It’s not everyday where you hear about a twenty-something who has not only built an impressive feat of engineering (alongside his grandfather no less)…but has also turned down six-figure offers for the build. However Zac Mihajlovic of Camden, Australia is not your everyday superhero, either. The self-confessed Batman fanatic has built what is claimed to…

Known as the go-to dev board for those looking to prototype with electronics, the Raspberry Pi’s stripped-down Linux PC circuit board is the perfect starting point for those looking to create wearables and other small computer projects. Aiming to bring that power to even smaller devices, Raspberry Pi today announced the Model A+, an even…

It’s hard not to appreciate concrete from a manufacturing standpoint regardless of your taste for or against the cool minimalist aesthetic. Between its widespread availability and ability to be formed into literally any cavity, concrete is an excellent medium for the cheap up-front cost of manufacturing with it alone. Among other designers who have been…

We can’t believe that we missed this one pre-Halloween…but it’s just too dang good to not put out either way. Originally conceived of by Stephen Endersby, a Product Manager over at SolidWorks, this zombie-themed SolidWorks Simulation activity effectively helps you learn the basics of simulation in SolidWorks while testing zombie attack survival strategies. In this…

With products such as GoldieBlocks, LEGO Mindstorms and Arduino making waves in the toy industry and media, it’s easy to forget some of the more simple products that provide the basic foundation for making things…such as construction sets. Aiming to fill this overlooked niche is Ingocraft, a new 3D printing-focused company that offers both a…

Consisting of over 15,000 square meters of world-class automobile manufacturing equipment, the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy is one of the most iconic and visited automobile manufacturing facilities in the world. Having been the location for the famous Ferrari factory since the early 1940s, Enzo Ferrari chose the Northern Italy spot due to complications having…

Known partly for their famous connection to Steve McQueen (thanks in no small part to a legendary Sports Illustrated cover), Swedish motorcycle company Husqvarna has been called “the two-wheeled version of what Mini is to BMW’s car division” since being bought by the automotive giant in July of 2007. Similar to the Mini, Husqvarna Motorcycles…

Every so often a project comes along on Instructables that really, truly is useful…if for nothing but creating great conversations. The ‘EWaste 60$ 3DPrinter’ from first-time Instructables author mikelllc is one of those projects. To begin with, this is the perfect project for anybody that wants to learn more about how a standard CNC system…

Having accelerated out of the gate with multiple industry event appearances and even a feature on NBC’s Today Show, Local Motors has been enjoying their moment in the spotlight with their first 3D printed car, The Strati. The design and production of the Strati began with a crowdsourced design competition on Local Motors’ unique crowdsourced…

While glimpses into the design process and fabrication methods have become more available than ever thanks to cheaper video cameras (e.g. smartphones), free online video hosting and overall public interest, it’s still not too common when a video spans the entire manufacturing process from raw material to finished product. In ‘BEAM / The Making Of’,…

Between the Shapeways-Façade that Hasbro has set up for experimenting with the customized fabrication of My Little Pony dolls to Sesame Street’s decision to grab hands with MakerBot to create extruded yellow ooey-gooey plastic Big Birds, it’s no secret that toy brands and manufacturers are lining up in droves to cash in on this ‘3D…

On a quiet street dotted with art galleries in New York City this morning, HP announced that they have developed a new ‘vision’ of the future of content creation and are releasing two new products that bring that vision to life: HP Multi Jet Fusion Technology and the Sprout by HP immersive computer. While there…

Let’s be honest here: talking about new 3D printers has become an almost nauseating exercise. From Kickstarter dreams to different sizes of MakerBots, very little has truly changed the game of speed, quality and cost of getting something 3D printed. The Multi Jet Fusion technology announced by HP this morning has not only changed the…

With low-volume manufacturing methods becoming cheaper and more readily available, the amount of designers cranking out bicycles and bicycle accessories to the tune of their own liking has increased exponentially within the past few years. Among others who have jumped into the bicycle manufacturing game is ex-Nike Innovation Director Rich Fox and his new Circa…

Having been the designer of the world’s first laptop computer and co-founding one of the world’s leading design firms, IDEO, Bill Moggridge’s life is as colorful as they come for those in the field of designing human experiences. After having earned an industrial design degree in 1965 from the Central School of Art and Design…

It’s no secret that the ‘urban bicycle’ is a hot topic in bicycle design circles. With the rising popularity of the recent Oregon Manifest–an annual nationwide competition that pairs design firms with small bicycle fabricators to create the ‘ultimate’ urban bicycle–along with a host of bike-related infrastructure developments, urban cycling is on the forefront of…

Every. Simpsons. Episode. Ever. Need we say more? Head over to Simpsons World to stream via your browser or get the FXNow App to stream to your devices. Just remember to occasionally use that second monitor for something other than watching the Simpsons.

