It wasn’t too long ago when the concept of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the capabilities of generative design seemed like some far off sci-fi future. Yet, both technologies are alive and kicking in 2019—and they came together recently to test the implementation of generative design and additive manufacturing capabilities in the field of UAVs. The Helyx Drone, from Italian design and manufacturing company Sigma Ingegneria, focuses on the development of a First Person View (FPV) drone for racing and freestyle applications. Created using Autodesk Fusion 360 (and seen here rendered in Keyshot), the design process took into account three key factors that are fundamental to the development of an FPV…

As purveyors of prime Grade A web content, the SolidSmack crew has done some of the heavy-lifting to make sure you get your Mondays started on the right track. Welcome to The Monday List. Every Monday, we link you up with some of the most insightful, informative, and socially-relevant stories to keep tabbed, bookmarked, reading listed, pocketed, or what have you to get your week started on the right foot. Be sure to check in each week for a new crop of freshly sprouted words curated straight from the source of your favorite homegrown ‘Smack. What We’re Reading This Week: With Xi in Its Corner, the Nike of China Wants to…

Being one of the be-all and end-all applications for designing, Autodesk is expanding its Fusion 360 repertoire by adding extensions. Much like paying a premium subscription for a video streaming service, this feature will provide Fusion 360 subscribers access to more specialized tools which not everyone may need on a daily basis. Using Cloud Credits you can purchase from the software itself, you can enable these extensions for however long you may need them. Say you’re working on manufacturing a product. By subscribing to the Manufacturing Extension (which just so happens to be Fusion 360’s first extension), you get access to features which let you orient objects for printing, set…

There’s no denying that the iPad is still the best tablet design out there—whether you go with the standard entry-level model or leverage the power of an iPad Pro. And with the release of iPadOS in late September, professionals can get even more of a desktop-like experience out of it. For this week’s roundup of our favorite apps, we’re picking six of our favorite apps to use on the all-new operating system. Do you have an app suggestion that has made your life easier or changed up your workflow? Let us know in the comments below or send it to tips@solidsmack.com. Hit it! Shapr 3D CAD modeling (iPadOS — Free) Shapr3D…

As mankind’s ever-growing desire to make his own stuff increases, so does the amount of materials he can use to 3D print with. Wood, metal, carbon fiber, and now… wool? Researchers at the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning developed a new felting process—dubbed Hard + Soft—that allows for different kinds of wool and polyester to be interwoven together in three dimensions: Creating different tools and workflows, the team used their new robotic needle felting technique to make a number of prototype panels and a single footstool. These showcase a number of different felting techniques such as shingling, shiplap (overlapping layers of felt over each other),…

While they started as a simple peer-to-peer 3D printing network for locating desktop 3D printers in your area, Amsterdam-based 3D Hubs has since expanded into a full online custom part service. Now, the company offers industrial 3D printing, CNC machining, and injection molding. With the addition of sheet metal fabrication, announced at EMO Hannover last month, engineers now have one more reason to turn to 3D Hubs for all their custom part sourcing needs. Used to produce thin metal parts in a range of different industries ranging from aerospace to packaging, sheet metal fabrication is well-suited for both prototypes and end-use parts. The range of materials offered by 3D Hubs…