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AirLogic: 3D Printed Pneumatic Computation
Kerry Stevenson
AirLogic is a project to 3D print circuits. Not electronic circuits, but pneumatic circuits.
MakePrintable Shuts Down!
Kerry Stevenson
An unexpected announcement from MakePrintable indicates the service is shutting down.
EPlus3D Announces Massive Metal 3D Printer
Kerry Stevenson
EPLUS 3D announced the availability of a massive metal 3D printer, the EP-M1250.
Design of the Week: Nose Box
Kerry Stevenson
This week’s selection is the amusing “Nose Box” by DaveMakesStuff.
Who’s The Biggest In 3D Printing, November 6, 2022
Kerry Stevenson
Once again we take a look at the valuations of the major 3D printing companies over the past week.
The Use of 3D Printing for Repair: an AM Coalition Webinar
Charles Goulding
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi look at recent developments in use of 3D print technology for repair activities.
How To Supercharge Your Prusa MINI 3D Printer
Kerry Stevenson
A new Kickstarter project hopes to make Prusa MINI 3D printers a great deal better.
Sigma-Aldrich, Millapore, Merck KGaA and 3D Printing
Charles Goulding
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi look at the implications to 3D printing after a recent corporate merger.
All Stories
Anycubic’s new Photon M3 Premium 3D Printer
Kerry Stevenson
Anycubic announced a new and rather large MSLA 3D printer, the Photon M3 Premium that has a unique and powerful light engine.
HALOT-ONE Resin 3D Printers Significantly Discounted
Kerry Stevenson
This could be a good time to consider purchasing a HALOT 3D printer from Creality.
Anycubic Releases Details on the New MicroLED 3D Printer
Kerry Stevenson
Anycubic released a pile of details for their tiny MicroLED 3D printer, which uses a very different light engine.
Anycubic Announces 3D Printer Under $200, and More
Kerry Stevenson
Anycubic announced two new 3D printers, including one that is to be priced at under US$200.
Sorting Through Creality’s Current Ender-3 3D Printer Series
Kerry Stevenson
Creality now offers no less than six different Ender-3 3D printer models, and choosing between them can be challenging.
AM Opportunities Abound at IMTS 2022
Kerry Stevenson
With additive manufacturing evolving so rapidly, it’s challenging to keep track of the latest emerging technologies.
Can You 3D Print A Bike With An Inexpensive 3D Printer?
Kerry Stevenson
Is it possible to 3D print a high performance bike with an inexpensive 3D printer? It turns out you can — but indirectly.
Creality Announces New, Upgraded Ender-3 Series, and Much More
Kerry Stevenson
Creality released a sweeping set of announcements that describe multiple new 3D printers and accessories.
Anycubic Introduces MicroLED 3D Printer
Kerry Stevenson
Anycubic announced a very different kind of 3D printer, one that’s based on microLED technology.
Research
AirLogic: 3D Printed Pneumatic Computation
Kerry Stevenson
AirLogic is a project to 3D print circuits. Not electronic circuits, but pneumatic circuits.
Salt is the Key To Biodegradable 3D Prints
Kerry Stevenson
Researchers have found a method to enable 3D printing of biodegradable polymer objects.
Anisoprint Sets Up 3D Print Centre at Jacobs University
Kerry Stevenson
Anisoprint has set up an unusual 3D print research centre at Jacobs University in Bremen, Germany.
Corporate
MakePrintable Shuts Down!
Kerry Stevenson
An unexpected announcement from MakePrintable indicates the service is shutting down.
Who’s The Biggest In 3D Printing, November 6, 2022
Kerry Stevenson
Once again we take a look at the valuations of the major 3D printing companies over the past week.
Sigma-Aldrich, Millapore, Merck KGaA and 3D Printing
Charles Goulding
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi look at the implications to 3D printing after a recent corporate merger.
6K’s Expansion and Global Implications
Kerry Stevenson
6K Additive announced a massive expansion of their metal powder production capacity.
Ideas
Software Now Drives Many 3D Printing Improvements
Kerry Stevenson
Software has become increasingly important in 3D printing in multiple dimensions.
There’s a Growing Focus on Post Processing
Kerry Stevenson
Post processing was for a long time the forgotten step in 3D printing. Now, that’s changing.
