What Is Formnext?

Formnext 2024 was held in Frankfurt, Germany, and offered us unique insights into the world of 3D printing. More than 30.000 guests and visitors perused many different stalls and booths displaying their products or techniques, allowing for discussion and learning during the 3-day long expo for all things 3D printing related.

This year we saw that they were focusing on stability and expanding previously established patterns and 3D printing service solutions to increase the efficiency and improve the output quality as much as possible. But of course, there were also many new items and products on display as well such as FDM printers and more.

Some Upgrades of Desktop 3D Printers

We also saw some interesting upgrades in the desktop 3D printer scene, where a couple of manufacturers really stood out to us with their latest innovative inventions.

Bigger and Faster Multicolor 3D Printers

In the space of multicolor printing, we saw an advanced desktop printer using the CoreXY systems, which can achieve great speeds, while also providing up to four different types of filament all joined in the same central hub. For now, the size would still be classified as a desktop printer, which is good news in terms of price once it has finished the development stage.

Active Chamber Temperature Control

We also saw somewhat of a surprise in the form of an enclosed CoreXY printer that comes with active chamber control as the big selling point. While the model was not fully ready for production yet, it allowed for quite a large overall print size of up to 250 x 220 x 270 mm. And the quality of the prints we saw looked really promising so we are eagerly awaiting more news of the actual market launch.

If you are looking for the best 3D printer for beginners to get started right away, you might be interested in our very own Geeetech Mizar M model. This is one of the best hobby 3D printer solutions out there right now, offering cheap 3D printing and excellent quality prints.

As a low-cost desktop printer, Mizar M’s features are competitive with comparable printers in the market. Now, let’s see what the features of Mizar M are:

• Dual extruder: It comes with a dual extruder print head for multicolor prints and has a dual Z-axis setup that makes your prints look amazing and smooth.

• Large printer volume: Compared to other 3D printers on the market at the same price, the overall print dimensions are also quite favorable. The Mizar M allows you to print designs up to 255 x 255 x 260 mm, among the best dimensions for a standard desktop printer.
• Silent printing: Mizar M has a 32-bit silenced motherboard which results in a quiet printing environment that will not wake up your neighbors or annoy you while working on other projects in your home.
• High print accuracy: Mizar M has a +/- 0.1mm accuracy, resulting in very precise models that closely resemble your 3D model. And its layers’ thickness is between 0.1 and 0.2 millimeters, resulting in a very fine surface once the complete print has been produced.
• Compatible with multiple materials filament: Geeetech printer Mizar M supports PLA, ABS and PETG to name a few, making it a versatile option that can produce both outdoor and indoor prints.

Sustainability of 3D Printing Materials

Another key part of the Formnext 2024 exhibition was highlighting the sustainability compared to alternative methods for printing. Here we saw different 3D printing materials made of different types of sustainable 3D printer filament that makes the printing process extremely eco-friendly.

We also witnessed an interesting invention that used a new type of extrusion system designed to work with recycled filament to cut down on the overall waste of the 3D printer process.

This design has made it possible to reuse old prints and discarded strings of filament, by processing the filament and material that would otherwise be wasted and producing very fine results. We are excited to see how this technology will develop in the future, and whether it will be something every 3D printer will come equipped with once the principles and practical application have been perfected.

Large-Format Printers

One interesting machine showcased was a large 3D printer with a 6-axis robotic arm of 2.8 meters, but not only that, the raised platform bed has another 2-axis, making it possible to create some truly stunning and smooth 3D prints with ease. And the dimensions of the printer allow for a scale that most hobby printers can only dream of.

Another big 3D printer we saw up close was one that takes vat photopolymerization and stereolithography to a new level. Typically these types of printers are reserved for smaller prints, but this model provided us with an example that has 3 lasers in an overlapping arrangement making it possible to 3D print somewhat narrow but very long pieces with precision and speed.

There were quite a few other large-format printers on display of equal interest, leading us to conclude many of the manufacturing companies of these 3D printers are aiming to obtain market shares for large-scale production with a focus on speed, automation and efficient production yields.

3D-Printing Human Tissue Models

We also witnessed a somewhat unexpected type of 3D printing material that gave us a unique experience in the form of a medical type of printing material called a bioink, that can 3D print human tissue models.

