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3D Printed HMS Erebus bell replica, scanned using Artec Eva, to be centrepiece of Franklin Expedition exhibit

Last week, the ROM announced their new exhibit outlining Sir John Franklin’s lost 1845 expedition to find passage in the Arctic Northwest. The centrepiece of the exhibit? A full-scale, 3D printed replica of the bell that once rung aboard the HMS Erebus.

 

PARKS CANADA - Recovery of the bell of the HMS Erebus

 

The replica of John Franklin’s bell was created using an Artec Eva 3D Scanner and a 3D Systems ProJet 660Pro. First, the 3D scan was actually done underwater to ensure that the bell kept it’s original shape and was not damaged during the extraction. The Artec Eva has the advantage of being one of the most flexible scanners on the market today, and has the ability to capture both colour and geometry simultaneously. Second, the replica was printed on a ProJet 660Pro, 3D Systems’ full colour printer (and one we use every day here at Objex Unlimited), due to its amazing colour reproduction and photo realistic printing abilities. When it comes to realism, there really is no other 3D Printer that can reproduce colours like the 3D Systems x60 Series.

 

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From the National Post: “The bell that was recovered from the ship requires extensive conservation and so the creation of a full-size 3D replica — the only one in the world — seems to us to be a great way to launch this project,” said Janet Carding, the museum’s director and CEO.”

 

There are certainly no shortage of examples where 3D scanning and 3D printing have been used in conjunction to restore historically significant items and artifacts that would otherwise be too fragile or delicate for public display. Every day, more and more museums are turning to 3D printing as a means to create perfect replicas of existing artifacts, or restoring artifacts that have already been damaged.

Fabricating a Work of Art – 3D Printing and a Heart of Gold

A few months ago, a bright-eyed optimistic young artist by the name of Brendon McNaughton walked into our studio. As we showed him around all the different 3D technologies and services available to him, we could see the gears begin to turn in his head and the creative juices started to flow. It wasn’t long before we were consumed by his infectious excitement. Brendon had a plethora of astounding and novel ideas and saw all the 3D printers, scanners and other fabrication methods as his canvas and brush.

One of Brendon’s first ideas was for his Heart of Gold piece. The idea was, after the initial Heart of Gold piece, to have individuals commission him to take their own heart scan (using CT Scan technology), and turn it into gold, so that each heart design would be unique, and a token of the Art Collector’s own heart. Each heart is covered in 22 Carat gold and is 6in(W) x 7in(H) x 5in(D) in size. Here is an excerpt on the project from the Heart of Gold website:

BrendonMcNaughton_FB_HOG

Be sure to check out Brendon’s official page for the Heart of Gold: www.brendonmcnaughton.com

“Heart of Gold is a sculpture by Brendon McNaughton first produced in 2014. It is a stereolithography print of a living human heart finished with 22 carat gold. Collectors commission their own hearts to be made by McNaughton. Heart of Gold is a portrait of contemporary market oriented cultures.”

To achieve this, he needed the customizability of 3D design and print technologies. Around the same time we first met Brendon, we had just recently acquired our ProJet 6000 Stereolithography printer, and were finally getting starting to get amazing results with our SLA prints. The Rapid Prototyping process would allow customized hearts to be produced on demand without the need to hand sculpt each piece. He also needed a printer that would maintain the high level of detail of a human heart, while maintaining a smooth surface finish, and also being strong enough to survive further processing and handling. What better way to usher in our brand new ProJet 6000 Stereolithography 3D Printer? Stereolithography 3D Printing was the only technology that hit on all these facets.

The vision of an artist is something that needs to be nurtured. The creative process no longer needs to be limited by what tools you use, with so many options for customization and fabrication. 3D printing allows for means of expression not previously possible. It’s our job here at Objex Unlimited to overcome hurdles and leverage technologies to bring ideas to life!

