#shapeways cnc

[klarmmachining]

Iron and Steel Used in CNC Machining

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Iron and Steel Used in CNC Machining

China cnc machining metal components can be used different types of iron and steel as required by the end users.

Cast Iron

At the point when carbon content ascents to 1.7- – 4.5 percent, the material is then known as solid metal. Cast iron additionally contains silicon and is perceived by its harsh, textured surface completion. The three essential kinds of cast iron are dim iron, pliable iron, and malleable iron. Dim cast iron is hard, steady, impervious to wear and warmth, and breaks without flexing. Motor squares and machine instrument bases are frequently machined from dim solid metal. Pliant and pliable irons can flex and stretch before breaking.

Machined parts incorporate funnel fittings and brake rotors for vehicles.Cast iron parts are projected by emptying liquid iron into molds. The part that is delivered has an unpleasant external scale. It would then be able to be machined to completed sizes as required. The external size of cast iron is to some degree intense to enter yet once it is evacuated, solid metal is promptly machinable. It shows a harsh iron projecting and a similar part subsequent to machining activities have been performed.

Assignment of Cast lron

The various sorts of cast irons for the carbon steel precision cnc lathe machining parts supplier factory can be characterized by ASTM or UNS numbers. UNS assignments for cast iron utilize the prefix “F” trailed by a five-digit number to show the specific evaluation. It shows a cross-reference graph of some ASTM and UNS cast iron evaluations. HB is a proportion of hardness, and higher numbers show higher hardness. T.S. represents rigidity estimated in 1000 pounds for every square inch (ksi). For instance, a T.S. estimation of 20 ksi implies the cast iron has an elasticity of 20,000 pounds for each square inch. That implies it will withstand breakage when exposed to as much as 20,000 pounds for each square inch of pulling power.

Treated Steels

China stainless steel cnc machining part suppliers choose the right steel for the components manufacturing. Treated steel alludes to prepares that have least chromium substance of 10 percent. This makes them profoundly impervious to erosion, or rust. Tempered steels can contain other alloying components also to give certain characteristics. They have a somewhat more splendid, silver shading than plain carbon and combination prepares. Tempered steels are characterized in three significant sorts.

Austenitic Stainless Steels

Austenitic tempered steels are the most exceptionally corrosionresistant types. They contain nickel and are nonmagnetic. The food and compound businesses use machined parts produced using austenitic tempered steels to forestall item sullying that would result from erosion.

Ferritic Stainless Steels

Ferritic hardened steels have low carbon content and are less impervious to consumption than austenitic evaluations. Car fumes parts are once in a while produced using these attractive treated steels.

Martensitic Stainless Steels

Martensitic hardened steels have high carbon content and can be made more earnestly by heat-treatment forms. Most are attractive. Careful hardware and blade cutting edges are machined from martensitic treated steels.

AISI Designation of Stainless Steel

In the AISI numbering framework for tempered steels, concerning apparatus prepares, the numbers don’t speak to a particular sorts or measures of alloying components. Three-digit numbers are utilized, and for the most part austenitic evaluations start with 3, while ferritic and martensitic grades start with 4.

UNS Designation of Stainless Steel

UNS numbers for hardened steels utilize the prefix”S” trailed by a five-digit number. Figure 2.6.12 gives a few UNS numbers for some tempered steels cross-referenced to AISI dtypes and records the components that make up their creations.

This article is from www.cncmachinings.com.

[larebomrglobal]

Global Prosthetics and Orthotics Market Trends, Size, Competitive Analysis and Forecast - 2019-2025

The global prosthetics and orthotics market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of nearly 4.8% during the forecast period. Rising penetration of 3D printing is one of the major trends in the market. 3D-printing materials and techniques exhibit a potential opportunity to augment the conventional production processes and functional abilities of orthotics. Several companies are working on 3D printed materials for the development of medical devices. One of the companies includes The Hewlett-Packard (HP) Company that reinvented orthotics using biometric scanning and 3D printing. The Fitstation by HP biometrics-capture system, combined with HP’s Multi Jet 3D printers, provide access to 3D-printed orthotics with thin and lightweight properties.

