Free STL Files & 3D Printer Models – 35 Best Sites

Free STL Files & 3D Printer Models – 35 Best Sites
By Anatol Locker

The post Free STL Files & 3D Printer Models – 35 Best Sites appeared first on All3DP.

January 31, 2018 at 10:30PM
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Instrumentally Challenged? Strumbot Could Solve Your Problem

Instrumentally Challenged? Strumbot Could Solve Your Problem
By Hanna Watkin

Claire, from the YouTube channel Fake It and Make It, came up with a way to make playing the guitar slightly easier for the instrumentally challenged. She used an Arduino, 3D printing and chopsticks to create the Strumbot.

Anyone who’s ever had guitar lessons knows the tedium in learning how to get both the chords perfect and the strumming down. You’ll come out from a lesson as a newbie with hand cramp and mental fatigue.

However, with a little trick invented by Claire from the YouTube channel Fake It and Make It, if you’re more computer literate than you are musically inclined, you can now program a robot to do the strumming for you.

Your hand can take a rest and you can really practice your chords. Claire explains: “I like to play music occasionally but I’m not particularly musically talented, so that’s why I decided to build something that would help me out.”

Claire invented the Strumbot which she simply sticks onto her guitar to give her hand a rest. The Strumbot consists of an Arduino, a USB powerpack, a servo, three tactile buttons along with three LEDs and a 3D printed case.

Rather than permanantly damaging the guitar, Claire opted for using “lots and lots of tape” to attach the Strumbot. Although there are only three strum patterns, Claire’s cover of Call Me Maybe is pretty cool. Check it out in the video below:

Play That Funky Music, Strumbot

The 3D printed housing holds the buttons and LEDs which are wired to some protoboard. This controls inputs which go to the Arduino. To play, it’s as simple as pressing the buttons to start and stop.

Claire also adds thanks, saying: “Adafruit.com sent me the servo for this basically because I asked really nicely so super thanks to them. Also they are a great company and I love them.”

You can change your strum pattern by choosing a different button on the 3D printed case. Claire also adds that for each song you’ll need to program different sets of rhythms. But, you’ll save time while playing in the long run.

The chopsticks then strum a pick across the strings making a surprisingly good sound. However, if you’re truly trying to get your groove on, the servo is pretty loud which may distract from your tunes.

All of the comments on Claire’s video are very positive, proving that even those who aren’t musically challenge could sometimes give their hands a break. If you want to create your own Strumbot, start by checking out the “sweet sweet code”, here.

Source: Hackaday

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January 31, 2018 at 08:45PM
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Sinterit Lisa Desktop SLS 3D Printer: Review the Facts!

Sinterit Lisa Desktop SLS 3D Printer: Review the Facts!
By Tyler Koslow

The Sinterit Lisa is a desktop SLS 3D printer that is both extremely affordable and easy to use. Check out the facts about this industrial-grade, compact Polish powerhouse.   

The post Sinterit Lisa Desktop SLS 3D Printer: Review the Facts! appeared first on All3DP.

January 31, 2018 at 07:05PM
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How to 3D Print a Better Nose with PDMS Polymer

How to 3D Print a Better Nose with PDMS Polymer
By Bulent Yusuf

A combination of two different PDMS polymers allows for 3D printing of complex geometries with better mechanical characteristics and better biological adhesion, according to new research from Penn State University.

PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane, or silicone) is used to make lab-on-a-chip devices, organ-on-a-chip devices, two- and three-dimensional cell culture platforms, and biological machines.

The material is more commonly seen as heat-resistant silicone spatulas and flexible baking pans, but these are geometrically simple and can easily be molded. If the material is used for growing tissue cultures or testing, the geometries become much smaller and more complex.

“So far, PDMS  has limitations in formability and manufacturing of devices,” says Ibrahim T. Ozbolat, associate professor of engineering science and mechanics and bioengineering at Penn State.

“Most research is done using casting or micro molding, but this fabrication yields materials with weak mechanical properties and also weak cell adhesion. Researchers often use extracellular proteins like fibronectin to make cells adhere,” he explains.

