. I honestly don't know how well they intend to keep that promise. But, the advent of being able to design custom fit clothing for a reasonable price is a very attractive idea. Honestly now ladies how many times have you been to your favorite store looking for the exact size you want? Perhaps the sleeves are a bit long or maybe the waist is a bit to large on the only pair of those jeans you like. You can't steal someone's design, but, the advent of making something incredibly similar sounds better than having to settle for clothes that just don't fit right? It sounds good to me. I've had clothes that I've always really wanted but never been able to find the size for. I hate settling for exactly something that I didn't want. So when I heard of Electroloom it sounded like my kind of machine.
Exactly how this machine functions and how good the prints are awaits to be seen but if Electroloom keeps its promises we may be enjoying 3D printed clothes at year's end. It also awaits to be seen exactly how large this machine is; I imagine quite large considering it'll need to print a variable amount of sizes. Also how much the machine costs will factor into how the market receives the machine. I mean I want custom clothes but not at the cost of $300,000 for the machine. So have hope, but take the sweet news with some salt.
-Kenta
By expanding the everyday persons' creative palette and allowing the design of clothing, Electroloom a 3D clothing printer, promises to change that; PROMISES. I honestly don't know how well they intend to keep that promise. But, the advent of being able to design custom fit clothing for a reasonable price is a very attractive idea. Honestly now ladies how many times have you been to your favorite store looking for the exact size you want? Perhaps the sleeves are a bit long or maybe the waist is a bit to large on the only pair of those jeans you like. You can't steal someone's design, but, the advent of making something incredibly similar sounds better than having to settle for clothes that just don't fit right? It sounds good to me. I've had clothes that I've always really wanted but never been able to find the size for. I hate settling for exactly something that I didn't want. So when I heard of Electroloom it sounded like my kind of machine.
Exactly how this machine functions and how good the prints are awaits to be seen but if Electroloom keeps its promises we may be enjoying 3D printed clothes at year's end. It also awaits to be seen exactly how large this machine is; I imagine quite large considering it'll need to print a variable amount of sizes. Also how much the machine costs will factor into how the market receives the machine. I mean I want custom clothes but not at the cost of $300,000 for the machine. So have hope, but take the sweet news with some salt.
-Kenta
Thursday, January 16, 2014
3D Printing, it's not all sunshine and roses.
Hi, my name's Kenta, I'm now one of the official authors for Chic O Chic blog. I was involved in the last few entries but this will be an unofficial entry of my own. I spent all last week touting how 3D Printing would make life easier, that it was the way of the future. While that is true for the most part, all of that praise has to be taken with a grain of salt. While it is true that 3D printing will make our lives easier in the long run there's still the monster of designing what needs to be printed. I myself am currently involved in learning both Rhino and Zbrush as my modeling programs. I can tell you now that the prospect of being able to print yourself a sofa sounds attractive. However, few have the technical acuity to use the software to design a cutting edge product.
Even after learning Rhinoceros 5.0 for my basic CAD training and graduating shortly after into using Zbrush for full on modeling I'm still far from an accomplished 3D designer. Most of the programs now while certainly getting more intuitive than their original beasts, still have a large learning curve. The price you literally and mentally pay for getting into a beast like 3DMax is all its own; around 3500~5000$ USD for the software followed by investment in training and long hours modeling. You may not have to be as artistically inclined as your actual artist counterparts, but it's still no walk in the park. Anybody who already majors in Art or has experience working with their hands will already have an edge up as they'll be able to envision what they want to build. But, having what it takes to translate that into digitally generated model with a keyboard, digitizer tablet and mouse is again another hurdle that needs to be traversed.
You may also have to learn multiple programs to fabricate what you desire. Rhinoceros for example is great with designing rigid more technical structures. It excels vastly in that sense over Zbrush. However, Zbrush offers smoother/easier modeling. Allowing you to make vastly superior organic models at a much quicker pace.
A highly detailed workflow could take you not only days, but weeks/months to complete depending on the level of complexity. So if you're dreaming about owning a machine be prepared to put some blood and sweat into mastering it. Aside from mastering using a program. If one wants to print a functional piece you will also have to consider materials, structural integrity, among many other common design problems.
Ok, ok enough doom and gloom. I think I've made my point. While it certainly is an exciting field don't everyone go out and by a machine all at once. You'll still need to consider if you'll really be able to use such a machine. I look forward to talking more about this topic. I hope you'll continue to read my posts.
-Kenta
Even after learning Rhinoceros 5.0 for my basic CAD training and graduating shortly after into using Zbrush for full on modeling I'm still far from an accomplished 3D designer. Most of the programs now while certainly getting more intuitive than their original beasts, still have a large learning curve. The price you literally and mentally pay for getting into a beast like 3DMax is all its own; around 3500~5000$ USD for the software followed by investment in training and long hours modeling. You may not have to be as artistically inclined as your actual artist counterparts, but it's still no walk in the park. Anybody who already majors in Art or has experience working with their hands will already have an edge up as they'll be able to envision what they want to build. But, having what it takes to translate that into digitally generated model with a keyboard, digitizer tablet and mouse is again another hurdle that needs to be traversed.
