3D printing and hobbyist electronics have a close relationship for makers. Where printing provides the physical frame and construction of a device, the logic and drive systems are normally bought. However, some people have been working on being able to print circuit boards using similar processes to 3D printing. As these get refined, it opens [...]
When it comes to consumer printers, there are two major technologies that drive the printing process: stereolithography (SLA) and fused deposition modeling (FDM, also known as fused filament fabrication, or FFF). Both methods deposit polymers in two significantly different ways: SLA uses a photosensitive resin which "cures" when exposed to light (usually ultraviolet), while FDM heats [...]
Agriculture and ingenuity have always had a relationship based around one basic idea: how do we feed ourselves? Well, it turns out that 3D printing has brought about some significant innovations related to mass production and labor, two things that are particularly important to food production. How we feed ourselves is changing, and 3D printing [...]
With its ties to industry and manufacturing, it's not surprising that 3D printing has found its way into construction. What is surprising, however, are the novel and interesting ways the same basic principles used to work with ABS and PLA plastic filament on a desktop printer are being applied to printing houses and buildings. 3D Printing with [...]
Common 3D Printing Materials There are many types of materials being explored in the world of 3D printing, but we will focus on the most common materials used with consumer 3D printers. In order to create a 3D printed object, you need to choose a printing material, generally in the form of a filament. Keep in mind [...]
