One of the synergies of combining 3D scanning with 3D printing is the ability to create physical replicas of real-world objects with true likeness to the original. In this tutorial, we are going to demonstrate the 3D scan to print process by taking a squirrel skull and making it twice the original size. The intention is to enlarge the skull so it can be examined in greater detail.

Let’s take a closer look at what this process looks like and then look into the various applications that would benefit its use.

Video Demonstration

If you would like a condensed version of this tutorial, view the video here:

1. Step 1: 3D Scanning a Part for 3D Printing (Physical to Digital)

   

   The squirrel skull measures approximately 2.25 inches, which is a relatively small object to scan. If you need to capture small objects into 3D in fine detail, in terms of getting the best resolution and accuracy, using a macro 3D scanning would be your best choice. A macro 3D scanner is designed specifically for scanning small objects.

   

   In order to obtain the best quality results, the Metron Macro 3D scanner was used in the scanning portion of the project. FlexScan3D 3D scanning software comes with the Metron Macro 3D scanner. It captured individual 3D scans and merged them together into a complete digital 3D model.

   

2. Step 2: Preparing the Model for 3D Printing

   

   Typically in our lab, we would use FlexScan3D for preparing the scan data for 3D printing by:

   • Capturing 3D scans
   • Cleaning up the scan data (post-processing)
   • Converting the model into a watertight model

   However, in this instance, Geomagic Design X was chosen instead for advanced post-processing the scan data.

   Why use Geomagic Design X?

   

   The squirrel skull contained lots of very thin walled sections as well as small intricate holes. These features are likely too complex and unnecessary for the 3D printer to replicate. FlexScan3D has great hole filling tools and could have done a fairly decent job. When it comes to thin wall data and intricate data selection, Geomagic Design X has a more comprehensive toolset.

   Instead of just filling holes, with Geomagic Design X you can build up and create new materials that were previously flat or empty in order to make a good 3D printed model. FlexScan3D does not have the ability to create more materials. In this instance, Geomagic Design X has a slight edge for post-processing this particular squirrel skull 3D model. For objects simpler than the squirrel skull, FlexScan3D would have been more than sufficient.

   What is a watertight model and why do we need it?

   When we talk about getting a watertight mesh file for 3D printing, this means that the 3D model needs to be completely sealed. There should be no holes and all parts of the model have been connected properly to create a sealed solid.

   The word “watertight” means that if you put water inside the model, water will not leak out. Geomagic Design X and FlexScan3D software can make watertight .stl models from 3D scanner data for 3D printing.

   If you don’t have a watertight model, your 3D printing job will be unsuccessful. Since 3D printing sometimes can take hours to print depending on the complexity of your object, it is best to make sure your file is properly constructed before you enter into the final 3D printing stage. If you have a bad file, your 3D printing job will get messed up. Hours will be wasted and you would have to start all over again. Double-check that your file is watertight.

3. Step 3: 3D Printing a Replica (Digital to Physical)

   

   We are now ready for 3D printing. Airwolf Axiom 3D printer 3D printed the model in PLA material. Built on top of Cura’s open source slicing engine, Apex 3D printing software was developed exclusively for Airwolf printers and is optimized to make 3D printing a straightforward process. The software easily creates a customizable print job that allows for the most efficient printing of the skull. The 3D printer uses precise electronics that allow for accurate printing, getting the tiniest of details printed. Together, the combination produces a beautiful result that is dimensionally accurate and robust.

   3D printing using Apex:

   1. Open APEX and select your Airwolf 3D printer.
   2. Load your model file.
   3. Choose your four simple Quickprint settings (Filament, Print Quality, Print Support, and Platform Adhesion).
   4. Save your GCode and you’re ready to print.

   It is relatively simple to 3D print using the Airwolf Axiom 3D printer. It took about a little more than 10 hours to 3D print the skull using high quality settings. It slowed down the printing process, but it would produce better results than using normal settings.

Final Results

Overall, we are happy with the final 3D print. We are able to print the squirrel skull in great detail, especially around the eye socket, teeth, and the areas around the mouth. The jaw piece is also firmly attached to the model whereas the physical skull is in two pieces. The detailed model accurately represents all the features of the skull that is also robust and durable.

Applications for 3D Scanning to 3D Printing for Object Replication

Now that we gained a good understanding of the process, let’s examine how this process is put into real-life uses.

1. Art and Cultural Restoration Efforts

   3D scanning and 3D printing can be beneficial for restoration efforts, particularly for cultural and art preservation. Precious pieces that represent our history are often destroyed with time or destruction. They require special maintenance and repair to preserve our history.

   The restoration process involves scanning the remaining artifact, reconstructing the missing pieces using 3D modeling techniques, and finally recreating the missing pieces physically with 3D printing.

   Step 1: 3D Scanning	Step 2: 3D Modeling	Step 3: 3D Printing
   Capturing 3D images of the authentic piece.	Recreating missing fragments to create complete artifact. Sometimes, a duplicate or similar object can be used as a reference for scanning and modeling the missing pieces.	Missing parts are 3D printed and adhere to the original piece to make it whole again.

