Our pioneers are getting more ambitious now they are understanding what #3DPrinting is really about.
This time we are going to have a Xmas theme and print decorations you guys design or find on the internet, as well as the usual activities.
Come along anyway, and if you can bring a laptop with Google Sketch-up installed. We're now a space for designing and optimising your 3D print designs and finished items, and a general forum of 3D printer advice and exchange!
#3DPM is in the process of being officially recognised as a charity and we have already helped build new businesses. #3DPM is setup to inform and motivate local Manchester companies, schools and individuals to develop their interests in this technology.
We are Manchester's centre of excellence for all things #3DPrinting. We are the real deal, real people with real ideas! So if you are looking to get involved you are welcome to join us.
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Monday, 30 September 2013
Twenty First Century Manufacturing Renaissance
#3DPM the #3DPrinting network of Manchester is pioneering the early twenty first century manufacturing renaissance. Why? Because we care and want to, and we have a viable strategy to make things happen.
For too long our mealy mouthed political leaders have sold the country short, wrecking the economy by corrupting our money, buying votes with debt rather than investing in its future. Fortunately we have been gifted with the power of the internet, and before this asset is also stripped and access denied to all but the privileged few. We will use it to liberate technology for the masses; to build a better future from the ground up.
3D Printing is doing great things and has the potential to change all our lives for the better. Together we are spreading awareness and explaining the realities of this technology; and helping our pioneering members’ gain skills and get access to 3D tools; for personal edification and if inclined to, to develop 3D printing as part of their business ventures. The future is bright, the future is 3D.
For too long our mealy mouthed political leaders have sold the country short, wrecking the economy by corrupting our money, buying votes with debt rather than investing in its future. Fortunately we have been gifted with the power of the internet, and before this asset is also stripped and access denied to all but the privileged few. We will use it to liberate technology for the masses; to build a better future from the ground up.
3D Printing is doing great things and has the potential to change all our lives for the better. Together we are spreading awareness and explaining the realities of this technology; and helping our pioneering members’ gain skills and get access to 3D tools; for personal edification and if inclined to, to develop 3D printing as part of their business ventures. The future is bright, the future is 3D.
Monday, 23 September 2013
My First's
Hi,
This is my first visit to the MadLabs and first visit to the 3D Printing network group in Manchester, but also my first ever blog entry. Sam invited me to contribute.
So bear with me while I get my head around this blogger and I will try to enter my personal views of my adventure into 3D printing and 3D modelling.
This is my first visit to the MadLabs and first visit to the 3D Printing network group in Manchester, but also my first ever blog entry. Sam invited me to contribute.
So bear with me while I get my head around this blogger and I will try to enter my personal views of my adventure into 3D printing and 3D modelling.
Thursday, 19 September 2013
MeetUp at MadLab Reminder! Mon 26/Sep/13
Just a quick reminder of our next meeting on Monday 26/Sep/13 and the reasons why we are doing this. Also, Sam you need to put a link/message at the top of this blog :-) for easy access to information about our events!
FYI: see Meetup.com/3DPrinting-Network-Manchester
1. To establish regular meet-ups that share and develop interests concerning 3D printing.
2. #3DPM encourages the cross-pollination of ideas and development of expertise not bound by commercial interest.
3. To establish a modest operating fund; paid for by all members to cover costs of meeting places, communication and group projects; transparent and openly accountable to all members.
4. #3DPM seeks to bring together in one venue enough printers and resources for members to explore ideas, learn skills; and to develop the venue as a permanent 3D printing resource and local forum of exchange.
5. To actively promote #3DPM, members are encouraged to post content and links directly and indirectly related to 3D printing.
6. To develop #3DPM as a professional charitable organisation with lobbying strength to further the network aims in 3D printing.
7. Members will periodically (at least every year), democratically review #3DPM operating principles, expenses, procedures, rules, organisation, codes of practice, and other issues.
FYI: see Meetup.com/3DPrinting-Network-Manchester
Our Operating Principles
1. To establish regular meet-ups that share and develop interests concerning 3D printing.
2. #3DPM encourages the cross-pollination of ideas and development of expertise not bound by commercial interest.
3. To establish a modest operating fund; paid for by all members to cover costs of meeting places, communication and group projects; transparent and openly accountable to all members.
4. #3DPM seeks to bring together in one venue enough printers and resources for members to explore ideas, learn skills; and to develop the venue as a permanent 3D printing resource and local forum of exchange.
5. To actively promote #3DPM, members are encouraged to post content and links directly and indirectly related to 3D printing.
6. To develop #3DPM as a professional charitable organisation with lobbying strength to further the network aims in 3D printing.
7. Members will periodically (at least every year), democratically review #3DPM operating principles, expenses, procedures, rules, organisation, codes of practice, and other issues.
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Friday, 13 September 2013
#3DPM@MadLab 9th September 2013
So another meeting rolled around, as the little summer we've had in Manchester is also drawing to a close. We started this meeting a bit late as an entrepreneurs organisation had booked the venue for a one-off 'Dragons' Den' style business pitch competition and they were running over. So we finally got started and set-up with the help of group members old and some new - a big thank you to everyone for pitching in!