For any material to work in a conventional 3D printer, it must be able to go through the printing nozzle and maintain shape once it is deposited. The material cannot spread, seep or flatten, or the integrity of the design is lost.

Sylgard 184, an elastomer of PDMS, is not viscous enough to use in 3D printing — the material simply flows out of the nozzle and puddles. However, when it is mixed with SE 1700, another PDMS elastomer, in the proper ratio, the mixture becomes printable.

The researchers optimized the mixture to take advantage of a materials property called “shear thinning.” They report their results in this month’s issue of ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering.

Sniffing Out a New Use for PDMS Polymer

While most materials become more viscous under pressure, some materials have the opposite reaction and become less viscous. This is perfect for 3D printing because a fluid that is viscous enough to sit in the nozzle then becomes less viscous when the pressure of pushing out the “ink” occurs. As soon as the material leaves the nozzle, it regains its viscosity and the fine threads placed on the object retain their shape.

PDMS, when molded, has a smooth surface. The material is also hydrophobic, meaning it does not like water. Add those two properties together and the molded surface of PDMS is not an easy place for tissue cells to adhere. Researchers frequently use coatings to increase cell adherence. 3D printed surfaces, because they are made up of thousands of tiny strands of PDMS, have minute crevices that offer cells a place to stick.

To test the fidelity of 3D printing with PDMS polymer, the researchers obtained patterns for biological features — hands, noses, blood vessels, ears, and femoral head, from the National Institutes of Health 3D Print Exchange. Using these patterns they 3D printed a nose. Organs like this can be printed without support materials and include hollow cavities and complex geometries.

“We coated the PDMS nose with water and imaged it in an MRI machine,” said Ozbolat. “We compared the 3D reconstructed nose image to the original pattern and found that we had pretty decent shape fidelity.”

Because the PDMS materials are being printed, they could be incorporated with other materials to make one-piece devices composed of multiple materials. They could also incorporate conductive materials to enable functionalized devices.

Source: Penn State

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January 31, 2018 at 05:02PM
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Grohe Introduces 3D Printing to Streamline Design, Development, Production

Grohe Introduces 3D Printing to Streamline Design, Development, Production
By Hanna Watkin

Grohe, the world leader in supplying sanitary and water fittings, is planning to expand its production of fittings and incorporate 3D printing technology into its prototyping processes.

Looks like Grohe Water Technology AG has big plans for 2018 including expanding its production of fittings by using 3D printing in a new pilot project.

The German company revealed they will be using the technology at this year’s ISH trade show in Frankfurt am Main — an event for the combined topic of water and energy.

Grohe has the goal of accelerating product innovation by 20 percent. As well as this, it intends on improving efficiency at the new design center in Hemer, Germany. Therefore, new technologies are an important factor in design, development, and production.

The company’s plans for the next few months, as well as using 3D printing to expand the production of fittings, are to launch its latest ceramic line in March and work on new product innovations for 2019 ISH.

Creating Prototypes at Grohe with 3D Printing

The Grohe team have been using a Dimension 3D Printer from Stratasys. With 3D printing, they’ve already noticed a huge reduction in time and cost when creating prototypes.

According to a Stratasys application story, previously the company would rely on the company toolmakers or external suppliers. However, in the first four months of use, the 3D printer ran for over 380 hours.

Friedrich Imhoff, a Grohe product development manager explains some of the benefits of 3D printing. He says: “We reduced the time to develop a flushing system by 50 percent. Product samples could be produced at an early stage of the development process… The product can be presented within a short amount of time and our product managers are able to identify themselves with the product at a very early stage.”

Thanks to its use of technology, the company has received over 300 awards for design and innovation. Grohe is especially praised for its sustainability.

Interested in finding out more? Grohe CEO, Michael Rauterkus, is speaking about “Water as a resource in times of digitalization” at the World Market Leaders Summit today.