Services
Womp’s New Shareable 3D Modeling Service
Kerry Stevenson
A new service for shared 3D model development has been launched by Womp.
Authentise Announces “Digital Design Warehouse”
Kerry Stevenson
Authentise announced a major new feature for their AM management platform: the Digital Design Warehouse.
3DPrinterOS Now Includes Formlabs 3D Printer Support
Kerry Stevenson
3D Control Systems announced the latest version of 3DPrinterOS will support Formlabs equipment.
Usage
The Use of 3D Printing for Repair: an AM Coalition Webinar
Charles Goulding
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi look at recent developments in use of 3D print technology for repair activities.
How 3D Printing is Changing the Jewelry Industry Around the Globe
Charles Goulding
Charles R. Goulding and Andressa Bonafé look at the various ways 3D printing technology is being used to produce jewelry.
The US Railway Labor Deal and 3D Printing
Charles Goulding
Charles R.
Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi look at the increasing use of 3D printing in transportation industries.
Myopic Population and 3D Printing
Charles Goulding
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi look at the use of 3D printing in the battle against myopia.
About Us « Fabbaloo
We believe in a near future where 3D print technology is routinely used to make revolutionary products, parts and objects previously thought impossible to produce.
Fabbaloo tracks developments in the amazing technology of 3D Printing, publishing news and analysis daily. Whether from a manufacturer’s press release, onsite coverage of events or just some crazy ideas we thought up, our material will keep you up to date.
Kerry Stevenson
Founder and Editor
Fabbaloo was created in October 2007 by Canadian Kerry Stevenson, who has been fascinated with 3D printing after seeing the idea introduced by Star Trek decades ago – and now it is a reality, almost.
He’s been writing for Fabbaloo since it began under the gradually-becoming-less-mysterious pseudonym “General Fabb”.
Posts
Marney Stapley
VP Business Development
Fabbaloo’s business operations are managed by Marney Stapley. Marney is responsible for aligning long term strategic goals with building key customer relationships, identifying business opportunities and negotiating business deals.
Posts
Sarah Goehrke
Special Correspondent
Sarah Goehrke is a wordsmith, focused on 3D printing journalism since 2014. She served as the Editor-in-Chief of 3DPrint.com 9/2015 – 7/2018 and launched independent additive manufacturing-focused editorial services company Additive Integrity LLC in July 2018. Sarah joined Team Fabbaloo as the Managing Editor in August 2018, and strives to bring grounded and on-the-ground insights to the 3D printing industry.
Posts
Charles Goulding
Contributor
Charles Goulding is the Founder and President of R&D Tax Savers, a New York-based firm dedicated to providing clients with quality R&D tax credits available to them.
3D printing carries business implications for companies working in the industry, for which R&D tax credits may be applicable.
Posts
Rachel Park
Contributor
Rachel Park is an accomplished print and web writer and editor with more than 24 years’ experience. Her specific area of expertise is the 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing sector, a market she has been immersed in since 1996. Rachel works as an independent freelance journalist, runs her own copywriting and editing business, as well as being a key member of PYL Associates.
Posts
Madhumita Chandrasekaran
Contributor
Madhumita Chandrasekaran is an enthusiastic high school writer who is passionate about words and the world around her. In addition to receiving numerous awards for her work in STEM and Writing, she was the University Panel Director on the Project Pulse Executive Team and is a Swim Instructor.
Posts
Megan Ray Nichols
Contributor
Megan Ray Nichols is the editor of Schooled By Science, a blog dedicated to making science and technology news easy to understand.
Megan is a freelance science writer and a regular contributor to Datafloq, The Energy Collective, and Big Data Made Simple.
Posts
Indiana Lee
Contributor
Indiana Lee is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest with a passion for covering technological advancements, social justice, sustainability, and more. In her off time you can find her deep in the mountains with her two dogs. Follow her work on Twitter @indianalee3 or reach her at [email protected]
Posts
Nora Toure
Contributor
California-based Nora Toure is the woman behind “Women in 3D Printing”, a group dedicated to promoting and showcasing the use of 3D printing for women. She’s also the Director, Sales & Service Factory Operations at Fast Radius.
Posts
Many have written stories for Fabbaloo, usually leveraging their particular expertise in the 3D printing industry. If you would like to become a contributor, please contact us at [email protected] and we’ll have a chat!