Every meeting ends up taking an interesting turn, as we get a printer or two going, set it off, and then everyone gets their laptops and imaginations out. Where the three hours goes is anyone's guess. This time, we ended up with a few milestones for the group.
Our largest cross-section of ages and backgrounds, our first sale of a 3D printer to help fund the group's long-term ambitions, and helping yet another business take-form through the group.
The featured printer that we're providing through the group is the BCP 01 from BCP Labs. This single head printer is one we've talked about in the past, and we've started offering this one as we're already familiar with it, and as we'll show, it'll produce results as good as any printer on the market currently. So yes, Steve put in a deposit for an '01', duly putting in some money into our coffers, and some into those of MadLab; our illustrious hosts. He should be getting his by the next #3DPM meeting! More about what Steve wants to do with it later in this blog, but before that #3DPM are looking to host other printer manufacturers, so bring it! We'll offer your products too if they're good enough!
Bill is one of our new members, who's also a member of a north west amateur radio user group. Through him, we're going to be making a 3D printing presentation in December, which has been advertised in the nationally published almanac. Also joining us for the first time was a 10 year old from Longsight, who had dragged his father along to a 3D printer group at MadLab as he'd heard about it at school! Decades separated both Bill and our new member straight from his tea, with his father in tow; but they both took to Sketchup with aplomb.
Over the coming weeks we'll be helping build everyone's skills using 3D design software (including my own), and we'll be testing out our designs on the club's BCP 01. This contributes towards the groups goals of skill generation.
Steve introduced the CG software Sculptris to the group. It's the less sophisticated sister to Z-brush, but appears to be a really good piece of CGI type software to add interesting effects into sketchup. We'd like to see whether we could put these effects and have them printed successfully. We'll let you all know over the coming weeks!
Steve put down a deposit for a BCP 01 so he could prototype and build more these gadgets. We were all amazed that in PLA we could get the size of overhang in one print, in one go without repeat. The gadget is part of a larger manufactured gadget, and Steve says it was perfect!
The next meeting is on the 23rd of September 2013 at MadLab in Edge Street, Manchester. Come one and all, everyone is invited, and it's still free to come and enjoy. Feel free to contact us, especially if you're interested in the big art project, or want to commercialise your 3D printed products!
Every meeting ends up taking an interesting turn, as we get a printer or two going, set it off, and then everyone gets their laptops and imaginations out. Where the three hours goes is anyone's guess. This time, we ended up with a few milestones for the group.
Our largest cross-section of ages and backgrounds, our first sale of a 3D printer to help fund the group's long-term ambitions, and helping yet another business take-form through the group.
 |
| #3DPM'ers at it again.. |
 |
| Wild Bill sits down to learn Sketchup Make! |
Over the coming weeks we'll be helping build everyone's skills using 3D design software (including my own), and we'll be testing out our designs on the club's BCP 01. This contributes towards the groups goals of skill generation.
 |
| Steve helping us through the installation of Sculptris |
 |
| Steve's 'thing' |
The next meeting is on the 23rd of September 2013 at MadLab in Edge Street, Manchester. Come one and all, everyone is invited, and it's still free to come and enjoy. Feel free to contact us, especially if you're interested in the big art project, or want to commercialise your 3D printed products!
Thursday, 12 September 2013
Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Sam went to iMakr..
I got involved with 3D printing in any substantive sense earlier this year. However it was two or three years ago when I briefly investigated using a 3D printer to develop the embryo implantation system I was working on during my doctoral studies. I wanted to develop an accurate (down to the micron-scale) PLA or other polymer based system in which surface morphology could be directed to influence and understand embryo development (all in the lab setting). Ultimately 3D printing at the time wasn't going to work, and I achieved success using another method.
I mention this, as now I'm properly involved with 3D printing, I get to think about what I'll do with my printer once it's built (the building of which is a subject of a future set of blog posts). My mind often wanders back to science, and needing better resolutions, and what I could do scientifically with a 3D printer now.
To that end, I was in London, and wanted to see the type of printers available on a shop floor side-by-side at iMakr's store. I was particularly interested in the Felix 2.0, a printer supposedly able to go down to 0.05 mm resolution, or 50 µm resolution in different 'money'.
They didn't actually have it on show, but I did get an eye-full of the MakerBot Replicator 2X. I can confirm, it does look good, but I'm not convinced its worth nearly £2k! They had a few other printers on show, but ultimately the star was their MakerBot. I shall stick with the printer I'm building, and see how I can upgrade the resolution!
All in all I found the iMakr guys enthusiastic, and the London crowd likes to watch printers making 'things' as much as the Manchester passers-by do too. This gives me a chance to plug the MadLab shop that's being developed as we speak. #3DPM are looking to have our shop space at least once a week on the corner of Edge Street in Manchester. We'll be offering printers, consumables and 3D printed wares from local makers for sale. Watch this space for that!
Sam :)
I mention this, as now I'm properly involved with 3D printing, I get to think about what I'll do with my printer once it's built (the building of which is a subject of a future set of blog posts). My mind often wanders back to science, and needing better resolutions, and what I could do scientifically with a 3D printer now.
To that end, I was in London, and wanted to see the type of printers available on a shop floor side-by-side at iMakr's store. I was particularly interested in the Felix 2.0, a printer supposedly able to go down to 0.05 mm resolution, or 50 µm resolution in different 'money'.
