Remember LEGO’s Bugatti Chiron model kit earlier this year? Well, apparently they thought 3,599 pieces wasn’t enough… so they made a life-sized version to go with the 1:8 scale replica. It isn’t for show either; this LEGO “supercar” consists of over 1,000,000 non-glued bricks and can hold two passengers while accelerating to over 20 km/h. The engine is made from LEGOs as well – featuring 2,304 motors, 4,302 Technic gear wheels, and 2,016 Technic cross axles; it can push out a total torque of 92 Nm and 5.3 horsepower. Technic designers and engineers who normally work on large-scale projects for LEGO stores and LEGOLAND parks are responsible for this mechanical…

Long considered an indispensable asset for anybody working in CAD, the 3D mouse is a quintessential tool that belongs on the desktop of any industrial designer or engineer. Within a 3D application such as SolidWorks, Rhino, Fusion 360, or Keyshot, the directional, zoom and rotate functions provide an intuitive extension of the users’ design intent. To put it quite simply, a 3D mouse helps get rid of those annoying repetitive keystrokes and allows the designer to come as close to possible to holding their digital 3D design in the physical world. As pioneers of the 3D mouse territory, 3Dconnexion has blazed a trail with their SpaceMouse collection. And when it…

Young whippersnappers may not know this, but before cell phones could do everything from SMS messaging to your taxes, we had other pieces of hardware to do these tasks separately. Walkmans played music through cassette tapes, accountants did your taxes, and yes, even calculators had their own blocky, hefty designs. Lofree’s Digit Calculator pays homage to this bygone age with its flat retro design, giant buttons and screen, and… you guessed it, mechanical switch keys. While most of the features are based on the same calculators your parents used when balancing their finances, the keys themselves use blue mechanical switches to get some extra responsiveness whenever you press them. Just…

Electronics these days are a dime a dozen. With large companies like Apple and Microsoft duking it out for consumers’ attention, smaller brands need to find creative ways to present themselves to stand out from your run-of-the-mill Beats By Dre. Mapuguaquén (which translates to ‘sound of the earth’ in South American Mapuche) isn’t the easiest brand name to pronounce, but its range of handmade clay speakers are most certainly easy on the eyes. While the acoustics are made in Germany, the sourcing of organic materials and production are done by native craftsmen in Nacimiento, Chile. And it shows… The speakers give you some sweet sounding tunes while showcasing the different…

It may not look like it, but those tiny comics on the side of your tax returns could one day be the next Calvin and Hobbes hit. And while you really shouldn’t be drawing on your tax returns, it just goes to show how something so small can spark a really big idea. The 3Doodler Create+ takes your misplaced creativity and allows you to bring your doodles into the third dimension. Using a special nozzle, it extrudes hot PLA, ABS, and FLEXY plastics which harden rapidly as you draw your desired 3D object. Two buttons near the nozzle allow you to adapt the 3Doodler for slow or fast printing. Slow…

It’s time for another round of apps that cover the spectrum of your beloved mobile device(s)! The Weekly App Smack is the best of new or updated design and productivity apps (and maybe a couple of fun ones, too) for the busy design or engineering professional and this week we have a list sure to make you more efficient. 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 into tips@solidsmack.com. Hit it! Photomath (iOS — Free) Simply point your camera toward a math problem and Photomath will magically show the result with a…