You may also have to learn multiple programs to fabricate what you desire. Rhinoceros for example is great with designing rigid more technical structures. It excels vastly in that sense over Zbrush. However, Zbrush offers smoother/easier modeling. Allowing you to make vastly superior organic models at a much quicker pace.
A highly detailed workflow could take you not only days, but weeks/months to complete depending on the level of complexity. So if you're dreaming about owning a machine be prepared to put some blood and sweat into mastering it. Aside from mastering using a program. If one wants to print a functional piece you will also have to consider materials, structural integrity, among many other common design problems.
Ok, ok enough doom and gloom. I think I've made my point. While it certainly is an exciting field don't everyone go out and by a machine all at once. You'll still need to consider if you'll really be able to use such a machine. I look forward to talking more about this topic. I hope you'll continue to read my posts.
-Kenta
Sunday, January 12, 2014
The future development of the 3D printing industry
Since 2008 3D printing technology patents expire and open. The past five years, 3D printers has gone from costly industrial equipment, to a tool accessible to hobbyists and DIY amateurs; and they’re fairly inexpensive now you only need a few hundred dollars to get cheap ABS extruder models. While owned by 3D systems, the Selective Laser Sintering, SLS technology patent will expire in February 2014, this is by far the lowest-cost 3D technology. Nowadays 3D technology is no longer an abstruse technology, heating up inter-industry competition.
FDM (Fused Depoition Modeling) printers appeared after an explosive growth when the patent expired, so MakerBot Industries LLC became a well-known desktop 3D printer manufacturer, Stratasys Ltd. purchased the rights to MaketBot technology, spending a whopping $ 403 million in the acquisition process. Before, the expiration of the patent 3D printers cost upwards of $ 14,000, acquiring a basic 3D printer now will run you just a few hundred. Unfortunately, Cheap 3D desktop printer still can’t print out mass production molds, so they cannot replace traditional manufacturing.
But, when the laser sintering technology patent expires, expected changes may occur, due to the very high resolution of this technique, printed products can be sold directly. Will be more used in various industries.
Now even the big traditional printer companies like Hewlett Packard, also see the potential of 3D printing. At the Canalys Channels Forum meeting held in 2013, in Bangkok, HP announced it is working on a 3D printer, and is expected to be ready in middle of 2014; will this be a new breakthrough in the quality of 3D printing? At present, we can see on the Internet that many companies are frantically developing 3D printer technology, jumping on the already crowded bandwagon. You’ll soon see the 3D industry entering the consolidation phase. Let us wait and see the growth of the 3D printing industry in 2014.
Friday, January 10, 2014
2014 CES Techzone continued
2014 CES Techzone continued
There are many amazing 3D printing technologies; with rapid development of new features and technologies.
Let’s look at the few covered here —
- How miraculous, 3D Systems printer can print the musical instruments needed for a large instrument.
- As well as AmericanPearl.com can provide customized jewelry , you can choose different metals , precious stones , coupled with a GIA certified diamonds, designing your own jewelery could never be easier.
- 3D systems ChefJet can print out edible foods and chocolate candy. Priced below $5,000 .
- 3D system Cube can print two colors for under a $1000.
- More reports check Here.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
CES 2014 3D Printing Techzone
There’s an entire 3D printing section at the Consumer Electronics Show this year, in Las Vegas; from 1/7-1/10/2014. Just a few years ago this section was limited to the few largest competitors in the industry; there are over 28 exhibitors this year from featured companies like 3D Systems to start-ups and newcomers like Formlabs. If you’re interested it’s definitely worth checking out this year. If you can’t make the trip you can always wait for more articles to come out.
A list of all the exhibitors can be found here Techzone 3D Printing Exhibition List
More exciting news comes in the form of 3D Systems announcements of a Full Color 3D Desktop Printer, 3D Ceramic Printer, and 3D Sugar Printer.
Also competition in the Stereolithography processes as FSL 3D pushes out its Pegasus Touch Printer. I will say one thing comparing the two build models not only does Formlabs printer seem substantially sturdier but the print quality seems more consistent. Note this is just my opinion on the subject done from my own research. You might want to look further into this matter as there is quite a large difference in price between the two models.
Formlabs Print Process:
Pegasus Touch Print Process: Fast Forward to 2:30
Notice the shaking of the resin tank/build platform in the Pegasus model while there’s no shaking in the Formlabs model.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
A New Step
To have known 3D printing for a decade, but only become familiar with this industry in the last few months. We just crossed a big stepped 3D threshold.
With the rapid development of technology and the positive maturation of 3D printing, it will become the new darling of today’s mainstream. It not only allows designers to have more opportunities for creative expression, but also significantly reduces the cost and time of product development, in general application this means more convenience and fun. 3D printing in the past was used often in mold manufacturing, industrial design and other fields to manufacture the model. It is being increasingly used in the direct manufacture of some products. In particular, some high-value applications, has been small parts, stationery, jewelry, food, large home decorations, costumes, props, almost nothing is not printed. I believe in the near future, the prospect of 3D printing will jettison many industries into a completely different phase. We are here to share our learning and experience here.
This has been just one new step to build a new future. Once the seeds sprout, then the roots will grow, when finally the roots have reached maturity we will be rewarded with fruition．
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