Clément Moreau is co-founder and CEO of Sculpteo an online 3D printing and laser-cutting service based in San Francisco and Paris.
He holds a MSc. in Engineering from Ecole Centrale de Paris.
Matt Sand is co-founder and President of 3DEO, a low-cost metal 3D printing technology company. At 3DEO, he has worked extensively on the business of 3D printing with customers from a variety of industries. Prior to 3DEO, he was a venture capitalist, serial entrepreneur, and officer in the U.S. Air Force. He holds an MBA from UCLA, and BS in Computer Science and Mathematics from Tulane University.
Bob Zollo is the founder and President of Avante Technology, LLC, a developer and marketer of advanced 3D printing filaments and STL file repair software. He has experience in applying plastics technology to improve products at two Fortune 500 corporations. He has a degree in Engineering from the US Military Academy at West Point, and an MBA from Southern Illinois University.
Chris Carroll is the owner of TDF Industries LLC, a 3D printing consulting company that provides industry research and reseller training.
Chris has twenty years of experience in the printing industry with Hewlett-Packard and holds a BS and MBA from Rutgers University.
Constantine Ivanov, Co-Founder & CEO of DigiFabster: A CRM fit for 3D Printing Industry. Streamline 3D Printing Orders & Customer Relations Management.
Evy Wilkins is the VP of Marketing at UNYQ, a company that is redesigning prosthetics and orthotics using 3D printing to create highly personalized devices. Originally from Minneapolis, Evy has lived in Washington, DC, Sierra Leone and France. She speaks English and French. Evy contributes to Women in 3D Printing by organizing events and contributing content.
Duplicat, aka: Gene Crady of Indiana, USA, is a 3D Creative Technologist, and FDM/FFF Additive Manufacturing Specialist and owner of Duplicat 3D Printer Services.
Jess Hedstrom is the Founder of the podcast “Printing Everyday“, where she interviewed guests from the 3D printing industry.
Jess was the U.S. Community Manager for 3D Printing Service Sculpteo and participates in speaking events and webinars to help keep on top of what’s going on in the 3D printing eco-system. You can find articles written by Jess on many 3D print publications.
Joe Anand, President and CEO of MecSoft Corporation, a worldwide leader in providing computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software products for the small to mid-market segments earned his MS degree, in Mechanical Engineering from Clemson University in 1984, performing research on robot path planning and simulation. Joe is a proven expert in Software Development, Mechanical Engineering, Entrepreneurship and project management and sales.
Marcus Rockcliffe is a 3D designer and 3D printing technical expert at Creative 3D, a UK based 3D printer retailer and 3D printing Service Bureau.
Mike Difronzo is the founder of WiZE 3D, a growing reseller of all things 3D printing. This role provides Mike with a unique viewpoint on the latest in 3D printing equipment, software and processes.
3D Generalist, Designer and Printologist, Wojtek Grabczak has been active in Computer Graphics, 3D Graphics and 3D Printing for many years, and is often seen at 3D-related conferences.
Yoni Binstock loves building amazing products with incredible people. From building a site that grades Congressmen on climate change, to designing and printing 3D models, to organizing a TEDx event on the future, his work is varied and always exciting.
Alex Clark-McGlenn is currently taking his MFA in creative writing from the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts. He has been published in eFiction Magazine, Inkwell at Evergreen, Slightly West Literary Magazine, and appeared in Smokebox Literary Magazine July, 2014. He currently lives in Seattle, Washington.
Blair Gardner is a co-founder at Make Mode, a Brooklyn, New York based digital design and fabrication studio specializing in 3D printing, laser cutting, and design.
Anthony Gilbert is the owner of The RealFX Group. Anthony specializes in real estate, real estate marketing, managing the team and achieving set goals.
Ann Neal is a technology and business editor. She is a passionate blogger who loves to blog about home and lifestyle trends too. She is a regular contributing writer for ABestMeter.
Amy Trotter is a graphic designer, jewelry maker, and a freelance writer from Los Angeles, California. With over 10 years of experience in the jewelry industry, she has worked closely with many jewelry manufacturers like MKM Jewelry and Estate Diamond Jewelry to produce unique jewelry pieces for retail stores and private clients. In her free time, she enjoys finding new ways to incorporate technology into her art.