A full Report of Global Prosthetics and Orthotics Market Available at https://www.omrglobal.com/industry-reports/prosthetics-orthotics-market

The lattice structure of these custom orthotic devices allows for better control of the stiffness and torsion within specific segmental regions of the foot orthotic. The HP Multi Jet 3D-printing process uses a material with equivalent strength and flexibility to polypropylene and is sustainable and creates much less waste as compared to traditional CNC manufacturing. HP Multi Jet 3D-printing uses PA11, a renewable raw material produced from castor oil, for orthotics manufacturing. It allows consciousness in production practices to reduce material waste which is higher in current machining processes. Similarly, several orthotics and prosthetics manufacturers are focusing on 3D printing for sustainable production and make their device more lightweight and tougher.

Request a Free Report on Sample of Global Prosthetics and Orthotics Market @https://www.omrglobal.com/request-sample/prosthetics-orthotics-market

For instance, in March 2019, Shapeways, the manufacturer of 3D printed goods, declared that it is entered into a joint venture with EOS, industrial 3D printing of polymers and metals, with the launch of the nylon material, PA11. Both these 3D printing companies will be offering solutions for prostheses and orthoses. Selective Laser Sintered PA11 is naturally derived from castor oil, which is popular for its impact-resistant and flexible nylon properties. Therefore, PA11 is one of the emerging markets for additive manufacturing (AM). Through the introduction of PA11, Shapeways has become one of the crucial suppliers in the industry to deliver market-ready prosthesis and orthosis of all sizes. The nylon material is suitable for high-impact customized parts, including insoles, braces, and prosthesis.  

Further, in October 2019, Precision Valve & Automation, Inc. (PVA), a manufacturer of dispensing, coating and custom automation systems, acquired Create Orthotics & Prosthetics, an additive manufacturing startup. With this acquisition, PVA owns all the software and intellectual property rights of Create Orthotics & Prosthetics. This acquisition will enable PVA to make prosthetics affordable, faster, and more comfortable for disabled veterans. This emerging focus on 3D printing will enable the manufacturers to deliver cost-effective, lightweight, and strong orthoses and prosthesis products. This, in turn, is expected to drive the global prosthetics and orthotics market.

Global Prosthetics and Orthotics Market- Segmentation

By Type

Orthotics

o             Upper Limb

o             Lower Limb

o             Spinal Orthotics

Prosthetics

o             Upper Extremity

o             Lower Extremity

o             Liners

o             Sockets

o             Modular Components

Global Prosthetics and Orthotics Market– Segment by Region  

North America          

US

Canada

Europe

Germany

UK

France

Spain

Italy

Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific    

China

Japan

India

Rest of Asia-Pacific

Rest of the World

Latin America

Middle East and Africa

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Media Contact:

Company Name: Orion Market Research

Contact Person: Mr. AnuragTiwari

Email: info@omrglobal.com

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[doxampage]

Travis Fitch Brings Superpatterns to Light

Travis Fitch believes that “minimalism doesn’t have to rule the world.” That means original jewelry, lighting, and accessories that crackle with complexity, pushing the boundaries of contemporary design. The architect and designer may have worked for major firms, but his singular obsession, the thing that keeps him up at night, is Fitchwork, a collaborative design studio that turns geometry and pattern into irreverent, unprecedented objects. We met Fitch at his first solo exhibit, the Superpattern Pop-up, and were equal parts delighted and blown away by the beauty of not only the pieces on display, but also the design of the exhibition itself. He let us in on the secrets of his creative process, his inspirations, and the serious role of play in his work.

What are Superpatterns?

Superpatterns are variable, three-dimensional networks rooted in a combination of geometry, classical patterning and textile design. The different Superpatterns begin as a set of 3D lines within a simple module, like a triangle or hexagon, that produce a woven surface as they grow and aggregate.

Each pattern can transform between multiple states depending on how they are used, opening and closing to control lighting effects and movement, or changing in thickness based on material constraints. Because of this, they are incredibly versatile systems that can be applied to all manner of shapes, sizes and functions. The name comes from a concept in number theory — a set of all possible arrangements for a group of things — which is a central principle to the collection, that the designs are not static, perfect objects, but exist across a spectrum of possibilities.