   Case Study: Damaged Stone Sculptures Receive New Life Through 3D Printing

   

   Funeral Busts dated back to the second century AD were severely damaged with hammers when Isis terrorists rampaged through the archaeological site and museum. The busts, one man and one woman, was taken back to Rome where cultural heritage experts from the Italian Institute of Conservation and Restoration spent time repairing the damaged bust. The restoration efforts involved using a 3D scanner to capture the shattered faces into 3D and 3D printer to print the prosthetics.

   “The resin prosthetics were coated with a very fine layer of stone dust to make them blend in with the original stone. It was a great honour for us to be able to restore such extraordinary artefacts, which were so brutally damaged by Isis.”

   Gisella Capponi, director of the Italian Institute for Conservation and Restoration.

   The prosthetics are removable and can be replaced with the original missing piece if they were ever found.

   Read more about the restorative efforts: Stone sculptures smashed by Isil in ancient city of Palmyra restored to former glory by Italian experts

2. Gain a Better Understanding of Our Past

   Artefacts and fossils are often fragile, irreplaceable, and priceless, which makes it impossible to be handled on a constant basis. Researchers can use 3D scanners to capture the original specimen into 3D digital form and then 3D print them for a thorough in-depth analysis.

   We as humans are tactile in nature. Once an object is 3D scanned into a digital 3D model, the way we interact with a physical model is completely different than interacting with the model on screen. We can gain more insights by seeing and touching a physical tangible 3D printed model because it is often easier than looking at digital scan data.

   Case Study: 3D Printing Makes Its Way Into Online Courses

   At the University of Southern Queensland, Professor Bryce Barker in the Department of Anthropology gives off-campus students the opportunity to get practical hands-on lab experience which is essential to learning the course. Students will be able to handle the 3D printed specimens in their home while getting a guided tour from the professor through online course materials to improve the way students learn. The cost of 3D printing the specimens and shipping to their homes would be much cheaper than bringing the distance and online students physically into the university (in terms of cost of travel, accommodation, etc.).

3. Making Large-Scale Sculptures

   

   The art of sculpture making can be further enhanced with the use of 3D technologies. Object replication using 3D scanning isn’t just restricted to the use of a 3D printer. To expand the list of material choices for producing the final sculpture, 3D scanned data can be exported for use on a CNC machine (using wood or plastic) or for a molding process (bronze casting). Typically, artists choose to work in clay first. Once the sculpture is complete, it is 3D scanned, scaled to the appropriate size (enlarge or reduction), and produced in the finishing material.

   Step 1: Creating the Physical Sculpture	Step 2: 3D Scanning	Step 3: 3D Printing, CNC, or Molding Process
   Sculpting the piece in clay.	3D scanning the sculpture into 3D digital form and making any necessary modifications.	Produce the final sculpture in the desired materials as specified by the artist.

   Case Study: Making CNC-Carved Wooden Statues from Clay Sculptures

   Commissioned by the Schweizerholz (Swiss wood) initiative and the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment, figurative artist Inigo Gheyselinck created wooden figures of famous Swiss people to make history come alive and to show what a great material wood is with the #WOODVETIA campaign. The purpose of the campaign was to raise awareness of the benefits of wood, which is biodegradable and an eco-friendly material for construction and furniture production.

   

   Gheyselinck modeled the famous heads in clay. He scanned the clay sculptures and found human models which was also 3D scanned to compose the body.

   

   After scanning his clay sculptures using Artec Eva, the digital 3D models were then exported to CAD-compatible CNC milling machine for creating the sculpture in wood. CNC has the ability to machine soft woods at high speed.

   

   Read more: Making CNC-carved wooden statues of historical Swiss personalities

3D scanning broadens the use of 3D printing by expanding the number of things you can do with a 3D printer. Hopefully this will give you a better understanding of the 3D print to scan process and inspire you to find more commercial applications that can benefit from the use of these technologies.

Questions on replicating objects using 3D scanning and 3D printing?

Ask us how

The post How to Replicate Objects With 3D Scanning and 3D Printing [with Video] appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

This article shows how to gauge the performance of a 3D printer by evaluating its 3D printed part.

3D scanning technology empowers us to capture accurate surface measurements of a given part to perform the analysis. The scanned part can then be checked for measurement deviations from the original CAD file with computer-aided inspection software.

No 3D printer can print to the perfect specifications of a CAD model, the design blueprint of the part. In reality, every physically manufactured part, including 3D printed ones, will have slight variations from the CAD model.

Variations to the CAD model are also affected by the type of 3D filaments you use. You will have to accept some level of deviation and determine what type of tolerance you are comfortable with.

Steps for Evaluation

1. Print desired part from CAD file on a 3D printer
2. Scan printed part using a 3D scanner to acquire point cloud data about its surface geometry
3. Use a deviation tool such as an inspection software to directly compare the scan file and the CAD file

3D Printing

A filament tester plate was used as the demonstration part for this project. It is a 2 inch tall hexagon with various features that are challenging for 3D printers. If the printer fails in one area of the test part it should be visibly obvious and can quickly demonstrate what needs to be improved the next time. It is important to be able to accurately analyze the dimensions of this part in order to understand the printer behavior.