We already knew of this invention due to previous innovations regarding stem cell printing, and now the technology has advanced further with additive manufacturing that can produce hundreds of tissues in a single day. There have already been successful results with printing brain and spinal cord tissues, and even skin, leading us excited for where this technology can end up in the near future combined with advanced 3D models.

What makes Mizar M different?

Separate Mode VS Gradient Mode

Traditional monochrome printing has been difficult to meet the creative needs of 3D printing enthusiasts, and mixed-color printing has become the future trend. Mizar M 3D Printer has two print head modules, “Separated Color Module” and “Gradient Color Module”, and is designed for quick replacement in structure. After replacing the print head module and inserting the hot end connector, the system will intelligently identify the print head module and enter the corresponding print mode.

Unique Separated Color Module

Compared with the Gradient Color Module, the Separated Color Module of Mizar M can realize printing a single color without mixing another color when printing models with two color filaments. Besides, it gains a faster printing speed, which can better meet the needs of two-color printing.

Patented gradient color technology

The Geeetech R&D team has optimized and upgraded the Gradient Color Module of Mizar M. Compared with Geeetech’s first-generation multi-color 3D printer, the Mizar M Gradient Color Module has redesigned the color mixing flow channel and a structure to prevent the reverse flow of melting filament. The filament is more uniformly mixed in the hot end. This special design effectively solves the problem of uneven color mixing, and the hot end blocked due to the reverse flow of the melting filament. At present, the gradient color structure has applied for a patent.

Mizar M with a printing size of 255 x 255 x 260mm, supporting auto-leveling and manual leveling, is equipped with a fixed hotbed and 32-bit silent motherboard. Responding to two printing modes, it comes with double UI interaction systems. The machine comes with a dual-drive gear extruder and double Z-axis ensuring high printing quality. At the same time, Mizar M is designed with a belt adjustment kit, nozzle LED light, filament detector break resuming capability, etc.

Here is the unboxing and assembly video of Mizar M for your references:

If you want to know more info about Mizar M, please check Geeetech official website.

▲ The Prototype Board Industry

In the earlier years of the surge of 3D technology, the prototype board industry was blessed and was the one who took the first bite of the fruition. We know that every single product we use in our daily application should be produced by design, prototype making, and then precise adjustment.

Before the popularization of 3D technology, the prototype was initially made by hand. Then came the CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines, or CNC engraving machines, which replaced manual production. Nowadays, upon 3D technology’s popularity, 3D printers gradually steal the thunder of CNC and take the lead.

With the promising capability of fast modeling and more complex building, 3D printers surely prevail when they are pitted against CNC machines.

For the prototype board industry, the main client source should be industrial design companies, modeling companies, and large light industrial factories, such as toy factories and electrical factories.

▲ 3D Printed Portrait Figure Service

What advancing technology brings to us is not only the convenience of our life but in a further probe, also the most inner touch of our spirit and soul. Some industries like 3D printed portrait figure services have gained popularity, applying for personalization, studios, travel classics, and even funerals.

Some studios are now offering wedding 3D portrait services for married couples, recording the sweet scenes of the couple in 3D form.

Meantime, the funeral service industry, with a human-centered approach, offers 3D printing services for the deceased. They print the mutilated parts of the deceased to leave them with a final dignity, and meanwhile, they offer the portrait figure printing service. In an even more innovative move, there is a funeral service company that has created a 3D-printed urn to simulate the deceased’s appearance in an utmost degree of imitation. With this technology, 3D printing can capture the slightest detail of a person’s facial characteristics as well as remove their “flawed” parts somehow caused by accident, in pursuing the most perfect side of their beloved ones.

▲ 3D Modeling Business

If you can use your printers to run a business. The modeling career could be your best choice specializing in the 3D printing business. You can cooperate with various modeling-making companies and produce the model for them. Model printing bears a wide range of selections, including architectural sand table models, aviation models, car models, toy models, graduation design models, sculpture models, etc.
A modeling company, with its 3D printing technology, possesses a rather promising prospect. With a specialized printer, it can turn every impossibility into a possibility nowadays.

▲ The Ever-lasting Market: Footwear Industry

The footwear industry, an eternal industry permeating the whole history of mankind, bears the broadest market ever. Meanwhile, the footwear industry will always come up with a model of its production process. According to an authorized footwear 3D printing institution, with the promising emergence of its 3D printing career, it will keep its surging status shortly.