How does it feel to see these algorithmically generated patterns in three physical dimensions?

It never ceases to be a delightful and unexpected experience. I spend so much time modeling and developing the patterns virtually, and nothing can compare to the physical object. There is so much dynamism to reality that doesn’t exist inside a computer — how light and shadows behave, the weight and feel of materials, their movement in space and time — no simulation or rendering can compete with this.

The patterns are designed to produce different qualities of parallax, and maximize how an object transforms or changes when viewed from different perspectives. Though I can control exactly what the geometry is at the moment of fabrication, it is impossible to predict or even describe these effects. My goal is to produce static objects that are transformational, that maximize the effects of light and perception.

“I spend so much time modeling and developing the patterns virtually, and nothing can compare to the physical object.”

Did you find inspiration in nature, math, or somewhere else?

I am primarily influenced by mathematicians and designers, both for developing topologies of different tessellations and applying them to the design of things. My bookshelf is stacked with all manner of visual resources — geometry catalogs, illustrated pattern books, topological handbooks, ornamentation design guides and biological illustrations.

Each Superpattern is generated through symmetric rules that produce woven tessellations as they grow and aggregate. This process is more a matter of play and discovery than inspiration — realizing each new pattern feels like stumbling on a new chord or harmony. While the rules and structures exist in nature and geometrical discourse, the specific geometries are something other, a human abstraction.

“This process is more a matter of play and discovery than inspiration — realizing each new pattern feels like stumbling on a new chord or harmony.”

Were there any surprises? Did you find that the lighting fixtures diffused light in an unexpected way?

I usually produce renderings of the different designs before printing anything, to have an idea of how they will look and feel when illuminated, but they are always more captivating in reality. The biggest surprise (for me) was how much personality the different objects take on. We tend to think of digital designs as being a bit hollow, just a bunch of 1’s and 0’s, but I am struck by how much life and character they can have.

Relative to industrial production, when you make oodles of the most average, market-tested, risk-averse thing possible, we are entering this crazy, diverse era where products can be idiosyncratic, meaningful and unique. This isn’t automatic; this feeling and connection has to be nurtured through design, and balanced with the right amount of openness and choice.

“Relative to industrial production, when you make oodles of the most average, market-tested, risk-averse thing possible, we are entering this crazy, diverse era where products can be idiosyncratic, meaningful and unique.”

The presentation was a central feature the exhibition. Did you do the full setup, or did you work with a curator or gallerist to achieve the (fittingly) beautiful display?

I designed the exhibition, from concept sketch to installation, but had incredible support from a few collaborators. The primary element, an organic landscape to display the collection, was produced collaboratively with Proptogroup and Neoset designs using a 7-axis robotic CNC. The vinyl graphics and printed handouts were also designed and developed with Strongwater.co, a small design studio in San Francisco. Otherwise I had total control of the exhibition design, display, installation and logistics — an exhilarating and exhausting task.

How does it feel to have your own solo exhibition? Did you anticipate going in this direction in life, or is this a bit of a surprise or departure?

It’s very exciting and satisfying to share these designs with the world in a cohesive, site-specific installation. I’ve been working with many of the concepts and methods in the collection for nearly a decade now — not with this specific goal in mind, but as the work developed it felt like the right direction to go. The different objects are particularly three-dimensional and tactile, and it was very important to me that people had the opportunity to touch, try on, and experience them in person.

What’s next for Fitchwork?

The collection is set up to grow in multiple directions, both through the addition of new patterns and new typologies. There are so many applications to pursue, it takes a lot of restraint to stay focused! Ultimately, I’d like to expand the scale and application of the different pattern systems to become more spatial — i.e. shading systems, interior screens, furniture and surface finishes. It was important to me to start with the smallest bits and details, to explore an intimate scale and relationship to the human body. As all of the work is rooted in modularity, and the relationship of part to whole, it’s well-suited to larger, architectural possibilities.

The post Travis Fitch Brings Superpatterns to Light appeared first on Shapeways Magazine.