Heart-of-Gold-Left

About the Artist: 

Brendon McNaughton (b.1990, Newmarket, ON) is a multidisciplinary artist working out of Toronto, Canada. He received a B.F.A. from York University in Toronto and studied at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. McNaughton has traveled and worked in a number of countries in Africa, as well as Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada. His observations and working experiences provide great contrast to the luxurious lifestyles he has seen in New York City and Toronto. Brendon McNaughton has blended the concerns and methods of Pop, Surrealism and Conceptual art with the appropriation of his working class upbringing. Extracting processes, imagery and material from the construction sites and mining towns he had worked, McNaughton unravels what makes one person live a life of luxury and opulence while the next faces hardship and poverty. McNaughton exhibits throughout North America and Australia. He has received numerous awards and grants for his work and is included within multiple public and private collections internationally.

The relationship between plutocrats (gazillionaires) and the proletariats (wageworkers) are central to McNaughton’s practice. He is looking for answers to what creates class and status distinctions. His examinations are intertwined with economic philosophy and the study of markets. A life of opulence compared to the landscaper who turns the garden beds of the rich. The landscaper does this for a wage that after a lifetime of work could not afford them to purchase even the vehicles in the driveway of their wealthy customer. This is a curious thing, and it is these curiosities that inform McNaughton’s work. Bullet riddled panels, sculptures made with raw tree trunks, pristine golden mirrors, paintings with axe holes hacked through them are all common sights within his works. Through these explorations McNaughton refers to what creates these class and status distinctions.

Print Heart of Gold

 

Be sure to check out Brendon’s official page for the Heart of Gold: www.brendonmcnaughton.com

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Hershey to Launch the First Ever 3D Printed Chocolate Exhibit

Originally posted on 3dprint.com by Brian Krassenstein

When it comes to the 3D printing of food, probably the most popular, easiest, and most delectable food to print with is chocolate. We’ve seen numerous companies, both large and small, experiment with the process, and in fact there are several chocolate printers in production as we speak, which are capable of intricate fabrication of unique chocolate objects.

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Out of all the companies out there, one instantly pops into most individual’s heads when they think of creamy, rich chocolate, and that is Hershey. With the history, the market reach, and the drive within the company, it was only a matter of time before the Hershey, Pennsylvania-based chocolate producer would integrate 3D printing into its operations in some way, shape, or form. Today is that day!

Teaming up with 3D Systems, Hershey has announced that on December 19th they will debut the 3D Chocolate Candy Printing Exhibit at the Hershey’s Chocolate World Attraction. Here, visitors will have the opportunity to watch and interact with scientists at the company as well as 3D printers spewing out the rich creamy candy.c2

“We are now using 3-D technology to bring Hershey goodness to consumers in unanticipated and exciting ways,” said Will Papa, Chief Research and Development Officer, The Hershey Company. “3-D printing gives consumers nearly endless possibilities for personalizing their chocolate, and our exhibit will be their first chance to see 3-D chocolate candy printing in action.”

Hershey will use the feedback and insight gathered from visitors at the attraction to gauge their entrance into the space, with ultimate plans to utilize 3D printing to create an experience, and possibly products, like none other. The visitors will actually be the ones who, perhaps unknowingly, shape the future of commercial chocolate 3D printing.

“We are committed to democratizing 3-D printing, making this game-changing technology accessible and engaging for everyone,” said Chuck Hull, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, 3D Systems. “Our partnership with Hershey, the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and confections, allows us to create unique, exciting and personalized edible experiences, and this is a great way to showcase the power and possibilities of 3-D printing.”

The 3D Chocolate Candy Printing Exhibit will allow visitors to get scanned and then be transformed into a chocolate-looking sculpture on screen. They will also have the opportunity to watch live as one of the most advanced chocolate printers in existence works its magic.