They didn't actually have it on show, but I did get an eye-full of the MakerBot Replicator 2X. I can confirm, it does look good, but I'm not convinced its worth nearly £2k! They had a few other printers on show, but ultimately the star was their MakerBot. I shall stick with the printer I'm building, and see how I can upgrade the resolution!
All in all I found the iMakr guys enthusiastic, and the London crowd likes to watch printers making 'things' as much as the Manchester passers-by do too. This gives me a chance to plug the MadLab shop that's being developed as we speak. #3DPM are looking to have our shop space at least once a week on the corner of Edge Street in Manchester. We'll be offering printers, consumables and 3D printed wares from local makers for sale. Watch this space for that!
Sam :)
#3DPM@MadLab 26th August 2013
So our bank holiday meeting went really well. Yet more new members, this time from a local ham radio club. We did end up sharing the space with the Sanctuary Gamers, who were having a bank holiday building sized meeting! We started the night with quiet focus, and finished the night with the gamers getting a touch raucous! They couldn't help but look at what we were doing though, 3D printers attract everyone, from ardent RPG'ers to passers-by who couldn't help but look on - beer in hand :)
#3DPM had three events going on during the night:
1. BCP Labs showing off their highly modified and rigid model - the 01
2. The launch of the #3DPM 3D printed art installation
3. Our usual problem solving, skills building and general 3D printing japery!
BCP Labs are a new 3D printing outfit headed up by founding members of #3DPM. Their printer is as good as the MakerBot replicator 2, comes with one years warranty, and is available in any colour you can see in Faberdashery.
Keith the chief engineer of BCP Labs (they've got a materials scientist, electronics guru, and coder extraordinaire on board too), has re-engineered a Mendel to make prints faster, quieter and smoother. He says that this means his printing is more accurate and repeatable, and he has run his printer 24/7 without breakdown for over fifteen months.
He'll swap out any broken parts for a year of purchase, and any of the plastic parts, he'll offer good will for a much longer period. We here at #3DPM were happy to let him show off, as for every printer he sells, we get £50 into #3DPM coffers. This would go some way to cover the cost of plastics and other consumables we go through, not to mention being able to give something back to MadLab for their hospitality.
BCP Labs will have their website up and running as soon as possible, and they're setting up their printer to be sold as a kit as well. You can contact them by emailing: sampatankar@gmail.com until they're website is up and running!
Big P.S. to all! We're open to any other 3D printer makers to come along and show off their wares!
We here at #3DPM@MadLab have been looking for our huge group project to really move the group forward, so cue drum-roll......
Our group spent some time brain-storming, what could we do? Something that would stretch our Sketch-up skills, and our 3D printing skills! What to do?! Well, it hit us like a brick wall! Theo Jansen's 'Strandbeest' was our inspiration. His work has been to take the natural physical forces mediated through organic and inorganic materials to create new 'species', that react to the world around them, powered by the wind. This we can do! We are going to create a wind-powered kinetic structure that hangs suspended between the roof-tops in Edge Street, Manchester.
We've emailed Theo Jansen to see if he can give us some idea where to start, and we've emailed all the local art colleges and engineering departments to get them in on the action! Time to get this out there! Next session we'll begin work on what we want from the design, and perhaps if we've time start to think about how we'll achieve it through design and printing!
Steve (another new member) came along. He designs components that make manufacturing processes more efficient, and he came along to see what 3D printing could do for him. By his own admission he was really happy, and he left with tips, tricks and software to help him achieve more of what he wanted. This is what the group's about, advice exchange and to support members' hobbyist and commercial ambitions!Next meet is the 9th of September, at MadLab, from 6 to 9 pm! We're going to see someone else show off their wares for sale, work on the art installation, and be there for all with their 3D printing problems!
#3DPM had three events going on during the night:
1. BCP Labs showing off their highly modified and rigid model - the 01
2. The launch of the #3DPM 3D printed art installation
3. Our usual problem solving, skills building and general 3D printing japery!
BCP Labs are a new 3D printing outfit headed up by founding members of #3DPM. Their printer is as good as the MakerBot replicator 2, comes with one years warranty, and is available in any colour you can see in Faberdashery.
Keith the chief engineer of BCP Labs (they've got a materials scientist, electronics guru, and coder extraordinaire on board too), has re-engineered a Mendel to make prints faster, quieter and smoother. He says that this means his printing is more accurate and repeatable, and he has run his printer 24/7 without breakdown for over fifteen months.
He'll swap out any broken parts for a year of purchase, and any of the plastic parts, he'll offer good will for a much longer period. We here at #3DPM were happy to let him show off, as for every printer he sells, we get £50 into #3DPM coffers. This would go some way to cover the cost of plastics and other consumables we go through, not to mention being able to give something back to MadLab for their hospitality.
BCP Labs will have their website up and running as soon as possible, and they're setting up their printer to be sold as a kit as well. You can contact them by emailing: sampatankar@gmail.com until they're website is up and running!