The material used for a filament is a woodfill PLA composite from ColorFabb. It has 20% wood shavings mixed into the plastic that provide an aesthetically pleasing look that can be stained and finished like regular wood. We chose this filament because it’s more challenging to work with. This filament prints like regular PLA with a little extra fine tuning.

The printer used in this project was an Airwolf Axiom Dual with a bowden tube drive. Airwolf provides a flavor of Cura 3D printing software that has tailored preferences for each filament type. In our lab, we use Apex instead of any other slicing software in order to maintain consistency with the printer brand. Once the part was configured in Apex, the 3D printer took about a half an hour to print the part.

3D Scanning

Once the part is printed, we scanned the part in order to capture its surface measurements for evaluation. The part was scanned using the HDI Advance 3D scanning system. This setup captured accurate information about the printed part in very high detail. Using the 35mm lenses, we were able to get 14 microns of accuracy across the scanning volume.

Flexscan3D 3D scanning software that comes with the 3D scanner collected the points of information and constructed a physical representation of the 3D printed part. The file was exported to .stl file format to be used in the inspection software for comparison.

Comparing 3D Printed Part to CAD File

Geomagic Control X 3D inspection software allows for deep analysis of physical objects when scanned into 3D digital form. In this project, we imported both the original CAD file as well as the .stl scan file into the software in order to compare the two. The left photo is the original CAD file (the design blueprint of the part) from SOLIDWORKS and the image on the right is the scan file we acquired from the 3D scanner (scanned 3D printed part).

Once aligned in the same orientation, these 3D objects can be directly compared to each other for discrepancy in terms of surface area and volume. A 3D comparison tool in Geomagic Control X gives a color map of the measurement differences between the two. Red and orange colors indicate where the printer extruded too much plastic and anywhere that’s blue indicates too little.

In general it seems the part may be a bit over extruded. While at the same time, side-to-side there was an average shrinkage of 0.04%. In the future we could potentially turn down the extrusion rate to perhaps 95% as well as scaling up the print size by 0.05% in order to get a more dimensionally accurate part.

Running the Test Again

The same tester plate was reprinted with a scaling factor to compensate for the shrinkage observed and a reduced extrusion rate to see if this analysis provided positive change in print quality. The scanning and evaluating process outlined above was repeated.

The results show most of the heat map is green, which indicates that the part is very close to the actual measurements in the original CAD file. Edge to edge the shrinkage was almost totally eliminated.

Takeaway from the Test Results

The results are promising when it comes to tailoring printer settings to the 3D printing filament you are using. This process can be repeated with any 3D printed shape.

Overall, the amount of shrinkage observed for woodfill PLA from ColorFabb has a 0.04% decrease in volume size. We suggest that if you want to print with this material, try scaling the part by 1.004 for more accurate and precise prints for the best print quality.

The post Evaluating the Accuracy of a 3D Printed Part Against the CAD Model appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

Technology should enhance productivity, not hinder it. What makes SpaceClaim special is that it takes the complication out of CAD modeling.

SpaceClaim is a great alternative solution for CAD modeling. It can get the job done—faster, simpler, and at a more affordable price when compared to feature-based CAD software which can be expensive, rigid, and require a CAD specialist to run the program. SpaceClaim is a direct modeler that gives any engineer, designer, and machinist the power and flexibility to edit, repair, and create any geometry with ease—without worrying about where the file comes from and without any specialized training.

The new SpaceClaim 2017 released earlier this year is full of new features and enhancements to make CAD modeling even more intuitive for creating and editing 3D models quickly.

From large changes to behind the scenes enhancements, the new version will speed up your workflow and create better models for design, reverse engineering, manufacturing, additive manufacturing (or 3D printing), and simulation.

Let’s take a look at some of these new features.

3D Modeling Improvements

Minimal Distortion for Unfolding of Surfaces

The Unfold feature is especially useful for sheet metal designs. When you design a model, like a stamp sheet metal part, it would be challenging to unfold because it’s distorted as it’s manufactured with all the different curvatures.

With this new feature, SpaceClaim can now flatten multiple connected faces of complex sheet metals or modeling surface skins to a 2D profile surface with a single click. The software will first minimize any changes to the overall area of the set of faces. Secondly, it will minimize the changes to the length of edges, essentially the perimeter of the model and its geometry features (ie. holes).

SpaceClaim 2017 also added new bend annotations. When used with the Unfold feature, it gives a better graphical display of information to your manufacturer for bending the sheet metals to make sure your product is bent to the right bend angle and direction.

Volumetric Sweep

This new functionality can take a solid body and sweep it along an arbitrary path. The result is a faceted body that is useful for creating and visualizing motion paths or envelopes, or for creating cuts from the path of a moving tool bit in machining operations.

