UC Berkeley 3D prints an entire 9-foot-tall pavilion

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Researchers have just 3D-printed the first and largest powder-based cement structure.

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A team of researchers from UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design has unveiled what they’re calling the “first and largest powdered cement-based, 3D-printed structure.” 

To be clear, this isn’t the first 3D-printed building. If you recall, a Chinese company recently constructed 10 homes in less than day and finished an entire apartment block back in January using 3D-printed parts. Aside from that, a Dutch design firm has already devised a canal house in Amsterdam, a New York architect planned an entire estate and a Minnesota Maker created a castle all through additive manufacturing. However, what sets this project apart is that it was constructed using dry powdered cement, whereas its predecessors were made by extruding wet cement through a nozzle.

The pavilion, which goes by the name Bloom, is 9′ tall, 12′ wide and 12′ deep, and dons a traditional Thai floral motif design on its exterior to allow for natural light to shine through its interior in daylight and glow like a luminary at night. It is composed of 840 custom-printed blocks, each comprised of an iron oxide-free Portland cement polymer, and fabricated using 11 3D Systems printers.

“This project is the genesis of a realistic, marketable process with the potential to transform the way we think about building a structure,” explained Ronald Rael, Associate Professor of Architecture at UC Berkeley.

What really sets this unique system apart from existing methods of extrusion is that, by using an iron oxide-free Portland cement polymer formulation, Bloom is able to overcome many of the previous limitations to 3D-printed architecture. These constraints include the speed and cost of production, as well as aesthetics and practical applications.

Undoubtedly, 3D printing has transcended well beyond just mere plastic figurines, with today’s advanced printers — many of which powered by Atmel | SMART and AVR microcontrollers — capable of producing everything from functional tools in space to automobiles to entire buildings. After its official unveiling, the Bloom Pavilion was disassembled and shipped to Siam Research and Innovation in Thailand, where it will be exhibited for a few months before touring the world. Those wishing to learn more can head over to the project’s official page here.

Artists bring an animation to life with 3D printing

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A group of designers have animated an adventure of 100 frames and froze it into a 3D-printed installation. 

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Nearly 20 years ago, Toy Story became the first-ever feature-length, computer-animated film. Produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures, the movie followed a group of anthropomorphic toys who pretend to be lifeless whenever humans are present, and focuses on the relationship between a pull string cowboy doll and an astronaut action figure. After after seeing a mesmerizing installation from Dutch design studio Job, Joris & Marieke, and given recent advancements in additive manufacturing, we couldn’t help but wonder when the first 3D-printed animated flick will hit theaters?

Using just an Ultimaker 2 printer along with some glue and string, the Netherlands-based artist trio created a brief loop as part of an entirely 3D-printed sequence. The artists then took the digitally animated short that they had on video and showed what every frame would look like using actual figures, packing all 100 frames into a mise-en-scène.

At a glance, viewers can see a character emerge from a piece of paper and run over a table inside a room that resembles the Job, Joris & Marieke studio. He proceeds to push a bouncing ball off the tabletop along with shattering a cup, not long before he eventually jumps into a preserving jar on a shelf. Each of these were reproduced in PVC.

“The whole animation is made in CGI, and we used a 3D printer to print each frame. The result is a weird string of characters in different poses. This explains the principles of animation beautifully, without a single bit actually moving. It is a static installation: a frozen movement. If you look closely, you can figure out what happened on that table,” its creators explain. “No one knows why he’s in such a rush. All we know is that he doesn’t want to be recognized…”

The aptly-dubbed piece, “FREEZE! An Adventure in 100 Frames,” will be on display at Amersfoort’s Kunsthal Museum as part of the MOVE ON…! exhibition, which debuts on March 29th and runs through May 10th.

Automate your Etch-A-Sketch to recreate famous artwork

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Watch this Etch-A-Sketch reproduce the Mona Lisa.

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Dating back to the 1960s, Etch-A-Sketches have been one of the most iconic toys in pop culture history, having remained relatively unchanged for decades. The toy is comprised of a thick, flat gray screen housed inside a red plastic frame with two white knobs in its the lower corners. Twisting the dials move a stylus that displaces aluminum powder on the back of the screen, leaving a solid line. And, it doesn’t matter who you are or how artistically-enabled you might be, drawing any lineographic image on an Etch-A-Sketch is pretty darn hard.