Connor Burke is a User Advocacy Intern for Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS Corp. He resides in in Westford, Massachusetts and attends Syracuse University where he aspires to receive his Communication & Rhetorical Studies degree by May of 2019.
David Park is a 3D printing and tech enthusiast who lives and works in South Korea. He is fluent in English, Korean, and Chinese and has a passion for travel, adventure, making new friends…all of which 3D printing and the Maker Movement provide.
After being fed up with the unreliability that plagues the industry, Ed Tyson founded rigid.ink 3D filaments over two years ago. Join him on his mission to make 3D printing more consistent and practical for everyone!
Emma Lewis is a loving mother, a devoted wife and a part of the team supporting Spacer – a company helping you find storage space whenever you need it. Emma is also a staunch supporter of the sharing economy and often mentions its benefits.
Evan Bundschuh is partner and commercial lines head at GB&A and independent insurance brokerage located in New York focused on insurance programs and risk management solutions for tech companies, financial & professional services, manufacturers and product-based businesses.
As an RPLU with 15 years of industry experience, Evan assists clients with insurance program coordination and client-side advising on Directors & Officers (D&O), Professional Liability (E&O) and Cyber Insurance and is a contributor on the topics of risk and compliance.
Gaurav Sharma is a Digital Marketing Consultant at CG Trader, a 3D Model Marketplace, Founder of Digital Marketing Blog Attrock and a Technology lover. He has been featured on Tech Crunch, Search Engine Land and any popular Tech and Marketing blogs. He is a traveler and love to explore new ways to enjoy the life at fullest. You can check him out on Instagram, Twitter and Google+.
Giles Kirkland is a passionate car expert at Oponeo keen on increasing his knowledge of the niche. Constantly exploring new car technologies, he enjoys commenting on various aspects of the automotive industry and giving advice to other drivers.
Helen Eagleton, a freelance blogger from Boston, follows topics in the realm of education, technology, digital marketing, and business in general.
When she’s not researching for her next article, she enjoys watching documentaries and exploring the nature.
Jack Warner is a tech enthusiast who is passionate about latest technologies, especially machines and IoT. He loves staying updated with everything that’s happening in the IoT world and a great admirer of Elon Musk. He currently works for Power Jack Motion.
Jenny Chen is the founder of 3DHEALS, an organization focusing on building collaborations in Healthcare 3D Printing and bioprinting through events, educational programs, and online media.
Justin Shook is the founder and CEO of Shook Ideas, a product design, 3D printing, and manufacturing services company. He’s a former lead product engineer at John Deere with expertise in CAD design, product development, and world class manufacturing. His mission in life is to push the boundaries of digital design and 3D printing to deliver unprecedented value and abundance for our world.
Kristin Golliher is founder and CEO of WildRock Public Relations & Marketing. Her big-picture thinking and stuffed-to-bursting Rolodex are nationally renowned, LinkedIn.
Dawn Putney is CEO of Toolbox Creative, a B2B technology branding firm. She has 25+ years of results-driven marketing experience and speaks fluent Engineer, LinkedIn.
Lisa Michaels is a freelance writer from Portland who writes about business and technology. Being self-employed, she does her best to stay on top of the current trends in the business world. Feel free to connect with her on Twitter.
Todd Scott is a former professional duct-tape artist who explores technologies of all sorts, and occasionally writes stories for a number of well-known publications.
Matthew Young is a freelance tech journalist and blogger hailing from Boston. He is passionate about new, emerging tech in the industry. When Matthew is not busy writing about awesome new technology, he usually spends time fiddling with his camera and learning a thing or two about photography.
You can reach Matthew on Twitter @mattbeardyoung
Olivia Warfield is a contributing writer and media relations specialist for TriMet. She writes for a variety of technology and digital development blogs and is especially interested in the rising prominence of 3D technology for both business, recreation, and perhaps even saving the world.
Ronan Ye is the founder and managing director of 3E-RP which is one of China’s leaders in rapid prototyping services. Upon completing his college degree at Guangzhou University in International Business with honors, Ronan has been heavily involved in China’s fast growing rapid prototyping and manufacturing industry. He really has grown up in and with the industry here in China learning about it at a young age. Hence, his knowledge of the overall industry is second to none and hence why many global companies like BMW, VW, and Lamborghini rely on his technical as well as design expertise.
Sharon Groves is a blogger based in Sydney, writing for several online magazines and gaining experience in digital marketing.