Stopped Chamfers

This new feature provides the ability to have chamfers stop at a given distance along an edge. When you add chamfers to a model, you now have control options on either ends of the edge.

Additive Manufacturing Improvements

Produce Faceted Models with Lattice Structures

Lattice structures are difficult to manufacture using traditional manufacturing processes such as casting. However, with the rise of additive manufacturing, more and more mechanical designers are taking advantage of building parts with lattice structures as they produce lighter and stronger parts. They are compelling to use for manufacturing better parts built for rigidity with lower material costs.

With SpaceClaim 2017, you can shell out any part to a specified thickness to remove the material on the inside and to replace it with an infill of lattice structure. Different lattice patterns are available to choose from depending on applications, the different types of forces and stresses needed for the part. The result is a faceted model ready for additive manufacturing.

Improved Selection Tools

New slider bar tool provides the ability to do more precise selection on faceted models. Sliding the bar allows you to select more facets based on angles. This is extremely helpful because it selects exactly what you want instead of using the static tolerance value. It makes selection a lot more easier.

New Analysis Tools

SpaceClaim 2017 has new inspection tools to detect issues prior to printing to ensure there are no problems including cavities errors, overhang detection, thickness improvements, and sharp edges. You can use these tools on solid models and on STL files after you converted them.

Other Notable New Features

Dynamically Move Through the Model with Fly Through View

Very often, SpaceClaim users are modeling complex assemblies where they want to visualize the components of their designs from the inside. Previously prior to this version, SpaceClaim gives a camera perspective from the outside of the part or assembly, where you are looking at the model from far away.

With this new feature, you can change the way you render a scene in SpaceClaim and you can look at things from any vantage point from inside the assembly. You can display and manipulate the camera position to control the field of view (how much you can see) and angle you want to see.

This new feature provides users with a new perspective to design and concept modeling. For example, users now have the ability to look at a 3D model of a building from different perspectives for architectural design—not just from the outside, but from the inside as well.

Scripting

Scripting gives users the ability to automate your modeling, for repetitive tasks or for creating custom geometry.

SpaceClaim 2017 has now expanded the available commands for use in macro-like recording feature. You can now perform a wider array of edits on a model, and SpaceClaim will record the necessary script. The data captured is in the Python language, so you don’t need not be proficient in scripting code or programming in order to use it.

Scripts can be replayed on imported versions of a model. You can record the initial changes to a version of a model, then replay those same changes to a later version of the model. SpaceClaim will recognize the ID’s of faces, bodies and other characteristics, and will intelligently apply scripted changes to later versions of any file. This improvement will reduce your remodeling time as you can capture your changes and transfer them to other models automatically instead of doing them manually.

New File Format Compatibility

Key to the use of SpaceClaim for most people is the ability to import and export files of 3D models in all the major CAD formats, including neutral file formats. STEP is probably the most popular neutral file format amongst SpaceClaim users. If you work with STEP a lot, you’ll know that STEP has published a new standard called STEP AP242 and it’s starting to gain adoption. The new version supports STEP files AP242 as well as import graphical PMI for dimensioning and tolerancing for part manufacturing information.

The latest version of SpaceClaim 2017 can now open and import the following file formats:

• Inventor 2017
• NX 11
• Solid Edge ST9
• SOLIDWORKS 2017

For a complete list of files that SpaceClaim is compatible with for importing and exporting, please read SpaceClaim’s File Compatibility Document.

We’ve only highlighted some of the new features and enhancements to this year’s SpaceClaim CAD modeling software. To learn more about SpaceClaim 2017, including the latest SpaceClaim 2017.1 release that just came out in May, you can view the webinars using the link below:

Webinar: What’s New in SpaceClaim 2017 Release →

Webinar: SpaceClaim 2017.1 Release →

The post What’s New in SpaceClaim 2017? appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

3D printing has been invented since 1983 when Charles Hull invented the stereolithography machine. He went on to start 3D Systems in 1986. Fast forward to the early 2010s, the movement for affordable 3D printing has skyrocketed due to 3D printing patents expiring and it’s still continuing today. When the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) printing process patent expired in 2009, it enabled a new breed of affordable 3D printers to give rise to its popularity. (Source: TechCrunch)

3D printers that used to cost more than $10,000 were now available for as low as under $1,000. The attractive price made 3D printing more accessible, which drove its use and adoption. 3D printing technology that had previously been relatively unknown had crossed over to massive appeal where even students are using it in classrooms.

The debate on whether 3D printing is hype

Depending on which side you are on, there are those who says that 3D printing is a fad that’s starting to fizzle. While on the other end of the spectrum, others believe it still needs time to realize its potential to be the next technological revolution, like computers and the Internet. Technology adoption, simply just takes time.

If you look more closely at the media attention surrounding the hype of 3D printing, it’s mainly focused on:

1. Consumer 3D printing for personal use: The vision that one day desktop 3D printers will be put into the every home like laser or inkjet printers.

   

2. The Promise of the Future: 3D printing applications that still needs to prove their viability on a larger scale. We’ve heard stories that 3D printing holds the promise of ending world hunger by 3D printing food, help us with our medical needs with 3D printed organs, or putting 3D printed cars on the streets.