▲ Small-scale Production

A small-scale 3D printing service should be the most common and easiest career for those who would love to gain benefits from their machines. Certain services are recommended: lantern ornaments, outermost shells of small appliances, creative mobile phone shells, trophies, and many other arts and crafts, etc, Why not start your business right now and earn yourself the extra coins?

Without a doubt, you can’t bear some minor flaws in the surface of a 3d printing model, let alone “String”. You complained that this printer is such trash contrary to expectations. At that time, you may get mad but it will eventually end up in a mess. So firstly you need to calm down. Take a close look at what is the exact problem, make it clear how it happened, and how we can solve the problem. Let’s dive in.

What’s the Problem?

3D Printing Stringing exists when small plastic strings are left behind on a 3D-printed model. This is usually due to plastic leaking from the nozzle as the extruder moves to a new position.

How to fix this？

In this article, we bring 5 solutions that can be commonly used on all the major 3D printers.

1. Enable Retraction

Enabling retraction is the most ordinary way to fight against 3D printer stringing. Enabling retraction means that when the extruder has to pass through a gap, the filament is retracted a little bit by the feeder. Once the extruder reaches the next position, the filament is pushed out and the print continues again from the nozzle. If the retraction setting is turned on and you’re still experiencing 3D printer stringing, you may then need to go into the details of the retraction settings:

• Retraction distance

The most important retraction setting is the retraction distance. This determines how much plastic is pulled out of the nozzle. Generally speaking, the more plastic that is retracted from the nozzle, the less likely the nozzle is to seep out as it moves. Most direct-drive extruders only require a retraction distance of 0.5-2.0mm. If you run into stringing with your prints, try increasing the retraction distance by 1mm and test again to see if the performance improves.

• Retraction speed

The next retraction setting that you should check is the retraction speed. This determines how fast the filament is retracted from the nozzle. If the retraction is too slow, the plastic will slowly leak out of the nozzle and may begin to leak before the extruder moves to its new position. If you retract too quickly, the filament may separate from the hot plastic inside the nozzle, or the rapid movement of the drive gear may even grind away pieces of your filament. There is usually an optimal retraction point between 1200-6000 mm/min (20-100 mm/s).

If standard retraction isn’t doing the trick, you can try to reduce the minimum travel. This is usually the quickest solution to fix stringing issues. Drop the value by 0.5mm until the stringing has stopped completely.

2. Set the Right Temperature

The 3d printer extruder temperature is the next most common cause for stringing. If the temperature is too high, the plastic inside the nozzle will become less sticky and more likely to leak out. However, if the temperature is too low, the plastic will be one kind of solid and difficult to extrude from the nozzle. If you thought you had the right retraction settings but still have these problems, you can try to decrease your extruder temperature by 5-10 degrees. This will greatly improve the quality of your printing.

3. Movement Speed

Moreover, increasing the movement speed of your machine can also reduce the time it takes for the extruder to leak as it moves between parts. The X/Y Axis Movement Speed represents the side-to-side travel speed and is frequently directly related to the range of time your extruder spends moving over open air. As long as your machine can move at higher speeds, increasing this setting may reduce stringing between parts.

4. Thoroughly Clean the Nozzle Before Printing

When you use a printer for a long time, the filament can leave a thin residue layer in 3d printer nozzle. This thin layer can cause 3D printer stringing as filament strands will try to stick to the surface of your printed part. To avoid such a problem, ensure your nozzle is thoroughly cleaned before print.

5. Keep Your Filaments Moisture-Free

PLA, which absorbs more water than ABS, is the main culprit. The water turns to steam when the plastic is heated up, and it can mix with the plastic to increase the likelihood that it will seep out during non-printing movements.

Therefore, it is very important to store the filament properly, especially if you live in a humid environment. For more guidance, check out the previous blog here：How to store filament? 

3D Printer Test Models

3D Benchy

The 3D Benchy model is probably the most popular and recognized print in the 3D printing community to compare and benchmark 3D printers. It is specifically designed to “challenge the capabilities and reveal the limitations of 3D printers”, according to the official site, it has been the most downloaded and printed 3D model. Indeed, its many features, such as the perfect symmetrical design and the large hull, will show any deviations from your machine.

The 3D model is printed at a 1:1 scale without any support materials. Now let’s compare it against its benchmark equivalent.

The Hull

Its hull–a large, smooth overhanging curved surface, shows any deviations. Our make shows no signs of sagging despite its relatively huge angle. Keep in mind this is printed without any support.

Symmetry

3D Benchy is symmetrical, which makes any skewness and warping easy to find.