Source: Hotel Designs

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January 31, 2018 at 02:56PM
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Sail Away on DIY Electric Mini Boat Made with 3D Printing and Laser Cutting

Sail Away on DIY Electric Mini Boat Made with 3D Printing and Laser Cutting
By Hanna Watkin

Industrial designer Josh Tulberg has created the Mini Boat, a 6ft electric boat manufactured with 3D printing and laser cutting technology. You can order a DIY kit from his website Rapid Whale, or build the Mini Boat from scratch using his step-by-step instructions.  

Meet Josh Tulberg, a Bay Area-based industrial designer and recreational engineer that is in charge of Rapid Whale, a website that offers 3D printing and laser cutting services, as well as DIY projects that you can buy directly.

Thanks to him, with a little maker spirit and around $2,000, you can now live your dreams of sailing the seven seas in a tiny electric boat.

Tulberg recently released detailed instructions so you can build the electric Mini Boat from scratch. Alternatively, you can also buy his DIY kit for $950 and get started on your future seafaring adventures.

The designer came up with the idea for the Mini Boat after being inspired by viewing others online. But the maker didn’t just want any old sea vessel, his aim was to create a boat that was shorter than the rest – a boat that was just 6 feet long.

He began his journey by sketching and modeling his design idea on the 3D CAD software Solidworks. To test whether the Mini Boat design would be buoyant, he 3D printed and laser cut a 1:2.2 scale model and successfully floated it inside of a hot tub.

Impressively, the final full-sized Mini Boat only weighs around 100 lb, making it easy to transport this ship wherever the sea is calling your name. Simply fold down the backseats of your car and you can take it on days out on the lake (just don’t forget to pack the engine too).

The Mini Boat can fit a single person under 6’2″ tall and 200 lb in weight. It’s reportedly capable of sailing along at 3.5 knots (4 mph). It’s not a speed demon, but it’s still a perfect option for a person who want to spend a day alone on the calm of the sea.

Tulberg explains with excitement on his website: “This boat is ridiculously small and a blast to ride. It’s also simple to build with its cable-tie and epoxy construction. It’s designed to last a lifetime.”

Sailing the High Seas in Your Own 3D Printed Mini Electric Boat

The base of the boat is made from precision cut marine-grade plywood. Tulberg explains that internal bulkheads are installed to enable the boat to float, even when flooding occurs.

If you choose to purchase Tulberg’s kit from his website, you’ll receive the laser cut marine plywood, 3D printed components, a steering wheel, steering-shaft bearings, and various gaskets.

However, you’ll still need to spend an additional $500 to $1,100 on off-the-shelf components to finish the boat. According to the designer, the total expenses will depend on how luxurious you want the boat to be or how crafty you are.

You’ll need a Newport Vessels NV-Series electric motor, deep cycle SLA batteries, and chemical foam for the bulkheads, just to name a few components. You can find the full list of parts here.

Be warned that this project requires a heavy amount assembly and requires a lot of patience. In other words, the build for this DIY boat is far from smooth sailing. However, once you’ve created the electric mini boat, your weekends away will be a lot more exciting and relaxing.

Tulberg is currently making the DIY kits on a made-to-order basis. On the other hand, you can start the project from scratch by following his Instructables page.

The Bay Area-based industrial designer has also created a number of other outlandish projects in his free time, including a scoreboard, ties made from cardboard, and a minimalist belt.

Source: New Atlas/Rapid Whale

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January 31, 2018 at 01:04PM
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Austiwawa 3D Prints and Launches CO2-Powered Rockets with Onboard Camera

Austiwawa 3D Prints and Launches CO2-Powered Rockets with Onboard Camera
By Hanna Watkin

A popular YouTuber named Austin used 3D printing to create rockets that launch with compressed CO2. He tried to modify the rockets to include an onboard camera, and his entire trial and error process was captured on video.

Not only is 3D printing technology being applied to industries across the world, it’s also commonly used to take us beyond orbit. From experimentation on SpaceX’s Dragon to 3D printed rocket engines used to deploy satellites, 3D printing technology has helped reignite the exciting space race.

But you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to 3D print and fire up your own functional projectile. There are plenty of projects and experiments out there for those who want to launch DIY 3D printed rockets.