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[robertvasquez763]

Fine Print: 3D-Printed Replacement Car Parts Are Coming

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From the July 2017 issue

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In the bad old days, when you busted one plastic switch on a Pontiac Bonneville, your dealer forced you to buy an entire set. Now you can pay a Russian who builds replica Star Wars guns a couple of bucks to ship you a brand-new, OEM-quality part for your old Bonnie. And soon you may want to just make it yourself in your garage.

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At this point, an aftermarket car part made by a 3D printer could save you hours and hundreds of dollars, or it might simply snap in half. But just as computer-aided design rewrote automotive engineering in the 1980s, 3D printing is looking to revolutionize the replacement-parts business, allowing car owners to create precise copies in their own garages, albeit with varying degrees of success at this early stage.

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A high-six-figure price puts Shapeways’ printer well beyond what the average DIY user would buy. Its laser-sintering process shoots a laser into a tray of plastic powder, fusing it layer by layer. Other forms of 3D printing deposit new material, as if from a big tube of glue. Laser sintering allows multiple parts to be “cast” from a single tray of powder.

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“There’s no physical barrier anymore for people to start mass-producing parts,” said Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of Shapeways. A contract printer based in New York City, Shapeways can make any cosmetic part out of fused-filament plastic, steel, and even platinum. While many of its 1 million users hawk scale models and jewelry, a savvy seller can create a custom car part from scratch once the design work has been done. That includes Weijmarshausen himself, who crafted a pair of headrest brackets for his E36 BMW M3. “Only one person needs to solve a problem, and anybody can benefit from it,” he says.

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Websites such as Yeggi and Thingiverse host CAD files of everything from Ford F-150 fuel-door hinge pins to Donald Trump shift knobs. At 3D Hubs, you upload these files to receive instant quotes from people with 3D printers near you who’ll fabricate any job, no matter how small. With a copy of Autodesk 123D, you can ­render your own file from a few dozen ­photographs of the original part, or input numerical measurements into open-source software such as FreeCAD. If you’re a true DIYer, you can piece together a $500 printer or drop $3000 for a fully ­assembled unit from Airwolf 3D, which celebrated Mustang tuner Saleen Automotive uses to make shift-knob parts.

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Michelin Unveils Biodegradable, 3D-Printed Tire Concept

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Artists Do a 3D Scan of Yosemite Valley, with Help from Hyundai

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Certified Classics: These 7 Automakers Will Sell You the Perfect Vintage Car

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But if 3D printing sounds complex and geeky���not unlike Mercedes diesel owners recycling McDonald’s cooking oil—it is. We’re not at the point where 3D printing is turning automakers, suppliers, or eBay upside down. Even using high-quality plastics such as ABS, polypropylene, and polycarbonate, parts made with layers of melted plastic aren’t as strong as those that are injection molded. Printer resolution, which dictates the fineness of the part being created, varies widely with the printer and the chosen material. Even the experts don’t recommend building load-bearing parts from a 3D printer, and without a laser scanner that costs as much as a Ford Focus, you couldn’t ­replicate that broken control arm anyway.

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But thanks to amateur support on car forums, you don’t need to own any equipment to reproduce basic plastic parts. Anybody need cheap dash trim for a VW Vanagon?

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I Am Aluminum Man

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When plastic wasn’t fantastic enough, Joshua Pearce, a professor of materials science and electrical engineering at Michigan Technological University, built a 3D metal printer by cobbling MIG weld guns onto a CNC routing table for less than $4000. Pearce says his finished aluminum products have “remarkably high strength” compared with traditional casting and stamping methods. “There is a learning curve, but anybody who can rebuild a car can handle it,” he says.

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[vmlsource]

3D Printing Allows You To Design, Work And Earn

Humanity has constantly been a collection of innovators, do-ers, makers, and craftsmens. However with web devices as well as services, 3D printing is swiftly joining that motion of people who intend to make points and market them online. Ebay, Etsy, and a handful of various other shopping websites that focus on vintage or handmade items could have started the maker revolution, as it is usually called.

There are numerous 3D printers that are purchased solely for pastime usage, however in the past five or 6 years, a lot of the people that I talk to are just as interested to take the leisure activity into a profitable venture. There is absolutely nothing incorrect with that.