Overhang Surfaces

The inner side of the bridge reveals how well the 3D printer deals with overhang issues.

Settings:

Layer height: 0.1mm
Print temperature: 190℃
Print speed: 40%
Retraction distance: 6mm
Retraction speed: 30mm/s

The PolyPearl Tower

If the 3D Benchy model serves as an entry-level test, the Polypearl Tower Torture Model tests your 3D printer and filaments to its limits.

The main features of the PolyPearl Tower are as follows:-

 45° Overhangs

Usually, 45° is referred to as the critical angle that printers can handle without using support material on a given model. The three supporting legs of the PolyPearl Tower are all printed at 45°. Check the underside of these pillars after printing, they should be smooth and uniform, if you find the pillars are messy and non-linear, try increasing cooling and decreasing temperature.

Acute Slopes

Featuring an acute slope of 9° this feature will test your printer’s ability to extrude uniformly. This is also a good test of the filament, as variations in diameter and consistency will result in gaps or non-circular rings. Tweak your extrusion multiplier to perfect the acute slope, this feature can also be affected by your infill percentage. A low infill percentage will not provide the necessary support for the rings to form neatly. Still, having trouble with acute slopes? Try increasing the number of top solid layers on your print.

Fine Details

Fine details are a challenge for any printer. The lower ball of the PolyPearl Tower features tiny circular indents around the center. Check the form and roundness of these holes, they should be round on both sides of the center band. You can compare the top indents against the bottom to see if the layer compression has affected their roundness. On all our test models we never found a perfect set.

The tiny pillars on the front of the pavilion are one of the most challenging aspects of this model. Being very thin, angled, and able to support the bridge of the pavilion roof is surely a tough test for any 3D printer. This is a good place to test your retraction settings, aim for clean pillars with no strings in between. The bridge on top should be well formed and also curved. This aspect of the print is almost impossible to perfect so good luck trying!

Overhangs

On both of the ball sections of the PolyPearl tower, you will find a small overhang section. Inspect the form of these details and compare the top against the bottom. The bottom should be well-formed, circular, and flat. The top overhang is much trickier to perfect, check the sharpness compared to the bottom. This feature is affected by the number of shells/perimeters you choose and how you choose to print them. We suggest inside-out to get the best edge on the overhang. The underside of the balls themselves ranges from 90° to 0°, the top ball, in particular, has less support so keep an eye out for the roundness near the base of the top ball.

Extrusion

To achieve the perfect extrusion settings there should be no indication of where the layer has started and stopped. In this picture, we have used PolyWood to demonstrate a perfect extrusion. Play with your extrusion and retraction settings to achieve the perfect extrusion. Using a matte finish material like PolyWood helps blend the layers also!

Roundness

Check the roundness of the balls on the PolyPearl Tower model. These balls should be consistent and spherical. Play with your speed settings to optimize roundness, most PLAs will print happily at 60mm/s.

Fine Bridging and Smooth Curves

While the distance of this bridge is not that impressive, the triple helix design of the PolyPearl Tower will test your printer’s bridging capabilities on 4 different orientations in one print. We found this change in orientation resulted in some messy bridging on one or two of the sections. Play with your cooling and bridging settings to optimize the fine bridging. You should also notice a smooth curve up the sides of the triple helix. Key an eye out for layer shifts where the bridges meet the helix.

Top Layer Fill

The Top Layer Fill on the Polymaker Logo should be completely filled in. This is affected by the number of Top Solid Layers you choose and also by the amount of shells/perimeters you choose. Too many shells/perimeters and you will be left with a gap in the top surface.

Reference：https://polymaker.com/polypearl-tower-torture-test-model/

All-in-One 3D printer test

 This test includes a support test, scale test, overhang test, hole test, diameter test, and bridging test. It is printed with 100% Infill without supports.

45 degrees is said to be the critical angle for overhangs without any support, but here we have an 80-degree overhang with no support. The overhang and bridges are printed with no signs of sagging or drooping.

The clear and sharp corners show no signs of stringing or deviations.

If you also would like to perform the tests on your 3D printer, you can download the test 3D model on the internet or feel free to contact us for the files. Don’t forget to share with us the results in our Facebook User Group

By the way, the new A10 3D printer comes with an upgraded motherboard/LCD/Frame, and is now available for $219, 8% off its original price!

Nozzle setting

(1) The 3D printer nozzle is moving too fast.

