3D printing facilities near me

Designers of all stripes, regardless of occupation, are showing an increased interest in the new 3D printing technology. Are no exception and those who are engaged in the development of clothing. At a fashion show, the most famous fashion designers do not consider it shameful to demonstrate clothes made from non-standard materials. Often on the podium you can see amazing robes made of wood, metal, plastic - beautiful and completely impractical clothes that are rather symbolic. But if you approach the issue of creating dresses, trousers and shirts in this way, then why not use a 3D printer? Especially since 3D printing can do what a fashion designer can only dream of - almost instantly provide a result.

⇡#Dress sewn according to the formula

One of the first who set out to print clothes on a printer was designer Michael Schmidt. His first creation is a one-of-a-kind dress made entirely with the help of the Shapeways web service (not counting the decorative Swarovski crystals that adorned the finished outfit).

For an unusual dress, an unusual way of designing it was also used. The dress was literally programmed and calculated. Fashion designers are usually far from science, so the help of another person who would have a technical mindset was needed. Michael turned to his friend, the architect Francis Bitonti. After conferring, they came to the conclusion that the surest way to derive a formula for a dress is to refer to the golden ratio, which is easily described by the Fibonacci number sequence. Around this famous mathematical calculation, disputes have long been ongoing. The Fibonacci sequence is interesting because it can be found in the most unexpected creations of nature. Fibonacci numbers can describe the arrangement of seeds in a sunflower, the placement of leaves on a tree, and much more. And yet, according to a popular hypothesis, many man-made masterpieces became such precisely because the rules of the golden section were observed during their creation. Many designers tend to assume that this rule allows you to get the harmony of form. Michael Schmidt was of the same opinion. The curves drawn using the Fibonacci sequence were superimposed on the contours of the female figure, as a result of which the “ideal” topology of the dress was obtained, from which the layout for printing was drawn up.

We can't claim that the golden section rule worked 100%, but the printed version of the clothes looks really good. It contains more than three thousand fastened movable elements that give the dress some elasticity.

⇡#3D shoes

While others are only exploring the possibilities of using 3D printing to produce outfits, renowned sportswear and footwear manufacturer Nike has taken 3D printing to the industrial scale. This brand has announced a new technology for the production of sports boots, which will allow the company to abandon the long process of creating template molds.

The most important thing in sports shoes is maximum grip on the ground. If we consider shoes as a construction, then the main part responsible for the sporting characteristics of the model is the sole. The results demonstrated by the athlete directly depend on the shape of the spikes, their number and the variant of their location on the shoe. Nike has developed a new outsole shaping principle based on selective laser sintering technology.

According to the company, soon the shape of the sole on the shoe can be corrected in a matter of hours, releasing models taking into account the individual characteristics of the athlete. The company's designers are delighted with the new approach. Now you can experiment with 3D printing every day and not languish in anticipation of the next protector prototype being received and tested.

⇡#3D printer as a sewing machine

A 3D printer developed at Carnegie Mellon University in collaboration with a team of scientists from Disney Research in Pittsburgh is able to create three-dimensional models from . .. soft yarn. The operation of such a 3D printer is somewhat reminiscent of a sewing machine. Along the base moves the needle combined with the print head, which forms the geometry of the printed model by felting. The first thought that comes to mind when you see such a device is that you can easily make soft children's toys with it. And in this sense, the fact that specialists from the ubiquitous Disney company had a hand in creating the printer seems very symbolic to us.

⇡#3D printing for driving and flying

Printed supercars

The main material used in most 3D printing devices today is ABS plastic (sometimes PLA is used - biodegradable plastic). Products made with it can be coated with paint, varnish. Visually "disguised" plastic in such models can sometimes even be confused with some other material, such as metal. This material has many advantages. ABS material is non-toxic, impact resistant, can contact with water, resistant to alkalis, does not react with fats, gasoline, lubricants, hydrocarbons.

Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg has taken advantage of all these qualities in the production of the new Koenigsegg One:1. This machine has amazing features. The power of 1360 horsepower alone (which equates to one megawatt) is enough for the car to be considered the world's first representative of a new class of cars - megacars. By the way, the very name of the new car has a hidden meaning, “one to one” means the ratio of power and weight of the car, which, thanks to the careful selection of materials, is only 1340 kg.

Designing this machine, the Swedish company's specialists regularly turned to 3D technologies. Before the approval of a particular component of the car, preliminary testing of a part printed on a 3D printer was often carried out. Sometimes Swedish designers used three-dimensional scanning, which made it possible to quickly create a basic model of a particular part.

In addition to ABS, which was ideal for prototyping, the engineers also used printing of titanium structures. So, for example, components of a new turbocharger with variable geometry were printed on a 3D printer. A titanium exhaust tip was also made, reducing the weight of the structure by 14 ounces (400 grams).

3D technology has made it possible to significantly speed up the process of developing the design of components and in some cases even reduce the cost of production (the retail price of the machine was two million dollars in the end).

If you find Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg's masterpiece beyond your means, don't be discouraged. There is a great way to save money. Pay attention to another supercar - from a small American company Rezvani Motors.

The cost of a sports car from this manufacturer is much lower - from $ 124 900. But the design of this sports car also used printed parts. These are mainly small elements - fragments of the lighting system, mirrors, etc. In addition, three-dimensional models of the car were used at the design stage of the car body, which was eventually made of carbon fiber.

⇡#A flying 3D printer that prints nests and fights radiation

An unusual project was also demonstrated by the Air Robotics Laboratory at Imperial College London. Through the efforts of engineers, a flying 3D printer was created. The main goal of roboticists was to create a device that can be used to clear the area of ​​radioactive debris, for example, in an accident at a nuclear power plant.

Scientists have combined a printer with a quadcopter and developed a special program that determines the behavior of this quadcopter. With the help of sensors, the first flying quadcopter identifies the source of radioactive contamination, after which it flies up and starts printing on the surface of the object with a sticky substance. Next, the robot sends a signal to its partner, which flies up and lands on a sticky "nest". After a while, the substance solidifies, and the second porter robot flies away, carrying away the cargo contaminated with radiation. The prototype is capable of lifting a weight of up to two and a half kilograms, but British specialists intend to build an enlarged copy of these robots in the near future, which will be able to pick up loads of up to forty kilograms.

⇡#Porthole printing

Since 2010, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been working on the development of 3D printing technologies in low gravity conditions. During this time, NASA specialists managed to achieve good results. So, in July 2013, a pair of rocket engine injectors were successfully tested, which were subjected to high pressure and temperature (3316 degrees Celsius). The purpose of the ongoing research is to study the possibilities of 3D printing in space and extreme conditions. The presence of such tools on board the space station can significantly reduce the cost of flights, since the crew members will be able to create the spare parts necessary for repairs on their own, and not transport them from Earth.

⇡#Printing under maple syrup: food on a 3D printer

Oddly enough, but one of the first prototypes of 3D printing devices can be considered ... a confectionery syringe. Long before the advent of computer technology, confectioners deftly “printed” delicious patterns from cream and dough. But then a lot depended on the individual skill and skill of a person in the kitchen. And with the advent of 3D printers, the task has become easier. It was enough to equip the printer with edible material, correct the printing principle, and the result was a tool for edible masterpieces.

Modern 3D printers can print all sorts of delicious things. For example, one of the major chocolate corporations, The Hershey Company, uses 3D printing to produce confectionery. And the help and technical support of the “chocolate printer” is provided by 3D Systems, the same company that was founded by the inventor of three-dimensional printing, Chuck Hull.

But besides the industrial machines for the production of sweet things, there are many more small interesting food 3D printing projects.

For example, Miguel Valenzuela, back in 2010, built a 3D printer for his three-year-old daughter using the popular Lego children's designer. Miguel once read an article about a British designer, Adrian Marshall, who used Lego to build a miniature pancake machine for a client. When Miguel had the imprudence to tell his eldest daughter Lily about this, she listened to her father, and then turned to her younger sister and said: “Maya! Dad is going to make a pancake machine!” When a three-year-old child demands a pancake machine, it's better not to argue, Miguel decided, and began designing such a device. He spent six months to create this miracle, but the efforts of the head of the family were more than justified. The children were delighted with the cooked pancakes and ate them with increased appetite. It looked like this.