While modern CAD tools have made the product design workflow easier than ever (depending on who you ask), the need for more simple tools including sketchbooks, a favorite pen and even a ball of clay and calipers are still essential tools on a product design or engineer’s desktop. But what if ‘going digital’ didn’t necessarily…

Inventables, a department store-like supplier for those who invent physical objects has released their first personally-designed product this morning on Kickstarter in the form of Carvey. Billed as a ‘3D Carver’, the desktop manufacturing machine soared past its funding goal in less than 90 minutes earlier this morning and is close to already tripling their…

After a colorful career as a design director of Nike and now having ‘retired’ to establish the Pensole Footwear Design Academy in Portland, Oregon, D’Wayne Edwards has been showing no signs of slowing down. The self-educated footwear designer came from a rough neighborhood in Los Angeles and got his first job at LA Gear after…

When bringing up the topic of digitally fabricated furniture, it’s difficult to not bring up Joris Laarman’s infamous Bone Chair (which is one part of an entire Bone Furniture collection). The bone structure-inspired chair, which was among the first and most unique experiments in applying digital fabrication techniques to furniture, still sits in museums and…

There is something delightful about the Odin Kickstarter video. I can’t decide if it’s because the project was created by a small family with a bright idea (dog included) or the final scene in the video (you’ll just have to watch to find out). Either way, it’s fun, simple and effective projects like these that…

When your first design objective is ‘It Needs to Look Awesome’, chances are it will probably not only look awesome but BE awesome, too. Such is the case with mechanical designer Pat Starace’s 3D printed Iron Man prosthetic hand. While only one has been made (and requests have been pouring in, apparently), the concept is…

After a series of unfortunate events including criticisms of his design decisions and problems with manufacturers in their complicated supply chain leading up to their largest new product release category in years, the notoriously public-shy Jony Ive has been opening up more to various media outlets as of late. What makes these recent interviews interesting…

Having been manufacturing skateboard decks since 1991, Long Island, NY-based Chapman Skateboards have been the number-one supplier of skateboard decks for the largest East Coast skate brands including Zoo York, Hopps, Supreme, Infamous and a host of other smaller brands. By the looks of the outside of the factory, you would think that their facility–roughly…

Already a leader in defining how modern day CAD tools should be bundled and priced, Autodesk has announced a new package for their popular Fusion 360 modeling and manufacturing platform. ‘Fusion 360 Ultimate’ will include all of the existing features of the existing Fusion 360 package but will also include 2D drawings, 3D exploded views…

If you were one of the lucky few who was a kid back when the original Star Wars films were released (sadly, I wasn’t), chances are the official ‘Star Wars’ toys were a huge part of your childhood. While the original toys are primarily in the hands of eccentric collectors these days (and selling for…

While the ‘BendGate’ issues of the iPhone 6 Plus have certainly put a sour taste in Jony Ives’ tea over the past couple of weeks, it is merely just a hiccup in an otherwise storied career for the famed industrial designer. The notoriously shy Ives recently invited an interviewer from Vogue Magazine into Apple’s top-secret…

As the remote and always-mobile worker becomes more commonplace, it can be easy to forget just how many tools we are actually carrying around in our backpacks or pockets…be it in widget, browser, or application form. But just how much have we been able to squeeze into our little machines? How have we evolved into…

Having worked out considerably well for Local Motors, the crowdsourced design business model is certainly something on the radar of companies in other industries. The approach not only stirs up new ideas for a manufacturer, but also allows inspired users to fix whatever shortcomings they might see with an existing user experience…not a bad trade.…

Last week we gave you a heads up about a new short film from creative firm Bassett & Partners that explores what the meaning of a design brief is from the point of view of a variety of creative visionaries. This morning, the informative short film went live and is totally worth 26 minutes of…

Known as one of the strongest and lightest materials to work with, carbon fiber is also not without its limitations…particularly in the color department. Aiming to change that, a team of engineers with over 20 years of experience working with Formula One cars have been spending the last 7 years developing the world’s first colored…

When it first rolled off the production line in 2007, the Rally Fighter from Local Motors presented an entirely disruptive way of approaching automobile design and manufacturing. More specifically, it proved that an automobile could be made in local facilities from a crowdsourced design direction. While Local Motors has been busy producing the Rally Fighter…