Big P.S. to all! We're open to any other 3D printer makers to come along and show off their wares!
 |
| Keith of BCP Labs showing off 3D printing with a cup of tea on the BCP 01 |
We here at #3DPM@MadLab have been looking for our huge group project to really move the group forward, so cue drum-roll......
 |
| Just do it! Get Involved! |
Our group spent some time brain-storming, what could we do? Something that would stretch our Sketch-up skills, and our 3D printing skills! What to do?! Well, it hit us like a brick wall! Theo Jansen's 'Strandbeest' was our inspiration. His work has been to take the natural physical forces mediated through organic and inorganic materials to create new 'species', that react to the world around them, powered by the wind. This we can do! We are going to create a wind-powered kinetic structure that hangs suspended between the roof-tops in Edge Street, Manchester.
We've emailed Theo Jansen to see if he can give us some idea where to start, and we've emailed all the local art colleges and engineering departments to get them in on the action! Time to get this out there! Next session we'll begin work on what we want from the design, and perhaps if we've time start to think about how we'll achieve it through design and printing!
 |
| A brief moment in between art project brain-storming to trouble shoot Steve's .stl to print problem |
Steve (another new member) came along. He designs components that make manufacturing processes more efficient, and he came along to see what 3D printing could do for him. By his own admission he was really happy, and he left with tips, tricks and software to help him achieve more of what he wanted. This is what the group's about, advice exchange and to support members' hobbyist and commercial ambitions!Next meet is the 9th of September, at MadLab, from 6 to 9 pm! We're going to see someone else show off their wares for sale, work on the art installation, and be there for all with their 3D printing problems!
See you all there!
Monday, 26 August 2013
Sunday, 11 August 2013
Manchester Mini-Maker Faire at MOSI
It was an easy decision to make a visit to MOSI on Saturday when I heard that #3DPrinter’s would be among the exhibits, it wouldn't have be hard to make a visit in any case because for me it’s such an interesting and inspiring place. My objective was to find out if there were any great developments in the technology; but that was actually a bit of a disappointment, because I didn't see anything that I haven’t already got in my current printer the ‘Mendel90 Dibond’ or what we have already decided to build into our next machine.
However, it was far from a lost cause because I had other reasons to be there. Talking with Chris who sold me the Mendel, I was able to get more insights into how my machine can be developed further. Also I had in the beginning issues of printed parts not adhering to the bed correctly, a common problem Keith helped me resolve using PET tape and Hairspray, but this hadn’t been a problem for Chris, who printed directly onto glass and was getting a superior finish.
Patrick Fenner of def-proc.co.uk is developing the TLRN Trilateration a wire supported delta robot; it is an obvious concept for large scale #3DPrinting, we discussed how the printer head would be stabilised to apply for example concrete, and it’s so simple it will be coming to a building site near you soon.
It is okay you are seeing a levitated cardboard box, it is one of many demonstrating the process. Just think of them as bricks; sorry I didn't take many photos.
For new types of sensors and printer heads, David & Benjamin from FutureLab3D.com have expressed interest in helping #3DPM, I am expecting them at the next meeting. Jim from srimech.com, Andrew & Chris of bridgerectifier.org.uk and others are potential pioneers
Barry showed us his human sized #3DPrinted robot in action but one of the arms was disabled by those damn pesky meddling kids, who were all over the place learning, screaming and having fun. Barry is one of the Hackerspace-rs who were there in force doing what they do best, hacking!
I met Tom, one of the BBC’s technology advisers doing research; along with his kids who were having a lot of fun, poor Tom :-)
Competition for local entrepreneurs was in the form Sculpteo who are a French company doing a bureau service similar to Shapeways; they had some good products and I got a mini alien. I asked Rachel of Katzelbows.com how she would decorate similar mono-coloured plastic creations.
The process of developing a group such as #3DPM is not an easy task, just ask Sam. I was looking for ideas to take us forward faster and may have found it in the way of Ugo (see top photo) the co-founder of the restart project; people who want to find ways to economically fix those items like TV’s, fridges, i-pads, i-phones etc, made by companies to be difficult for your average Joe and Josephine to access and hack.
Afterwards I walked around the shed where they keep the big steam engines, to remind myself how Manchester has kept up with technology and often been the centre of great world changing events.
I personally want to see #3DPM be at the heart of a new maker revolution, there is no doubt that we have access to the talent; we have a direction in the form of new manufacturing; we are getting organised; and there is passion, you can see that at MOSI.
If you want to know more? Then get down to our meetings at madlab!
Best Regards
Mark the #3DPrinter of Mesalatina3D.com
Links:
Tuesday, 30 July 2013
#3DPM@MadLab 29th July 2013
Our latest meeting was really pleasing for me, and the other co-founders of #3DPM (Mark & Keith). The fourth meeting in as many weeks was qualitatively different in tone to previous weeks. We got our first repeat offenders: James, Craig, together with Richard who'd visited us back when we used to meet at Tech-Hub. This was a great sign that we were getting something right, and that #3DPM was offering enough for people to come back week after week. We've also begun to attract interest from commercial interests as well hobbyists, in the form of Peter Holden from Holden and Sons creative communications agency.
I kick-started the evening by beginning a group discussion about what people from different backgrounds would like to see in a series of formal 3D print-courses to be run by #3DPM@MadLab. We got some great feedback, and these will be presented soon for members and non-members of the group from anywhere to attend. Details will follow, so keep checking the blog and the MadLab site!
