Recently I’ve seen moves by several 3D printer manufacturers to position their equipment for use in specific industries, and this is a strong trend. Let me explain my thinking here: years ago, when the initial 3D printing patents expired, a large number of 3D printing startups appeared. Most tended to offer very basic equipment with limited capabilities. Some were even slightly reliable, but most were not.  Over time that changed. Equipment functionality improved, as did reliability. But in all this progress the most common scenario was a device that had no specific purpose. When asked, company representatives would provide vague assertions that their 3D printer could be used for aerospace,…

Despite it not being proven (yet), the Loch Ness Monster has its fair share of cult followers; not all of whom are as crazy as you think. Some just like the idea of a giant sea creature guarding the waters of Scotland, so much so that they want to make a giant wooden egg in place of the real deal. YouTube channel Etienne Morin Woodturning has taken a Cherrywood burl and turned it into an egg Nessie would be proud to nurture: After chipping off the bark, he readies the resin and pours it into the burl’s many holes, cracks, and crevices. Most of the resin mixture goes into a…

If you ever wanted to recreate some of your favorite movie shots but didn’t have the Hollywood budget for a high-end camera, then be glad you live in the 20th century. Almost all cameras these days, be they on the higher or lower end, have a good photo and video-taking capabilities. Even if you don’t know how to use the various filters and features of your phone or camera, you can still make a bad video look good in post thanks to the power of computer editing. Just take a look at YouTuber Karen Cheng, who stretches her creativity by using a bunch of Insta360 cameras and clever tricks to…

Have you ever wondered how new machine gears get their intricate, well-defined grooves? The answer is just like anything new made in this world: through the pain and suffering of much older gears and machines. Medley’s Mechanical Engineering is an Instagram page dedicated to showing the behind-the-scenes work done by machines that make parts for a new tech generation. Most of the videos feature various types of CNC machines which use sharp grooves to sculpt different kinds of metals: Different machines have different methods of cutting specific gears. Some use a single rotating cutting tool while others use two simultaneous parts that cut the gear while oil is poured over…

While most of the topics we share on SolidSmack show the beneficial and awesome aspects of design, there are some which are… less than savory. Just take a look at how digital artist Simon Weckert takes advantage of Google Maps’ GPS locator technology to create his own personal traffic jam: Now you’re probably thinking where all the cars are at; and that’s just it: there are none. By lugging 99 second-hand smartphones in a red wagon in the middle of the street throughout the city of Berlin, Weckert has effectively created a virtual traffic jam. Each phone has their GPS turned on, and by walking through the areas where cars…

If you’re a youngin’ whose neurons have just myelinated or an educator who’s responsible for bludgeoning their brain tissue with knowledge, there’s a 3D printer option you’ll want to add to your lab list – A RIZE 3D Printer. If you’re unfamiliar with RIZE, they came on the scene in 2017, introducing the RIZE ONE 3D printer at SOLIDWORKS World. It turned heads as the first (to our knowledge) to provide 3D printing in the office, with zero VOCs, zero post-processing with solvents, and no need for a technician. Then, in November 2019 at FORMNEXT, they brought the same technology to the XRIZE full-color + composite 3D printer. Both are…