Super cheap, easy 3D... Sketching?

     This is just a super quick blog post, due to something incredibly nifty my friend recently showed me. It's a 3D printing pen, that allows you to 'draw' in full 3D. At first, I figured it was something really cool, but not very useful; use it once and put it on the shelf to forever forget about it. However, then I thought about it some more. How incredibly easy would it be, if you were designing a house or a building, to just sketch it in 3 dimensions instantly?

     I know I already sketch ideas for designs before starting any actual work on them, and I figure a fair amount of others do that too. I see this pen as a fantastic tool for getting a visual of your design in wireframe, nearly the instant you have the idea.

Here is the link to the kickstarter, which still has about 30 days from this post to make its goal. (Even though it has already raised 1.5 million more than its goal).

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1351910088/3doodler-the-worlds-first-3d-printing-pen

At a mere $75 for the pen, I'm almost certain I'll end up buying one. What are your thoughts on this type of cheap, and quick, 3D printing?

3D Printing: A Better Education, A Better Design

3D Printing: A Better Education, A Better Design

Summary statement of proposed project                                                                                   

        

      As a new and exciting technology, 3D printers are being talked about more and more. They have use in prototyping, production, model design, and craft projects. However, this project is intended to look into the use of 3D printers in the field of building design and classroom studies, mainly, the ARET (Architectural and Engineering Technology) program. In our program, and with most project designs, there comes a phase in the design process where a model must be created, either with a specific computer program or built using a variety of materials . Whether used to show to the client, or for feedback on the general design, models are very important. The trend lately has been moving towards the virtual side of model construction, however, physical models possess the unique trait of actually being physical. They can be painted with the actual paint the client wants, they can be built in pieces so that they can be taken apart, and they can give a better feel of the design due to the natural lighting and textures. While computer models can simulate natural lighting and textures, it requires as much or more time to set up the rendering as it does to create a model. And with 3D printers, one could create a model in a far shorter time. The amount of detail available with 3D printers has also become far greater. The Replicator 2, made by the company Makerbot, is capable of printing to extreme precision, featuring a resolution capability of 100 microns, or 0.1 millimeter thickness. As a comparison, most mechanical pencils use lead with a width of 0.5, or 0.7 millimeters.

            But 3D printers don’t have to be used for just the design process – they can be used to generate revenue as well. You can easily design something using a 3D modeling program, and then create a business by selling what you have created. With more recent advances in 3D printing technology, they are able to print much more complex items. For example, a printer called RepRap, an open-source easy to assemble machine, is capable of printing the majority of its own parts. With this, RepRap is the first machine that is easily self-replicating. 

Purpose                                                                                                                      

                  

       There will be two purposes for this research. One of which is to determine how educational and how essential to the design process a 3D printer would be in the Architectural and Engineering Technology program. The other purpose is to compare the cost of the printer and the materials with the amount of money you might be able to make by selling your product.

Goals and objectives of the project                                                                                                               

       The main goal of this project would be to find an affordable 3D printer for the ARET program, purchase the machine, and integrate it within the curriculum of the program. If we can buy a printer, we can begin using it in conjunction with the design process of our classes. We often design projects around real life sites, and having a model of the building you designed for a site could prove to be an essential part of the entire process. If the ARET program does not end up purchasing a printer, the other goal would be to look into buying my own 3D printer. With that, I would be able to investigate how to make money with a 3D printer. The objective then would be to purchase a RepRap and attempt to manufacture more of them, to make them more readily available to students.

Methodology and analytical approach        

        3D printers are a relatively new technology; there is not much information on them in the form of studies or books. Thus, the approach taken with this research will be to conduct my own research, compare pricing, materials, availability of materials, and how to use them. I plan to compare the pros, being the speed and ease of building the models, and the pros, being the cost and availability of materials and the printers themselves.

 In Kamloops, BC, there is a company called Scorpion Technologies LTD, and they have a 3D printer on location. An interview, or perhaps a meeting, will be made with Scorpion to ask about the price of their printer, how they use it, what recommendations they may have, and what types they have looked at. They will have first-hand experience with buying printers and materials, and knowledge process dealing with the price and shipping times for materials. Inland Glass has also mentioned that they have thought about purchasing themselves a 3D printer, thus they are right now within the shopping and comparing process, creating a fantastic opportunity to interview them about the entire experience.