Miguel built an invented device on the Arduino platform, it was called PancakeBot and printed pancakes beautifully. By pouring batter according to a given pattern, the PancakeBot pancake printer can make any shape, such as “build” the Eiffel Tower or draw the silhouette of an animal.

⇡#Fly in the ointment: printed weapons and a threat to health

3D printing has many advantages, however, in addition to the benefits it promises, this technology can bring harm to humanity. It all depends on the purpose for which a person will use it. You can print cases for gadgets, you can design prostheses, or you can use 3D printing to make jewelry. And you can set a goal to create a weapon aimed at the destruction of other people. Unfortunately, this thought quickly crossed the man's mind. And as soon as 3D printers became available to the average user, there were enthusiasts who immediately offered their designs of plastic weapons.

⇡#Printers in service

The first model of a pistol that could be easily printed on a 3D printer was the Liberator. It was invented by a Texas student named Cody Wilson. Interestingly, at the time of the appearance of the first printed pistol, Cody had a license to develop firearms.

The Liberator's first single-shot pistol made of plastic

The Liberator was made entirely of standard consumables, with the exception of one small detail - the pistol's firing pin had to be metal. However, this is not a problem at all, since this part of the gun can simply be made from an ordinary nail.

As soon as Cody demonstrated his development, it was immediately subjected to a flurry of criticism from officials. Less than a week later, the US government passed a law restricting free access to blueprints for such devices.

Nevertheless, it is almost impossible to control the 3D printing of weapons today. Anyone with a 3D printing device can make firearms at home.

Israel's Channel 10 reporters conducted an experiment that only added fuel to the controversy surrounding the unexpected problem of controlling the production of new weapons. They smuggled an unopened pistol into the Knesset without any difficulty and were able to pass, along with the weapon, within a few steps of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Other Daily Mail journalists Simon Murphy and Russell Myers similarly demonstrated the extent of the problem. They unsealed the gun from documentation from the Web and, with no concealment of their cargo, were able to take the Eurostar train at rush hour and travel from London to Paris. The security service did not notice the threat, and the metal detectors could not fix the components of The Liberator, which Simon Murphy assembled without problems in a single structure in the train lavatory.

Scandals related to 3D-production and distribution of weapons continue unabated. One of the latest incidents took place in Japan, where gun laws are known to be very strict. Local resident Yoshimoto Imura, to his misfortune, posted a video on YouTube showing a weapon printed on a printer. After some time, the police raided his house, who confiscated several ready-made pistols.

A 27-year-old Japanese man feigned surprise and stated that he knew nothing about the illegality of his actions. He bought the printer quite legally, paying almost $600 for it, and downloaded all the necessary documentation from the Internet. Of course, Yoshimoto was cunning, because he, as a lover of weapons, should have been well aware that it was the Japanese government that had a very strict policy regarding the possession of firearms. Firearms Act of 1978 years prohibits the Japanese from owning any firearms, with very rare exceptions. Japanese citizens are allowed to own rifles or shotguns, but only if they hold a hunting license. The licensing procedure in Japan is very strict and obtaining a license is a lengthy process. This incident is interesting, first of all, because the law was first applied to unsealed weapons.

Production of things using 3D printing technologies is dangerous not only because scientific progress can turn to the “dark side” for the production of weapons. Infected with the idea of ​​easy creation of things, many do not pay any attention to the safety precautions that must be observed by the user when working with a 3D printer.

⇡#Watch out, 3D printing in progress!

According to researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology and scientists at the National Institute of Applied Sciences in Lyon, 3D printers may pose a health risk when used at home. In 2013, a team of scientists conducted a series of studies, and it was found that when plastic is heated during the printing process, it emits up to 20-200 billion ultra-small particles into the air per minute. Their entry into the lungs and blood poses a threat to human health, especially for those who suffer from asthma.

