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

[J3d]

What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3d printer? The creation of a life sized elephant. Shows there are no limits to build size. Also printing of multi component interlocking items that could not be made any other way.

If you could build your dream 3d printer, what would it include and what would it do? 2-4 extrudes, heated bed, temps up to 300 C. Ability to stop and resume prints after changing material. Built in camera and octoprint. Open source. Readily available spare parts. Material dryer and a hopper for pellets instead of a spool.

[iank343]

The most interesting thing that I have seen done with the 3d printer? Perhaps making a 3d printer, or the potential to use the lost wax method to make a metal injection mold for mass production. Perhaps it was the fact 4d printing is being discussed before we have one in every home. Perhaps when they printed a house out of concrete.
Were i to make a 3d printer, it wouldn't use plastic filament, but rather 25 simultaneous hot glue guns, and it would only be used to print two part master mills which i would transform into metal master molds with the lost wax method, then use those top create silicone molds for resin casting.
I look forward to the day when we can print the parts to make open source microchip printers, print automated farm equipment, kinetic artwork, then recycle stuff to make a printer to print a home, naturally in the shape of a castle.

[baby_huey]

- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
This is a hard one to choose but I have to keep it at two not one: What Local Motors is doing with a 3D printed car has the potential to start amazing things in supply in all countries. What was done (in China I think) with printing homes and the recent castle print has the potential to disrupt the way we view housing in some areas. Having secure, stable, housing could be a game changer in areas that have been torn up by conflict.
- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
Being able to print aluminum in detail would provide an alternative to CNC based work. While not unknown currently, the ability to do it at home is not yet reachable. With materials and resources quickly becoming a restriction in what we do in the long run (while not just digging up everything we see and destroying our natural environment) less waste is always a benefit. The other added benefit is the ability of people with little to no skill in a machine-shop setting being able to print parts they need not just for prototyping, but construction as well....You could also add in a multi-axis robotic arm with a CNC mill for removal of support material after the print has completed.

[soopaman15]

- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
It's interesting to see 3D models being used in the medical field. Whether it's a prosthetic or an implant model it's really amazing how far we've come with technology.

- If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
Printer that can be setup like a walk-in freezer and construct 3D objects the size of the room would be great for smaller commercial applications.

[Solstie]

What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
I think the large format 3D printers working in concrete are really interesting. Seems like it could really open the world up to interesting small and large structures in the near future.

If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
I am constantly adding more and more remote capability to my printers since I still have a day job. The company that comes out with a fully remote printer will get serious consideration from those that have their printers working 24/7 like me!

[super dooper]

What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
The most interesting thing that is being done with 3d printers is not desktop trinkets knick knacks, but prosthetic limbs. Limbs that later are connected with wires for electrical impulses from the body to make the prosthetic move. Can you imagine having a child that was born without a limb or lost it due to an accident and having the ability to print a prosthetic and have it function as the original, having them be happy would more than pay for the price.

If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
My dream printer would be bigger than most desktop printers big enough to print large car parts or panels. It would also utilize DMLS as well as having the ability to switch between metal and plastic filaments. My printer would also be able to print with carbon fiber.

[lroger01]

What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?
Everything! I've been doing 3D graphics for way too many years, and just the thought of being able to take my creations out of the computer and physically hold them in my hand is mind blowing.If you could build your dream 3D printer, what would it include and what would it do? Let your imagination run wild!
My printer would have fewer moving parts. Not sure how that could be done logistically, but all the moving parts in current printers make them ripe for failure. I'd also like an ink-jet style system for creating multi-color prints. Or lacking that, a filament management system that would allow me to switch between several colors without having to mount and unmount rolls.

[OVersliders]

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

The most interesting things I have seen done with a 3D printer are parts that are mechanically impossible to manufacture because they have captive elements or shapes CNC machine cannot produce to this day.

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

If I could build my dream 3D printer it would be using FFF technology, have multiple heads similar to a rotating toolchanger in a CNC, have a large printing volume (20"x20"x20"), Self leveling printing bed (no headache), built-in scanner using Next Engine ScanStudio technology (STEP/IGS output for implementation in Solidworks/Inventor), a built-in part post processing system with acetone vaporizer that assess exactly the amount of exposure the prints need, Live webcam feed to monitor printing process from Android/iOS when I gotta go to work, and lastly a Polished aluminum and glass enclosure with internal lights and all...
At that point I'll need a new house to fit that in hahaha

[mmapes2]

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

I only recently have discovered 3D printing. I had heard about it casually, but it didn't sink in to me what I could use it for in my life until I was at an anime & gaming convention and there was a panel about 3D printing for cosplay. I love to see people make props for costumes using 3D printers. It's even expanded into the fashion world! I recently saw an article online showing designer 3D printed ladies shoes. The more mainstream 3D printing becomes, the easier it will be for all to access it.

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

Hmm, since I'm new to 3D printing, my ideas might be pretty out there. I would like a 3D printer that has an onboard computer that auto-computers slicing. I love the idea of multiple extrusion heads for using different materials during one print. A self-leveling bed would be awesome.

[alodia]

1)
- What is the most interesting thing you have seen done with a 3D printer or 3D printing technology?

~I build robots, and I've built them using traditional fabrication methods and i tell you they are time consuming and wasteful. so printing custom robotic components is like super super crazy important for me.
~Another thing is body parts...printing a heart, valves, tissue? that's insane and mind blowing, so long are the days of amputees, they now have a saving grace when accidents happen. especially for war vets.
~Another very interesting industry that i've seen using 3d printing is the clothing industry. even though the manufacturing process of making cloth and wearables are very streamlined today, but for someone who just want to print their own cloths, and not spend hours in the mall digging for something that suits his/her tastes because it was designed by someone else... this could change how we all look in the future. we'd all be our own fashion designers.

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

~Alright, so I'm inspired by Tony Stark / Iron Man because the tech in that movie is literally an arms length from what we can achieve today, if not already. My dream 3D printer would have all the 'source' materials from elements, compounds, polymers, chemicals, metals, wood, you name it, it's got it!
~Now there'll be a black box where the some base materials enter and gets transformed into the desired print material (probably through melting, or selective laser sintering), so its sort of like a printer within the 3D printer), others goes directly to the main print platform.
~Each of the MANY print heads will accomodate its own specific type of materials such as ceramic heads for metals, metal head for plastic, pvc heads for chemicals, etc etc.
~And these heads will print simultaneous, so no switching heads in the middle of the print, the super efficient super smart g-code will have these heads do their own thing without hitting each other
~Also there'll be laser heads that melts or hardens target areas as soon as certain materials gets printed
~And not to mention these print heads can print on the target area TOGETHER, allowing live combination of materials on the print platform.
~its not as advanced as say a nano printer aka the Replicator from Star Trek, but its a more crude macro version of that ultimate 'print anything machine'

~example, say i want to print a bottle of Chateau Margaux
~the printer will search for the chemical formula of this famous wine and in the black box, take in the necessary base chemicals and start mixing/aging/w.e. it takes to make this authentic tasting wine
~meanwhile, the printer will take in sand, soda ash, limestone, and coloring agents, melts and mixes it in another black box, sends the material through a print head, print onto the main platform, while another 'assistant head' will actively cool the printed site to semi harden the glass to prevent deformation, and when the printed glass bottle is completed (engravings included) the 1st black box with its finished concoction of wine will 'pour' through a print head into the bottle, then finally, a cork is printed to seal the deal, along with the aluminum foil that wraps around the cork, and maybe a metal band that binds the foil. LEGIT!



ps. my twitter is Holy Bell @HolyMygoddess