3d printing

We've seen some very sophisticated 3D-printed objects recently, but never a tiny 3D-printed battery -- one that's as small as a grain of sand, no less.

A group of U.S. and Korean researchers has managed to print a lithium-ion microbattery that can fit on the head of a pin.

Although it weighs less than 100 micrograms, it can store as much power per gram as larger Li-ion batteries used in laptops or electric vehicles. It could even power tiny robots or medical devices. … Read more

MakerBot, one of the most well-known desktop 3D printing companies, has been acquired by Stratasys, the companies said Wednesday.

In a release, the companies said it was a stock-for-stock transaction worth about $403 million, based on Stratasys' stock price as of Wednesday. Stratasys will exchange 4.76 million shares of its stock for 100 percent of MakerBot's outstanding stock. By agreeing to be acquired, MakerBot becomes part of one of the leading industrial 3D printing companies. The deal also allows the publicly-traded Stratasys to compete more directly at the consumer level with 3D Systems and that company's Cube … Read more

Australia is known for its overly large bugs, like the up-to-20-inch Titan stick insect. But the country also has tiny insects, like the itsy-bitsy wheat wheevil. Researchers with Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), are trying out a method of super-sizing insects through 3D printing.

Small, sometimes nearly microscopic, insects from the Australian National Insect Collection are run through a 3D-scanning system and then printed out at magnified sizes in titanium. Why would you want to do this other than to leave one on someone's seat as a prank? The bigger versions give scientists a better look at the insect's anatomy in order to learn more about their surface characteristics or determine gender. Plus, it's just plain cool.… Read more

We've been hearing about the possibility of 3D-printed, full-size houses for some time. We may even get our first one sometime this year, thanks to the efforts of a couple of different architectural firms. Now you can get an idea of what it would take to create your own home from 3D-printed blocks.

Real estate blog Movoto has created a "3D Print your House" calculator to give you the daunting numbers involved with using a 3D printer to make your abode. The numbers are based on the time and cost of materials of using a MakerBot Replicator 2 to print out plastic bricks.… Read more

In another step toward 3D printers finding a place in everyday businesses and homes, online retailer Amazon has dedicated a section of its site to selling 3D printers.

The site sells 3D printers from well-known manufacturers such as Makerbot, as well as others such as Cubify and fabbster, alongside 3D printer filament and spare parts.

Prices for machines range from the $1,099 JET/Open Source 3D printer Replicator G to $2,479 MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D printer.

The section marks another move toward mainstream adoption for 3D printing and follows office-supply chain Staples' decision to begin stocking 3D printers.… Read more

New York lawmakers are the latest to crackdown on 3D-printed guns.

Both a member of the New York city council and a state assemblywoman have introduced two different pieces of legislation that would either regulate or ban the manufacture of 3D-printed guns, according to New York Daily News.

The bill for New York City was introduced by Council Member Lewis Fidler on Wednesday. This bill aims to make it illegal for people to produce any part of a firearm using a 3D printer unless they are licensed gunsmiths. Also, each weapon must be registered with the police within a 72-hour … Read more

MakerBot, one of the biggest names in the personal 3D printer business, is in acquisition talks.

That's according to The Wall Street Journal, which reported Wednesday that the Brooklyn, N.Y., company is in discussions with possible buyers.

MakerBot, which produces the $2,200 Replicator 2, one of the most popular 3D printers of its kind, has been a leader in the industry for several years. Its CEO, Bre Pettis, has become a spokesperson of sorts for the 3D printing industry and was the opening keynote speaker at this year's South by Southwest Interactive festival.

The Journal reported … Read more

People who have lost fingers can try to get robotic hands that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Or they can try to 3D-print their own hand.

That's what Richard van As did after a woodworking accident in 2011 cost him four fingers. The South African carpenter decided to build his own fingers from hardware store parts but eventually turned to 3D printing.

Using a MakerBot Replicator 2 printer, he collaborated with Ivan Owen to create a prosthetic finger after much trial and error. They've since printed hands for four South African children who lack fingers. … Read more

When they make 3D-printed meat look like this, we'll be impressed. These dainty sugar confections are the work of husband and wife team Kyle and Liz von Hasseln. They hit upon the idea when they wanted to make a birthday cake for a friend, but as graduate students, didn't have an oven.

After being awarded the very first Gehry Prize at the Southern California Institute of Architecture for developing a method of 3D printing that used UV light to cure photo-initiated resin, they took their $100,000 prize and set up shop in L.A. to create 3D-printed … Read more