Also during the heating of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS plastic) by-products are released that are toxic to mammals. Of course, the degree of negative health impact largely depends on the 3D printing technology used, the design of the device, the presence of a hood, and other factors. However, in any case, it is best to print in a well-ventilated area, and the machine itself should ideally be hermetically isolated from the user during operation. At the moment, there are many artisanal designs of printers that are sold under the do-it-yourself scheme. Often these are Chinese assembly kits, where elementary security measures are not provided at all.

⇡#3D printing: what's next?

Mix of materials: printing anything

It is easy to predict the near future. Devices for three-dimensional printing will master more and more new types of materials. The development of technology can be strongly influenced by some new discovery, which we simply cannot predict. The only thing that can be said with certainty is that the scope of three-dimensional graphics will become wider.

The day is not far off when the owner of a 3D printer at home will be able to print not only plastic parts, but also complex electronic devices. One of the most requested features is support for printing with multiple materials at the same time. In the future, the possibility of combining different materials opens up simply fantastic opportunities for the production of objects for various purposes. One of the prototypes of such a device is a printer called Rabbit Proto, created by graduates of Stanford University.

The design of this "pilot" printer includes two modules - a module for standard ABS 3D printing and an additional head that works as a nozzle for precise injection of conductive ink. This combination makes it possible to literally create electronic devices. As an example, the creator of Rabbit Proto demonstrates how easy it is to make a Nintendo-like game controller using such a 3D printer.

The designer guarantees the compatibility of its nozzle with most modern RepRap printers. It is assumed that a completely ready-to-use Rabbit Proto printer will cost $ 2,500. The developer made his project open. Anyone can read the technical documentation of the device on GitHub.

3D printing, 3D scanning, 3D copying: ALL IN ONE

It is likely that the process will become more advanced and the functionality of 3D printers will expand. Already now we see the first hint of the evolution of these devices. In the same way that conventional printers have become MFPs with the ability to scan and copy, 3D printers will also learn to digitize the geometry of objects on the fly. This idea has already begun to be implemented by the engineers of the American company AIO Robotics.

ZEUS All-In-One 3D Printer

Recently, they showed a model of a multifunctional device. A device called ZEUS All-In-One 3D Printer can print, scan, copy models. In addition, this device supports the Fax mode of operation, which allows you to transfer the model geometry to a remote print station (to a similar printer).

ZEUS 3D Printer should go on sale this summer. It is equipped with a seven-inch color display, can perform auto-calibration and model grid alignment, and is very easy to operate. Scanned space 9inches (diameter) x 5 inches (height), and the printable space is 8 x 6 x 5. 7 inches. The printer supports a resolution of 80 microns when printing and 125 microns when scanning objects. Initially, the device will be priced at $2,499, excluding consumables.

⇡#Printing with the power of thought

Well, if you still try to imagine what 3D printing devices will look like in the future, you should discard stereotypes and conventions. The Chilean company Thinker Thing has demonstrated an amazing thing - a 3D printer controlled by a telepathic interface. With the help of a special headset with sensors for the activity of neural connections in the brain, the user can send a three-dimensional form for printing with an effort of thought.

It is possible that 3D modeling will become just as easy and comfortable in the future, and in order to create a 3D masterpiece, you just need to imagine it well.

How I moved to Poland and returned back: several reasons not to emigrate abroad

Hello! I would like to share with you some interesting findings about my move to Poland at the end of July 2014. Now I have returned back to Ukraine and am in Lviv - I decided to move to this city after Warsaw.

I am from Donetsk. Like many of my friends, I grew up in a poor family. When I started to grow up and already memorize something, one of the first things I heard was: “Sasha, you need to grow up and go abroad. There is nothing to do here, in this damned country” .

As a child, I played football, showed good results and thought about a career as a football player, but then I realized that this is not what I would like to do in life. Then I got interested in web design, but in the end I became a frontend developer - typesetting and somehow dynamically changing web pages turned out to be much more interesting than creating and drawing something. After graduating from STEP in Donetsk and having received my first work experience, I moved to Dnepropetrovsk and there I was already getting career growth.