If you happen to be in the area and want to stop in, Friday of this week will be the grand opening of the 3D printing exhibit. The address of Hershey’s Chocolate world is 251 Park Boulevard, Hershey, PA. Let us know if you have the opportunity to stop in. Take some pictures and document your experience in the Hershey 3D Printed Chocolate Exhibit forum thread on 3DPB.com. Check out the promo video below:

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3D Printing: Dog’s Best Friend

Originally Posted at www.3dsystems.com/blog

Derby the dog was born with a congenital disease that caused a malformation in his front paws. More like flippers than feet, Derby’s condition made it difficult for him to get around, but true to the effervescent spirit of a puppy, Derby demonstrated heart-breaking determination to move and play. Though he managed decently enough in soft, indoor environments, hard outdoor surfaces were out of the question. So how is it that Derby can now run and frolic with abandon?  Why, with his custom-3D printed prosthetics, of course!

Tara Anderson is an animal-lover with a record of dog rescue. She counts two rescue dogs as permanent family members, and has fostered countless others. When Tara heard of Derby’s struggle for mobility and need for a family, Derby had her heartstrings in a knot. She volunteered to foster Derby through Peace & Paws, a rescue center in Hillsborough, NH, and worked with them to outfit Derby with a wheel cart to help him get from place to place. “It was a good solution for him to move in straight lines, but overall it wasn’t super maneuverable, and he still couldn’t play with the other dogs or play fetch like he wanted to,” Tara said. “We needed something better.”

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Tara was struck with inspiration. As an employee of 3D Systems, she knew the capability of 3D printing technology and decided to ask experts at the office if they would help. After a resounding yes, Tara also enlisted the help of Derrick Campana, an expert dog orthotist at Animal Ortho Care in Chantilly, VA.

Derrick and the 3DS team worked together to create a workable design. They created cups to hold Derby’s front legs, first manually with carved plaster casts and then digitally, with the Geomagic Capture 3D scanner. The 3D contour model was imported into Geomagic Freeform to design the prosthetic legs and then digitally matched up with CT scan data of Derby’s anatomy. By the time this had all been orchestrated, Derby had transferred to fully adoptive owners who were invested in the project and keen to see if prosthetics would work.

Disappointingly, the first ‘peg leg’ design was a disaster. “Derby didn’t understand them and had trouble balancing on them,” Tara said. “They didn’t reflect the kind of flexibility of motion he needed, so it was back to the drawing board.”

As Director of ColorJet Printing (CJP) Product Management at 3D Systems, Tara has a strong background in 3d printing as well as in architecture, and after the first failed testing of Derby’s prototype prosthetics, she went home and started a new product design. “I could tell from watching him struggle that he would be better served by a different design, and it occurred to me that a spoke-and-rocker design would reflect and respond to Derby’s developed method of getting around.” Once she had the idea, Tara went home and sketched it up.

She took her newly conceived design to her colleague at 3DS the next morning, and a few days later the new prosthetics were printed on the ProJet 5500X, a multi-material 3D printer from 3D Systems.

“They were an immediate success,” Tara said. “As soon we fitted them on Derby, he took off running. It was incredible. I can’t describe how gratifying it was to see him finally get to move like he’d always wanted to.”

Derby’s adoptive owners, Sherri and Dom Portanova had the same reaction.

“I’m not easy to impress, but these legs got me. Derby was immediately on the move and now he runs 2 to 3 miles daily, usually faster than my wife and me. It’s amazing.”

Though the second round of prosthetics was a success, further iterations are still being tested with a higher ratio of rubber materials for better grip and comfort.

“That’s the beauty of 3D printing,” Tara said. “We don’t have to wait for tooling, we can just adjust the design and reprint it for use. From my perspective, Derby’s case is what 3D printing is all about. We’re taking a critical need, developing ideas for a solution, and taking advantage of what 3D printing has to offer to make those ideas happen. It’s changing the world, one paw at a time.”

Watch the video below to see Derby wear in his new legs.

