On May 22nd, IDTechEX released a report predicting the global market for 3D printing is set to reach $7 billion by 2025. The report outlines how 3D printing processes are being used in various industries today and how industries will be using the technology in the future. This outstanding growth is no surprise to us; we have barely scratched the surface in terms of what is possible with 3D printing technologies. Although it is difficult to predict just how fast it will grow, and which new product areas will develop the fastest, it is clear that companies increasingly turn to 3D printing to create new products because it is fast, efficient and it cuts costs. You can purchase and read IDTechEX’s full report here.
“Sectors covered include aerospace, automotive, architecture, art, consumer, clothing, education, gadgets, hobbyist, justice, medical and sport as well as prototyping. Applications involving the 3D printing of thermoplastics, photopolymers, metals, ceramics, foods, plaster and concrete are described.”
IDTechEX pointed out the huge potential of 3D printed electrical components, a relatively new application of 3D technology:
“Many potential applications of 3D printing are still in the lab. 3D printed electronics has huge potential but is still embryonic in terms of development, with main players taking their first steps by 3D printing conductive and insulating materials into a single object. 3D printed electronics, including 3D printed transistors, will not be fully realised within ten years but some emerging medical applications will be commercialised well before 2025. With huge markets and minimal competition, these applications will grow very fast and quickly displace traditional engineering applications of 3D printing.”
The report covers 101 different companies involved in all existing 3D printing applications and contains the results of many new interviews with different institutions providing exclusive information about their current and potential uses of 3D printing.
For more details see www.IDTechEx.com/3Dapps and also attend IDTechEx’s event 3D Printing LIVE! USA 2014.
3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced today that its recently unveiled Cube® 3 and CubeProTM 3D printers will commence commercial shipments in the second half of June 2014 and are now available for pre-order on Cubify.com and through Objex Unlimited. Previewed at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, the Cube 3 and CubePro take consumer 3D printing and desktop engineering experience to a new level, with multi-color and multi-materials, the highest resolution available at 70 micron layers, faster print speeds and printing on the go, directly from a smartphone with the new Cubify mobile app, to be released when the printers ship.
Both the Cube 3 and CubePro are designed to fit any lifestyle or workplace with 3D printing made easy and pro. Whether you are an engineer or a fashionista, a kid or a hobbyist, the Cube series can fulfill your complete range of 3D printing needs with expanding materials and design tools that are complemented by 3DS’ Cubify.com, the ultimate destination for users to co-create with brands, stylize printable content added daily and share what they’re making in the Design Feed.
Cube 3 is the only dual material, plug-and-play, kid-safe certified 3D printer that is also the easiest and most affordable to own at $999. Cube comes with two starter cartridges in neon green and white, and 25 designs to get printing quickly.
Cube 3 Features:
Print Fast, Print More – Cube 3 delivers up to 2X faster print speed and accuracy than competitors for printed parts up to 6” cubed. 70 micron-layer thinness gives prints smoothness and fine detail for textures at the highest resolution available in consumer 3D printing today. Full tech specs are available here.
Simultaneous Dual Color + Multi-Material = More Choice – Cube now prints in two materials and up to two colors, simultaneously using compostable PLA and recyclable ABS plastics. Both materials are available in 23 different color cartridges. Cube offers a choice of print mode fill density: hollow, strong and almost solid in both PLA and ABS plastics with optional, easy breakaway supports for the most complex prints.
Instant Load Cartridge – Instant material loading is now easier than changing an ink cartridge. The new non-clog technology and moisture-lock cartridges ensure extended shelf life and total material usage, improving print quality and sustainability. The printer detects material type automatically based on the cartridge, eliminating the need to change print settings. The cartridges are easy to load and store while preserving the life and quality of the materials.
Kid-Safe for Everyone – Cube meets all IEC 60950 Printer Safety Requirements, making it the only consumer 3D printer that is kid-safe for the home and classroom.
Convenience in the Palm of Your Hand – Enjoy the freedom of mobile printing directly from the Cubify app for iOS and Android. Find new things to print in the curated brand collections or browse the Design Feed for inspiration to add to your Shelf. Prep and print from your smartphone direct to Cube.
Easier to Use, Sleeker Design – Building on its iconic design, the new Cube features a color touchscreen with an intuitive user interface and sleek LEDs highlighting prints in action, and is equipped with faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, an auto-leveling printpad and easy support removal on complex prints.