Moving to Warsaw

After about 2 years, I realized that it was time to fulfill my dream, that is, to leave for another country. I started looking for a job "out there", but in the end it so happened that she found me herself (perhaps the "Secret" worked). The company where I worked then announced that due to the unstable situation in the country and the likelihood of completely losing the entire business, it would transfer part of the staff to Warsaw. My wife and I were delighted and applied that we would like to go.

The move was a success, I was furiously pleased that I had fulfilled my dream of "leaving the fucking country" for an amazing land of "social security and a better standard of living." We really liked the city itself. As one of my friends said, I ended up in Ukraine 200 years in the future. We traveled a lot, saw other countries, cities.

But six months later, I began to suspect something... It all started with the fact that I simply calculated how much we earn. It turned out that "you will receive the same salary, but converted to the local stable currency" - this is much less than in Ukraine with our wonderful link to the NBU rate. The local currency may be stable, but the dollar turned out to be more stable - we sort of suspected this in advance, but could not do anything.

European taxes

In Poland, as in other European countries, there is a different concept of "taxes" from ours. They effectively trace this essence and help keep temples, squares, roads and everything else in excellent condition. The amount of taxes is huge, especially for non-residents of the country.

The locals themselves say that they really don't like the system by which they pay taxes - they give too much as entrepreneurs (19% + ZUS). Many complain that hospitals pay for social services. employees and other disadvantaged (ZUS). That is, taxes are not something they are proud of. They also try in every way to reduce them. To do this, they use both legal methods, statements about forced expenses (you can register an apartment there as a workplace, and a car as a transport for work), and semi-legal methods (opening an enterprise, for example, in England and, according to its laws, paying only 10% of the profit if you earn less than £70,000 a year).

But that's all for local residents who have a Polish passport or a Stałego Pobytu card. Newcomers, as a rule, receive a temporary Tymczasowego Pobytu card and can only work for "Umowa o prace", which is under an employment contract. In this case, taxes are calculated as follows:
- If the tax calculation basis is PLN 85,528 or less (that is, a person earned up to PLN 85,528 per year), then the tax is 18% of this basis minus PLN 556 2 grosz.
- If the tax calculation basis exceeds PLN 85,528, then the tax is PLN 14,839PLN + 32% of the surplus over PLN 85,528.

It turns out that 18% is not 18%, but about 25%. In turn, 32% is not 32%, but about 39%.

In all European countries, taxes are very high, and the salaries of programmers are always written dirty. For example, if you see a salary of 70,000 euros per year for a programmer in Germany, then do not forget to subtract about 50% from there. You see a salary in the Netherlands of 55,000 euros - great, here's a sign for you. Please note that everything is very cleverly done there. Upon arrival, you as an immigrant receive a 30% tax discount, but this is only for the first 8 years. And after 8 years of great life in this country, when you already have a house on credit, bicycles for the whole family, children and a wife, you suddenly start earning less.

With our 4%, you will receive as much more money in the next month as you were told when you increase. And, for example, in Germany, with initial rates of up to 2k euros per month, there is such a period when an increase of 500 euros will force you to enter a different line of taxpayers, and accordingly you will earn less than before the increase.

Laws for locals and visitors

You can object that “I’ll see what I’m paying for”, “The standard of living is better there”, “There are social guarantees there”, or “The police work there, and they don’t steal like we do”. In fact, it all looks like this meme.

Yes, you can go to the hospital and get treated for free for the taxes you pay, but you will be spoken to in the local language. Let's say it's not a problem. Then meet magnificent queues in Europe for 3-5 months.

Yes, you can call the cops if your bike was stolen under the office in the center (experience from our office), but if you do not take an employee who speaks Polish and English at the same time, then they can take you with you , to sit in a box, since you do not take your passport to the office. Our story ended with a colleague being told this: “Look, we will consider this case for a couple of months, and then we will close it. It is unlikely that we will find him.” Doesn't it remind you of anything?