Keith and Mark started to discuss aspects of basic and advanced 3D printing to the assembled masses of newbies and not-so-newbies. Everyone seemed rapt, and everyone seemed to have learnt something new! I know I did! There's still so much information going around, that everyones doing their best to soak it up. It's important to us that we get as much as possible into the first iteration of the #3DPM 3D printing course.
MadLab will soon be opening a store to support the sales of various accoutrements related to the various groups that make it their home. Rachael from MadLab asked us to be part of the 3D printing offerings they're considering hosting, in collaboration with the 3D print guys at HackSpace. We're going to eventually offer a place to buy 3D printers, consumables, and come for consultancy and expertise care of #3DPM. Watch this space for when we go live!
So far so good, we're building courses to get the message and skills out there, and we're organising a physical presence to cement 3D printing in Manchester. The only one we know of outside of London! So what are we doing with #3DPM? The group has matured in the space of four meetings at MDDA and MadLab (see our previous blog posts!).
From now on in, we'll be asking all attendees to bring along a laptop with a downloaded and installed version of Google Sketch-up (other dl sites are available other than the link!). #3DPM is supporting this as we know we've got in-house advice and experience to give on this software. You're free to use any other 3D modelling software, but we can't guarantee that there will be expertise to help you in advance. This will change as time goes by, as we're looking to expand on this!
The whole point of getting people to bring a Sketch-up loaded laptop, is that we're enthusiastic about giving members the chance to work on their own designs, or the #3DPM group project of a 3D printed art installation that will join, at roof-top level, MadLab to Holden & Sons building (opposite each other on Edge Street, Manchester). The art installation was inspired through a chat between myself and Peter, and my memory of wrought iron signs across the north of England. Wrought iron signs were more than just a device for communication, with aesthetic design cues, the signs would project what these companies stood for and what they could manufacture for you. #3DPM will get all interested group members to contribute towards a 3D printed art-installation that will cement our area in Manchester, as the birth-place of a manufacturing revolution.
We've so much going on now, and we're always looking for people to volunteer their skills, or just come along and see whats going on. All are welcome, and we're here to get everyone involved, so see you at the next meeting on the 12th of August at MadLab!
I kick-started the evening by beginning a group discussion about what people from different backgrounds would like to see in a series of formal 3D print-courses to be run by #3DPM@MadLab. We got some great feedback, and these will be presented soon for members and non-members of the group from anywhere to attend. Details will follow, so keep checking the blog and the MadLab site!
Keith and Mark started to discuss aspects of basic and advanced 3D printing to the assembled masses of newbies and not-so-newbies. Everyone seemed rapt, and everyone seemed to have learnt something new! I know I did! There's still so much information going around, that everyones doing their best to soak it up. It's important to us that we get as much as possible into the first iteration of the #3DPM 3D printing course.
MadLab will soon be opening a store to support the sales of various accoutrements related to the various groups that make it their home. Rachael from MadLab asked us to be part of the 3D printing offerings they're considering hosting, in collaboration with the 3D print guys at HackSpace. We're going to eventually offer a place to buy 3D printers, consumables, and come for consultancy and expertise care of #3DPM. Watch this space for when we go live!
So far so good, we're building courses to get the message and skills out there, and we're organising a physical presence to cement 3D printing in Manchester. The only one we know of outside of London! So what are we doing with #3DPM? The group has matured in the space of four meetings at MDDA and MadLab (see our previous blog posts!).
From now on in, we'll be asking all attendees to bring along a laptop with a downloaded and installed version of Google Sketch-up (other dl sites are available other than the link!). #3DPM is supporting this as we know we've got in-house advice and experience to give on this software. You're free to use any other 3D modelling software, but we can't guarantee that there will be expertise to help you in advance. This will change as time goes by, as we're looking to expand on this!
0g~~60_35.JPG) |
| Wrought iron signs used to be ubiquitous - perhaps 3D printed signs will take their place? |
The whole point of getting people to bring a Sketch-up loaded laptop, is that we're enthusiastic about giving members the chance to work on their own designs, or the #3DPM group project of a 3D printed art installation that will join, at roof-top level, MadLab to Holden & Sons building (opposite each other on Edge Street, Manchester). The art installation was inspired through a chat between myself and Peter, and my memory of wrought iron signs across the north of England. Wrought iron signs were more than just a device for communication, with aesthetic design cues, the signs would project what these companies stood for and what they could manufacture for you. #3DPM will get all interested group members to contribute towards a 3D printed art-installation that will cement our area in Manchester, as the birth-place of a manufacturing revolution.
We've so much going on now, and we're always looking for people to volunteer their skills, or just come along and see whats going on. All are welcome, and we're here to get everyone involved, so see you at the next meeting on the 12th of August at MadLab!
Friday, 26 July 2013
Just put my first item on Thingiverse.com
There is a first time for everything and my first 3D mashup is now available to the world; first of many I hope.
FYI: visit http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:123844
FYI: visit http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:123844
Thursday, 25 July 2013
#3DPM@MadLab 22nd July 2013
Firstly a huge thank you to MadLab for hosting #3DPM and making us feel so welcome! MadLab is really interested in making our widening participation objectives happen, and together we're going to achieve something really special for 3D printing in Manchester!