It is among the factors that 3D Hubs as well as MakeXYZ (Account ahead) have actually been growing like crazy. I include 3D Centers as well as MakeXYZ as the first method to make money with your printer because it provides an almost immediate means to get right into company as a 3D printer proprietor. You provide your printer on their network and possible consumers, normally neighborhood, can discover you and also request 3D published work to be done.

Customers, entrepreneur, as well as busy engineers at large companies, frequent need of 3D printing assistance, although the initial group is simply finding out about 3D printers based upon what I can inform by traffic to my introduction called What Is 3D Printing. You can be the one to supply that solution, in your area or online, if you agree to ship products to consumers.

Create an online shop on Shapeways. These people, as I have actually created sometimes are the Etsy of 3D Printing.

If you have layouts or models prepared, you can make them offered within Shapeways for clients to acquire. As you understand, it is print-on-demand, so absolutely nothing is made up until a client orders it. They have all the devices to assist you construct an on the internet shop, plus they currently have a nifty device that will certainly take your design and also allow more customization– with CustomMaker. You can review just how it benefits you as a store proprietor: Starting with the CustomMaker tool.

You can begin your very own store on Ebay or Etsy, or anywhere for that matter, Shopify is one more e-commerce system that functions well for small companies. Then you simply get your designs 3D printed at one of the above, or an additional neighborhood service bureau as well as print when consumers order, then ship.

You can offer local engineering companies aid with 3D printing models

Offer to go in and educate courses, for a cost, on ways to arrangement as well as use your very own 3D printer.

Precious jewelry developers could scan their designs and migrate to a 3D Version and also Publish sales procedure, which resembles the personalized options over, yet that you can do solo. Once again, you will certainly require a printer or a solution.

If you are a residence building contractor or restoration specialist, you could supply your clients that have unique, historic kind residences unique recreations. Take a look at just what Aztec Scenic Layouts is carrying out in the Orlando, Florida market. James Alday, of ImmersedN3D, that has actually shared ideas with us right here, has actually done 3D modeling as well as 3D printing help that company. I share among James’ developments in the photo over.

Find electroplaters in your area and locate a means to incorporate forces. RePliForm collaborates with any person who has a 3D printer, however you can locate platers in your area that would certainly invite brand-new work and after that you can supply to layer your prints in nickel, silver, or gold, to name a few.

Find a computer graphics (CG) specialist or CG animator and deal to team up on developing physical 3D prints of his/her characters, or go larger and also pursue licensing bargains as Sandboxr is doing.

One of things that I consistently hear from artists, manufacturers, creators of all kinds is that they do not intend to buy a 3D printer, not yet. They wish to begin slowly and also test a couple of printers. Well, the very best method to tackle that is to utilize what is referred to as a 3D Printing Service Bureau.

There are numerous local 3D printer solution bureaus, throughout the USA and also the globe. Many times, these 3D Printing Solution business are small operations that satisfy the neighborhood community, particularly neighborhood local business owner.

Some of them started as CNC Machine drivers or, in one situation I lately encountered, as a traditional woodshop where the craftsman was making cooking area cabinets. He saw a possibility to develop really detailed trim with a 3D version, and after that created a new 3D printer service company.

A covert benefit of utilizing a 3D Printing as a service is that you frequently discover somebody that got into 3D printing to resolve a problem, fell for the concept, and also is now rather experienced at it. So, you get greater than a workplace copy shop where you enter and press a button– you discover somebody that could aid you troubleshoot areas, if you need it, where your 3D design is not printing effectively.

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[doxampage]

Shapeways Education Grant Stories: Robert Hemlich’s Stop-Motion Masterpiece in the Making

Hailing from DePaul University, Robert Hemlich is one of our $1000 Education Grant recipients from the Fall 2016 grant cycle. Read on to learn about how Shapeways enabled his ambitious 3D printed stop-motion animation film, You’re Almost There, currently in production. Want Shapeways to sponsor your school project this year? Fall grant applications are due October 31.

Robert caught our attention through his work merging 21st-century digital tools with the magic of stop-motion animation, showing us all that filmmakers can use 3D printing technology on a budget, and with a low barrier to entry.

