Category: Release_Candidate

How 3D printing changed the face of ‘ParaNorman’

The technology is not too dissimilar from the budget 3D printers making their ways into the homes and garages of hobbyists. Nor, for that matter, is it far-removed from more traditional inkjet printing, spraying down a minute amount of resin (15 microns, according to McLean’s numbers), layer by layer, which is cured by the machine’s built-in UV lights. Laika put the technology to work printing “replacement faces” that could be attached to the head of a character, giving young Coraline a grand total of around 200,000 expressions. It’s an impressive number, particularly when placed up against the 800 or so expressions Jack Skellington was capable of achieving in “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” By “ParaNorman,” however, the studio had rapid prototyping down to a science, with the movie’s fuzzy-haired protagonist (that’s 275 tightly bundled strands) able to express himself a staggering 1.5 million ways, according to Laika’s number crunching

Really interesting new take on 3D printing, using natural materials plus a binding agent of some sort. The mechanism is also really clever…a fully articulated robotic arm is significantly more flexible than the traditional desktop XYZ axis printhead. Looking forward to seeing how this evolves.

Stone Spray Project from Stone Spray on Vimeo.

You aren’t likely to find anyone more enthusiastic about 3d Printing than I am. And you also won’t find anyone more likely to document their child’s development. But this may be a step too far.

New parents have a strong urge to collect everything they can from their child’s early life — from photos and videos to hair and fingernails. Catering to this demand to immortalize infancy is a new product from Japanese firm Fasotec and Hiroo Ladies Clinic — a 3D printed model of your little bundle of joy in utero.

via Japanese company will 3D print your fetus for $1,275 | The Verge.

Pwdr is an open source powder-based rapid prototyping machine. Its goal is to promote experiments and innovations in powder-based rapid-prototyping. The machine is ready to use both the 3DP as the SLS process with minimal adaption, although the printer is currently prepped for 3DP.

Sintered powder printers have a ton more detail than deposition printers…this could be really interesting.

I think I got something in my eye…*sniff*

3D-Printed “Magic Arms” – YouTube.

NPR.org » New Projects Help 3-D Printing Materialize.

Until now, 3-D printers have been something of a novelty. The computer-controlled machines create three-dimensional objects from a variety of materials. Now, they are being discovered by everyday consumers. Jon Kalish reports.

3D printing replacement blood vessels!

Researchers at University of Pennsylvania say they may have found a way to create vasculatures using sugar and a 3-D printer. The design starts with sucrose and glucose and, with a custom RepRap 3-D printer, the scientists were able to turn the mixture into a free-standing, three dimensional vascular template.

via Scientists Build Vascular Network Using Sugar and a 3-D Printer – IEEE Spectrum.