Derby the dog: Running on 3D Printed Prosthetics

Looking back at the 2014 Humber Thesis Show

Just as the school semester begins to wind down and the flurry of exams finally starts to settle, we would like to take this time to look back at this year’s Humber Thesis show. Each and every year these students work tirelessly to push the envelope of what technology has to offer in order to bring us outstanding ideas and new ways of thinking. The event never ceases to blow our minds!

Our team here at Objex Unlimited has been thrilled to be working with a wide range of extremely talented clients all with fresh concepts and great ideas. With this said, there is nothing like the Humber College Thesis Show. Showcasing students from the Bachelor of Applied Technology (Industrial Design) degree program, this annual show is an outstanding display of talented, and innovative designers. Amongst their hours of research, design, and engineering work, these students are required to present accurate, and realistic concept display models.

Working in conjunction with Objex Unlimited, a great deal of these students were able to accurately replicate their prototypes and design models. This was a fantastic experience for both the students and our team here at Objex Unlimited – to be able to provide these talented students with the resources they need to continue to evolve and innovate their designs.

Check out the Humber Thesis Show 2014 Gallery.

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Sculptraits Studios to be featured on Daily Planet!

UPDATE December 11, 2014: Thank you for tuning in! Sculptraits Studios on Daily Planet was a HUGE success. For those who may have missed it, here is a sneak preview of the segment. Keep checking back, we will be posting a video of the full segment shortly, including the unveiling of the 3D Prints to Lucas. You won’t want to miss it!
Daily-Planet-Video-Button

Tune in to Daily Planet on Wednesday, December 10th to see the unveiling of Sculptraits Studios, the state-of-the-art, professional 3D scanning studio located in Toronto. Join Daily Planet’s Tech Correspondent, Lucas Cochran, as he gets the full Sculptraits experience; this includes an extremely high-detail 3D Body Scan, 3D Design/Manipulation of the 3D Scan, and finishing up with a picture-perfect 3D Printed model. We hope you enjoy watching the segment as much as we enjoyed filming it!

 

Daily Planet airs on Discovery Channel Canada, Monday through Friday at 7 p.m. EST (Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. PST). For those who don’t know, Daily Planet is a television program on Discovery Channel Canada which features daily news, discussion and commentary on the scientific aspects of current events and discoveries.

 

As a sister company of Objex Unlimited, Sculptraits Studios encompasses all the facets that fall under high-end 3D capture services, utilizing our proprietary, cutting-edge 3D scanning technologies. Going above and beyond the trend of “3D Selfies,” Sculptraits Studios focuses on large-scale, highly-detailed, professional 3D Services. This includes 3D Scanning, 3D Design, and 3D Effects. The aim of Sculptraits is to empower people with opportunities to Capture, Create and Archive high-quality, timeless digital assets. Sculptraits is located at 321 Davenport Rd. in Toronto, and is now taking appointments.

 

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3D Systems Announces 3DSPRINT

3D Systems Announces 3DSPRINT, a Shared Cloud and Desktop Platform that Makes the Design-to-Manufacturing Workflow Faster, Simpler and Ubiquitously Connected

  • 3DSPRINTTM desktop and cloud platform provides easy access to 3D data anytime, from any source, anywhere
  • A step change in 3D printing ease of use
  • Allows anyone to prep 3D data for printing, calculate print costs instantly, and decide when and where to print

3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) today announced 3DSPRINTTM, a new desktop and cloud-based platform that changes the way people share, view and print 3D data. 3DSPRINT empowers anyone to access and print 3D data anytime, from any source, anywhere, breaking down historic design and manufacturing barriers to 3D printing. It allows engineers, designers, service bureaus and customers to focus on delivering the best products to market faster than ever and worry less about if and how they’ll get their 3D prints. Users can store, access and share data with anyone they choose, from wherever they want: in a secured public cloud, on the desktop or in their own private cloud.

