Grounded Blog

All about 3d printers and 3d printed objects

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The world’s first 3D-printed gun

Technology is a lovely thing, but sometimes it scares the bejeezus out of us. This working 3D-printed gun is one such case.

Gun enthusiast “HaveBlue” has documented in a blog post (via the AR15 forums) the process of what appears to be the first test firing of a firearm made with a 3D printer.

Credit: HaveBlue.org

Before you go about locking yourself in your closet, you should know that the only printed part of the gun was the lower receiver. But, according to the American Gun Control Act, the receiver is what counts as the firearm.

HaveBlue reportedly used a Stratasys 3D printer to craft the part, assembled it as a .22 pistol and fired more than 200 rounds with it.

The tester then attempted to assemble a rifle with the part and a .223 upper receiver but had “feed and extraction issues.” The problem may not in fact be with the 3D-printed part, though, as the issues remained when a standard aluminum lower was used.

3D printer gun designs have been floating around the Internet for some time now, but HaveBlue seems to be the first to take it to the next level.

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3D printing will soon allow digital object storage and transportation, as well as personal manufacturing and very high levels of product customization. This video by Christopher Barnatt of ExplainingTheFuture.com illustrates 3D printing today and in the future.

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3D printed art

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Available at Shapeways.com *"Our entry into the Siri design competition, an accessory which slides onto the iPhone and serves as the 'face' of Siri. The androgynous face has a wry, elusive smile suggesting the machine knows something that the user does not. Behind Siri's all-knowing gaze, the glow of the iphone screen is visible through the sculpture, and the main buttons are still accessible even when the screen is obscured. The design, when placed over the iphone, forces the user to interact with Siri instead of tapping on the screen to engage commands. For more complicated tasks requiring the screen however, the phone can easily be slipped out of the top of the case."* *cm: 7.4 w x 6.36 d x 11.58 h* *in: 2.9 w x 2.5 d x 4.6 h*

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3D scans from the Met-3D hackathon

Art that everyone can remix from afar

Last week, the Metropolitan Museum of Art held an event to make 3D scans and prints of works from throughout the museum. Participants used digital cameras andAutodesk’s 123D Catch to generate the 3D models, and then printed them usingMakerBot Replicators.

Several models were uploaded to Thingiverse shortly afterwards, and today the uploads continue. The sculpture above – Indian Girl by Erastus Dow Palmer – is new as of about an hour ago. Well, the scan is new at least, the original is from about 1850. 

Here are a some more scan vs. original comparisons I put together:

They might seem a bit crude at first, but keep in mind that these are untextured 3D models produced from photographs (using free software, no less). That’s always going be less fancy than an expensive laser scan, but way more accessible.

If you’d like to download the models for 3D printing, make sure you follow the Met’s user page on Thingiverse, here: http://www.thingiverse.com/met

(via @bre)

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The Free Universal Construction Kit

Ever wanted to connect your Legos and Tinkertoys together? Now you can — and much more. Announcing the Free Universal Construction Kit: a set of adapters for complete interoperability between 10 popular construction toys.

Fig. 1. The Free Universal Construction Kit.

In addition to the Kit itself, we also offer for download this attractive B1 poster (4.5MB PDF, in two versions: gray background / white background).

Video by Riley Harmon for F.A.T. Lab + Sy-Lab.

F.A.T. Lab and Sy-Lab are pleased to present the Free Universal Construction Kit: a matrix of nearly 80 adapter bricks that enable complete interoperability between ten* popular children’s construction toys. By allowing any piece to join to any other, the Kit encourages totally new forms of intercourse between otherwise closed systems—enabling radically hybrid constructive play, the creation of previously impossible designs, and ultimately, more creative opportunities for kids. As with other grassroots interoperability remedies, the Free Universal Construction Kit implements proprietary protocols in order to provide a public service unmet—or unmeetable—by corporate interests. Learn more! 

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Printed 3D Skull Art

lucy portrait

3d print from zcorp & i.materialise

data originally from a dental tomography scan processed in osirix and meshlab

dimensions: 27x21x20 cm current on display here: www.devishal.nl/

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Really Cool 3d Printed Art

http://www.danielwidrig.com/

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3D printing: Second industrial revolution is under way

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'Flux' is a statement on the transference of energy and its transition and total transformation from one physical state and form into another.  Printed on an OBJET Multi-Material 3D Printer.

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Eiffel Tower Gets 3D Printed

My French colleague is very thrilled to finally get her very own 3D printed Eiffel Tower model for her desk. She's only waited about 4 years for it! So here it is – the Objet Eiffel Tower in all its glory – printed in Objet VeroCleartransparent material on the Objet Eden or Objet Connex 3D printers. Notice the excellent attention to detail that inkjet-based 3D printing provides – with no residual trace of unwanted material between the tiny lattice girders.

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Showing Off Some Ultra-Fine 3D Printing Details

When it comes to architectural 3D modeling, 3D print resolution is everything. Check out the ultra-fine details on this 3D printed victory arch – printed on the Objet Eden or Connex range of 3D printer in 16 micron detail using clear transparent material. (Smaller versions of this model can now also be printed on the new Objet30 Pro Desktop 3D printer – the first desktop system in the world to also use clear transparent material).

3D Printed Arch – Created on an Objet 3D Printer in Clear Transparent Material

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heo Jansen is a Dutch kinetic artist, creating new forms of life since 1990. He is father to the "Animari" beach creatures, or "Strandbeests", made of PVC tubing, that walk the beach powered by the wind. As time progresses the Beests evolve, with the ultimate goal of living their lives on their own. Theo Jansen's Strandbeests have found a way to multiply by injecting their digital DNA directly into the Shapeways system. From now on several small strandbeests are available from his shop. Next to being a great abstraction of the inspiring work of Theo Jansen, these Strandbeests are also an example of what 3D printing is ultimately capable of. Right after birth from the 3D printer these models will work straight away and do NOT require any assembly. Multiple prototypes were used to come to the first viable solution, "Animaris Geneticus Parvus" #5. But the evolution process continues with evolutions #6 with lightweight bone structure and #7 with pointy feet. Theo Jansen’s 3D printed Strandbeest now continues to evolve with the addition of a Propeller Propulsion system! The  3D printed Strandbeests can now walk autonomously, powered by the wind, just like Theo's full-scale Strandbeests. The new propeller add-on gives new and existing owners of these kinetic sculptures a new way to set them in motion! 3D printing is very suitable for rapid design changes, and as time goes by the Beests will evolve and new types of DNA will be added to the store, while others are removed. Expect more evolutions and variations in the future, with possible variation in size, shape, material or means of propulsion. Check out the big ones!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N0IonPOy-I&feature=related