In 2009, something happened that started a 3D printer boom. That’s going to happen once again. Why? Because there’s another round of patents set to begin expiring. In 2009 the original patents for plastic extrusion 3D printing technology finally expired, opening up a legal path for companies such as MakerBot, Ultimaker and projects like RepRap to design very inexpensive machines from which much of today’s 3D printing industry emerged. Now there’s another key patent expiring. It’s by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V., or Fraunhofer Society for the Advancement of Applied Research E.V. and is entitled, “Selective laser sintering at melting temperature”. Here’s the abstract: A method is…

I remember the first 27″ monitor I had. It took a good year to get it requisitioned and cost $899. 1024×768 was the highest resolution and it could bake cookies if you laid it flat. Things have changed just a little bit. BenQ has introduced a 27″ monitor for us CAD/CAM folks with 2560×1440 resolution, 1.07B colors and a slew of display setting for a price of $399. And, they just sent one over. Let’s have a look, shall we? OVERVIEW BenQ has been making a name for itself with industry specific monitors for CAD/CAM, photography and gaming. The BenQ Designer series includes monitors developed specifically for engineers and designers…

While plenty of exciting developments are happening in the product design space, few are as revolutionary as advancements in generative design. The result of artificial intelligence and the simulation of complex scenarios has enabled modern CAD software to play a participatory role in generating forms based on specific inputs provided by a user. The result is not only an entirely new way of manufacturing or creating products optimized for their specific applications, but also an entirely new aesthetic rooted in organic form. While many of these parts—primarily produced through metal-based additive manufacturing methods—have been reserved for aerospace and racecar applications, The Elbo Chair, created by Autodesk Technical Assistant to the…

Say what you will about headphone jacks, dongles, and the post-Steve Jobs era, there’s no denying that Apple is still somewhere at the front (if not the very front) of the pack when it comes to their collective of industrial design and design engineering feats. While some of their more recent design decisions might be questionable, the past two decades tell an entirely different story rooted in jaw-dropping advancements developed by Steve Jobs, Jony Ive, and the notoriously secretive industrial design team at the company’s Cupertino headquarters. Unsurprisingly, Apple and Jony Ive want to tell this story their way. Chronicling the past 20 Years of Apple design, “Designed by Apple…

Let’s be honest here. When it comes to brain-enhancing, head-bobbin’ tuneage for the work week, few things beat our very own SolidSmack Radio. But, sometimes you just need to put all distractions aside for a moment to power through your inbox or get through that next round of design iterations to be home in time to watch Cheers reruns. For those moments, we’re huge believers of Brain.fm. Invented to have the “brain of a neuroscientist and the heart of a musician”, Brain.fm is the most advanced AI music composer on the planet and creates randomly generated music to improve focus (as well as meditation and sleep) with over 1.6 million…

With the recent backlash from the #designfail that is the new MacBook Pro to those who want more mobility without sacrificing computing power, the near future of hardware options for professionals is looking…interesting. And while tablets continue to cater to many needs of design professionals, they still lack the power needed for, well, actual design work. Could the answer be…a portable Mini PC? If the response at HP’s unveiling at Autodesk University this week in Las Vegas is any indication, it just might be. Designed for the “workspace of the future”, the HP Z2 Mini packs the performance of a more robust workstation into the body of a sleek black…