Here’s something you can see in 3D without wearing special glasses!
April 20, 2010 1 Comment Wednesday, April 21st, 2010, Netcast 1073
We’re talked about 3D printing quite a few times on the Daily Giz Wiz. That’s where you design a product like a new toy with a 3D program and then use a special printer to render a real life a 3-D model. (I know the word “print” doesn’t seem to really describe the process.) Wild Planet has one of the least expensive 3D printers, which costs about $60,000. But now there’s a way to design your own 3D model and have the folks at Shapeways bring it into 3D reality! For the first time, 3D artists, architects, product designers and consumers of all skill levels can order their 3D designs as physical printed objects easily online. Whether you want to create a new utensil, the ultimate toy or wacky piece of art, you can Do-It-Yourself. Shapeways lets users create modify their designs, or import them from popular 3D modeling software. And this is important! In a few clicks, Shapeways checks whether the object can be made and provides a real-time cost estimate. Within 10 working days, a tangible 3D product is produced and delivered globally. The instant price quotes for products are based on the material selected. The company says the average cost runs about $50 to $150. They told me to design something of my own and they would “print it” as a demo of what they can do. I used one of their templates to make that Giz Wiz vase in the photo. It says: “Dick DeBartolo, The Giz Wiz” in letters that circles around the entire vase. It really looks good with a glass inside. They sent me a gift certificate, but had I paid for it, it would have been $62.50 delivered. Objects can be created in White Strong & Flexible (SLS), Cream Robust (FDM), White Detail and Transparent detail. Additional materials will soon follow. I certainly had no 3D experience, and yet I found it very easy to create that vase. There is a ton more info at the company website:
Hear this Netcast: www.twit.tv/dgw1073
Reader Comments (1)
Check this out. 3d printer for under $750. There is a community so you can design a project and ask someone in your area to print it for you.
http://www.makerbot.com/