To tell the story of You’re Almost There, which centers on the ill-fated vacation daydream of an idle office worker, Robert used 3D scanning technology and our Full Color Sandstone material to create the posed models of his main character, which he will bring to life within a digitally fabricated dream world. The final piece will combine his Full Color Sandstone figurines, 3D printed PLA props, CNC cut MDF set pieces, and an animatable laser cut acrylic sea.

While traditional stop-motion animation is produced using one flexible model that can be posed differently in each frame, Robert is opting for the replacement technique in which the entire character is replaced on screen to create a sense of movement.

To achieve this, Robert 3D printed a staggering 71 versions of his main character — a feat he says would not have been possible without Shapeways’ manufacturing capacity and material offerings (not to mention our 15% student discount). Better yet, by outsourcing his 3D printing jobs to Shapeways, he was able to focus his time and resources on the aesthetic, artwork, and animation for the film, while maximizing the visual diversity of each Shapeways material.

Even after freeing up some of his time by printing through Shapeways, Robert had plenty on his plate between coordinating the 3D scanning, 3D modeling, rigging, motion capture, 3D animation, CNC milling, and laser cutting for his production, and it wasn’t always easy. At times, the photogrammetry 3D scan did not play nicely with the motion capture rig, and conveying his storyline in a limited number of frames became challenging.

But with his film still in production, he is already seeing some great results:

Throughout the project, I also had a handful of new ideas that came to me for future films and experiments that blend even more types of 3D printing together. As an animator, I hope these experiments will help me discover new ways to bridge the gap between animation and rapid prototyping. Upon finishing the film, I have plans to submit to film festivals for the potential of showcasing this unique method of filmmaking to wider audiences.

Well, filmmakers, you heard it here first. 3D printed animations might just be the new way to make a splash at Cannes. Check back soon for more updates on You’re Almost There, and follow Robert’s progress chronicled on his Instagram. In the meantime, start conceptualizing your own 3D printed project, because Fall 2017 Education Grant proposals are due on October 31!

The post Shapeways Education Grant Stories: Robert Hemlich’s Stop-Motion Masterpiece in the Making appeared first on Shapeways Magazine.

Shapeways Education Grant Stories: Robert Hemlich’s Stop-Motion Masterpiece in the Making published first on http://ift.tt/2vVn0YZ

[doxampage]

Designer Spotlight: Colin Wiencek and His Hybrid Furniture

Furniture designer Colin Wiencek’s early explorations of 3D printing led to his Trico Table, an elegant combination of wood, tempered glass, and 3D printed bronze connectors. Here, Colin talks about the role 3D printing plays in his design and production processes, and his dream of making fully 3D printed furniture.

What made you want to become a furniture designer? When I went to college I was initially set to study photography, but in my freshman year I had the chance to take several classes that exposed me to working in three dimensions. I loved the idea that something that I made could have a functional life. I loved being in the shop with the dust, noise, and grease. I loved taking a sketch on paper and bringing it into the real world.

Seven years later, I have never looked back.

“I loved the idea that something that I made could have a functional life. I loved being in the shop with the dust, noise, and grease. I loved taking a sketch on paper and bringing it into the real world.”

Where did you first get exposed to 3D printing? When I was at the Rhode Island School of Design, 3D printers were just starting to become available and you had to seek them out. The first project I attempted was building a chair out of 30 interconnecting prints. And this was on an early MakerBot that was quite prone to warping. It came out a huge mess, but it worked!

There’s a picture of you with wood and plastic connectors. Is that an early iteration of your furniture? Yes. I first made form studies using PLA prints from da Vinci and Monoprice 3D printers, then moved to prototypes using Shapeways Strong and Flexible Plastic. Then I attempted to make ceramic slip cast connectors, by making a mold from solid prints done in Strong and Flexible. This resulted in a beautiful connection that was just too fragile to be viable.

After this I explored CNC milling, investment casting, and bronze impregnated PLA, but I ended up finding that at the small volume that I am at today, Shapeways 3D Printed Steel was the most cost-effective solution compared with the labor involved in cleaning up other processes.

3D printing also allows for affordable customization. There is no tooling cost that would make custom parts too expensive.

