printrbot

Full article here.

The title pretty much sums it up. Read on here. The takeaway is that large companies are trying to find new markets for their $45000 machines.  When will RepRap provide a viable option for small machine shops to avoid paying the BIG companies BIG money?

 The Fortus 250mc is the company’s first cross-over system, combining the ease-of-use and affordability of a Dimension with the control of Insight Software.  Insight Software drives the Fortus line of 3D Production Systems, and empowers users with added control of build speed, part accuracy and feature detail.

One file format to rule them all!? Or at least print anywhere?  We shall see.  Download and read the unofficial draft below!

Blogpost: http://pleasantsoftware.com/developer/3d/2010/03/01/pleasant-future/

Download: http://www.pleasantsoftware.com/developer/pleasant3d/index.shtml

Yes, it is only available on Mac OSX.  But now you have a reason to buy a Mac.  I could not believe how much better this looks than all the other software I have used.  I am just now digging into it, but from the blog post and the videos, as well as playing around with it on my MacBook…. it looks FAR SUPERIOR.

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10507

The Quadstepper motor driver board allows you to control up to 4 bipolar stepper motors simultaneously using logic level IO pins. Each motor driver has an output drive capacity of 35V and 2Amps. The board is capable of driving motors in full, half, quarter, eight, and sixteenth-step modes.

http://www.indiegogo.com/eMAKER-Huxley-3D-printer-kits

$500. Who would have thought!

A tiny knife cuts through one piece of paper at a time and selectively glues it to the underlying layer.  Fascinating.

There are several videos available here… Some of it is just OK and some of it is really good. Bre sounds like a great guy. To those who are a bit jealous about the success of MakerBot, I say JUMP IN and get building!

Turning sand into glass with a sun powered 3d printer of sorts. It is primitive, but such a great idea. A really well done video here – a pleasure to watch. A bit more info here… but not much more.

More Here: http://www.objet.com/3D-Printer/Objet260_Connex/

• Compact, office-friendly, multi-material 3D printer
• World’s only technology able to jet 2 materials at the same time to produce advanced composite materials and up to 14 individual material elements in one part, in a single print run
• Available with the newly released Objet ABS-like and clear transparent material