She loves to be on top with the latest technology and entrepreneurship trends.
Sienna Walker is a techie and a blogger who often writes about new technological advances and how they might be used to benefit both businesses and individuals. Currently supporting DirectorStats, Sienna might often be found online, sharing her thoughts with like-minded people. Feel free to follow her on @SiennaWalkerS.
Tom Connon works has nearly twenty years experience in the Telecom industry, specializing in product/service development, managing technical workforces and Customer/Segment Marketing.
Victoria Greene has a perfect job: she spends her days collaborating with inspiring brands of all shapes and sizes, and dreaming up awesome content strategies to help them grow their online fan base. In her spare time, you can find her writing her blog at VictoriaEcommerce.com
Andre Wegner is the Founder and CEO of Authentise.
Andre is a frequent speaker on emerging intellectual property issues in 3D printing and opportunities of distributed manufacturing at events.
Anna Kucirkova works as a copywriter for over 4 years. She speaks 3 languages, loves traveling and has a passion for kids and writing. While she has been to many places in Europe and South East Asia, she still wants to explore the rest of the world.
Cheryl Macleod is the Global Head of 3D Fusion Science and Materials Expansion at HP Inc.
David Ziegler is the Vice President, Aerospace & Defense, at Dassault Systèmes worldwide business and development of its Industry leading Solution Experiences based on the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. David held multiple positions in the aerospace industry, most recently at Paris Aéroports. And, prior to Aéroports he spent 14 years with Airbus, based in both France and the U.S., holding positions in sales and business development.
A French citizen, David’s career in aerospace began when he obtained his Masters of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Supaero, followed by an MBA from INSEAD. He enjoys kite-surfing and spending time with his wife and two children.
Gabe Nelson is a content specialist of over 7 years of experience. Just out of high school he set off crab fishing on the Bering Sea in Alaska. From there he went back home to finish his college degree at the University of Montana. He has a passion and keen understanding when it comes to 3D printing inside and out. He has written hundreds of content pieces in numerous niches. Currently, he lives in Missouri with his wife and kids enjoying the peaceful town of St. Joseph.
Gerald Matarazzo is a certified Additive Manufacturing (AM) Application Engineer, AM Designer, AM Service Engineer, Project Manager, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt based out of Boston, Massachusetts. Gerald has a B.S. in Data Analytics and began his career in Additive Manufacturing by starting and leading a makerspace turned service bureau in college.
Gerald joined the Fisher Unitech team in 2018 with over 3 years of professional AM experience and is the Lead AM expert for the Fisher Unitech New England territory. Gerald is an experienced educator and presenter providing highly customizable, pre-to-post printing turnkey solutions.
Heleana Neil is a keen science and technology blogger who is fascinated by the latest developments in UK innovation. When she’s not writing about 3D printing, AI or autonomous vehicles , she can be found offering her guidance to UK business through her work with Enterprise Europe Network.
Indiana Lee is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest with a passion for covering technological advancements, social justice, sustainability, and more. In her off time you can find her deep in the mountains with her two dogs. Follow her work on Twitter @indianalee3 or reach her at [email protected] or her website.
Dr. Jessica James is a business process analyst for the Simpleware Product Group at Synopsys, a group dedicated to creating software solutions for 3D image data, with applications to multiple 3D printing applications.
John Hauer is a noted thought leader on 3D printing and other emerging technologies. His articles have been published on several well-known media sites including Forbes, TechCrunch, Futurism, 3DPrint.com, QZ.com, TechFaster and Inside3DP. John has been profiled in dozens of leading business publications and has spoken at key industry events, including the Shop.org Digital Summit, RAPID and the Inside 3D Printing Conference, among many others. To see more of John’s work, visit Get3DSmart.com or follow him on Twitter @Get3DJohn
John Ortiz is the Director of Product Stewardship at HP Inc.
Julie Reece is an award-winning marketing expert with more than a decade of experience in the 3D printing industry. Founder of J. A. Reece Associates in 2019, a marketing consultancy, Julie has held executive marketing positions at several established and startup 3D printing companies. She has also been a respected advocate for increasing the representation of women in the 3D printing industry.
LinkedIn
Kathryn Zurmehly is a U.S. Army veteran and currently a freelance writer with an avid interest in developing technology.
