Friday 28 February 2014

#3DPM in Space Race!

#3DPM is going to the Moon! Well as near as we can J

The ‘Manchester Space Programme’ was officially launched to an enthusiastic and packed venue at the Manchester digital laboratories (MadLab). #3DPM as a member of the ‘Makers in Space’ UK community network, will be doing its bit and making the right stuff to get a genuine satellite into orbit, doing valuable scientific research.

Here is what the competition are up to...

http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/tychobrahe.php

And here is the Top Gear Reliant Robin Space Shuttle made in Manchester, which was a magnificent piece of rocket engineering and only let down by a faulty explosive release bolt, watch the YouTube video, it is impressive...

http://youtu.be/pJdrlWR-yFM


There is a lot to do and this is a serious venture “THE MISSION IS TO GO WHERE OTHERS HAVE GONE BEFORE MORE COST EFFECTIVELY and DO IMPORTANT STUFF” such as save the planet, cure cancer, etc etc..

The project has been seed funded by the UK Space Agency’s ‘Space for all’ initiative and now we have to get into the details of the what, how and when; which needs your input.

We have already bounced ideas around about putting a cat into space, so if you’re a cat or dog lover or animal lover of any kind, get involved to stop this barbaric act and suggest something better J

To paraphrase the late great JFK “We choose to get into the Manchester Space Program, not because it’s easy, but because it’s hard, because the goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.”


PS:   Calling all radio hammers! Start helping us get the communications organised, please J




Thursday 20 February 2014

#3DPM@MadLab 24th January 2014

Welcome back 3D printing vultures! Another group night at MadLab has come and gone, and another night where we were rushed off our feet by the people who were looking to satisfy their lust for additive manufacture.
BCP Labs 01 3D Printer

We had a great time with the hardware sessions covered by BCP Labs providing their 01, Joanna providing design advice to the advanced product designers; and interested groups looking for advice as to how to integrate 3D printing into their endeavours.


Joanna working through design ideas!
Regular group member, Martin, came by looking for #3DPM help to commercialise his new scanning and printing business. He's developed an efficient workflow to build his scanned models, reducing how long it takes to get good likenesses; and also reducing the difficulties in printing.  We'll be working with him, and as time goes by we'll be reporting on how he's getting on!

Martin advising another would be entrepreneur!
We also got to speak to another couple of groups looking to bring 3D printing into their own social enterprise and commercial endeavours - projects we can't talk about until the participants are ready.

We're next at FabLab Manchester on the 20th February 6pm to 9pm! See us there!

Tuesday 11 February 2014

3D Scanner and Expertise required. Can you Help?


Hi Everybody,

We need a very good 3D scanner to image blind people after they have raced around in one of Mike's dual controlled racing cars (Mike Newman holds the land and sea, speed records for a blind person).

Can you help or know someone who can?

I hope to get enough people to come together with complementary expertise, to develop 3D scanning in a collaborative project, that will ultimately lead onto further business opportunities.


Thanks

Mark Concannon aka 'Mark the #3DPrinter' :-)



speedofsight.org/

3dprintgroup.blogspot.co.uk/