“We are very excited to deliver the full power and benefits of our integrated digital thread to our extensive user community worldwide,” said Avi Reichental, President and CEO, 3DS. “With 3DSPRINT we are giving engineers and designers the ultimate streamlined shared cloud and desktop platform experience that makes the design-to-manufacturing workflow faster, simpler and ubiquitously connected.”

With 3DSPRINT, users can access the full range of on-demand cloud printing capabilities with a single click via 3DS’ Quickparts service or print to an in-house printer, opening up unlimited possibilities in the design-to-manufacturing process. Additionally, with sophisticated printability analysis and instant cost calculation, 3DSPRINT users can be confident that their parts will come out right, on time and on budget. The platform allows users to work with 3D data from virtually any source in their browser or via the desktop app.

3DSPRINT is a free platform for all users and will offer premium enterprise features for enhanced productivity and workflow control.  3DS plans to preview the platform at EuroMold 2014, including live demos and exclusive invitations for users to experience it.

The 3DSPRINT desktop app is immediately available for ProJet 1200 and ProJet 5500X, and will be available for 3DS’ entire range of ProJet and ProX printers in the future. The 3DSPRINT cloud app will be available for preview and user feedback after EuroMold 2014. Sign up to be part of our customer preview to get early access to pre-release versions of 3DSPRINT at http://software.3dsystems.com/3dsprint-preview.

For more details on 3DS’ announcements at EuroMold 2014, please visit 3dsystems.com/resources/press-room/euromold-2014.

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3D Systems Makes Forbes List of America’s Best 100 Small Companies

Originally Published on 3D Systems’ Website here.

  • 3DS earns 43rd spot in Forbes’ 2014 list of top 100 U.S. small companies
  • Forbes also named 3DS 13th Most Innovative Growth Company in 2014
Release Date:
Wednesday, December 3, 2014 – 09:00

ROCK HILL, South Carolina, December 03, 2014 – 3D Systems(NYSE:DDD) today announced that it was named one of America’s Best Small Companies in Forbes’ 2014 list of the top 100 public companies in the U.S. with less than $1 billion dollars in sales. 3DS claimed the 43rdspot in the distinguished annual report, which ranks firms based on earnings growth, sales growth, return on equity and stock performance vis-à-vis an industry peer group, over both 1- and 5-year periods.

This is 3DS’ second major distinction from Forbes in 2014. In July, the company ranked 13th in Forbes’ list of the Most Innovative Growth Companies with a market capitalization under $10 billion. This annual index singles out the top 100 companies that have demonstrated continued growth through innovation, and is calculated using a proprietary formula from Credit Suisse HOLT, which determines an “innovation premium” based on investors’ beliefs that a company “will continue to come up with profitable new growth.”

“It is a tremendous tribute to everyone at 3DS to be named as one of America’s Best Small Companies in 2014 by Forbes, after being recognized by the publication for our innovative growth potential earlier this year,” said Avi Reichental, President and CEO, 3DS. “These accolades reflect the unified commitment of our global team, the strong fundamentals of our business, and our ability to deliver long-term value to our customers by offering the most comprehensive portfolio of 3D products and services available today.”

Learn more about 3DS’ commitment to manufacturing the future at www.3dsystems.com.

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3D Systems Continues Fab-Grade SLA Innovation with New ProX 800

  • ProX™ 800 builds on accuracy, reliability and precision of 3DS’ industry-leading Stereolithography (SLA®) technology
  • Exceptional build volume and speed for automotive, aerospace, medical device manufacturing and 3D printing service bureaus
  • Print flexibility and versatility with the widest range of SLA materials
  • New features include revolutionary laser print head and material management systems, space-saving footprint and easy-to-use operator controls
3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) today announced the immediate availability of the ProXTM 800, the latest in the company’s industry-leading family of accurate, production-level Stereolithography (SLA®) 3D printers. The ProX 800 production SLA printer features a revolutionary new laser print head and print material management system to lower the total cost of ownership.  A new industrial design reduces the printer’s footprint by up to 50%, doubling production output per unit of floor space, without sacrificing print volume or maximum part size capabilities.  An upgraded easy-load resin module and integrated touchscreen controls make it easy to use.