Lauren Schneider is the owner of Military Home Search. She believes a home should be safe for everyone inside, and that households should be knowledgeable of how to reduce risks involved with various home appliances.
Marinus Nutma works at 3D Hubs, the world’s largest network of 3D printing manufacturers. Our 3D printing service connects you with a nearby manufacturer who can create an object according to your specifications. Simply upload your CAD file, choose a material and a process, and receive a high-quality version of your design.
Mark Lee teaches at a national university in Busan, South Korea and he conducts a variety of courses, including classes on transhumanism and additive manufacturing. He also supervises several student organizations and is currently organizing a student 3D design and printing users group to help further awareness about this exciting technology.
Mike Moceri has a deep experience in manufacturing, design, and software. In 2013, he co-founded the world’s first 3D printing retail service bureau in Chicago, and in 2014, he founded Manulith, a 3D printing and product design agency where his clientele included Fortune 500 companies within the aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. D-Business Magazine called him the “Face of 3D printing,” and he is currently the founder and CEO of MakerOS.
Nathan Sykes writes about the latest in technology and business online. Check out his blog, Finding an Outlet, to read the latest news.
Oliver Hood works for Shoes for Crews, an international manufacturer of anti slip shoes for healthcare and hospitality industries. The company is passionate about using the latest technology to improve the comfort and safety of its footwear range to offer comfort and longevity to those that spend hours on their feet.
Preet Jesrani started DesignBox3D because of his firm belief that additive manufacturing will drive innovation and re-invention in manufacturing for generations to come.
Technology that holds the promise to change the way the world does things comes along once in a lifetime and 3D printing gives users the power to fulfill our innate desire to “make” something. With a background rooted in technology startups, management consulting, banking and political roles (state/federal government), Preet drives business building and has managed teams of 30 plus direct reports. At DesignBox3D, Preet is building an additive manufacturing consulting practice, a rapid prototyping service, and a distribution/reseller line of business… slowly.
Ramon Pastor is the Global Head & GM, 3D Plastics Systems, HP Inc.
International keynote speaker, trend watcher and futurist Richard van Hooijdonk offers inspiring lectures on how technology impacts the way we live, work and do business. Over 420,000 people have already attended his renowned inspiration sessions, in the Netherlands as well as abroad. He works together with RTL television and presents the weekly radio program ‘Mindshift’ on BNR news radio.
Van Hooijdonk is also a guest lecturer at Nyenrode and Erasmus Universities. Learn more at his website.
Vernon Glick is a Marketing Executive at Inovatec Machinery based in China.
REC Wiki » Top Ten Sites for 3D Printing 3D Models
If you already have a 3D printer and 3D printing plastic, the only thing left to do is find digital models. Do-it-yourself 3D modeling is interesting, but mastering this skill will take a lot of time. In the meantime, we suggest looking for something interesting on the sites in our selection.
1. Thingiverse
The largest and most famous platform, Thingiverse is a project of the American company MakerBot, which has made a huge contribution to the development of amateur 3D printers. In recent years, MakerBot has been operating under the wing of Stratasys Corporation and focuses more on the professional segment of the additive market, but this has not affected the work of Thingiverse in any way. The name of the platform is a play on words meaning "The Universe of Things" (Thing + Universe).
The site remains the largest repository of exclusively free 3D models with a focus on 3D printing and continues to grow. Thingiverse currently offers over one and a half million 3D models.
Thingiverse website: www.thingiverse.com/
2. Instructables
Instructables is more than just an online warehouse of 3D models. This platform is primarily aimed at do-it-yourselfers, and therefore Instructables hosts not just 3D models, but complex projects - often using electronics, mostly hobby, but often quite serious. Scientists also use the site, posting useful open-source projects like smartphone-based 3D printed microscopes. The main feature of the site is that the projects are accompanied by detailed, step-by-step instructions - hence the name. Of course, additive technologies play an important role in many of the published projects, and the projects themselves are offered free of charge.
Instructables website: www.instructables.
com
3. Cults
Popular site based in France. The platform works in a mixed way, offering both free and paid models. The paid section to a large extent influenced the rich assortment, since any user can make money on their creations. The site takes a commission, but approximately 80% of the cost of each 3D model sold goes into the authors' pocket. If you're not ready to pay for digital models, check out Cults anyway and browse the freebies - there are plenty of them. And don't let the name confuse you, it doesn't smell of any cultists there. Cults is just St. Luc is the opposite, while Saint Luke is considered the patron saint of artists.
