4D Prints! - Prints react to stimulus

https://3dprint.com/207493/4d-printer-at-acs-meeting/

3D printed objects that can move and change shape are technically 4D printed – the fourth dimension comes in the object’s ability to change shape when exposed to environmental stimuli like heat, humidity, and/or light, and then revert back to its original form. At this week’s National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the largest scientific society in the world, a team of researchers is presenting research on their powerful new 4D printer.

This emerging technology is challenging, as lengthy, complex post-processing steps are usually needed to mechanically program each component. Aside from this, most commercial systems are only able to print 4D structures in one material only.

The 4D printer that this research team created, with funding from HP Inc., the National Science Foundation, the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research, and Northrop Grumman, could be used to streamline the creation of structures that can self-assemble and change shape, using multiple materials.“We are on the cusp of creating a new generation of devices that could vastly expand the practical applications for 3-D and 4-D printing. Our prototype printer integrates many features that appear to simplify and expedite the processes used in traditional 3-D printing,” explained H. Jerry Qi, PhD, a professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). “As a result, we can use a variety of materials to create hard and soft components at the same time, incorporate conductive wiring directly into shape-changing structures, and ultimately set the stage for the development of a host of 4-D products that could reshape our world.”

Previously, Qi and his Georgia Tech research team, working with researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong University and the Singapore University of Technology and Design, have  4D printed objects, like a flower that can close its petals, using a heat source, a commercial 3D printer, and a composite made from an acrylic and an epoxy. We have heard Qi discuss his work, pointing toward potential real-world applications.

Feather Study in C4D

Berlin candy store offers 3D printed sweet treats

Article link:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/01/us-3d-printed-candy-idUSKCN0RU2K620151001

A German candy maker is hoping to tempt the taste-buds of Berliners with customized fruit gum sweets made with a 3D printer.

German company Katjes (pron. CUT-yes) say they have developed a way to produce food from a 3D printer. A Katjes store in Berlin's trendy Mitte district showcases the Magic Candy Factory where sweet-lovers young and old can choose from 3D template designs that include individual fruit gum animals and shapes, as well as letters and words.

3D printed guitar picks!

New Product - T.V. EZ GRIP Picks!

Designed by Tommy Von to address the issues of grip and playability associated with most common guitar picks.
Each pick features a beveled opening to allow your thumb and index finger to securely grab the pick for an easy grip and relaxed playing with less fatigue. These picks are custom 3D printed at Tommy’s workshop in Denver, CO USA. The 3D printing process imparts a grooved texture to one side of the pick, which further enhances the grip factor. Each $5 pack contains 6 1.38mm custom made picks.

http://tommyvonmusic.blogspot.com/p/tv-ez-grip-picks.html

Qty

1 Pk. (6 picks) $5.00 USD 2 Pk. (12 picks) $10.00 USD 3 Pk. (18 picks) $15.00 USD

Studio Phi 3D prints sound absorbing shapes

As 3D printing technology is great for easily producing objects of all shapes and sizes hitherto impossible or very difficult to make, it is hardly surprising that the way we look at and use shapes also changes. While much of that happens without thinking about it, Dutch designer Foteini Setaki very consciously and critically approached the specific acoustic function of geometric shapes as part of her graduation project for the TU Delft a few years ago. And as her results showed, 3D printing technology could be used to optimize the sound absorption qualities of specific objects in homes, offices and elsewhere.

Since graduating, Foteini Setaki started a design studio called StudioPhi, through which she continues to question design techniques and explores new manufacturing and architectural options in a quest to find balance between aesthetics and engineering. 3D printing (or additive manufacturing) obviously plays a significant role in the future he envisions, and as such Setaki has already exhibited various fascinating 3D printed creations over the past few years.

And as you can see in the clip above, this has resulted in some interesting creations, filled with 3D printed tubes capable of absorbing sounds. ‘The proposed sound absorber is conceived as an organic-looking structure that is floating in space and “grows” where sound absorption is needed. As a result, the generated geometry regulates acoustic performance according to the desired criteria and the acoustic demands of the examined space.’

Designers build a modular 3D printed house in ABS that snaps together in minutes

http://www.polygonz3d.com

Over the past few years the 3D printing industry has proven to be far more innovative than many had initially hoped; while the consumer-based market has grown spectacularly, many start-ups and even established businesses are still focused on developing a wide range of new and exciting 3D printing solutions. The biggest challenge among them (in terms of size, that is) must surely be the 3D printed homes. While usually problematic because of the sheer size of the printer necessary, two American designers have found a simple solution to that problem: why not just 3D print a home in modular ABS parts?

Now at first this might sound like a bit of childish solution. After all, other initiatives for the 3D printing of homes rely on gigantic concrete 3D printers, not on our desktop toys. But as you can see in the photos above, the results are quite impressive. While still in the prototyping phase, Zachary Schoch and designer compatriot Eugene Lee have already managed to construct a modular ABS wall part that stands over 10 feet tall and was 3D printed in ABS.

Of course these parts are somewhat bigger than what you or I can produce with a regular desktop FDM 3D printer. For as Zachary explains on his blog, he relied on his Euclid 3D printer, which features a print area somewhat larger than most: over 1m x 1m x 1m (or 42"x42"x44"). Completing three 3D printed pieces in total for this prototype, which was exhibited at the 3D PrinterWorld 2015 in Burbank, California, they took just 18 hours to complete in high strength ABS filament.

As you can see, its modular, it easily fits together and it’s easy to transport. ‘It fit into one car and took about 10 minutes to setup including unloading,’ Zachary writes on his blog. Snapping these three parts together took less than a minute, so you can imagine how easy it is to do build a whole home with these parts. ‘Because these components are built from such high performance material they should be constructible by hand, or for larger and more structurally elements only minimal equipment would be required. This property allows for investment in higher performance printing facilities due to the low cost of transportation to the building site,’ he speculates.

Now you might wonder if hollo ABS structures are right for a home, but Zachary argues that the S-layout is perfect for basic structures and for expanding on the house’s features. ‘With this construction system there is no fundamental difference between the traditionally disparate elements of floor/wall/roof. In this instance the floor literally becomes the wall, and the wall becomes the roof/ceiling,’ he says. ‘Because the s-wall system is hollow, mechanical systems can be integrated directly into it. Piping for liquids could be installed readily after assembly using flexible tubing, or pipes could be printed integral to the s-wall. Ventilation ducts would also be printed integral to the unit with vents being able to be printed simultaneously as well, in the floors, wall or roof depending on the need.’

What’s more, the parts snap together in such a fashion to create a water-proof connection (as the tension element is placed below the compression element). Additionally, sealing material could be inserted into the cavity after assembly to finish the home. In short, this prototype could be the key to affordable, transportable and easily-assembled homes of the future. Can you imagine living in an ABS house?