Yes, you can feel protected at home, but it depends on which area and whether it is a holiday. Otherwise, everything closes there on ordinary days at 6 pm, and nothing works at all on holidays (well, it’s really hard to explain what nothing means, it’s like “There is no bread. Not at all!” on the doors).

Maybe it's all the little things. What does it mean "social guarantees and living standards only for locals", you begin to understand when your requests are more complicated. Let's say you can't legally open a sole proprietorship like we do. You will also pay everything that you have accumulated over a long time if you get any kind of fracture or you just start having problems with your teeth.

Of course, there are many good moments. For example, round-the-clock transport, the ability to travel on a temporary residence permit. But I want to convey the idea that 90% of social guarantees work for people who have their own apartment in this country, and they are its citizens. Almost any topic, any item will not affect you. Or, at best, you will need to spend time on some additional documents and movements for this.

The concept of "standard of living" falls not on you anymore, but on those locals who grew up there and have been living there for a long time. For example, you can buy an apartment on credit and even add it to expenses in order to pay less taxes, but this can not be done in all countries and it will take a very long time to repay the loan (about 30 years). If you got into an accident and you are not a local, but there is a controversial situation, then you will be guilty, your rights may be taken away for a long time, and they will also issue a huge fine.

Warsaw. Highway near the airport

Do you need it?

So, most living standard preferences work and apply only to local residents. Therefore, you need to consider whether this country is worth your investment in 5 years (most often you just need to pay taxes, but not everywhere is so easy) to become its citizen. At the same time, you will need to part with your Ukrainian citizenship, which will entail the problem of returning and coming here.

Let's imagine that you, a simple middle-level programmer, and your young wife decide to move to a European country. First of all, you must understand for yourself what exactly you want to see there, what kind of social guarantees and standard of living you want to receive.

If you think, like our parents, that “It’s just better to live there, because everything is at a good level there,” then you may be disappointed that, let’s say, you don’t get your 10% salary just because you provide refugees from Syria. Or you don’t get the same 10% just because there are excellent schools and universities, or highways between cities.

You ask yourself questions:
- Do I need a school?
- Do I need a university?
- Do I need roads (do I often drive a car somewhere far away)?
- Do I want to earn much less (maybe the salary will be the same in figures, but the expenses are much higher)?
- Do I need excellent running buses and their good condition?
— Do I want to pay a pension fund to locals?
- Do I want properly working state. services (after all, if you rent an apartment in a good area, you won’t hear about problems)?
- Do I want other services (but do not forget that the probability of English drops significantly there)?

Do not forget to add a foreign language and culture everywhere, because you did not study in their schools, you did not read their books, you did not watch their national films.

So, most likely, most of the social guarantees are not about you and your family. If you are a middle developer and you have a young wife, then why do you need a school or a university? Also, why would you pay any funds that provide for visitors and retirees in this country? Of course, if you are going there forever, then this may have a different meaning for you, but I am inclined to think that we should think about our old age ourselves, and not rely on the state. If you have a car and the road is important to you, then why do you need a good bus and all its services?

The point is that you will not use even half of these services, but you will pay for them like everyone else. Another 3-5 years, and you want to start your own business, but the lack of a local passport will stop you very much. Of course, in many cases, a passport can be obtained in many cases simply after staying in this country for five years, but given the current situation with migrants, the 5-year period itself raises a big question in this.

Think with your head

Returning to the fact that the move was inspired by my parents, I began to wonder - who were we raised by? People born in the USSR. How was it there? All people should be equal, sausage for everyone and 5 kopecks, and travel 2-3 kopecks. A sanatorium for hard workers on the territory of the USSR and stability in a vast country, but for some reason many wanted to leave this stable country and brought us up that way.

That is, you must have your own head. Before you decide to go somewhere, you must understand that it will be more difficult there and in many ways no better than where you are now. The parents felt bad because their countries were falling apart and they no longer knew who they were. Their currency often changed, you can forget about savings "on a book". The state has always stolen something from them, there have always been bad hospitals and schools (although in their 20-30 years it was at a good level). After such difficulties, the idea that it is better where we are not, becomes much closer.

When it comes to moving, ask yourself what you would like to get from moving, what are your priorities.

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