In an effort to ease the creation of an aluminum particle masterpiece, like the Mona Lisa, Maker Evan Long decided to automate the process using an Arduino Uno (ATmega328). The Maker modded the original white knobs with 3D-printed custom mounts, which would house the two stepper motors and ULN2803 to switch the 12V required for the steppers. These makeshift knobs were bound to the plastic frame using rubber tubing and Gorilla Glue. Meanwhile, the Arduino was tasked with controlling the pair of motors as it etched the picture.

Once the hardware setup was complete, Long installed the SketchTheEtch.app on the Arduino using a simple Python script to take in .PNG files and produce vector art. Though the maximum resolution is about 550 x 370, the Maker recommends images no larger than 500 x 320 to account for any error. Tracing starts from the top of the image and works its way from left-to-right, as seen in the video below.

“The Arduino Firmware works by receiving a vector to draw. It draws the vector and then sends a message back to the host indicating it is ready for the next command. The ImagePoints.pyscript takes a black and white image as input and traces through the solid black pixels. All the black pixels must form a single contiguous region.”

Interested in modding your Etch A Sketch to recreate some of history’s most famous pieces of art? If so, head over to the Maker’s official project page here. In the meantime, you can see it in action below!

This robot can dance like Michael Jackson

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Now that’s a ‘Dancing Machine!’

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If you don’t know anything about BQ, you’ll want to soon enough. That’s because the company, who happens to be the second largest smartphone manufacturer in Spain, has unveiled one of the most impressive, audience-captivating robots we’ve seen in a long time: a bot that can dance (and perhaps even moonwalk) like Michael Jackson.

As previously reported on Bits & Pieces, the company’s DIY sets are comprised of 10 components and a battery holder, each of which are used to assemble the electronic workings of a vibrantly-colored PrintBot. The body of the robot is constructed entirely through 3D printing, where like 3DRacers, Makers have the option of either ordering the frame online or creating their own if a printer is readily accessible.

For those with a little programming knowledge, BQ even lets users customize their project by developing and installing their own code. Once pieced together, Makers can control the friendly bot by simply pairing their Android mobile device. Aside from its embedded Bluetooth module, the easy-to-use kits are packed with IR and light sensors, a potentiometer, a buzzer, LEDs, mini servos and a ZUM BT-328 control board based on the versatile ATmega328P. The growing family of gadgets, which currently includes a Renacuajo (Spanish for “tadpole”) and a Beetle, will soon welcome another member in the next couple of weeks. This 3D-printable robot will not only be able to walk like the King of Pop, but will get his groove on like Michael as well.

An advocate of the burgeoning Maker Movement, BQ’s CEO Alberto Mendez is passionate about inspiring the younger generation to pursue STEM-related disciplines and to begin dabbling with design, programming and mechanical engineering. Indeed, allowing kids to gain hands-on experience as they build their own open-source robot is a great way to do it, especially those capable of dancing to “Thriller” and “Beat It” — compared to the abstraction of traditional classroom education in math and the sciences.

Intrigued? Then you’ll want to watch this video from Digital Trends that captures some of the MJ-like dancing robot’s moves. According to BQ, you too can have one when they go on sale within the next two to three months. At the moment, PrintBots will run you about $100 each. Head over to it official page to learn more.

Print out breakfast with the newest version of PancakeBot

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Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, Maker’s man. Print me a pancake as fast as you can. 

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The very first version of the open source PancakeBot was designed way back in 2010 by Miguel Valenzuela. At the time, Valenzuela was inspired by a MAKE: Magazine feature on a British designer who devised a Pancake Stamping Machine using LEGO. Since then, the machine has become a Maker sensation, claiming the hearts and stomachs of everyone.

The original bot was simply a CNC machine for a kitchen table, comprised of LEGO bricks, Mindstorms and a pair of ketchup bottles for the batter. As you can imagine with any automated device whipping up tasty treats, the initial video of Valenzuela’s PancakeBot 1.0 went viral, which encouraged the Maker to continue tinkering with the design.

The next iteration of the platform – which debuted at Maker Faire Bay Area 2014 – consisted of an acrylic body packed with Adafruit motor shields, an Arduino Mega (ATmega1280), two stepper motors, a pair of belt drives and a vacuum pump. The improved PancakeBot could be programmed to draw out any flapjack design, ranging from an Eiffel Tower to a portrait of the U.S. President. The printer simply squirted batter onto a hotplate so that, once the pancakes are done extruding, they’re ready to eat.

Though wildly-popular among Makers, earlier models were never made available for sale. However, the PancakeBot team has now partnered with StoreBound to bring the robotic contraption to market via Kickstarter.