This new production SLA printer offers high-quality, high-resolution 3D printed parts and a large print volume, allowing 3D printing service bureaus as well as automotive, aerospace, defense, consumer products, and dental and medical device manufacturers to boost production capabilities. Users can quickly create large parts or a vast number of small parts with the exceptional detail, surface finish and overall accuracy they’ve come to expect from 3DS’ SLA.

“The ProX 800 is designed for serious volume production with the highest precision, highest accuracy and broadest array of functional plastic materials in 3D printing. Its large build volume is equally capable across both big and small parts while delivering the lowest part cost and lowest total cost of ownership available in a production grade printer,” said Buddy Byrum, Vice President of Product and Channel Management, 3DS. “We continue to innovate SLA technology, and have made it more economical and efficient than ever before.”

This new production 3D printer improves the already legendary reliability of SLA with new features including:

50% smaller footprint, doubling production output per unit of floor space

A 50% smaller footprint, compared to previous models in its class, drives operational efficiencies. By simplifying the printer architecture and optimizing ergonomic efficiency for machine operation and service, the new ProX 800 can print up to two times the output per unit of floor space, resulting in production growth without additional facilities costs.

Innovative direct power print head control reducing total cost of ownership

Advanced print head control boosts useable print head output, extending print head life by up to 15% and reducing total cost of ownership.

Dust-proof print heads reduce maintenance, maximizing uptime

Fully enclosed print heads are impervious to dust build-up, requiring no cleaning and increasing mean time between service (MTBS) and resulting uptime.

New touchscreen and easy-load materials for maximum operator efficiency 

The ProX 800’s new touchscreen provides fingertip control while the new, easy-load material delivery module provides ergonomic, fast, intuitive operation to maximize operator efficiency.

For parts small and large, the ProX 800 prints with no loss of resolution or accuracy. Whether it’s being used for dental guides, end-use plastic housings or huge casting patterns, users benefit from part accuracy that rivals traditional machining.

The ProX 800 combines the benefits of material versatility and a highly efficient, eco-friendly 3D printer, allowing manufacturers to do more while saving money. In addition to high-quality plastic, the ProX 800 features biocompatible materials approved for surgical applications, CastPro casting pattern material for creating direct casting patterns without tooling, clear plastics for prototype applications, and high heat materials for heat deflection up to 260 degrees Celsius. The ProX 800 prints each of these materials efficiently with very little material waste, all in a machine with the lowest cost of operation for high-capacity 3D printing.

“It’s not enough to only create high-quality prints anymore. Our customers need a dependable 3D printer, something that they can count on regardless of part size and material requirements,” said Byrum. “That’s what the ProX 800 delivers. It’s the versatile workhorse for a huge range of industrial applications.”

3DS invented SLA printing and was the first to commercialize it in 1989. Today its SLA printers continue to be the industry’s gold standard for producing functional prototypes, master patterns, molds, concept models and end-use components in a variety of industries.

The ProX 800 SLA production printer is immediately available and will be on display at EuroMold 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany from November 25-28, 2014, at the Messe Frankfurt in booths D69 and F90 in hall 11, along with 3DS’ latest 3D printers, advanced material options, cloud-sourced custom parts and digital thread of 3D capture, creation, print and inspection tools. Watch a video showcasing the capabilities of this new production SLA printer here.

For more details on 3DS’ announcements at EuroMold 2014, please visit 3dsystems.com/resources/press-room/euromold-2014.

Watch Now! 3D Systems talks about new products at Euromold 2014!

Watch Now! 3D Systems announces and discusses new products at Euromold 2014!

http://new.livestream.com/3DSystems/euromold2014/videos/69461708