            With all of this information collected, we will be able to make a much more definitive decision about a 3D printer for the ARET program. Not only that, but there will be a better understanding about the printers and their applications, and this may lead to a personal purchase of a printer for myself.

Previous studies and Related Information             

          Previous studies about 3D printers exist, but not in great numbers. However, seeing as they have just fairly recently descended into the price range of affordable, there are articles and company product catalogues that can be referenced and examined. As for finding whether or not a 3D printer would benefit a school, an article in ‘Modern Machine Shop, 84(6)’, on pages 47-48, talks about a new educational program in the United States that has brought 3D printers to high schools across the country. Looking into the results of that program would provide great insight into the benefits of having a 3D printer in the ARET program.

Plans for dissemination of work                                                                                           

          A blog, located within this site http://eddt231.blogspot.ca/ will be used to share the information found within this research. The blog will be updated with each new finding or idea, and comments or critiques will be encouraged, further improving the project as it is finished.

References Cited                                                                                                                  

Program brings 3D printers to U.S. schools. (2011). Modern Machine Shop, 84(6), 47-48.

Pope, S. R. (2002). Systems and software. Modern Machine Shop, 75(2), 148.

L. Sass, K. Shea, and M. Powell, 2005, "Design Production: Constructing freeform designs with rapid Prototyping," in ECAADE Lisbon, Portugal

Jennifer CK Seely, 2000, “Digital fabrication in the architectural design process”, University of Arizona

H. Song, F. Guimbretiere, C. Hu, 2006, “ModelCraft: capturing freehand annotations and edits on physical 3D models.” Department of Computer Science, University of Maryland

Scheurer, F. (2009). “Size Matters: Digital Manufacturing in Architecture.” Dimension (306090 Books, Vol. 12), Princeton Architectural Press, New York, 59-65.

Sheerin, Peter K. "Rapid prototyping branches out." Special Report, Cadalyst Magazine, May, available at: http://cadence. advanstar. com/2003/0503/report0503. html/(accessed September 2005) (2003).

Contribution of the project to my academic goals and objectives                                               

       Since high school, I have been interested in nearly everything 3D, technological, and design related. I took animation classes, drafting classes, and also drew and built things in my spare time; thus 3D printers seem like a natural step forward in the area of my interests. I am a second year student in the ARET program, a program with many classes based around 3D design, and feel that a 3D printer would greatly impact the way some classes are run. Since first hearing about them, I have had a great interest in 3D printers. In my first year of the ARET program, I thought of how efficient and great it would be to have a printer within our program. By the time we started designing buildings, and manually creating models, I thought that a way to improve that entire process would be to just 3D print the models. My supervisor (who is also my professor) has had an interest in 3D printers for quite some time as well, and has been trying to acquire a printer for within our program. In talks with her, we have decided that this research topic would be a great idea for improving the ARET program. If we got a printer of the program, I feel it would increase interest in the program its self, and also excite the students who are already in it. There would be more models built at higher quality, and I feel this would encourage students to put more thought and care into their designs.

Budget 

Travel for interviews with companies – $200

3D printer (Depending on printer that is purchased, or if more than one is purchased):

-Reprap Mendbot - $800-$900

-Reprap Prusa - $800 - $1,000

-Cube - $1,299

            -Portabee - $500

            -MakerBot Replicator 2 - $2,199

Materials:

            Cartridges (depends on the amount of cartridges required for research) - $50-$80 per

            Parts (for upgrades or repairs) - $100-$200

The budget is fairly flexible due to the different stores and manufacturers one can buy a printer from.

Thus, the total budget will be between:

$1000 (cheapest printer with least amount of cartridges and parts)

to

$2750 (most expensive printer with more cartridges and parts)

Well, this is a blog.

     This blog is intended to be used for the ARET 2220 class. I'll be updating it with new info on my research topic, 3-D printers. Once all the proper corrections have been made, I'll post my research proposal on here as well.