How it works is pretty straightforward: Simply think of a design and trace the image. The artwork files are stored on an SD card and loaded onto the machine. Upon hitting print, the PancakeBot begins to dispense the flapjack by drawing its outline first, followed by filling in the rest. Those not artistically-gifted can take comfort in knowing that the device also comes preprogrammed with a number of pictures.

The ATmega2560 based breakfast bot uses a proprietary system to extrude the ingredients as it glides over the griddle, while the combination of compressed air, a special vacuum and an onboard interface helps control batter flow.

“Our included user-friendly software allows you to design your own pancake by tracing any image right on your computer. From your favorite piece of art or character, a child’s drawing, a product image or your company or team logo, the software creates the file and the PancakeBot does the rest. As the artist, you control what lines are drawn first, which in turn lets you determine the shading of the pancake.

Not only for in-home fun, Valenzuela notes that hotels, theme parks, restaurants and other dining establishments can benefit tremendously from PancakeBot as well. Through some creatively-branded breakfast food, businesses can leave a lasting impression on customers, while satisfying their appetites along the way. Who knows? Perhaps Disney will one day complement its Mickey waffles with some Goofy pancakes…

Interested in an on-demand pancake printer for your home? Hurry over to its official Kickstarter page, where PancakeBot is currently seeking $50,000. Delivery is expected to begin in July 2015. Need some syrup? Well, if previous Maker Faires serve as any indication, a corresponding automated maple syrup dispenser may not be too far away! Want to see what kind of impressive designs Makers have made for breakfast? Find an entire breakdown here!

Creating a 3D-printed automatic fish feeder

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Helios Labs has designed an automatic fish feeder using Arduino and a 3D printer. 

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Aquaponics is a food production system that combines conventional aquaculture (such as raising aquatic animals) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. Fish are the power house of any good aquaponics system, as they provide the nutrients for the plants. In an effort to ensure that the creatures are properly fed, the crew over at Helios Labs has come up with a DIY solution. The Makers recently created a 3D-printed fish feeder that hangs from a planter over a tank in an aquaponics system.

The project was programmed with a rather simple code that works by feeding the fish twice a day — once when first plugged in and then again several hours later using a “delay” function. After the fish are fed for the second time, the delay function is called upon again in order to wait until the original starting time, which in their case was 7am.

The unit itself is comprised of a hopper that holds the fish food, as well as 3D-printed auger that is superglued to the gear of a 9g micro servo. In between feedings, the servo, which is controlled by an Arduino Uno (ATmega328), is detached as it can only rotate about 180 degrees. The auger was designed to prevent the fish food from accidentally entering the electronics compartment.

“Ideally you should connect the servo to its own 5V power source and power the Arduino via a USB/DC adapter separately. The servo, if powered by the Arduino directly, might overdraw amps and reset the Arduino. This will essentially ruin the timer’s accuracy and require you to reset it,” the team writes.

If any of you have ever owned fish, then you know how easy it can be to forget to feed poor little Nemo from time to time. Good news, Helios Labs says that they will also be creating one for in-home tanks as well. Interested in learning more? Head over to the project’s page here.

3D printing your own remote-controlled Mars Rover

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This DIY project is out of this world! 

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Over the last couple of months, we’ve seen a number of objects successfully 3D-printed in zero-gravity by our friends at Made In Space in collaboration with NASA. These efforts are mere proof that 3D printing applications will soon transcend beyond just simple tools and small components, bringing us one step closer to future manned missions to Mars. Aside from professional endeavors, Makers have also taken part in exploring extraterrestrial use cases, ranging from an intergalactic-bound printer that could potentially enhance self-sufficiency for astronauts to autonomous bots capable of extruding in hostile environments using materials it finds.

And, if using additive manufacturing to create entire communities and sustain life in space are within reach, surely a 3D-printed rover is pretty realistic as well. Inspired by NASA’s Curiosity Rover, Maker Josef Vladik has built his own 3D-printed Mars Rover using a RepRap Rebel 2 and an Arduino Mega (ATmega2560).

Controlled by a standard 4CH transmitter, the device features four standard channels, a 2S or 3S lithium polymer battery and 9G servos with metal gear modded for 360 degrees of rotation. Beyond that, the rover precisely traverses the terrain using its nine compact wheels, while mounted LED floodlights round out its realistic appearance from both the front and back.

Think you’d like to give it a shot and make a rover of your own? You can find an entire breakdown of the build including parts and files here.

TwinTeeth is a PCB mini-factory for electronic hobbyists

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Diyouware’s innovative PCB fabricator will give Makers the ability to create PCB prototypes right at home.