   

Looking beyond the hype

Much of the spotlight is focused on the mass adoption of 3D printing by consumers or the potential of 3D printing. There is a lesser emphasis on discussing the positive impact 3D printing has on organizations that already adopted the technology to help them realize real benefits now.

When we break down 3D printers into different categories, the hype is usually centered on consumer 3D printers and high-end 3D printers. 3D printer prices can range from $500 to $500,000+. More expensive 3D printers typically give you better print quality, larger print volume, more selection in terms of materials you can print, and better print durability.

Let’s look beyond the hype and examine concrete examples of how 3D printing has impacted different industries now. Since high-end 3D printers are expensive and normally only attainable by larger corporations, we’ll focus on organizations that use mid-tier 3D printers that offer value–providing good quality 3D prints without breaking the bank.

Industry Applications to 3D Printing

Footwear: Feetz brings custom-fit 3D-printed shoes to customers

It’s hard to find a great pair of shoes that fit your feet well. Feetz is the first company to use 3D printers to produce custom-fitted, sustainably-made stylish shoes. Founded in 2013, the digital cobbler is on a mission to revolutionize footwear so every shoe is made custom fit using a smartphone and a 3D printer.

How it works:

The shoes aren’t a gimmick. They are meant to last. Each pair is guaranteed for 500 miles of walking. When the shoes need to be retired, customers can choose to send them back to Feetz as they are 100% recyclable and the company can ship a new pair to them.

3D printers are great for mass customization because products can be tailored to each customer at a relatively low cost. Feetz use Axiom 3D printers to produce each shoe and it’s powerful and fast enough to keep up with demand. It has the capability to manufacture shoes out of comfortable, aesthetically pleasing materials without compromising on quality.

Automotive: Saleen Automotive accelerates the product design cycle

Saleen Automotive was founded in 1984 and the name has become well-known as a manufacturer of high-performance street and track vehicles. The company has continually raised the standard for automotive design and performance engineering in both street and racing applications. Since 2013, the product design team has taken advantage of 3D printers for building large-scale prototype parts to improve their designs and to accelerate their product design cycle.

“It used to take six weeks to build prototype parts for our cars. It was a complicated process that included CAD designs, sending designs to a tool maker, having the prototype injection molded and returned to us. And if the prototype wasn’t perfect, we repeated the process until we were satisfied. With our Airwolf 3D printer, we accomplish the same thing in two days. Not only do we get parts into production faster, we can also modify and refine our designs faster.”

Sven Etzelsberger Vice President of Engineering Saleen Automotive

Saleen also use the 3D printer to manufacture small functional parts that are strong enough to go directly into their automobiles as well as developing parts including window louvers, exhaust tips, butterfly mechanisms, light bezels.

Architecture: jbA Architectural Firm Brings 2D Renderings to Life

Nat Ellis, Head of Visualization from jbA, has been using a 3D printer to produce 3D renderings of all their architectural designs since 2013. Nat believes the investment into 3D printing technology provided his firm a competitive advantage over other agencies who depend on older methods of rendering.

The 3D printed models that jbA produces with a 3D printer are scaled perfectly to bring 2D blueprints to life. People have a tendency to visualize better in 3D than 2D. You can see the 3D printed model physically from different perspectives. 3D printed models are great at displaying spatial relationships and scale in ways that traditional rendering cannot.

As Ellis puts it, “It has not only helped clients get more involved with a project, but also helps give contractors on site a cleaner understanding of the end product to create a more streamlined process for all involved.”

Architects are skilled in making 3D rendering possible with CAD so it’s an easy transition to transform digital CAD drawings into 3D printed models using a 3D printer. If you are already using software such as Google Sketchup, it’s easy to use along with a 3D printer to make this happen.

Medical: 3D printing gives a helping hand

Medical applications in 3D printing transform people’s lives in such a positive way. Faith Lennox is a 7-year-old girl whose arm was amputated due to a condition called compartment syndrome she had at birth.

Faith is a very active girl who likes to bike, surf, and play sports such as baseball. She needed to get an artificial limb that would be functional, affordable, comfortable, and she would enjoy wearing. The new hand will help Faith alleviate the back pain she has as a result of her unequal arm length.

Traditional prosthetics can be costly with a price tag of upwards of $30,000. Considering that Faith is at the age when she’s growing up fast, she would need to replace her prosthesis every 1 to 2 years. The cost of the equipment would be very expensive for any family to bear.

Luckily with the partnership of E-Nable, BUILD IT Workspace, and AirWolf 3D, Faith’s new hand cost her family just $50! Her new hand took less than a month to design and it was printed in 24 hours. Faith’s new 3D printed hand has a simple yet modular design that allows her to modify, repair, and replace the unit with minimal time, cost, and effort as she grows.

Besides building robotic limbs, other medical applications to 3D printing already in place today include 3D printed prosthetics, braces, and foot orthotics.

Where does this leave us?

