Photo credit: Sterling Backus
In the near future, we may see 3D-printing being used to manufacture everything from smartphones to even cars, but physicist Sterling Backus and his son couldn’t wait for the latter. So, they started work on a 3D-printed Lamborghini Aventador. They’ve spent around $20K on parts, with most of the body parts, including the panels, taillights, headlights and air vents, being 3D-printed, while others had to be ordered so the end project can actually be driven – frame, suspension, engine, etc. Read more for additional pictures and information.
Northwell Health’s ‘The FIN’ is the world’s first amphibious 3D printed prosthetic leg. It’s made from carbon fiber enhanced nylon and was 3D printed using 3HTI/Markforged’s printing technology. It’s compatible with land or water, which means you can freely move in and out of the water without having to remove their prosthetic leg. “My hope is that this device creates unforeseen opportunities for amputees everywhere. This study is the first step in making this innovative prosthetic available to the millions of amputees looking to return to the water,” said Todd Goldstein, Prosthetic Designer at Northwell Health stated. Read more for a video and additional information.
The Divergent Blade is touted as the world’s first 3D-printed supercar, designed by Kevin Czinger. It’s the first automobile to use 3D printing to form the body and chassis, powered by a modified 2.4-liter 4B11T turbocharged inline-four sourced from the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X that generates 720 hp. This unique vehicle uses a 3D printed aluminum alloy material for the chassis and body. The chassis uses 3D printed structural joints (in which Divergent calls NODES) to construct the basis of the interior, which is then completed by metal parts made by computer algorithm. Read more for a first drive video, additional pictures and information.
New York-based AI SpaceFactory has taken home the top prize in NASA’s “Centennial Challenge,” defeating 60 other teams during the course of the competition. Called “MARSHA,” this 15-foot-tall habitat was 3D-printed using an advanced robotic process that uses biodegradable basalt composite derived from Mars’ naturally-occurring sediment. Its vertical design focuses on letting in natural light, while sticking with renewable, plant-based bioplastics, and an ecosystem that thrives under the Red Planet’s sometimes unhospitable conditions. Read more for another video, additional pictures and information.
Bioengineers, led by Jordan Miller, from Rice University and the University of Washington (UW) used living cells, hydrogels, and a DLP printer to create an air sac surrounded by multivascular tubes that mimics the behavior of a real human lung. “Tissue engineering has struggled with this for a generation. With this work we can now better ask, ‘If we can print tissues that look and now even breathe more like the healthy tissues in our bodies, will they also then functionally behave more like those tissues?’,” said Kelly Stevens, a bioengineer from the University of Washington who also led the project. Read more for a video and additional information.
Mac Otakara have managed to 3D-print several iPhone XI mock-ups based on the current leaks, and the most notable difference from its predecessors is a square camera bump in the rear that houses a triple-lens camera setup. The new handset is also rumored to feature a nearly square battery and re-positioned logic board. “We previously saw on Weibo claimed photos of molds for iPhone XI and iPhone XI Max cases , and we have now found 3D printed samples on Alibaba prepared from CAD data. There are two kinds of 3D printed mockups, iPhone 2019 6.1 OLED and iPhone 2019 6.5 OLED,” said Mac Otakara. Read more for a video and additional information.
Let’s face it, rock stars have been smashing guitars for decades, including Swedish-born guitar virtuoso Yngwie Malmsteen. Global engineering company Sandvik decided to test their cutting-edge techniques by 3D-printing the world’s first all-metal, smash-proof guitar and then letting Malmsteen try it out. “We don’t make products for consumers, so people don’t realize how far in the forefront our methods are. Creating a smash-proof guitar for a demanding musician like Malmsteen highlights the capabilities we bring to all complex manufacturing challenges,” said Klas Forsström, President of Sandvik Machining Solutions. Read more for a how it’s made video, additional pictures and information.
Photo credit: Reddit
Always wanted a cool stand or mini arcade cabinet for your Nintendo Switch? Well, if you have a 3D printer, then look no further than this custom creation. Created by Zach on Howchoo, you simply print all the parts, glue them together, and then install the optional electronics. These optional electrical parts charge your Switch while you play, as well as provide additional cooling to help keep the console cool. You can also plug in USB controllers up front since all of the electronics connected directly to a powered USB hub. Read more for a video tutorial, additional pictures and information.
Scientists from Tel Aviv University (TAU), Israel have created the world’s first 3D vascularized, engineered heart with real human tissue and blood vessels. “This is the first time anyone anywhere has successfully engineered and printed an entire heart replete with cells, blood vessels, ventricles and chambers,” said professor and the study’s lead researcher Tal Dvir of TAU’s School of Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and the Sagol Center for Regenerative Biotechnology. Read more for a video and additional information.
Industrial engineer Guillermo Martinez purchased his first 3D printer for $172 in 2017, and them promptly started watching YouTube tutorials that showed how to build robots and other devices for fun. One day, he stumbled upon a tutorial for a prosthetic hand, and that video changed his life forever. “I started making many 3D-printed hand prostheses for fun…then I thought to myself, ‘what if this can actually help someone?’ I had already prepared my trip to Kenya and I contacted the NGO Bamba Project, as well as one of the orphanages that operates in Kenya. I didn’t think I was going to find anyone,” said Martinez. Read more for a video and additional information.