ENTER HERE - 3DPrint - Ultimate 3D Printing Giveaway!

[Bombzilla]

- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
Houses and cars are very interesting right now. They just begin to scratch the surface of what is possible with this technology.

- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
Well, It is easy to think of 3D printing solutions to most Sci-Fi movies: Start by printing new parts for your space ship, printing foods and space tools. One day we could be doing molecular printing on a micro-level to create nanobots.

[Leeloo]

- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?

I actually first heard about 3D printing technology while reading an article on how the technology is bring used to build frames to grow organ tissue for transplants. I was absolutely blown away by the application and had I heard of the technology independent of that article I doubt I would have fathomed that it could have such wide ranging implications to the medical industry.

I have also seen it used to make jewelry pieces, sculptures, instruments and car parts - but organ "skeletons" so to speak has to top my list.

- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!

First, I think it would be wonderful if you could print one design with an array of materials and specify in the original design software which portions were made of which material.

Another option that I think would be neat would be to make the machine easily transportable. Think of an artists travel kit.. If you could easily break it down and pack it up in a case, transport it and reconstruct it,it could become a great tool for traveling designers. It could even be used for real time presentations at client sites by construction or design companies

The next thing would scalability. When I say "scalable" - I mean it would be neat if a single machine could print on a large OR small print surface. Practically speaking I'm not sure how easily this could be accomplished.

I think the one feature I would want, above all others, would be a 3 dimensional graphic design user interface. A complete novice could theoretically use this interface to dimensionally draw and edit their design, which would then be translated by the software and printed on the machine. This could even go so far as to tailor certain software packages to different purposes. For example, a 3D UI for musicians might help them design a guitar and give them a projection of how the instrument might sound once it has actually been printed.

[amrobot]

I think the coolest use of a 3D printer is http://3dprint.com/18150/3d-printed-bone-scaffold/ but what would be really cool is to evolve http://delta.firepick.org into a device that could print 3D circuits, instead of needing to print them on a 2 dimentional circuit board then meld the two into a device that can print wireless circuits into the body so we can communicate telepathically!

[mrrobertpaul01]

-What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
To me the most interesting thing would be 3D printed microscopic 'Zoos' to design bacterial communities.

-If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!

Would have large build area, wifi, closed build chamber with filtration system, and the print head would levitate on a magnetic field. The drive gear would be the one I am working on but I can't disclose. Rods would house custom-shaped neodymium magnets spanning the length of the rods to levitate the print head. There would be no hotend, just a tiny heater inside the actual nozzle. The extruder would use cooled air to cool faster, and cooled air blown over the print if required. Would have artificial intelligence software that would analyze the print with lasers as it's being laid down and make adjustments on the fly (perhaps something like polyworld). Would use this intelligence to automatically figure out how to extrude the plastic so no supports would ever be needed (intelligent bridging). Would have mass spectrometer to analyze exact composition of the filament and adjust settings accordingly. Would have option to change infill pattern and direction. Outlines would start and end on the inside of an object to eliminate any seams. Build platform would never need leveling it would just come built with NASA precision out of glass with a built in hairspray nozzle to auto-spray the exact needed amount. Any moving parts/gears would be made of titanium to absorb vibrations as well as titanium braces at the corners of the frame. If moving pieces come into contact with other metal parts, the titanium pieces would be coated with some wear-resistant coating (titanium not good for contact). Would have tens of thousands of vertical copper lines etched into the rods connected to an electric current making them electromagnets which could be turned on at the precise moment the print head must stop for instant deceleration. Would use more precise stepper motors (or geared) for increased accuracy. Frame would be heavy and stiff (steel perhaps). Print head would be swap-able to use copper wire. Would have a tiny built in microwave emitter and nitrogen/hydrogen source as well as ability to depressurize build chamber in order to print objects coated with graphene (graphene would grow on the copper). Would also double as an oven for experimenting with nanomaterials or for cooking printed pizza.

[Bobby tenorio]

What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?