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A pair of Madrid-based brothers, who you may recall from their recent DiyouPCB project, have now released the design for a new 3D printer. Diyouware’s TwinTeeth — which gets its name from the principle of moving the construction bed instead of the tool head — is best described as an open-source PCB mini-factory geared towards electronic-savvy hobbyists. It is an innovative fabricator of Arduino shield-size PCBs which will enable Makers to create circuit board prototypes right in the comfort of their own homes.

 

The mini-factory can perform a variety of functions, including photoengraving with a UV laser on sensitive film or pre-sensitized boards, drilling holes using any mini-rotary tool, dispensing solder paste onto SMD PCB pads, plotting circuits with a permanent pen-maker, as well as 3D printing knobs, casings, front-panels and circuits with conductive filament.

Its interchangeable tool head allows users to automate the process of most PCB fabrication stages, with its only limitation being a small Arduino shield sized workspace. The robotic device draws the PCB circuits in rastering mode much like any paper printer does, moving the laser (or the bed in their case) from one side to the other. TwinTeeth boasts auto-bed leveling, thereby giving users a flat plate with a tolerance of less than 0.01mm during the printing process.

“While traditional 3D printers or CNC machines move the tool while the working piece is fixed on the bed, TwinTeeth moves the bed while the tool is fixed. The first method is good if the tool is small and you want to make large pieces. But if the tool is heavy like a mini-rotary tool or a 3D extruder and the piece you are working on is light like a PCB, it is better to move the piece because it provides more precision and reduces vibrations,” the duo writes.

TwinTeeth is embedded with the well-known combination of an Arduino Mega 2560 (ATmega2560), a RAMPS 1.4 control board and A4988 drivers,  and is powered by a trio of Nema 17 motors. Aside from that, Diyouware used modified Marlin firmware to support the multiple tools, manage and control the laser, implement the auto-focus system, print in rastering mode, and improve the buffering. A small USB camera was included to make it easier for Makers to see tiny details on high-density PCBs. According to its creators, the built-in camera is also useful to set the home position, a very important element in obtaining accuracy.

Similar to their earlier project, the Makers equipped TwinTeeth with the same PHR-803T optical pickup used in the DiyouPCB with a wavelength of 405nm. Meanwhile, Diyouware developed an entire software suite for the mini-factory, which makes for easier management and control of the machine. This program enables users to connect and disconnect via USB, select tools, move the bed, go to homing position, set the speed and Z position, calibrate the robot, stop and resume a print job, and toggle the camera view, among a number of other things.

• Print area: 70mm x 80mm x 60mm
• Print speed: 1200-1500mm/minute
• Print resolution: 600DPI
• Nozzle diameter: 0.35mm
• Code: G-Code, postscript and BMP files
• Connectivity: USB 2.0
• Filament: 1.75mm PLA/ABS

Interested in your own PCB mini-factory? You’ll want to check out Diyouware’s entire blog post here.

STACKER is a modular, commercial-grade 3D printer

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This commercial-grade 3D printer lets Makers print up to four objects at once.

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While 3D printers on Kickstarter are seemingly a dime a dozen these days, those that are capable of garnering nearly $200,000 in funds are much rarer. The Stacker 3D team recently joined forces with filament manufacturer ColorFabb to launch what they’re calling an “affordable commercial-grade 3D printer” dubbed STACKER.

Most commercial 3D printers on the market today are not only extremely slow, they’re ridiculously expensive as well. As a result, Makers are left out in the cold with no other choice than to turn to consumer-level machines. This is something the Minneapolis-based startup is looking to change. Designed with offices, schools, Makerspaces and small to medium-sized companies in mind, STACKER boasts a number of unique features that will surely set itself apart from the ever-growing 3DP pack.

For one, the machine is equipped with multi-print technology that enables users to print up to four of the same objects at the same time, and with up to four different extruders, the objects can even be extruded in various types of filaments. STACKER has three modes: single-part, Multi-part, and multi-material.

• Single-part mode: Print one part with one print head.
• Multi-part mode: Print multiple copies of the same exact part. This mode uses one head per part.
• Multi-material mode: Print one part with more than one material type. This mode allows users to extrude multiple materials from more than one hot-end onto the same part.

STACKER is available in both desktop and mobile configurations. Users can add its full height frame option to their desktop model and caster option, and can have an ultimate mobile printer right then and there. The casters have a built-in suspension system for smooth rolling. The industrial-duty gadget also has an expandable Z-axis, meaning users can easily increase the printing height of their desktop printer from 220mm to over 600mm. What’s more, the recently-unveiled printer packs a huge build volume. Desktop models posses a print size of 250 x 450 x 220mm, while full height mobile models have a print size of 250 x 450 x 600mm.