After looking at these examples, there appears to be a recurring theme. The cost of owning a 3D printer along with the associated materials costs enable organizations to customize their products on a personal level at an affordable price. 3D printing is a flexible technology that can be adapted into various industries to realize its benefits, in terms of reducing cost, streamlining processes, driving innovation, and helping people out in their daily lives.

As more 3D printing process patents expire and 3D printing improves and evolves by providing even better technology at a lowered price, we hope to see more and more businesses benefiting from the use of 3D printing.

The post Practical Industry Applications to 3D Printing Beyond the Hype appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

This year, the Additive Manufacturing User Group Conference and Expo in Chicago, IL will bring together engineers, designers, managers, and educators from around the world to share expertise, best practices, challenges, and application developments in additive manufacturing.

AMUG Expo: March 19-20, 2017
AMUG Conference: March 21-23, 2017

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, reduces prototyping costs compared to traditional prototyping methods. Rapid prototyping brings your design ideas to life from concept to prototype with a quick turnaround time of just a few hours to get your products faster to market.

Our team will be a part of the 3D Scanning Workshop on Monday, March 20 from 1:30-5pm to demonstrate how 3D scanning technology plays a crucial role in the additive manufacturing process.

How will 3D scanning transform the way you work? Come to the workshop to find out.

We’re also a part of the AMUG Expo in Booth #65 where we will give live demonstrations of the Artec and HDI 3D scanners.

If you are attending the conference we look forward to seeing you there!

The post GoMeasure3D Participating in 3D Scanning Workshop at AMUG Conference in March appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

When it comes to learning, we understand principles and concepts much better if we can put them into action rather than passively learning by reading. 3D printers give teachers new ways to teach various school subjects by giving students the hands-on experience. Students learn by becoming makers.

3D printing is an interactive technology that gets students engaged about learning. 3D printers are great as an educational tool for students of all ages, from children as young as K12 all the way to young adults in colleges and universities.

3D printing can be used as visual materials for any lessons and can be helpful anywhere. To be considered as STEM subjects, such a printer can and even should be available for learners as it can replace thousands of expensive models, images, photos and other visual materials. In addition, it is perfect for project-based learning and keeping students engaged and interested.

From Noplag’s article Using 3D Printing in STEM Education 2017¹

While it’s easy to get excited about implementing 3D printers into the classrooms, it doesn’t come without hurdles. Let’s examine some of these challenges.

Challenge #1: What will 3D printing teach my students they don’t already learn in my class?

Integrating STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education into the classroom is becoming increasingly important. 3D printing demonstrates how things they learn in school can actually be put to use out in the real world.

For example, the 3D Printer Maker Challenge is a program that encourages schools to inspire their students to design and manufacture a product that will solve a problem, need, or want using 3D printers. The program is an integrated STEM project that incorporates elements of art and design. It inspires creativity, exploration, and invention.

The ability to learn and pickup new technology such as 3D printing is an important skill to have for students growing up in a technology-driven world. At the same time, students develop transferable skills including: 

• Creativity
• Problem solving
• Research
• Critical thinking
• Working in teams
• Communication skills

“The 3D printer is a critical tool to enhance the learning process in our Tech Academy. It provides vital options that help us move our students forward in developing their creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills needed for success in the 21^st century.”

Darin Petzold Teacher who teaches Wood Shop, Tech Academy and Science at Serrano Intermediate School, Lake Forest, California ²

An especially important trait that 3D printing teaches is grit. Angela Lee Duckworth, Psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, found that IQ wasn’t the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Grit is a predictor of success. Sometimes a design concept doesn’t print out the way it’s intended. 3D printing shows students failures are part of the learning process. They need to develop the tenacity to figure out solutions to their own problems.

Challenge #2: 3D printers look like expensive technology. I’m not sure if my school can afford it.

Sometimes school budgets might be so tight that it seems challenging to get the necessary funds to bring 3D printing into the classroom. 3D printers might seem like an expensive technology but there are affordable options out there. Companies that sell 3D printers typically offer educational discounts to schools or have an affordable option in support of introducing the technology to students. Get a quote from a 3D printer vendor and see if it fits your school budget.

Challenge #3: I don’t have the funds to implement 3D printing into my classroom.

Chuck Hobbs, a dedicated teacher at Vista del Mar Middle School in San Clemente, decided that he was going to challenge this obstacle. Having a 3D printer would be a valuable asset in making an impact on the future of his students.

He took matters in his own hands by establishing a webpage on DonorsChoose.org ³ where anyone can donate to the good cause of helping him purchase a 3D printer for his classroom. Mr. Hobbs got the support from local parents and friends of the school, and even from a group of science, engineering, and business students at the University of Texas who saw the value of introducing 3D printing to students at a young age.

In less than a month, he reached his goal of raising $3,022. He got this technology into the hands of 11, 12, and 13 year olds and it gives them the opportunity to begin gaining skills which will benefit them long into their future.

Mr. Hobbs is a great example to students as well as teachers that if you believe in something and act on it, great things can happen!