Whilst the ground floor was the scene of mass permaculture, #3DPM had the top floor to house the 3D printers provided by Mark and Keith. As I bundled into MadLab fifteen minutes late (thank you traffic jams), I found a room full of new faces - I wondered what new directions the group would take this week!
Today Keith set about explaining how to set up his modified Mendel with ABS plastic. Much the same as with PLA, but he used Kapton tape to prepare the base for the printed item to sit on. He also began to explain Google Sketch-up, the free design tool supported by Google.
This week, the group began to fluidly switch between groups working on basic and advanced projects, the possibilities of 3D scanning, and discussions about where the group was heading and legal implications of 3D printing and OEM parts. Part way through the meeting, Dave from MadLab dropped in to see how we were getting on and to talk about a survey they were putting together to see how all groups inter-connected. At #3DPM has plans to begin projects with the groups of programmers and DIY biologists at MadLab.
After Keith had run through the basics of 3D printing from the printer set-up to design, we set them to it to design something for themselves that could be printed and taken away with them. James stepped up to the plate and designed something akin to a small church!
However in an object lesson of how things can go wrong when you don't check to make sure all the lines are closed and attached to something else, this was perfect. The bottom half of the printed object corresponded to the design, darker with higher density of plastic, with a high resolution recess where required. However the top half was not properly joined up in design and the result was mostly supporting 'in-fill' plastic. This looks less black due to its lower density. What would have been found if we etched away the in-fill, was that the designed structures were buried inside.
Mark came and brought his 3D scanning tool, which is his own effort using a Kinect originally from an Xbox console, and available software called ReConstruct Me. This software allows you to scan anything into an object that can be converted into a printable file. Using Craig as a guinea pig we had him pose whilst Mark rotated the camera around him for the scan. We then watched as the software quickly reconstructed what it had seen after a quick, less than optimally stable scan. We even had a little red printed model of a scan Mark had done earlier, and it left us wondering why it looked like Max Headroom, and more importantly what we could each do with this kind of technology. Especially as with the arrival of Xbox one and the improved Kinect this Christmas, high-end scanning was at the tips of our fingers!
We had a really fruitful discussion about intellectual property, and the hypothetical situation of wanting to recreate an OEM engineered part using a 3D printer. Would the designer of the part decide that they would litigate to protect their R&D investment? We all began the discussion, which brought everyone up to speed about what intellectual property (I.P.) was, and what it meant for the user on the street - the war between Apple and Samsung recently a case in point. It became clear to us that the we wondered whether there could be dispensation from usual IP if we were making a copy for ourselves on a private basis. I.e. would our printed items be treated as a cassette tape copy, which we could make freely; or as a digital MP3 which was not legally allowed to be copied. In the future we'll try to bring in an I.P. lawyer for a brief discussion of of their opinions.
Whilst the ground floor was the scene of mass permaculture, #3DPM had the top floor to house the 3D printers provided by Mark and Keith. As I bundled into MadLab fifteen minutes late (thank you traffic jams), I found a room full of new faces - I wondered what new directions the group would take this week!
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| Keith kickstarting the event introducing the 3D printer to all the new faces! |
Today Keith set about explaining how to set up his modified Mendel with ABS plastic. Much the same as with PLA, but he used Kapton tape to prepare the base for the printed item to sit on. He also began to explain Google Sketch-up, the free design tool supported by Google.
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| An example of a model designed on 'Sketch-up' |
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| Dave captivating an audience! |
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| The 'modernist' church! |
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| A valiant first effort! |
Mark came and brought his 3D scanning tool, which is his own effort using a Kinect originally from an Xbox console, and available software called ReConstruct Me. This software allows you to scan anything into an object that can be converted into a printable file. Using Craig as a guinea pig we had him pose whilst Mark rotated the camera around him for the scan. We then watched as the software quickly reconstructed what it had seen after a quick, less than optimally stable scan. We even had a little red printed model of a scan Mark had done earlier, and it left us wondering why it looked like Max Headroom, and more importantly what we could each do with this kind of technology. Especially as with the arrival of Xbox one and the improved Kinect this Christmas, high-end scanning was at the tips of our fingers!
We had a really fruitful discussion about intellectual property, and the hypothetical situation of wanting to recreate an OEM engineered part using a 3D printer. Would the designer of the part decide that they would litigate to protect their R&D investment? We all began the discussion, which brought everyone up to speed about what intellectual property (I.P.) was, and what it meant for the user on the street - the war between Apple and Samsung recently a case in point. It became clear to us that the we wondered whether there could be dispensation from usual IP if we were making a copy for ourselves on a private basis. I.e. would our printed items be treated as a cassette tape copy, which we could make freely; or as a digital MP3 which was not legally allowed to be copied. In the future we'll try to bring in an I.P. lawyer for a brief discussion of of their opinions.
There was some progress on other projects, but we'll discuss them when we've more to say! Our next meeting is on the 29th of July, and we'll be meeting fortnightly after that. We'll post the dates in each weeks blog, but check out the MadLab site to get the low-down on future dates. So until then, come one and all, all new members are welcome!
Friday, 19 July 2013
#3DPM@MDDA 17th July 2013
After our first event at MDDA, a few things became obvious to the people that attended #3DPM. The first was that we really were passionate about 3D printing, and that despite the different backgrounds we'd got involved with a group of fellow 3D printing 'groupies'. No matter which direction we'd come from career-wise, we could all see what 3D printing could do for us. We'd also realised that even with a few people, it had become an intense learning session, whilst giving us the space to learn what we wanted in the time we wanted. Given that the first week was so fruitful for all involved, what would our second event have in store?
