The top 10 3D printing concepts of 2014 so far
3D printers inspire creativity and ground-breaking design, and the new concepts emerging from labs at the moment will surely shape and revolutionise the way we live and work.
Let’s take a look at 10 of the best 3D printing concepts that have come out of 2014 so far.
1.3D PRINTED FIGURINES
Recently, supermarket ASDA has opened scanning booths in their stores to create eight inch 3D printed dolls for customers.
The ‘Mini Me’ booth, which can capture a 3D image of a person in just 12 seconds, was first introduced in the Trafford store in Manchester. ASDA believe this is the beginning of a new craze, labelling the little models ‘shelfies’, and believe that it could reinvent the modern day ‘selfie’.
Bands have also started tapping into this market, with rock band Linkin Park releasing a limited number of 3D printed models for their fans. Boy band, Union J, of X Factor fame have also recently launched tiny 3D printed figures of themselves.
2. 3D PRINTED FACE IMPLANT
This month, biomedical devices company, Oxford Performance Materials announced their recent development and latest addition to the catalogue of 3D printed body parts; a face!
The design was manufactured in the hope that patients, who need facial reconstructive surgery after an accident, are able to get a new face printed.
The printed face is entirely customisable and is made up of lots of separate parts which can then be made to fit into an individual’s skull.
3. 3D PRINTED DINOSAUR BONES
Museums are using 3D printing for the reproduction of rare and expensive pieces. They are also using the 3D models online, making them viewable for educational purposes and fully 3D printable on a common desktop 3D printer for those who want their own life-size version.
The method that they used to use was far more time-consuming and costly, as they had to sculpt the bones out of clay, using silicone moulds and then they would cast the bones from resin afterwards.
Earlier this year, palaeontologist Jeffrie Parker and engineer Kirk Brown created a large model of a Dryosaurusthat they luckily discovered in Wyoming, America. They managed to break a scanned model up into 20 different STL files which when put together, where they then built a huge replica measuring a massive 50 inches in lengh and 15 inches in height.
4. 3D DUCK FOOT
3D printing has also proved to make the lives of animals a little more liveable; with a duck named Buttercup acquiring a brand new 3D printed foot this week.
This wasn’t the first time that Buttercup has made the news, as he gained international exposure earlier in the year when he was blessed with a printed leg. Now he is able to swim like normal!
5. 3D PRINTED IPHONE CASES
3D printing machine, MakerBot has now introduced an app to its developer program, enabling you to print custom iPhone cases.
The people behind MakerBot are attempting to appeal to new customers or individuals who would like a new hobby. BrePattis, the CEO of this amazing product, says that phone cases have been extremely popular with the early adopters of the 3D printer, thus the rationale behind this concept.
6. 3D PRINTED WATCHES
A man named Ignacio Garcia, who is founder and CEO of 3D printing materials company, Recreus, has recently developed the unique looking fuzzy watch.
During a 3D printing course, he learned a new method called ‘baking texture geometry’, which opened the door for him designing and creating the fuzzy watch below.
The watch bands were printed on a LEWIHE 3D printer at high speeds of 100mm per second, and were moulded at a high temperature of 230 degrees. After he had made the bands, he inserted cheap watch faces that he purchased on eBay.
7. 3D PRINTED SHOES
Recently, a company called Continuum Fashion paved the way for 3D printed couture, releasing the world’s first 3D printed shoe collection.
The shoe line, named ‘Myth’, hosts many different styles of shoe, from high heels to wedges. The designer of the shoes, Mary Huang has called them ‘computational couture’, and says that 3D printing could have a positive impact on fashion’s environmental footprint. We may even be able to design and print out our own shoes from our sofas in years to come!
8. 3D PRINTED GUN
In the US this year, a company called Defense Distributed created the world’s first gun using a 3D printer, however plans to put the blueprints online has caused a lot of controversy.
The gun, which was manufactured from separate printed components used ABS plastic and cost just over 5k.
9. 3D PRINTING PEN
The 3Doodler have unveiled their unique 3D writing pen that allows you to create 3D objects in mid-air when it fires out melted plastic.
Users can create designs by downloading blueprints of famous landmarks and then trace them onto paper to create a miniature model.
With three different writing speeds and more than 12 colours, users are able to create pretty much any design they desire.
10. 3D PRINTED CASTLE
American man, Andrey Rudenko is planning on building his very own 2 story home using a 3D printer, but to test out his idea, he has first printed a small castle.
His 3D printer printed layers of concrete measuring only 10mm in height and 30mm width, which is shown perfectly in the finished building as it shows each detail wonderfully.
For more fun blogs, tips and advice, have a read through the rest of our blog. If you’ve seen any cool 3D printed objects lately, please let us know on our facebook page.