Sustainable Systems – 3DS is committed to making consumer 3D printing affordable, safe and sustainable. Send back empty cartridges to designated 3DS locations for reuse in exchange for a discount on new cartridges and return used ABS and PLA prints for responsible recycling or composting by 3DS. All Cubes will be shipped from local distribution centers reducing freight. Cube comes with a proprietary print pad that conserves power compared to other 3D printers.
The professionally capable CubePro is the only triple material, controlled print chamber, engineer’s desktop 3D printer, that starts at $2,799 making it an affordable tool for the garage entrepreneur at home, independent designer and engineer’s desktop.
CubePro Features:
Print Big, Print Fast – Print more and faster with the largest-in-class print platform, high-resolution prints and quick set up. With prints 2.5 times larger than any other desktop prosumer and hobbyist printer (10.8” x 10.45” x 9.5” or 275 mm x 265 mm x 240 mm), and guaranteed faster, more precise prints with easy feed cartridges for prolonged material life.
Print Precise, Print Professional – Ultra high-resolution settings of 70-micron thin print layers, professional quality printing has never been so easy and fast. Choose automated slicing settings for quick draft prints or utilize Advanced Mode to set custom infill patterns, inner and outer surface layer sizing and outer wall thinness. Full technical specifications are available here.
Controlled Print Chamber – Controlled process environment ensures true to CAD prints and delivers professional quality every time. Automated settings deliver safe home printing in your mancave, on your workbench and at your desktop.
Triple Color + Materials = Thousands of Options – Available in three print head configurations, CubePro allows users to get more expressive with 3D printing in up to three simultaneous colors and more color options. In addition to ABS and PLA plastic, CubePro also supports a new engineering grade nylon material, perfect for end-use applications, making it a very versatile engineering and hobbyist printer.
Connect Better– Connect intuitively through an easy-to-use color touchscreen display and WiFi capability.
Sustainable Systems – 3DS is committed to making prosumer 3D printing affordable, safe and sustainable. Send back empty cartridges to designated 3DS locations for reuse in exchange for a discount on new cartridges and return used ABS, Nylon and PLA prints for responsible recycling or composting by 3DS. CubePros will be shipped from local distribution centers reducing freight. The new CubePro comes with a proprietary print pad that conserves power compared to other 3D printers.
Which room in your home will your Cube live in? Learn more about 3D printing made easy for your lifestyle here. Watch a video of the new Cube 3 and CubePro.
- Get There Easy and Print Pro with 3DS’ 2014 desktop Cube printers
- Beautiful, high-definition 70-micron layer thinness for finer-res prints
- Instant material loading that is easier than changing an ink cartridge
- Faster speed with simultaneous multi-material and multi-color printing
- Cube 3 is priced at easy-to-own $999
The Chinese government has found an amazing new application of 3D printing and scanning technologies: preserving as well as replicating the famous Qianshou Guanyin sculpture, which is carved into Mount Boading in the Dazu District of China. The 3D printing of historical artifacts seems to be a growing trend, reminding us the power and flexibility of eternalizing any object with a scan, a design file, and a 3D model.
“Engineers have 3D scanned the 12.5 X 7.7 meter statue, which was carved into a cliff during the reign of the Southern Song Dynasty from 1127–1279. From the 3D scans they have printed out a replica of the famous sculpture, which is about 33% the size of the real thing. This has been a great way to preserve the sculpture digitally, so that generation after generation can appreciate the work, even as the original continues to corrode. This is the first of many restoration projects that the Chinese government has planned on using this technology for.
In addition to the printing of a replica, the Chinese are also engaging in a major project to restore the beautiful piece, which over the centuries has been the victim of nature. The replica gives engineers a wonderful model to use as a reference during the restoration process. Many of the fingers on the hands, making up this large piece of art are missing. Traditionally, restoration specialists would use molding and casting to reproduce the missing pieces. However, with the help of 3D printing, they can now save time and money, while restoring the sculpture in a much more accurate way.” –3DPrint.com
This is a great example of how 3D printing and scanning can be applied in new innovative ways. With the knowledge that nothing lasts forever in the physical world, combined with the fact that a picture can only show so much, it becomes clear just how powerful 3D printing and scanning technology can be as means of preservation. A 3D model, whether in CAD design or 3D printed, gives a much deeper story, and doesn’t degrade over time.