Here is a video interview of Mr. Hobbs explaining the benefits of 3D printing in his classroom:

If you do some online research, there are also grants available for schools to apply to help fund the purchase of a 3D printer.

Challenge #4: I’m a teacher who is new to 3D printing. How can I teach my students if I’m not familiar with how to use a 3D printer? 

Learning any new technology, such as 3D printing, might seem daunting at first but 3D printer manufacturers have strive to make 3D printers simple to use, even for students in K12. Companies who sell 3D printers have a support system to help teachers and educators with this learning process.

To support the use of 3D printing in the classroom, teachers can download 3D printing curriculums online. They have step-by-step instructions with clearly outlined learning objectives on what students will learn for each lesson.

The purchase of a 3D printer usually comes with customer support with an online knowledge center that contains a wealth of guides and videos to get your 3D printer up and running quickly. In addition, a technical support team is ready to provide you with one-on-one help when you need it.

Do you have other challenges of bringing 3D printers into your classroom you would like to discuss? Please share it in the comments section.

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References:

1. Noplag’s article, Using 3D Printing in STEM Education 2017
2. EdTech Digest article, Not Your Daddy’s Printer
3. DonorsChoose.org makes it easy for anyone to help a classroom in need. Public school teachers from every corner of America create classroom project requests, and you can give any amount to the project that inspires you.

Photos and video source: Airwolf3D

The post Overcoming Challenges to Bringing 3D Printing into the Classroom appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

One of the projects I’ve been working on is to convert a 1970 Camaro to an LS motor, with a GM computer accessed through an OBDII programmer. The small programmer has been temporarily mounted in the car for a few years now. Since we got a new 3D printer in the lab, I decided to print a new housing for the programmer. Building a new housing with a 3D printer would be a quick and simple project.

From there, I moved on to design the housing inside SpaceClaim, a 3D CAD modeling software. SpaceClaim made it extremely easy to push, pull, and modify the entire housing into a 3D model. It took just about five minutes to build the file from scratch based on the dimensions I had written down.

Now that I created the CAD file, I converted it to an STL file and sent it from SpaceClaim to Cura where the G code file can then be sent directly to the Airwolf3D Axiom 3D printer. Cura is a free software for preparing your models for 3D printing.

The Axiom 3D printer we have in our lab is easy to set up. Simply insert the SD card that has the file and press print.

From here I simply need to pull out the old housing and replace with the 3D printed parts. Later, I will give the new 3D printed housing a paint job, install it in the car, and check it off my to-do list.

The post 1970 Camaro Muscle Car Gets New Computer Housing with 3D Printing appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a technology that has actually been around since the 1980s. Initially, 3D printers were massive high-end systems mainly reserved for big corporations with the financial resources. Fast forward to today, there are more options for 3D printing. With the rise in popularity of desktop 3D printers, prices have come down in the last couple of years.

With 3D printers becoming more affordable, the technology is accessible to the masses. Small businesses—even consumers—can now take advantage of 3D printing. Affordable desktop 3D printers in the market today continue to make technological advancements by printing at faster speeds, making larger 3D prints, expanding the list of printable materials, and improving on print quality.

Is it time to take advantage of 3D printing and implement the technology into your business?

The Advantages of 3D Printing

3D printing has been proven especially valuable in manufacturing, particularly in the area of product design and development. The ability to produce high quality 3D printed prototypes on demand is empowering for teams to substantially speed up time-to-market and create better products, giving companies that implement rapid prototyping a competitive edge.

Compared to conventional methods of prototyping, rapid prototyping using 3D printing technology is an attractive option because:

• Reduces Lead Times
  Produce prototypes at a faster rate, in hours, not days as there’s no need for molding or tooling.
• Saves Money
  On demand production allows teams to create one-off prototypes or produce only the quantities they need, with printing materials being relatively inexpensive.
• Less Waste
  Subtractive manufacturing (e.g. using a CNC milling machine) carves out an object from a solid block of material which produces unwanted material waste. On the other hand, additive manufacturing (3D printing) only uses materials it needs to create the prototype.
• More Control
  Empower your staff to print their own prototypes without outsourcing to other companies which can be expensive and have long lead times.

3D Printing Fosters Innovation

3D printing is a fast and cost-effective way to bring design ideas to life. The technology fosters creativity by enabling teams to quickly and easily test out various design concepts into physical form in order to select the best option. Once a design is set, prototype iterations can be created to test out variations and finalize the design before it reaches final production. This process minimizes risks by ensuring there are no design problems before manufacturing, eliminating any potential issues down the road.

Application

3D printing allows companies to rapidly prototype a design before committing to actual tooling. JetPack Aviation is a company that makes jet turbine powered backpacks capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL). It uses 3D printing extensively as an affordable option for rapid prototyping as their design process involves multiple iterations of design, testing, and redesign to ensure the quality of their products.

Implementing 3D printing into the design process results in huge savings. For their 3D printed JetPack tank, making a master pattern using traditional 5-axis CNC machining of modeling foam or aluminum would typically cost between $5,000 and $12,000. However, using an Axiom desktop 3D printer, the total cost was under $400.¹

What Do I Need to Get Started on 3D Printing?