Courtesy of Mark and Keith, we all had access to three Mendel derivative 3D printers. Keith went further this week, describing how he'd managed to bring layer resolutions of his prints down to a minimum of 0.1 mm (100 micrometres). The modifications he'd made to his Mendel allowed for greater control He then set about showing us how he'd made some night-lights for his home. The 'corkscrew' prints were created such that you could fix LED lights within them, creating a safe soft glow. Mark discussed how he'd made a part for a Yamaha motorcycle engine for his brother, which was still a work in progress. In the weeks to come we'll find out whether the part worked, and offered a decent replacement for OEM parts.
I finally bit the bullet, and decided to build my own 3D printer. After having done some research I realised that Keith's Mendel derivative had some great modifications, which put it up there with some more expensive solutions offered by the better known manufacturers. We'll detail more of these as time goes by, but I'm going to document on the blog my time building the Mendel so that everyone can see how we're getting on and what we're going to do.
The event got more exciting as #3DPM spawned ideas for two start-up companies. Keith decided to commercialise his modified version of his 3D printer, and we'll be talking about that soon. Mark decided that given the Government's ideas about bringing 3D printing to schools, he was going to begin the creation of a training academy directed at the school curriculum through his company Mesalatina3D. This was exciting for me, as the whole point of #3DPM was to build a club of hobbyist volunteers, who gave something of themselves, and then managed to build their ideas into real commercial entities. Watch this space for more details as to how they go.
In preparation for our move to MadLab, we're also starting to organise some courses for new attendees. John suggested that some people would be interested in design, some in the printer itself. So we're going to attend to both these. From Monday's event at MadLab (22nd July) we're going to start off people designing on Google Sketchup for 'would be' designers, and have you all designing a key-fob with your name on it. Something for you all to take away with you. We'll then go through the thought-processes, ordering of parts, and building over the new few weeks of my own printer. Those who attend and want help building their own are more than welcome to do so, and we'll all pitch in. The expertise within #3DPM and other groups at MadLab, means that larger more complicated projects for people to attempt are within the realm of possibility. See you next Monday!
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| Keith's Modified Mendel 3D Printer - note the control panel - a Panelolu 2 |
Courtesy of Mark and Keith, we all had access to three Mendel derivative 3D printers. Keith went further this week, describing how he'd managed to bring layer resolutions of his prints down to a minimum of 0.1 mm (100 micrometres). The modifications he'd made to his Mendel allowed for greater control He then set about showing us how he'd made some night-lights for his home. The 'corkscrew' prints were created such that you could fix LED lights within them, creating a safe soft glow. Mark discussed how he'd made a part for a Yamaha motorcycle engine for his brother, which was still a work in progress. In the weeks to come we'll find out whether the part worked, and offered a decent replacement for OEM parts.
 |
| An example night-light being fabricated |
I finally bit the bullet, and decided to build my own 3D printer. After having done some research I realised that Keith's Mendel derivative had some great modifications, which put it up there with some more expensive solutions offered by the better known manufacturers. We'll detail more of these as time goes by, but I'm going to document on the blog my time building the Mendel so that everyone can see how we're getting on and what we're going to do.
 |
| John looking on bemused as Keith puts the sales pitch on me - SOLD to the guy obsessed with objects in black PLA! (Note Mark's 3D printing set-up in the foreground) |
The event got more exciting as #3DPM spawned ideas for two start-up companies. Keith decided to commercialise his modified version of his 3D printer, and we'll be talking about that soon. Mark decided that given the Government's ideas about bringing 3D printing to schools, he was going to begin the creation of a training academy directed at the school curriculum through his company Mesalatina3D. This was exciting for me, as the whole point of #3DPM was to build a club of hobbyist volunteers, who gave something of themselves, and then managed to build their ideas into real commercial entities. Watch this space for more details as to how they go.
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| A close-up of Mark's Mendel set-up. He has his laptop directly attached to the printer, but in Keith's you can plug in an SD card with your .STL files. |
In preparation for our move to MadLab, we're also starting to organise some courses for new attendees. John suggested that some people would be interested in design, some in the printer itself. So we're going to attend to both these. From Monday's event at MadLab (22nd July) we're going to start off people designing on Google Sketchup for 'would be' designers, and have you all designing a key-fob with your name on it. Something for you all to take away with you. We'll then go through the thought-processes, ordering of parts, and building over the new few weeks of my own printer. Those who attend and want help building their own are more than welcome to do so, and we'll all pitch in. The expertise within #3DPM and other groups at MadLab, means that larger more complicated projects for people to attempt are within the realm of possibility. See you next Monday!
Monday, 15 July 2013
#3DPM@MadLab
#3DPM will start its meetups at our (hopefully!) permanent new home at Manchester Digital Laboratory, known as 'MadLab' (http://madlab.org.uk/content/3d-printer-group/).
We've got meetings at 7pm on Monday the 22nd and 29th of July. This should carry on weekly. We have these two weeks and MadLab wants us to go fortnightly, but this depends on members attendance. The more people attend, the more we get out of the meetings, and the more chance we have of MadLab giving us a coveted weekly spot. We're already one above everyone else getting fortnightly spots!
