Since screaming on to the rapid prototyping scene in 2013, 3D Hubs has been relentless in making sure their message is heard. Billed as the “AirBnB of 3D Printing”, the company’s business model is based on experienced 3D printer technicians renting out their equipment to other users on a per-project-basis. Not surprisingly, the 3D Hubs crew has learned a thing or two about what makes for “good design for 3D printing” — and now, they want to share it with all of us. Released just this week, The 3D Printing Handbook | Technologies, Design, and Applications was written for design and engineering professionals looking to master the key aspects of 3D…

It’s not very often—if ever—that a software app is made in response to a mass distaste for a particular hardware feature. And as Apple’s design team has learned time and time again, you can’t please everybody all the time. The most recent example comes from the “notch” in the physical body of the new iPhone X—a necessary feature that houses the phone’s new face-scanning camera and allows for the rest of the screen to bleed to the outermost edges of the device. Truth be told, having an irregular bump in your line of sight can be a bit distracting. Now, even Apple themselves are acknowledging this. The company recently approved…

When they hit the scene back in 2006, the TechShop business model had everything going for it: a fitness gym-like membership program for the use of manufacturing and other shop equipment. For many urban-dwelling designers or engineers, the wide open shop floors provided a haven to work on weekend projects and use industrial machinery. For educators and parents attempting to introduce children to STEM skills, the friendly facility became an indispensable classroom. Sadly, the business model proved to be unprofitable for those involved, and today, TechShop CEO Jim Newton announced that all TechShop locations are closing immediately. Anybody with existing memberships to the company is instructed to email the trustee…

Just in time for Autodesk University this week in Las Vegas, Lenovo announced some welcome new additions to their ThinkStation and ThinkPad product line. In particular, an exciting new mobile workstation offering for 3D professionals on-the-go. The ThinkStation P520 and P250c are desktops for designers, architects, and 3D professionals, while the ThinkPad P52s is the company’s thinnest, lightest and, yes folks, now QUAD-CORE mobile workstation. ThinkStation P520 and P520C Starting with the desktop workstation, both the P520 and P520c feature Intel Xeon W processors—each of which holds up to 18 cores with speeds of up to 4.5GHz running Windows 10 Pro OS. The P520, the more powerful machine, holds up…

When it comes to work wear, it’s not always easy to find something that’s both functional and could be pulled off in the office. Thankfully, the expert craftsmen over at LC King Manufacturing and Design have got this sorted. The company’s Indigo Denim Chore Coat—made of lightweight 100% cotton RAW denim—includes four top-loading patch pockets for your pens or smartphone and polished nickel buttons on the cuffs, a snap pocket, and down the front. Sold in its unwashed, unprocessed RAW form, the coat is built entirely by Cone Denim Mills at their White Oak facility in Greensboro, NC. So whether you’re strapping up for a day in the shop, or…

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@www.solidsmack.com. Hit it! Adobe Scan (iOS — Free) Go from paper to digital fast. The free Adobe Scan app turns your device into a…