The amazing works of art from fibrous clothing pieces to home decor giving your living areas more modern looks and designs

- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!

The most interesting idea i would have would be to combine the strength of graphene compound and spider webbing create a electronically conductible fiber that can become invisible thread. take these compounds and create flexible body suits that can also conduct electricity that powers nano size chips that give your suit many options to perform, to invincibility to automatically recharging just by pressing against an outlet or power source. The 3D printer will print this graphene infused spiderweb bodysuit. the body suit can protect and transmit your signal anywhere. Like a having a personal computer inside your suit that you connect to the internet or military installments. the body suit will make u camouflage as well as change your appearance.

[AlexGk]

First of all, thanks a lot for making such a contest. 3D printing is likely one of the leading innovations of the last decades, but it remains expensive and something not enough hassle-free as it should be. People like you might finally help the public stop thinking about 3D printing as just a hobby for enthusiasts, and help them understand their full potential! So, I'm taking my chance with your contest too, I have some modest experience with 3D printing at my university, but nothing can beat studying at home, can it?

- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
Pretty much everything at the latest Maker Faire in Rome. A pletora of 3D printers from young startups and experienced companies, printing the unbelievable! But if I have to choose one, the WASP clay 3D printer remains my top choice. It can literally print small household using nothing more than mud, as it was designed to provide poor countries a way to make reliable houses with the few available materials they have.

- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
I always try to be realistic when I'm asked to talk about hopes and dreams. That's why, if I had the possibility to push the 3D printing research in a direction of my choice, I'd try to develop and improve the design of today's SLA and SLS 3D printer. I'd like to create a hybrid system capable of moulding through different processes all possible materials. Instead of hardening liquid photopolymers, I'd like to create a device capable of fusing 3D printing materials in real time, while a variable output laser would selectively cure the layers required for the model. This way it would be possible to create products made out of metal, avoiding the high porosity of SLS printed stuff. I know some companies are already researching molten metal 3D printers, I hope they might open the way for future designs!

[soofle616]

I'm not sure if the most interesting thing I've seen done with 3d printers has actually been done yet or is still a concept but there was an article a while back discussing 3d printers for use in space exploration (moon/mars landing, etc.) Basically arrive on site with limited supplies and equipment other than a printer, then use said printer along with materials found on site to produce anything that was needed. Pretty awesome application as the cost of firing things into space is massive so the ability to produce whatever was needed on site rather than having to ferry massive payloads into space would hugely reduce the cost and logistical complexity of colonizing elsewhere in the solar system

My dream 3d printer would combine additive and subtractive methods of fabrication. It would function much like a modern CNC machining center with multiple tools to be used as needed: multiple FDM nozzles (sizes, materials, colors, etc), cutting tools for subtractive fabrication, and possibly a mirror and laser setup to do SLS as well. Each process has it's own benefits and drawbacks so combining the three would allow them to be used in sync to produce otherwise difficult or impossible geometries and properties.

[dothing]

- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
Printing the mechanical parts by different materials. Students then did some mechanical test on those parts, so they have a better idea about the correlation between material properties and the mechanical performance.

- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
It should have advanced nozzles and motors which can print micro devices in the range of micrometers.

[Jet3D]

Hi Guys,

- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
I work for a company called Propshop. The most interesting things we've done with our 3D printers..... We printed the DB5 for Skyfall, the horse armor for Maleficent, Thor's hammer for the Dark World and the full sized pod ship and weapons for Guardians of the Galaxy. I have seen the most amazing 3D prints ranging from hand held piece all the way up to a Merlin helicopter at 20 feet!

- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do?
For me the holy grail is printing in metal. I'd have a printer that could print metal objects by cindering metal powders, that was affordable and available to the mass market. (one day 8 ) )

Regards, Jet

3D supervisor. Propshop. UK
www.propshop.co.uk

[Zerodameaon]

- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
The cancer patients leg saved by a 3d printed bone.

- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
It would be a dual extruder 5 axis machine capable of printing all the popular and experimental filaments.