Original article posted here by 3DPrint.com
Watch the “3D Printing Designs in Full Color” Webinar here: [hs_action id=”5248″]
On Thursday April 24, 2014, Objex Unlimited and 3D Systems hosted the “3D Printing Designs in Full Color” live webcast, demonstrating the amazing full-color printing capabilities of the ProJet® x60 series and the ProJet® 4500 (the world’s first full-color plastic 3D Printer). The webinar demonstrated to users the amazing potential of 3D Systems’ new ColorJet Printing (CJP) technologies.
If you missed the webinar or would like to view it again, you can view a recording by clicking the “Watch Webcast Now” button above, or by clicking here.
Attendees of the webinar were given the chance to learn, interact and ask questions all about ColorJet Printing. Objex Unlimited took part in demonstrating how they integrate ColorJet Printing technology to help their clients acquire new and recurring business, speed-up product development, and significantly cut ongoing costs.
ColorJet Printing is the only 3D printing technology capable of printing solid, realistic plastic parts in up to 6 million colors for eye-popping, photorealistic models. ColorJet can speed up product development cycles, bring to life demonstration and concept models, and introduce new methods of model-making for architecture, entertainment, and medical field applications. In addition to producing models full-color, CJP is one of the fastest methods of 3D printing, at a speed of one vertical inch-per-hour, without compromising high-resolution, size or complexity.
The ProJet 4500 is the first ColorJet Printer to print in plastic, offering the additional benefits of increased durability and flexibility of models. Objects printed by the 4500 require minimal post processing to look great, and can survive fully submersed in water. A unique feature of the 4500 is the ability to easily map textures onto the models, which not only reduces the amount of work for designers, but allows for unique designs and color gradients on the surface of models.
Objex Unlimited provides 3D printing and scanning services for jewelry design and casting, geospatial prototyping, medical modeling, architectural models, and archaeological modeling, to name a few.
To recap, the webinar explored:
- Latest developments in ColorJet 3D printing – now in durable plastic with the ProJet 4500
- ProJet x60 series’ versatile range of full-color 3D printing applications
- How physical color models help communicate designs more effectively
[hs_action id=”5248″]
Complimentary Live Webcast
Endless Applications with ColorJet 3D Printing
Explore how Objex Unlimited integrates ColorJet Printing (CJP) technology to help their clients acquire new and recurring business, speed product development schedules and cut costs. Objex Unlimited provides 3D printing and scanning services for jewelry design and casting, geospatial prototyping, medical modeling, architectural models, archaeological modeling.
3D Systems‘ ColorJet Printers set the standard for true, full-color printing, speed and affordability. See how CJP printers can be used to produce exceptional high-resolution, large architectural models, industrial molds and castings, product design concepts, single-piece scale prototypes and more.
In this live webcast, you’ll learn:
- ProJet® x60 series’ versatile range of full-color 3D printing applications
- Latest developments in ColorJet 3D printing – now in durable plastic with the ProJet 4500
- How physical color models help communicate designs more effectively
If you’re a product designer, engineer, architect, manufacturer, animator or educator, don’t miss this inside look at how 3D Systems and Objex Unlimited engage 3D printing to Manufacture the Future.
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Date:
April 24, 2014
Time:
11 AM EDT / 8 AM PDT
5 PM CET
Duration:
1 hour
Presenters:
Tom Charron – VP Product Marketing – 3D Systems
Steve Cory – President – Objex Unlimited
ProJet® 4500
Professional 3D Printer
The industry’s only continuous tone full-colour plastic 3D printer
Combine the Power of Vibrant Full Colour With Durable Plastic Materials
The ProJet® 4500 gives you the power to make ready-to-use, flexible, strong parts, coloured pixel by pixel, with superior surface quality. This office-friendly 3D printer is quick and efficient, and features intuitive operation controls, so you can ensure high productivity and cut operating costs.
The world of 3D printing is still young and growing tremendously in all corners of the world. Not only are there more 3D printer manufactures and 3DP stores but also 3D printing conferences. The latest is the 3D Printer World Expo in Burbank, CA, which will be taking place on January 31 and February 1.
The Toronto Public Library will offer an Intro to 3D Design course through their new Digital Innovation Hub this Saturday. The Digital Innovation Hub is home to 3D printers, 3D scanners, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi – among other technology and is set to open February 4th.
Hubs like the one at the Toronto Library are incredible resources and opportunities for people who would like to learn more about 3D design, 3D technology and even give 3D printing a try. All without having to invest a lot of time and money.