One of the latest attempts come from Austiwawa, a popular YouTube channel with 43k subscribers, created by an adventurous maker named Austin. Most of his videos feature interesting DIY projects that involve a mixture of electronics, engineering, and of course, 3D printing.

One of Austin’s most popular uploads is a video in which he makes 3D printed rockets and launches them using CO2 cartridges. In his latest video, he tries modifying this creation by installing both mini pen and USB cameras.

Rather than 3D printing a brand new rocket, Austin opted to make an extension piece for his existing design. His rockets were 3D printed on a Creality CR-10, and operate using a spring-loaded firing mechanism and 12 gram CO2 cartridges, the same that are normally used in paintball or airsoft guns.

Unfortunately, the 3D printed rockets weren’t successful at capturing much usable footage, but the project makes for an interesting showcase of trial and error, as you can sense Austin’s refusal to give up throughout the 13-minute video.

3D Printing Mini Rockets for CO2 Lift-Off

Although the first, second, or even the third tests didn’t work out as planned, Austin went back to the drawing board to come up with some improved rocket designs.

After the initial failure, the YouTuber modified his rocket design to include longer fins and space for the CO2 container at the top, changing the center of gravity. He tried out three varying designs equipped with different sized nozzles. Next, he tested out which design would work best before mounting the camera.

This time around, rather than using a pen camera, Austin opted for a USB camera. After further testing, he decided to attempt new modifications to the rocket design, but kept facing issues with the 3D printed rocket.

Austin attributes this failure to the fins not cutting through the air enough to keep the rocket stable, while the footage is compromised due to the rocket’s continuous post-launch spin. Finally, after seven unsuccessful trials, he decided to switch from the DIY rocket to a model rocket to see if it would offer more stability to the camera.

This model rocket held the unused pen camera and managed to launch upright, unlike most of the more inconsistant 3D printed versions. Strangely enough, once launched, this rocket was never found, providing a suspenseful and humorous ending to the video. However, on this final attempt, we do get to see some exhilarating footage before the rocket spins out of sight.

Unfortunately, Austin was unable to capture any worthwhile footage from the 3D printed CO2 rockets. We still certainly admire his perseverance, which is necessary with advanced DIY projects like this one.

Needless to say, with just a little bit of patience, creativity, and a 3D printer, you can also watch your own DIY projects soar high into the sky.

If you have any tips or suggestions for Austin, he asks that you kindly leave them in the comment section of his video, which you can watch below.

Source: Makezine

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January 31, 2018 at 12:55AM
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Researchers 3D Bioprint the First Ears Made From Childen’s Own Cells

Researchers 3D Bioprint the First Ears Made From Childen’s Own Cells
By Anne Freier

A team of Chinese plastic surgeons and tissue engineers have devised a method to 3D print cells which assemble into a replica of a patient’s ear.

Five children suffering from unilateral microtia in China are the first patients to receive newly grafted ears made from their own cells. Tissue engineers made the ears by combining cell culture methods with 3D printing.

Unilateral microtia is a deformity which results in deformed outer ears. Up until now, the only available treatment had been plastic surgery using a patient’s rib cartilage to form an ear shape. However, this relied on a surgeon’s expertise and skills to accurately shape the outer ear.

Thanks to 3D bioprinting, researchers have previously been able to create replicas of body parts and organs. Now, for the first time, researchers have grown ear-shaped cartilage in vitro (i.e. outside of a body).

The 3D Bioprinting Process in Detail

As described in a paper published by EBioMedicine, the team first took CT scans of the patients’ healthy ears. Subsequently, they created a mirror image of the ear using 3DPro CAD software.

The data was then used to create the 3D printed model which was cast as a mold using silicone and clay. The ear scaffold was cast with PGA, a biodegradable material and reinforced.

The team then isolated chondrocyte cells from the malformed ear tissue. Once the cells had grown to sufficient quantities, they were placed across the molds and incubated to nurture replication and growth.

It took 12 weeks for the cells to extend and form collagen and elastin fiber with the mold lattice.

At the same time, the PGA material degraded as the cells spread out. The finished implants consisted mostly of the children’s native tissues.