Website: cults3d.com
4. MyMiniFactory
A London-based platform that also offers a mix of free and paid 3D models. Many of the paid works are posted by professional designers, and the administration often holds competitions among authors. The peculiarity of MyMiniFactory is that this site guarantees quality: the published 3D models are first tested for compatibility with 3D printers, then a trial 3D printing is carried out, and only then the model is placed in the public domain.
Jonathan Beck
One of the most famous MyMiniFactory-related endeavors is the Scan the World project. The author of this initiative was the British enthusiast Jonathan Beck, who in 2014 committed a major “robbery” of the London Museum. True, Jonathan took out not real exhibits, but about ten thousand photographs, on the basis of which he then recreated the appearance of the exhibits in digital form using photogrammetry. Since then, Beck has had many associates armed with cameras and 3D scanners and regularly adding 3D models of art and historical artifacts from around the world, including from some Russian museums. All models in the Scan the World collection are offered free of charge.
MyMiniFactory website: www.myminifactory.com
5. Prusa Printers
Strictly speaking, this is not a repository of 3D models as such, but the home site of Prusa Research, an enterprise of the Czech engineer Josef Prusa, whose name is familiar to all enthusiasts additive technologies.
True, on this site, Josef and his team offer not only 3D printers and consumables of their own production, but also 3D models, and for free. Since this company deals only with additive technologies, all models in the catalog are optimized for 3D printing. The main share of published models falls on the users of the site, and Prusha's team regularly stimulates the authors with various competitions. An interesting feature of this site is that it allows you to publish not only 3D models, but also ready-made machine code. On the one hand, this is good, because users can immediately send a model for 3D printing without fiddling with a slicer. On the other hand, there is always a chance of incompatibility or outright sabotage, so be careful, and if in doubt, just download the STL files and prepare the code yourself.
Prusa Printers website: www.prusa3d.com
6. Pinshape
Another collection of 3D models, this time of Canadian origin. The first version of the site did not last long, only a couple of years, but immediately after the closure, the well-known American manufacturer of stereolithographic 3D printers Formlabs bought the resource.
The platform continues to work to this day and contains tens of thousands of projects. Like most similar platforms, Pinshape offers both paid and free 3D models, and anyone can submit work.
Pinshape website: pinshape.com
7. YouMagine
Another project under the corporate umbrella. This site was founded by one of the co-founders of the Dutch company Ultimaker, which in turn is well known for a whole series of successful FDM 3D printers. Although this is not the largest resource (only about twenty thousand projects), it has two pluses. Firstly, only free 3D models are offered here. Secondly, the site is structured in such a way that it is easier for designers to improve their own and other people's work, collaborate and receive feedback. As a result, you can find a lot of serious projects here, such as OpenBionics 3D printed prostheses, but there is also enough entertainment content.
YouMagine website: www.youmagine.
com
8. CGTrader
This Lithuanian site initially had nothing to do with 3D printing, being a platform for the exchange of graphic models for computer games, virtual reality and the like. However, with the growing popularity of additive technologies, a specialized section appeared on CGTrader for publishing 3D models with polygonal meshes optimized for 3D printing. There are not so many models for 3D printing, only about thirteen thousand, in addition, this resource is focused on paid content, although there are also free offers. On the other hand, this site is popular among professional designers, so you can find very interesting and high-quality work here.
CGTrader website: www.cgtrader.com
9. Sketchfab
Sketchfab, a Franco-American marketplace, is similar to CGTrader in that it publishes models for computer games, virtual reality, and 3D printing, as well as in terms of an abundance of professional work. With 3D printable models, things are a little more complicated: although there are many free models on the site, those optimized for 3D printing are in the paid section.
On the other hand, nothing prevents you from downloading free options and using third-party mesh repair programs for 3D printing, such as Meshmixer or Netfabb.
Sketchfab website: sketchfab.com
10. 3Dtoday
Russian website and main portal for Russian speaking 3D printing enthusiasts. 3Dtoday is designed as an all-in-one platform with user blogs, catalogs and a marketplace, as well as a collection of 3D models categorized into different categories. Most of the 3D models are offered free of charge, however, there is also a paid section, replenished by portal users.