You spent a winter as Furniture Design and Woodworking Resident at the Anderson Ranch Arts Center. How did that lead to the Trico Collection? Anderson Ranch provided studio space, accommodations, and the freedom to explore whatever projects interested me for three months. Nowhere else, even in college, have I felt as free to explore exactly what I wanted to without outside financial or course-credit concerns. This freedom was coupled with a creative community that provided instant feedback to even my most crazy ideas.

“Anderson Ranch provided studio space, accommodations, and the freedom to explore whatever projects interested me for three months. Nowhere else, even in college, have I felt as free to explore exactly what I wanted to without outside financial or course-credit concerns.”

At the Ranch I took this idea of modular construction from an idea on paper through form studies to a working prototype with ceramic hubs. I determined it was worth extra exploration, and this led to many months of continued development after the residency.

Trico Table by C.Weincek Design

Tell us about your design process and where Shapeways fits into it. For every decision, I create full scale models with small differences so that I can evaluate how each decision looks in real space. I test every dimension and material at full scale before I produce a final design. This can be quite time consuming, but it results in better design.

3D printing has been a huge help in this as it allows me to speed up my workflow. The printer is always working, whether I am at the desk or not. I have a few small and cheap FDM printers in my studio that do the bulk of the prototyping work. Nothing can beat the speed on having your own printer.

But when I need to create presentation models for clients or for early stage photography and marketing images, I turn to Shapeways. In particular I have used the Strong and Flexible Plastic as it is strong enough to stand up to the torsion in geometric structures and looks great on camera.

“After prototyping I also turn to Shapeways for final production prints. As mentioned above, 3D printed steel blows other production methods out of the water in terms of price and speed.”

After prototyping I also turn to Shapeways for final production prints. As mentioned above, 3D printed steel blows other production methods out of the water in terms of price and speed.

Ico Chandelier

Do your customers understand that your work involves 3D printed pieces? Do they care? Running a small studio, I pride myself on intense client focus and the ability to customize is important to many of my clients.

This, more than the printing process itself, is what my clients appreciate. They like that they can ask for small changes without the cost jumping up 10,000%.

Some interior designers appreciate the “cool” factor of the 3D printing process, but I am not sure that in itself translates to more sales, because in the end most designers are buying based on aesthetic and quality.

“…I pride myself on intense client focus and the ability to customize is important to many of my clients. This, more than the printing process itself, is what my clients appreciate. They like that they can ask for small changes without the cost jumping up 10,000%.”

What for you is the relationship between handicraft and digital fabrication? Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and are tools to be used when appropriate.

Digital fabrication provides accuracy and repeatability, but can be time-consuming, especially when modeling small details.

Handcraft can create tiny details that, while being less accurate, are beautiful in their imperfection. Natural materials have much more warmth than 3D printing materials.

How would you be making furniture if 3D printing wasn’t an option for you? I have spent most of my education and career not using 3D printing in my work so my ability to create wouldn’t be changed — but what I create would change dramatically. The complexity of my designs would be reduced. Highly geometric work would be less practical to produce.

“Don’t be confined by traditional aesthetics or production methods. If you have an idea and you think it might work, try it. Build it at full scale, and, even if it collapses, your next iteration will be better.”

You’ve also made a couple of geometrical solid necklaces. Do you do much jewelry design, or was that more research? Those were both early form studies for the Trico Collection that by happenstance made for great pendants. I hope to expand more into other types of objects, but today the focus is on lighting and furniture.

Tetra pendant light

Right now you make large pieces of furniture with small 3D printed parts. Do you hope to make entirely 3D printed furniture one day? I would love to get my hands on a printer large and cost-effective enough to print full pieces of furniture. I recently saw a makerspace in Baltimore called Open Works that has a 4’x4’x4’ printer with a large nozzle to print thick PLA layers. This really excited me! The bed is the perfect size to print a chair and I would love to see what crazy designs could be achieved on such a printer.

What advice would you give someone to wants to start making furniture? Don’t be confined by traditional aesthetics or production methods. If you have an idea and you think it might work, try it. Build it at full scale, and, even if it collapses, your next iteration will be better.

To learn more about Colin’s furniture, lighting, and jewelry designs, visit the C.Wiencek website, or follow him on Instagram or Pinterest. You can also hire him as a designer through Shapeways.