“STACKER is more than just a fast and affordable commercial grade 3D printer; it’s also highly functional. For example, it can print huge and tall parts, up to 24” (600mm). This invention opens up a whole new world of possibilities. STACKER also ships with our new HYBRID hot-end. This reliable new hot-end was optimized to extrude our new generation of high tech composite filaments,” STACKER founder Norston Fontaine explains.

STACKER’s versatile hot-end enables super quick nozzle changes, which come in two different types: one for lower melt filaments (like PLA and ABS), the other for higher melt filaments (like Tg Co-polyesters and some nylons). Meanwhile, the aptly named HYBRID was specifically designed to run composite filaments like ColorFabb’s new carbon fiber XT-CF20, and uses a special grade of stainless steel to dramatically improve nozzle life.

“By engineering two different nozzle types, we have eliminated jamming and other common hot end failures. Quick change nozzles also make it easy to change tip sizes,” Fontaine adds.

Furthermore, STACKER has custom polymer bearings that can be adjusted to achieve extremely tight tolerances. As the company notes, these bearings do not use grease or oil, nor do they require any maintenance. These bearings can also be used in harsh environments filled with contaminants and moisture, and are highly-effective at absorbing vibrations. Unlike with metal, composite bearings do not cause accelerated shaft wear during rapid back-and-forth movements, which is very common with 3D printing.

Built around an AZTEEG X3 PRO (ATmega2560), the device has a maximum print speed of 150mm/second, a top travel speed of 250mm/second and can be connected either by USB or SD card. STACKER runs on its own customized version of Repetier and is compatible with other 3D printing software, such as Cura, Slic3r, Pronterface and Simplify3d.

Other notable specs include:

• Printer size: 26.5” x 15.75” x 28” (675mm x 400mm x 720mm)
• Print area:
  • MAX X/Y print area one head printing: 10” (255mm) x 18” (458mm)
  • MAX X/Y print area two heads printing: 10” (255mm)  x  8.7” (220mm)
  • MAX X/Y print area three heads printing: 10” (255mm)  x 5.46” (138mm)
  • MAX X/Y print area four heads printing: 10” (255mm) x 3.9” (100mm)
• Printer weight: 30kg (65lbs)
• Nozzle diameter: 0.5mm (option nozzle sizes: 0.3mm, 0.4mm, 0.6mm, 0.8mm and 1mm)
• Build plate: Tempered glass, sandblasted, removable
• Print bed: Heated, custom PCB, 250 WATT
• Layer Resolution: 100-1000 microns
• Filament type: Most all types of high-quality filament, 1.75 mm diameter
• Connectivity: USB, SD card
• Power supply input: 100-240VAC 8.5A
• Power supply output: 27A at 24VDC
• Operating temperature range: 50-100 °F (10-38 °C)
• Operating noise: 35-70 dB

Interested? Head over to STACKER’s official Kickstarter page, where the team has already nearly doubled its initial $100,000 goal. Shipment for early bird backers is expected to begin in June 2015, with regular delivery slated for July 2015.

SmartrapCore is a low-cost, open-source wooden box 3D printer

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SmartrapCore is the company’s second model and is even easier to assemble than the Smartrap.

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As the popularity of inexpensive, open-source 3D printers continues to grow amongst the DIY community, Smartfriendz is hoping to help accelerate adoption with their latest device, the SmartrapCore. Touted as a “true RepRap printer,” it is capable of constantly improving itself by printing its own plastic parts and upgrades. Possessing the same ease-of-use as the French startup’s earlier Smartrap 3D Printer, Makers will be able to access online plans, instructions and assembly assistance through a series of tutorial videos.

However, in an effort to differentiate itself from the Smartrap, the team started the project with a coreXY base. (Hence, the “core” in its name.) The 3D-printed components are placed inside and atop of a wooden box, then simply screwed in using wood screws. As for its hardware, like a number of other RepRaps available today, the SmartrapCore is based on an Arduino Mega 2560 (ATmega2560) and a RAMPS 1.4 control board.

Smartfriendz shares that the machine is expandable from 20cm x 20cm to around 50cm x 50cm. More importantly, all designs are entirely written in OpenJSCAD along with various NEMA, rod, print and wood thickness sizes. All models are dynamically updated from parameters, while print plates will soon be automatically generated. Beyond that, the team has recently made improvements to reorient the stop on “new plate2,” as well as the J-Head attachment with its inductive sensor.

Interested? Not only can you now purchase the SmartrapCore online, you can also find its files on Thingiverse and Github.