In the mean time, we're at MDDA on the 17th of July at 7pm (as detailed on an earlier post), and we're going to meet to discuss and get on with some actual 3D printing projects. Get your thinking caps on and tell us all what you'd like to see happen, and what you'd like to get involved in.
We've got meetings at 7pm on Monday the 22nd and 29th of July. This should carry on weekly. We have these two weeks and MadLab wants us to go fortnightly, but this depends on members attendance. The more people attend, the more we get out of the meetings, and the more chance we have of MadLab giving us a coveted weekly spot. We're already one above everyone else getting fortnightly spots!
In the mean time, we're at MDDA on the 17th of July at 7pm (as detailed on an earlier post), and we're going to meet to discuss and get on with some actual 3D printing projects. Get your thinking caps on and tell us all what you'd like to see happen, and what you'd like to get involved in.
Why has #3DPrinting ‘suddenly’ become popular?
It has been possible for a long time to create or take a design from a computer and make it real almost immediately using some form of #3DPrinter or CNC machine.
While there are many reasons why this relatively old technology is now attracting the media’s attention, one reason is affordability brought about by the DIY culture of building your own from common components available from places like B&Q and Maplin. The sharing of information over the internet has allowed many DIY-ers to build #3DPrinters of amazing sophistication to rival machines once only available to those with budgets on a par with NASA.
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| Printing organic material – real, living cells! |
However, the main driving force behind this renaissance is the realisation that making money is of little use if we can’t earn enough of it to afford to buy the real things needed to sustain life and make it comfortable. This came about for many people when the financial service sector, i.e. banks, became a liability to the economies that relied on them back in 2008. Those affected, with a modicum of intelligence were then able to initiate inquires and question the true value of our financial services; and made a case to reclaim back the manufacturing industries lost to our Asian cousins.
However, making a case for bringing back manufacturing is one thing, but the reality of doing so when the expertise and infrastructure is no longer available, makes it very difficult. This is where the potential of #3DPrinting has been jumped on by the politicians, even President Obama gives it a mention in his "state of the nation" speech.
Tech start-ups that can exploit #3DPrinting will have a significant advantage in the brave new world of manufacturing, this conclusion has been reached because the #3DPrinting development cycle is at a point very similar to the early days of computing, at the time when the IBM Personal Computer (aka PC) was introduced. This cycle will have its differences such as it will be faster and more people are aware of it therefore more competition.
Those of us, who lived through and understand the early days of computing, will see the similarities and having learned a lot from that experience; myself and many others, will be taking every opportunity to profit from the knowledge and remind ourselves of the good old days, when being a programmer was fun.
Tech start-ups that can exploit #3DPrinting will have a significant advantage in the brave new world of manufacturing, this conclusion has been reached because the #3DPrinting development cycle is at a point very similar to the early days of computing, at the time when the IBM Personal Computer (aka PC) was introduced. This cycle will have its differences such as it will be faster and more people are aware of it therefore more competition.
Those of us, who lived through and understand the early days of computing, will see the similarities and having learned a lot from that experience; myself and many others, will be taking every opportunity to profit from the knowledge and remind ourselves of the good old days, when being a programmer was fun.
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| Printing Buildings and Statues |
Interestingly back in the 1980’s we in the computing world did our best work in collaboration, which was counter to the ethos of the average yuppie of the day (a young upwardly mobile professional individual; a well-paid middle-class professional who works in a city – source http://www.thefreedictionary.com/yuppie)
Views expressed here are mine!
I hope this is useful to you.
"A 3D Printer is like a Yamaha Piano, some people can play them better than others!"
Quote from 'Mark-the-#3DPrinter,2013'
Okay you have the tool 'the 3D printer'; now you need to learn how to use it.
Like a piano you need the right music and you need to know how to play it.
What works for one musician may not be appropriate for another.
The analogies go on, but when you are struggling to get that 3D print right,
remember this: when the day comes everybody can do it with a push of the button!
Looking back will you be thinking..
It was a complete and utter waste of time and my life, or
I'm glad I stuck at it and made a ton of money, or
Those were the days, or
That was fun?
Okay you have the tool 'the 3D printer'; now you need to learn how to use it.
Like a piano you need the right music and you need to know how to play it.
What works for one musician may not be appropriate for another.
The analogies go on, but when you are struggling to get that 3D print right,
remember this: when the day comes everybody can do it with a push of the button!
Looking back will you be thinking..
It was a complete and utter waste of time and my life, or
I'm glad I stuck at it and made a ton of money, or
Those were the days, or
That was fun?
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Some software for your #3DPrinter
Check out Repetier-Host Windows version!
The windows installer comes already with everything you need.
It includes Slic3r, Skeinforge, Python and Pypy.
Requires .NET 3.5 SP1 framework.
Download it from here... http://www.repetier.com/download/
.NET 3.5 SP1 from here... http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=22
The windows installer comes already with everything you need.
It includes Slic3r, Skeinforge, Python and Pypy.
Requires .NET 3.5 SP1 framework.
Download it from here... http://www.repetier.com/download/
.NET 3.5 SP1 from here... http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=22
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