To save time, some people are inclined to set the speed of the print job higher than what the driver motor is capable of, causing the tool head to fail to reach the desired position.

Solution: In your slicer software, set the speed at 40 to 60mm/s. Alternatively, you may adjust your speed by turning the knob, if you do not wish to stop your print.

(2) Nozzle deviates from the desired position

This happens when the extruder is traveling from one point to another of the print without the Z axis elevating the tool head. The nozzle then hits the object and is pushed away from its intended position. Because the system is unable to detect the deviation, it will continue with the print job, resulting in layer shifting.

Solution: In the settings, readjust the Z- offset to 0.3mm

Mechanical disorder

Most 3d printers use belts to let the motor control the position of the nozzle. Over time, the belt may stretch, which can impact the tension used to control the nozzle. If the tension becomes too loose, the belt may slip on the pulley, which means the pulley is rotating, but the belt is not moving. If the belt is too tight, this can also cause problems. Tightened belts can create excess friction in the bearings that will prevent the motor from spinning. Ideally, the belt is installed tight enough to prevent slipping, but not too tight to stop the system from rotating.

Solution: manually adjust the belt for proper tension. Regularly check and maintain your 3D printers.

Layer shifting could also occur when the motors fail to spin as a result of not getting enough electrical current; or when the model exceeds the size of the print bed, which causes the nozzle to lose its position at the edges. Finally, make sure there is no external force imposed on your printer, for any level of external force could interfere with the moving of the belts.

Any questions or ideas? Leave us a comment in the comments section or email us. We would love to hear from you.

Are you a seasoned player in 3D printing, wondering what you can do with all your 3D designs, models and 3D printer, aside from keeping them as a hobby ?   

If either of the above scenarios apply to you, you are not alone. Alex, China born and bred, now 27, working and living in Europe, first got into 3D printing when attending university in France. He says one summer afternoon in his sophomore year he ,together with his other three classmates was invited to a small gathering at a local student’s house. At some point his friend showed the guests his 3D printer and started to print a Japanese cartoon character on it. Alex was amazed at how capable this little(well, not exactly little, but Alex thinks so ) machine is.

A few days later, Alex decided to get one himself. So he went online in search of the same 3D printer model his friend was using. As it turns out, the same machine being sold online is priced at $399,not a small expenditure given that he was a student studying overseas and his middle-class family background. He somehow summoned up the courage to ask his parents to buy if for him. According to Alex, his parents were mad at him at first. They wouldn’t get it why he would want to buy such a “useless” but expensive thing. And they were worried that their only son would abandon his study as a result of “playing too much with the machine”.

Long story short, in the end, Alex was able to convince his Dad to buy the printer for him by promising to focus on his study and to return home with a degree,which he did. Fast forward to 1.5 years ago, Alex purchased his first geeetech 3D printer–A20M, and has become a fan of geeetech ever since.

To date, a great number of people still have not heard of desktop 3D printers,just like Alex and his parents years ago, and 3D printing is more of a industrial concept than an everyday conversation topic.

It is projected that 3D printing will be the next big thing in the years to come,with 3D printers for home and office use being more affordable and capable.A similar pattern can be drawn in the developments of smart phones and 3D printers. Smart phones in the early days were expensive,not so “smart”, and known to few.However,a decade later almost everyone owns smart phone. So now is probably the best time to monetize your 3D printing skills and expertise before 3D printers become ubiquitous.

Here are 5 ways to make money with your 3D printer and 3D printing know-how.

Sell Your Design.

One of the best ways to make money using a 3D printers is not to have one. Isn’t it amazing? If you have 3D models/designs you think are great but do not own a 3D printer, put them up for sale.The world is in want of great designs. .

Sell Your Work

If you are a creative creature, why not turn your creativity into reality and sell your work online? Take photos or make videos of your works and make them known to others. Share them on your social media:Facebook, Ins. Twitter. Those impressed with your work may be willing to pay for it. Photos/videos of your printed objects are promotional materials to get customers.

Prototyping

Another way to make money off 3D printing is to sell 3D printed prototypes to local businesses and companies. One advantage of this business model is that you do not have to rack your brain trying to come up with great designs or models. Chances are your clients have a team dedicated to it. All you are left to do is get them printed. It of course would give you a leg-up if you have a good command of 3D modeling (CAD) software.  

Printing Services.

