In FAB

Big News for Makers, Kids… Autodesk Launching 123D Absolutely Free

3 Mins Read

You may have guessed it would happen. You may have seen a small group of children exiting a school yard in a zombie-like state chanting, “FEED US, FEED US EASY TO USE 3D SOFTWARE.” No doubt to create and manufacture some killer Barbie/Truck mods. Same for the maker crowd. Is there any 3D software created specifically around the idea of DIY? Easy enough for anyone to use, create and send off to make? I, as would many others, say, NO… not until now.

Autodesk is launching a new modeling program into the maker-sphere. A free program, an easy program focused directly on getting that idea out of the digital space and into the living space. It’s Autodesk 123D and it’s the first time we’ve seen a 3D software company officially team up with DIY fab friends, Ponoko and Techshop. Here’s what to look forward to.

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In SMACKDOWN

Friday Smackdown: Cupquaker

1 Min Read

The chalice maker inhaled the deep freezing air. Vegetation was sparse, but where the tentacles had bubbled up through the surface, an oddity took shape. They twisted about him, coating him with the warm goop of these links. Denis Zilber – You’ve likely seen his art. Wonderful, playful character illustration that charms your imagination. Fight…

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In DESIGN

Skin Flapping Speed with the MLS Gravity Bike

2 Mins Read

My eyes! They’re bleeding. Flattened by the sheer velocity of awesomeness. I often forget the times spent as a child, beating the frame of a bike into an abomination of blood-letting bliss. Jagged edges, missing spokes, lighter, faster. All you needed was a steep hill and a thick pair of Garanimal corduroys.

Jeff Tiedeken of Monkey Likes Shiny knows the feeling and he’s bringing the rawk home in the slick, clean flavor of welded aluminum. He calls it the Gravity Speed bike, a project the Aerospace welder/party animal has been working on for the better part of the year. It’s made for pure speed – no chains, cranks or pedals to hold you back. Just beautful curves and a banana seat that holds your buttocks millimeters off the rear wheel.

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In 3D CAD TECH

Open Compute Brings the Open Hardware (and the 3D Models They Use)

2 Mins Read

How does Facebook build their massive server infrastructure? You don’t care? You might after you hear why, see how and download the 3D models they use to make the servers that store all your private information. This is Facebook’s bread and butter. They’ve opened up how they build their data centers and how they’ve developed the units to be lighter, more efficient, and less pretty. It’s an amazing project being supported by the likes of Dell, HP, AMD, Intel, Rackspace and others. It’s called the Open Compute Project and it’s all laid out for your hardware building obsession.

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In FAB

3D Printing the Car. Up close with Eco Car Urbee.

5 Mins Read

Maybe you’re walking down the street. The middle of the street. You can, because they are empty while people charge their electric cars. Suddenly… WHAM! Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go rings in your ears as you lift your body off the pavement. You’ve just been hit by an Urbee. “I’ve just been hit by an Urbee,” you say. You would file a hit and run report, except you feel honored that your hip-bone has been slightly fractured by its 3D printed exterior. You recall 3D printed architecture, but this, this was a car.

Jim Kor, owner of Kor Product Design and professional engineer, has a special place in his own hip-bone for the Urbee. He’s the Project lead and Senior Designer on the team creating the hybrid three-wheel, rear-engine car. We caught up with him over email to find out a little more behind the process of being one of the first to attempt using 3D printers in the process of manufacturing a car. Here’s the story.

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