By now we all know about Apple’s looming hardware design issue centered around their revolutionary and pliable iPhone 6 Plus design. We don’t need to get into specifics about ‘BendGate’ here, but if you’re one of the select few who purchased an iPhone 6 Plus and haven’t decided if you want to hand over your…

If you’re going to be in Portland, Oregon this next week, be sure to add Design Week Portland to your list of things to do. The annual October event features a wide gamut of design-based events and activities ranging from speakers such as Stefan Sagmeister and Carl Alviani to more hands-on workshops and of course…epic…

Founded by three former Mercedes engineers in 1967, AMG was created as a way for Mercedes-Benz to experiment with new technologies in the automotive racing world before passing those technologies down the line to consumer automobiles. Regardless if you’re a fan of Mercedes-Benz or not, it’s hard to not appreciate the level of detailed engineering…

For decades, the ability to view sea life without a snorkel or expensive scuba gear has been limited to glass-bottom boat tours, aquariums and if you were lucky enough, a submarine tour. Boat manufacturer Clear Blue Hawaii is aiming to change that and make the viewing experience for personal water vessels a full 360-degree experience…

After much speculation and internet chatter, it has been confirmed by Apple that “yes”, their phones do bend. While they have said that only nine cases have been reported, there’s no saying exactly what Apple’s definition of ‘reported’ is nor why the phones are actually bending. Apple opened up their ‘iPhone Torture Lab’ to various…

Earlier this year SolidSmack reported on ‘Print the Legend’, a feature-length documentary that focused on the 3D printing revolution and what has become of it. Starting today, the film will be available on Netflix as one of their ‘Netflix Original’ documentaries. The film focuses on the rise of consumer-friendly 3D printer manufacturers MakerBot and Formlabs…

When it comes to executing design projects exceptionally, communication between the client and the design team is always key. In most cases the design brief is where the conversation starts and depending on what the end goal is, can mean the difference between future collaborations or a disastrous stumble across the finish line…if it even…

When it comes to smartphones, the most logical place to keep it when not in use would be a front pocket, right? Well, we may soon be hearing from Apple that we are “doing it wrong” if recent reports from MacRumors are confirmed: the new iPhone 6 bends by simply having it in your front…

It’s not very often when you come across an industrial designer who has a desire to bring what is commonly hidden by a panel or housing out into the open in all of its glorious and mechanical gleam. Such is the case with industrial designer Simon Williamson. The Britain-born designer honed his chops at Frog…

When it comes to snowboards, the process of getting from sketch to a final ridable design requires more patience-testing steps than most people would probably assume. Between sourcing the base materials, planning the final design, generating artwork, pressing, gluing, shaving and cleaning the final edges, the entire process can take days for a single board.…

Earlier this week, SolidSmack reported on Local Motors’ latest project, the Strati. Having began with a crowdsourced design competition, the Strati is a single-print 3D printed electric car that is pushing Local Motors into a new territory as an on-demand automobile manufacturer. Presented as a part of the International Manufacturing Technology Show 2014 in Chicago,…

Red Lines? Green Lines? Perpendicular? Let me see the pen! This short highlights the craziness that can happen in client meetings and according to the the filmmakers, “illustrates how hard it is for an engineer to fit into the corporate world”. Definitely worth 7 minutes and 34 seconds of your time today…

What would CAD look like if you started fresh, and built it from the ground up for the way engineers work today? …so says the text on the spankin’ new Onshape homepage. No seriously, what would it look like? The venture-backed company has been busy applying cloud, web and mobile technologies to develop a new-take…

We’ve been known to like GrabCAD a whole lot here on SolidSmack. While the list of reasons ‘why’ is quite long, we can sum it up by saying that similar to our friend Al Dean over at Develop3D, we have been believers in the company from day one and have enjoyed watching it grow up…

Previously, SolidSmack reported on Norwegian designer Stian Korntved Ruud and his commitment to carving one spoon per day for a full year. While carving 365 entirely unique wooden spoon designs in a year is dang impressive, artist Roxy Paine’s recently-opened art exhibition ‘Denuded Lens’ is up there with the rest of them for ‘cool stuff…

When it comes to manufacturing supercars, keeping every last detail in the manufacturing process organized beyond the levels of normal human brain capacity is of the utmost importance in order to deliver a quality product. The same can be said about any product, really…but when you’re both paying as much as it costs for a…

Whether or not 3D printing an actual car makes absolute sense, somebody had to be the first do it properly. Naturally, that would be Local Motors, the crowdsourced automotive design hub and makers of the Rally Fighter. The company made history this past weekend when they introduced their hyped ‘Strati 3D printed car’ concept that,…