As pointed out above, not every one owns(some choose not to ) a 3D printer. 3D printing has been widely used in education, medical, robotics,architecture,jewellery and many other industries, this means there is always a market for printing services.  Let others know what your printer is capable of and your rates for such service,and you are all set.

Teaching 3D Printing.

As of today,3D printing is still not commonplace, but is getting more attention and interest from the public, and 3D printers are being introduced into classrooms, offices and homes due to their versatility,causing a gap between the demand for 3D printers and supply of experts, specialists, who understand 3D printing and know how to operate those machines, flying in the face of the fact that desktop 3D printers are becoming more and more user-friendly. All this makes teaching 3D printing technology a lucrative business.

That concludes the list of ways to make a living off 3D printing.

Any questions or ideas? Leave us a comment. We would love to hear from you.

IF YOU CURRENTLY own a pair of running shoes, the odds are that the midsole. The shock-absorbing layer between the inner and outer sole. Therefore, it is made from molded ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), which is squishy, resilient foam. Check out what’s better about 3D printed shoes.

As a cushioning material, EVA foam isn’t bad. It’s elastic, affordable, and can be dyed a variety of colors. But an EVA midsole offers the same degree of support throughout the shoe, and what you really want is different levels of support across different parts of the foot. Also, EVA breaks down and compresses with repeated use. So this degradation is the reason many runners replace their shoes every few hundred miles. For these reasons, shoe companies have been actively experimenting with materials to replace EVA.

Two years ago, running shoe giant New Balance teamed up with Somerville, Massachusetts–based 3D-printing company Formlabs to develop a new type of sole. Now the duo are debuting TripleCell, a footbed technology whose components are made of a proprietary photopolymer called Rebound Resin.

For its first shoe in this lineup, New Balance is re-releasing its classic 990 Sport with a TripleCell heel. The $185 runner is lighter, more supportive, and more durable than the EVA version. Two more performance-oriented models with TripleCell components will be arriving within the next year.

Rough and Tough 3D Printed Shoes

3D-printed shoes aren’t precisely a new idea. For example, Adidas has also begun developing similar automated 3D-printing facilities. That might allow customers to order digitally printed, personalized products.

But rather than focusing on the shoe’s appearance, New Balance decided to find ways to improve its performance. The company gave Formlabs a formidable list of properties the new material would be required to have.

“What you don’t think a lot about with footwear is the demand that we put on this midsole material,” says Katherine Petrecca. The general manager of New Balance’s Innovation Design Studio, in a phone interview.

“It has to last for several hundred miles of repeated impacts,” she says. “It has to work for a 110-pound female runner like Jenny Simpson and a 230-pound basketball player like Kawhi Leonard.

These things are going to be outside, it has to be stable for UV and hydrolysis … It has to be able to withstand heat tunnels in the manufacturing process and bond to all these other materials.”

Formlabs chief product officer Dávid Lakatos and his team went through hundreds of iterations with the formula to achieve the final product. Besides printability, two of the most important properties of the material were energy return and elasticity.

“[The design] has to be able to give back energy, to have a good feeling when you’re using them to run and walk,” Lakatos said in a phone interview. “[It] also has a 330 percent elongation before it breaks … We’ve learned more about how the dynamics of human anatomy work when walking on the surfaces than in almost any other industry.”

3D Printed footwear: Made in America

For New Balance, 3D printing has a number of other advantages besides providing highly detailed foot support. In general, footwear is a very inventory-heavy industry—for every style, you might need to make men’s and women’s versions in fifteen different sizes. Therefore, in several different colors, and each with many different tooled components.

Petrecca imagines that the ability to quickly print multiple designs on a single printer. Therefore, that will have a huge impact on New Balance’s ability to continue manufacturing parts of its shoes in the United States and the United Kingdom. The company is currently working with Formlabs to outfit a new manufacturing facility in Methuen, Massachusetts.

Scaling up won’t be easy; currently, the TripleCell 990 Sport is only available in a limited-edition run of 500 pairs. Right now, 3D printing is still a process that’s used mostly by product designers to create prototypes. Formlabs is working on developing a whole new market of reliable 3D printers. That can manufacture products reliably and consistently in greater numbers.

“One of the dirty secrets of 3D printing is that previous 3D-printing platforms have been extremely prone to failure,” says Lakatos. “Imagine if Apple bought a hundred CNC machines for machining the MacBook Pros, and how each one looked depended on which CNC machine was used. That would be completely unacceptable, obviously.”