Following the surgery to place the ear, the patients were monitored over 2.5 years. Remarkably, the authors found that the chondrocytes remained healthy and intact. However, not all their trials went as planned. The authors admit that one of the patient’s new ear produced less cartilage, whilst another received a less aesthetically pleasing ear.

Despite these shortcomings, the new technique offers promise that it could be a viable method in future prosthetics.

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January 30, 2018 at 10:59PM
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NFL Uses HP 3D Scanning Technology to Create Customized Cleats for Players

NFL Uses HP 3D Scanning Technology to Create Customized Cleats for Players
By Tyler Koslow

This week, HP revealed a new partnership with the National Football League, stating that all 32 teams will adopt its FitStation 3D scanning platform to create customized cleats next season.

This coming Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots will clash in Minnesota for Super Bowl LII, the National Football League’s 52nd championship game. Fans from across the world will have their eyes glued to the television to see whether or not the staunch Eagles defensive can put a stop to the championship pedigree of Tom Brady and the Pats.

While most fans will spend Sunday night eagerly watching every play and commercial, the tech giant HP will be directing its excitement to the following year.

Next season, NFL players will have the opportunity to sport customized cleats created with HP’s groundbreaking FitStation platform. On Monday, the global tech company announced the new partnership with the NFL. The professional sports league will adapt the dual hardware and software 3D scanning system into the equipment rooms of all 32 teams.

Released back in September, HP’s FitStation captures 3D scans of the foot, foot pressure measurements, and gait analysis to build a user profile. This collected data will be put into an algorithm that matches each player with previously scanned images of football cleats from Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour.

Learn more: HP Delivers Custom 3D Printed Footwear With FitStation Platform

“We are proud to have HP onboard as an official sponsor and have the ability for the League and each of its 32 clubs to tap into their innovative 3D scanning technology. The NFL’s number one priority is continuing to enhance player safety and performance and by utilizing HP’s technology to give our players personalized cleat recommendations we’re able to continue that mission,” said Renie Anderson, Senior Vice President of Sponsorship and Partnership Management for the NFL.

How HP’s FitStation Platform Could Impact Safety in the NFL

The integration of HP’s FitStation will help support the NFL’s ongoing commitment to improving player health and safety. The platform was selected by the league’s Musculoskeletal Committee, which analyzes injury data and trends, and also studies injury mechanisms and prevention.

“The NFL’s number one priority is continuing to enhance player safety and performance and by utilizing HP’s technology to give our players personalized cleat recommendations we’re able to continue that mission.”

The 3D scanning platform will enable the NFL to produce personalized data to link the play with the shoe that best matches their physical anatomy and athletic needs.

“FitStation is a truly disruptive platform that supports the high safety standards of the NFL and can help personalize players’ cleats. We see tremendous opportunities for FitStation to help athletes in the NFL and other sports perform at their best. It’s the latest example of how HP technology is fueling the future of computing,” said Louis Kim, global head of Immersive Computing, Personal Systems, HP Inc.

According to Dr. Richard Kent, University of Virginia professor and member of the NFL Musculoskeletal Committee, the custom-made cleats can protect players from detrimental injuries such as turf toe, Lisfranc fractures, and high ankle sprains.

The FitStation is capable of capturing up to 500 precise measurements per second, containing nine cameras to automate length, width, and arch-height of the personalized footwear. HP first unveiled the 3D scanning platform back in September 2017, ultimately creating a more complete ecosystem with the highly touted HP Multi Jet Fusion 3D printer.

All in all, the new partnership with the NFL is a major feat for HP, which has already seen a number of big-name companies adapt its 3D printing technology. By coupling this 3D scanning platform with the Multi Jet Fusion system, HP is proving that it can cover the entire length of the field all on its own.

Source: HP

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January 30, 2018 at 09:05PM
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Anycubic i3 Mega: Review the Facts Here!

Anycubic i3 Mega: Review the Facts Here!
By Anatol Locker

The post Anycubic i3 Mega: Review the Facts Here! appeared first on All3DP.

January 30, 2018 at 06:59PM
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