3D printers are similar to inkjet or laser printers in that you will need a computer software to create a design file before you can print your own designs. There are various affordable CAD software packages on the market (e.g. Rhino, SpaceClaim, SOLIDWORKS) that you can use to create your product design. The CAD file is converted to a watertight STL file (which essentially just means an enclosed solid with no holes) for 3D printing. If you are already using these popular CAD software packages, you just need to get a 3D printer and you’ll be all set to get started on rapid prototyping.

Next Steps

This article covers a number of benefits to implementing 3D printing into your business, particularly in product design and development. If you have further questions on how 3D printing can help your business, please contact our technical specialist and they would be happy to assist you.

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References:

1. 3D printed jetpack accelerates the product design cycle, January 2016

The post How Will 3D Printing Transform Your Business? appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

Our GoMeasure3D team will be exhibiting at the Southeast Design-2-Part Show held in Atlanta, GA to showcase the latest 3D scanning and printing technology for improving process efficiency and product quality. The two day event is the region’s largest design and contract manufacturing show covering more than 300 manufacturing and service categories for the metals, plastics, rubber, and electronics industries. It’s a great way to interact with a variety of vendors all in one place to help you solve your business challenges.

Show Details

Southeast Design-2-Part Show
March 30-31, 2016
Atlanta, GA
Cobb Galleria Center
GoMeasure3D booth #: 412

The show is free to attend. Register for free by clicking on the REGISTER NOW button below.

3D Scanning Demonstrations

We will be holding at number of live demonstrations in our booth. We will be showcasing the Artec handheld 3D scanners for the first time since we became an official reseller earlier this year. The handheld technology captures objects in 3D with continuous scanning. Simply turn it on and hover around the object for recording.

Artec Eva is a lightweight 3D scanner that captures 3D scans quickly with high resolution results, making it a versatile 3D scanning solution for a wide range of industries. Artec’s metrology grade 3D scanner, the Artec Space Spider, is ideal for reverse engineering, quality control, and product design applications that require high accuracy and resolution scan data with long-term repeatability. Both these scanners are especially useful in situations where you need to scan outside or travel to objects that cannot be transported.

A New Standard in Desktop 3D Printing

In addition to 3D scanners, it will also be our first time featuring the Airwolf’s Axiom 3D printer at a tradeshow. Its performance and features simply beat other desktop 3D printers three times the price. It produces larger, cleaner, and more detailed models than comparable 3D printers in the market. The printer is capable of printing in more than 40+ materials from TPU to Polycarbonate/ABS with a fully enclosed print chamber. It’s an affordable 3D printer great for short production runs and creating prototypes, tooling and molds.

Free Admission to the Design-2-Part Show

You can register for free to attend the show. Please fill out the form by selecting the button below.

REGISTER NOW ⟶

If you would like to get in touch before the conference, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@gomeasure3d.com or call (434) 946 9125. By contacting us ahead of time with your challenges, we can give you a demo at the show that is tailored specifically to your needs.

The post GoMeasure3D Features Artec 3D Scanners and Axiom 3D Printers at Design-2-Part Show appeared first on GoMeasure3D.

We’re excited to announce the introduction of the Airwolf Axiom 3D printers to our product line. To celebrate this milestone, we are offering special deals on rapid prototyping packages to help you improve the efficiency of your product design and development process.

What’s so special about this rapid prototyping bundle?

This package is an affordable professional-grade solution for companies to take advantage of rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping is a fast and cost-effective way for engineers and designers to make design prototypes in small batches from 3D computer aided design (CAD) data. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, facilitates rapid prototyping. It’s a technology that builds prototypes or parts by fusing layers of material together as though you are printing in 3D space.

Great ideas can come and go quickly. By adding CAD modeling software and a 3D printer to your product design and development process, it empowers your team with the tools to innovate and experiment with different design ideas without spending a lot of money on prototyping. As a result, your company will create the best proof of concept before starting final production.

The products in this bundle are easy to setup and use, helping your team bring product design ideas to life in a matter of just a few hours.

What’s included in each package?

• SpaceClaim CAD Modeling Software
  Quickly and easily visualize, communicate, and evaluate designs in 3D for product design and development. The bundle includes SpaceClaim STL Prep to prepare your models for printing.
• Axiom 3D Printer (Choose from 3 Models: Axiome, Axiom, Axiom Dual)
  Produces larger, cleaner, and more detailed models than comparable 3D printers.

Select from the Following Packages:

Print in over 10+ materials from TPU to PLA + SpaceClaim CAD modeling software	Print in over 40+ materials, TPU to Polycarbonate/ABS + SpaceClaim CAD modeling software	Print in over 40+ materials in 2 colors or materials + SpaceClaim CAD modeling software

This deal is offered for a limited time only. Special pricing has been extended until June 30, 2016. Contact us for more information.

The post Special Deals on Rapid Prototyping Packages (Limited Time Only) appeared first on GoMeasure3D.