While TripleCell pieces are currently being manufactured with Formlabs’ older machines. Both companies are currently developing a more powerful and higher-volume printer called the Form 3L. This new machine will leverage existing LFS technology but use a new light processing unit, which promises to offer greater speed and reliability.

 Shoe designs

Formlabs has pioneered the use of pliable, resilient photopolymers in 3D printing, via a process called low force stereolithography (LFS). Once a design is uploaded, the company’s Form printers draw highly intricate patterns in liquid Rebound Resin. Hence, which cures when the light hits it, resulting in a hardened 3D shape.

This process allows Formlabs to create a detailed lattice pattern in the sole. That lattice provides different levels of support to different parts of the foot, rather than using separate tooled components that are then glued together.

In the original 990 Sport’s heel, New Balance combined a polyurethane outer rim with an EVA midsole and thermoplastic polyurethane heel cradle. In the new version, the company has fused these three separate parts into one seamless, springy piece. “One of the things that’s really exciting for us is that it provides a very different experience for the runner,” says Petrecca. “It feels more like a resilient trampoline than foam.”

But that’s all in the future. For New Balance, the hope is that within the next few years, it will be able to sell a high-performance, customizable running shoe made almost entirely by digital manufacturing. “The sheer performance landscape that we’re going to be able to open up with 3D printing is exciting,” Petrecca says.

Source: WIRED

The biggest environmental issue. What comes along with 3D Printing is the leftover plastic filament or spool after printing your  3D object.

Throwing away the filament in the trash is the only option you are left with. Therefore, there are broken pieces of it and joining them is a costly process. Hence, there comes a  filament fuser or joiner which many enthusiasts have already experimented with making. The below video explains how with the help of easy tools you can join the filaments.

There are many methods to recycle the filament and use it the next time. But the method shown in this article is more interesting and leads you to better 3D objects.

Plastic Smoothie Project

Designer Agustin Flowalistik shows us how to perform the recycling of 3D printer filament waste by creating a Plastic Smoothie, which can 0be used with a laser cutter to create vibrant objects. 

Agustin Flowalistik came up with an easy and cheap way to recycle failed designs and leftover filaments by making a concoct of a Plastic Smoothie. He uses the kitchen appliances and laser cutting technology. Therefore, you can create new objects with an endless array of colors. After collecting all the leftover filament and making it into a finely shredded plastic scrap, melt the colorful mess of plastic in an oven. With this freshly-baked sheet of recycled PLA, you can get creative.  Also, using a laser cutter and a bit of vibrant imagination.

We give a brief overview of the “Plastic Smoothie” project below so you can get what the project is about. He shared it on Instructables and was developed with the help of non-profit TecnoLab La Rueca Asociacion. Therefore, to increase the quality of life and well-being of disadvantaged communities. You can know more about how to effectively use plastic by controlling pollution here- Worry Not!! You Can Now Reuse Waste Plastic For Your 3D Prints.

Philosophy of the project

Affordable:  Electrical appliances are used for most of the projects as it is cheaper to use

Accessible: the machines used should be easily available in online stores.

Open: It’s an open-source project and anyone can be a part of it.

What do you need to do to overcome waste plastic/failed 3D prints?

The first thing that you need is an abundance of PLA filament scraps and failed prints. Also, access to a laser cutter that you will find on Fablab or local maker space. Therefore, if you want to know more about laser printing read here 3D Laser Printing is different from what you think.

There are other supplies needed for starting the plastic smoothie project, this is the checklist:

• Wood panels (40 x 30 x 0.3cm)
• Laser cutter (Flowalistik uses the Epilog Mini 18 40W)
• Blender (recommended 1250 Watts or above)
• Mini Oven (with oven tray)
• Parchment paper

Flowalistik shares some tips to make this project affordable, like using an old blender. Therefore, if you have any as if you start using it to shred plastic you won’t use it for making juice. Before using failed prints make sure to break them before blending them. You won’t want your blender to get damaged. He uses PLA for the project as ABS contains impurities.

Putting it all Together- Recycled 3D filament

The first step is gathering and blending your PLA filament. As a result, you can take the opportunity to decide the colors and textures you want to create. Once the recycled plastic is shredded up, take an over. Flowalistik uses oven paper on the base of the tray, bending the corners to avoid any molten plastic from spilling oven tray and start baking.