Website 3Dtoday: 3dtoday.ru
Top 10 companies in the field of 3D printing listed on the stock exchange
So, we present to your attention the rating of companies in the field of 3D printing in terms of annual turnover.
Stratasys: $750 million
Industry leader Stratasys grew 54% over the past year with sales exceeding $750 million.
This is partly driven by demand for the new Object500 Connex3 model, as well as the traditionally popular PolyJet and industrial FDM 3D printers. Another growth driver was the acquisition of other companies such as Solid Concepts and Harvest Technologies (now part of Stratasys Direct Manufacturing). At the same time, the American-Israeli company (which includes, among other things, MakerBot Industries and SolidScape) recorded a net loss of $119 in its financial statements.million. This figure is more than four times higher than last year, which is also due to active acquisitions and investments. The forecast for 2015 is positive, it is expected that the revenue will be $940 million. If Stratasys manages to beat expectations by 6%, it could become the first pure 3D printing company to reach $1 billion in revenue.
3D Systems: $650 million
Although 3D Systems' revenue rose 27% to a record high, the company still lost the top spot to Stratasys last year.
The head of the company, Avi Reichental, said he was not entirely satisfied with how the company realized the potential of its technology portfolio. 3D Systems has some of the most advanced 3D printing technology in the industry, but hasn't shown enough willingness to go mainstream. However, according to 3D Systems financial statements, the company turned out to be in positive territory with a net profit of $1.6 million at the end of the year. Although the forecast for 2015 is generally positive, it is likely that 3D Systems will again be behind Stratasys, with revenues of $850-900 million.
Materialize: $81 million
Materialize is one of Europe's leading 3D printing service providers and a developer of innovative 3D printing software. In 2014, the company's revenue amounted to $81 million, which is 18.4% more than last year. The company's net profit reached $1.8 million, half of what it was in 2013, but still significant. Materialize's core business is the development and sale of 3D printing software (22% of sales) and medical 3D printing services (37%).
The industrial segment, including the i.materialise 3D printing service, generated 40% of the company's total revenue. Materialize is expected to grow by 20% next year and reach €100 million in annual turnover.
ExOne: $43.9 million
Last year, ExOne grew by 10% with revenues of approximately $43.9 million. The main contribution to this result was made by the fourth quarter, during which sales increased by 50%. This state of affairs resulted in a gross profit of $10 million, but ExOne's operating costs were $21 million. This was mainly due to investments in the expansion of the company (new production facilities in Russia and Italy), as well as research and development (more than $8 million). In addition, ExOne announced the creation of a new large-scale 3D printer, Exerial.
Arcam: $39 million
Arcam, a Swedish manufacturer of electron beam melting (EBM) systems, recorded revenues of approximately $39 million.
Thus, sales grew by 70% in a year, and profits exceeded $6 million. However, it is likely that in the financial markets such results were considered too good to be true. Compared to a record high at the end of 2013, Arcam shares are down more than 70% and are now trading for around $17.
SLM Solutions: $36 million
Germany's SLM Solutions posted similar results to Arcam, with record earnings of approximately $36 million and 56% growth in 2014. At the same time, the company's shares fell from a record high of €21 to €18. However, SLM Solutions boasts a more stable stock price than most other members of the 3D printing industry. At the moment, for the past period of 2015, SLM Solutions reports an increase in the number of orders twice year-on-year.
Alphaform: $30 million
German company Alphaform offers rapid prototyping services. Alphaform made its first steps in the consumer market as part of the Artshapes project to apply 3D printing to the arts.
The company reported record revenue of $30 million in 2014, up 11.6%. While Alphaform lost more than $3 million in the same period, this is a significant improvement from $6.5 million in 2013.
voxeljet: $17-18 million
Analysts have criticized the German company voxeljet for not selling enough devices while offering special deals to customers to increase orders. However, it should be taken into account that voxeljet manufactures large industrial equipment, the print volume of which reaches 8 cubic meters - in other words, the company occupies a very specific niche. Estimated revenue for 2014 (updated data will be available at the end of March) is $17-18 million. In addition, according to voxeljet forecasts, the company expects to grow by almost 50% this year.
Organovo: $0
Organovo is the only listed biomaterials 3D printing company. However, most of Organovo's activities are still research and the first commercial product, exVive3D human liver tissue, was released just recently.
