| Do you remember the amazing device that | | | | SketchUp, Inventor, Mechanical Desktop, Maya, |
| materialized solid objects, in this case food in the Star | | | | Vector Works and many more, are able to create |
| Trek TV Show? It was supposed to put together | | | | models that might function natively with a 3D printer. |
| subatomic particles from recycled material to | | | | There is a company called Sweet Onion Creations |
| recreate a physical product on voice commands. | | | | that have a great example on how to take an |
| "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." It was the favorite hot | | | | existing building from the Google SketchUp model and |
| beverage from the Captain of The Enterprise, Jean | | | | they would print it in a small scale. For Architecture, |
| Luc Picard. | | | | this technology saves thousands of dollars and |
| I am not a Trekkie level fan but I do like the series. | | | | months of hard work on modeling and mock ups for |
| Back on the replicator, I have found a great | | | | their projects. Although, industrial designers are the |
| technology available to everybody these days that | | | | most happy people because of this technology. |
| creates solid objects out of computer coordinates. It | | | | The prices to get one of this miracle makers vary |
| is called 3D printer. | | | | from USD$2K to more than $5K each. However, |
| A 3D(tri-dimensional) printer, is similar to a | | | | there are some creative guys making their own |
| 2D(bi-dimensional) printer. While 2D prints X and Y | | | | home made 3D printers. I guess that as any new |
| (Long and width), a 3D prints X, Y and Z (Long, | | | | technology, will reduce the price as soon as the |
| Width and Height ). There are many videos showing | | | | product becomes a desktop tool. |
| how this technology works and shows the finished | | | | How does it work? Well, although it seems like a |
| product. | | | | science fiction device, the way it works is pretty |
| If this wasn't enough amazing, the solid object is | | | | simple: There is a printer with an special glue that will |
| created in colors and if it is an object with many | | | | print on layers of section cuts of the 3D model. |
| parts, it comes out already assembled. For instance, | | | | Instead of paper, it prints on a polymer based |
| one of the most amazing examples of the 3D printer, | | | | powder that layer by layer, solidifies the powder. At |
| is when they print a solid chain with all the links | | | | the end of the process, the remaining powder is |
| connected. Even a motorcycle chain, with all the parts | | | | blown away with an air compressor pistol or a brush. |
| moves exactly as the original object. | | | | And it is ready to go. |
| Teamed up with a 3D scanner, which takes a 3D | | | | It sounds very simple, but not many people thought |
| impression of any object, this is something that really | | | | of that, just like most of the greatest ideas. The |
| seems to defy reality. There is another example | | | | ability of automatized machines to create 3D objects |
| where they print a human head with all the original | | | | out of 3D digital models is not new of course. There |
| colors, and when they 3D print it, it looks incredibly | | | | are many CNC devices that carves into metal for |
| accurate. Even the eyes come out with color. | | | | mechanical precision tasks, but nothing like this 3D |
| The software used to create 3D models is the same | | | | printer. About accuracy, CNC is still the king but this |
| used to create 3D renderings and common 3D | | | | 3D printing technology is just starting. |
| models. Tools like AutoCad, 3D Studio Max, | | | | |