Finally, after experimenting the maker found that the best results by melting the small plastic bits at 190-200 C for 20 – 25 minutes. Once the plastic straps are melted, quickly remove them and flatten out on the wooden panels. Perform the pressing procedure quickly as the melted plastic cools down. Finally, keep the oven paper on the plastic and add as much weight as you can onto the wood panels, and you’ll have a perfect sheet of recycled PLA.

Finally, Flowalistik uses an Epilog Laser Mini 18 40W laser cutter to cut the 3mm plastic panels. You can use the same settings as you would for a 3mm sheet of acrylic. The designer adds that he had to increase the power of the laser in order to make the engraving more apparent.

Therefore, you can learn more about the Plastic Smoothie project and the laser cutting process on Flowalistik’s Instructables post. If you want to continue supporting the designer and his intriguing projects, head on over to his Patreon page.

Plastic pollution is what we are dealing with every day and thus we have to take every possible step to stop it. So do join the “Plastic Smoothie” project and get rid of all the plastic extras and failed prints.

Geeetech enlightens you on such projects which will help you save the environment. This is how you overcome the waste plastic by this useful recycling 3D filament process.

List of 3D print video game models

So in today’s Top 10 list, let’s take a look at some of the coolest 3D printed models if you love video games!

Overwatch- Reaper

Thanks to the amazing 3D printing community it’s super easy to download and print just about any gaming model. And since Overwatch is so popular it’s not at all hard to find a 3D model of your favorite avatar.

If you’re wondering which watch models on Thingiverse happens to be the most popular(and the one with the most amount of makes) its shockingly not Tracer, but in fact- Reaper. And if you too want to print your own then you can find it on Thingiverse here.

Witcher- Wolf Medallion

This Wolf Medallion may not vibrate like Geralt’s, but it definitely looks cool enough to pass off as the real thing! Designed by Daniel_W you can print out your own in silver PLA or paint it up after. Either way, it looks really cool and once you string it into a chain.

8 Bit Mario

There are so many Mario models to choose from but this 8-bit version by jakejake is hands down our favorite. With 26 pieces to print, assembling this 3D printed Mario is a fun little puzzle all on its own. But once you’re done putting it all together, the final result is well worth it. Don’t you think so? Find the STL files and all the instructions for this design here.

World of Warcraft- The Lich King

If you’re a fan of  World of Warcraft then you’ll agree that with a world so massive, there are plentiful characters that you can 3D print. However, we had to include the ice cold Lich King- Arthas Menethil because there’s nothing more badass than a figurine of Arthas wielding the Frostmourne! Made by Matthew McKeown you can find this design on MyMiniFactory here.

Legend of Zelda- Majoras Mask

We could probably make a whole list solely on all the awesome Legend of Zelda printables available out there. But if we’re going to pick just one then it has to be this fantastic design of Majoras Mask made by WeeMadSausage.

The design itself is intricate, vibrant and beautiful. You don’t have to use a wood filament but using it does add a certain charm to the mask, making it more realistic.

Portal- Companion Cube

Doesn’t this 3D printed Companion Cube look like it came straight out of the Portal game? Created by Ellindsey this model consists of 40 different 3D printed parts that are designed to snap together well enough that you won’t even need any glue!

Minecraft- Chess Set

What do you get when you merge the world of Minecraft with chess? A creative and aesthetic design by PotatoFi that is sure to rekindle your curiosity in the game of chess. And even if you don’t intend to play, it makes for a great showpiece too. You can download the STL files for this print here along with the instructions and tips from the maker.

Doom- Electronic Doomguy models

After taking a look at these adorable figurines you may find it hard to believe that Doom is a brutally intense game where you’re killing demons but nevertheless, we love these models made by zembacraftworks. Oh and they’re electronic too! Check out Zemba Craftworks easy tutorial so you that you can make your own!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__2k-Lft820

Mortal Kombat- Sub Zero Mask

You too can be as cool as Sub Zero(get it?) once you 3D print his mask! Designed by Geoffro you can use this mask as a prop or even as cosplay. Just be sure to credit the designer! Find the print files here!

The Elder Scrolls V:  Vampire Lord Bust

Create your very own eerie Vampire Lord Bust from Skyrim thanks to designer Vsions and his stunning 3D printed model. There are two parts to this model- the main bust and some small horns which can later be assembled. Follow the instructions and STL files available on Thingiverse- here. Are you happy with 3D printed video game models?

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Credits: thingiverse.com