Though 3D printing is imperative for many hardware developers, it’s usually the price of the printer that stops a lot of folks from purchasing their own—as opposed to using an office 3D printer or a 3D printing service. After all, a half-decent desktop 3D printer capable of keeping your tolerances tight can cost well over a thousand dollars. It’s this fine line between affordability and quality of printing that the SparkMaker FHD walks. After its first successful Kickstarter campaign, the SparkMaker FHD is trying to one-up its predecessor by adding a 1080 LCD screen and four new resin types to make printing easier and versatile. The new SparkMaker has Bluetooth…

Being able to talk to friends and relatives from far away via Skype or Facetime is all well and good, but it just doesn’t have the physical interaction you get when the person is actually beside you. Combined with the first few minutes wasted shouting to see if the person can hear you over the laptop and you realize you’re fussing more over technology than having an actual conversation. Now I’m not saying FUSION (short for Full Body Surrogacy for Collaborative Communication) is the newest way to talk to someone online, but the way it communicates is quite unique—and it just may change the way designers and engineers from around…

Like a warm embrace first thing in the morning, few things are better to wake up to than a hot cup of joe. And when you’re stepping into a cold warehouse or shop before the sun rises, that hot cup of joe isn’t just a small luxury; it’s an absolute necessity. Which is all the more reasons why we love this lithium-ion cordless coffee maker from Makita. Yes — that Makita. Using the same batteries that power Makita’s expanding 18V Lithium-Ion Series of power tools, the DCM500Z 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless/Corded Coffee Maker is capable of delivering fresh hot coffee no matter where the job takes you—be it at your…

A tailwind caught the sails. We could do it – cut the reefs and jump the sandbars. We would have to hit the engine cycles perfectly though and make sure the cords held the turnip load. Fear would have overtaken us, but we had plenty of cord, cord made from the sinew of these links. Vincent Jenkins – Wonderful concept work from the Oxford, UK. A mix of the future and the ancient past and ships that just drench the eyes. Picular.io – Google, but for colors. Infra – A while we’re talking colors, these photographs by Pierre-Louis Ferrer will have you wondering how he brings out a single color.…

After watching a video of Prusa Research headquarters, it’s increasingly obvious that time is up for new 3D printer startups. The video, produced by 3D printing YouTube Channel 3DMN and appearing below, is an informal tour of the Prusa Research manufacturing site, where that company produces thousands of desktop 3D printers each and every month. It’s a fascinating watch, as it shows each step Prusa Research takes to manufacture their machines. Steps include component storage, physical assembly, electronics and of course, testing and quality control. https://youtu.be/GDiF6XPI2UI What’s most interesting is the scale of the operation. These steps each take up several large rooms in Prusa Research’s manufacturing center and are…

Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader. The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off while reading the top stories on SolidSmack this past week. Oh and uh…don’t forget to shed some much-needed sunlight on your face, too. Ford Employees Are Now Using Exoskeletons in Car Assembly You read it correctly; exoskeletons aren’t just fantasy anymore—they’re officially now a tool in the workforce. But unlike the mechanical aids you see…