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[doxampage]

Optical Illusion: Decoding Two.Parts’ Minimalist Ceramic Lighting Fixtures

Two.Parts debuted its futuristic minimalist 3D printed ceramic pendant lights last year, and critical acclaim and industry recognition soon followed. Here, Two.Parts designer Christo Logan talks about the process behind creating and manufacturing his strikingly innovative 3D printed lighting fixtures.

What is your background? As a kid, I was set on becoming a car designer, although I studied architecture in college because it was the only form of design that was offered as a major. I believe that architecture is likely the greatest generalist education one can get. I also think that it’s the easiest major, since you get to just sit around and draw all day and night.

When it comes to design, I’ve tended to be very promiscuous — or maybe it’s indecisive. I’ve designed software interfaces, print graphics, video, animation, furniture, art installations, robots, a wide range of building types, urban master plans — and, of course, lighting.

I’m registered as an architect in New York, with long stints in San Francisco and Hong Kong. In addition to graduate architecture and urban design studios, I’ve taught tennis, cello, and chamber music ensemble.

“When it comes to design, I’ve tended to be very promiscuous — or maybe it’s indecisive. I’ve designed software interfaces, print graphics, video, animation, furniture, art installations, robots, a wide range of building types, urban master plans — and, of course, lighting.”

How did you get into 3D printing? I’ve been obsessed with digital fabrication since the moment I got access to the laser cutter in architecture school. I did a lot of CNC milling and casting in grad school. I got into 3D printing about six years ago, when I temporarily had a MakerBot for some experimental projects. Since then I’ve used only 3D printing services in order to get the quality I need for various small projects.

Tell us about Two.Parts. Two.Parts is my professional identity, basically a pseudonym or stage name. Right now there is only one part to it — making things — but I’ve got a pretty good idea of what the second part will be a few years down the road. How it evolves is as much of an ongoing design project as anything.

What led you to use 3D printing for ceramics? What opportunities or benefits does the process have? I had used 3D printing services many times over the years, but never paid much attention to 3D printed ceramics. For my lighting fixtures, ceramics seemed like the perfect material due to a smooth finish that doesn’t show any trace of having been 3D printed. The innate warmth, sustainability, and combination of new and ancient technology differentiate ceramics from other 3D printed materials in my mind. The relatively low price was also a big plus.

“For my lighting fixtures, ceramics seemed like the perfect material due to a smooth finish that doesn’t show any trace of having been 3D printed.”

What design software tools do you use? I tend to sort out the basics of a design on paper, but 99% of the time I’m in Rhino. I’ll employ Grasshopper for specific purposes, but I don’t use it to generate core designs. Like with 3D printed ceramics, my projects typically don’t reveal how they were created in terms of either software or hardware.

Does making these lamps also involve handicraft or traditional manufacturing processes? 3D printing is only the first step. Once the print head stops, Shapeways engineers go through several steps, and hand-glaze them between multiple firings.

All of my connective hardware is custom since there was nothing even close to being small enough to fit inside the ceramic fixtures. Some of those pieces are hand-cast in white bronze and then hand-polished. Once I get all the components, I assemble them by hand — easily the weakest part of the process.

I looked for ways of getting parts that were aesthetically perfect without any manual work needed on my end. Most 3D printed materials would likely require additional finishing work in order to look like a polished product, but not ceramics. On the other hand, ceramics have some of the loosest tolerances of any 3D printed material because they are hand-glazed and can warp and shrink during firing. Even after designing to account for this looseness, I have to make sure all pieces fit snugly.

The Geode pendant fixture by Two.Parts

Many people who trained as architects have explored 3D printing. What has the transition from architectural practice like? From my experience, those trained in architecture are really trained in digesting any number of parameters and constraints and coming up with (hopefully) more-than-just-viable solutions. This means having a healthy understanding of materials and processes that go into making something, but architects must also consider a thousand other factors: programmatic, regulatory, social, political, historical, environmental parameters, stakeholders. In comparison, designing a small object, 3D printed or otherwise, is a fun relief, which is maybe why it’s so popular with architects.

Two.Parts 3D printed ceramic lighting fixtures are printed with Shapeways and are available from the Two.Parts online store and representatives around North America. Photography by Juan Ude.

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