The Laser Cutter Roundup — a weekly dose of laser-cut love: #39
Hey, Sam here. I’m back collecting this week’s posts from The Laser Cutter.
Above is a laser cut quick response code stencil which can function as hobo signs – not sure what that is? Read more at F.A.T.com.
After the jump, a hive, some eggs, a map, and a lamp… (more…)
Does anyone want to make a driving robot?
Marc Raiser (Thingiverse user mraiser) designed this 3D printed functional chassis for a driving robot or radio controlled car. By my count it uses 54 3D printed parts and remarkably few non-printed parts, making this one of the more intricate 3D printed designs I have seen.
The only parts that are not 3D printed are those which simply cannot be with any available technology. Raiser kept the non-printed parts to a minimum by making the pieces snap together instead of using hardware.
Via Thingiverse blog
3D printing set to become means of manufacturing for UAV development?
This really interesting project caught my attention this week. Andy Keane and Jim Scanlan and a team from the University of Southampton have developed an 3D printed electric motor powered unmanned aircraft. (more…)
Brown students design a chair cut from a single 2 x 4.
Ok, so this project doesn’t absolutely require the intimate mechanical precision that comes standard with CNC tools, but provides a wonderful example of how you can make the most of your cuts by having them do double duty.
This project, by Ian Gonsher and Jake Geller, shows off just how much you can get out of a single piece of material. This project has some especially useful concepts for anyone wanting to squeeze every last ounce of value out of their laser cutting. If you take a close look, you can see how a single cut (accounting for the kerf of a bandsaw) will cut out the left hand side of one part and the right hand side of another simultaneously. This is an essential design skill for cramming a large number of parts on a single sheet like the folks over at Wood Marvels manage in every design.
You can download the design here, and find a bit more info on the project here.
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3D printed robot propulsion platform
At the start of this month, the IEEE electronics blog ran a fascinating story on a unique robot drive system that a grad student had invented (or re-invented).
The singularity drive system consists of a rubber hemisphere spinning vertically, like a top, that can be tilted front-to-back and left-to-right. This changes the point of contact with the ground, allowing the robot to drive in any direction or speed, forwards or backwards, without the need for any additional steering or transmission system. (more…)
Skylines and streetscapes in fantastical transformation
For Victor Enrich, the built environment is a conceptual playground where the imagination roams free.
An expert in 3d architectural visualization, these striking compositions show local (mostly in Tel Aviv, Israel) landmarks bursting from within the confines of their rectilinear and physical law-abiding realities.
The process involves taking photographic studies of the target building, and then constructing 3d models which are manipulated to become one with the original image. (more…)
Drawing with a computer and a laser.
Software artist Marius Watz created the project Automatic Writing using generative design methods (as in programming) and laser engraving. The laser engraving was done by Future Cities Lab. This is the same artist who was the first ever artist-in-residence at MakerBot earlier this year. These artworks, along with what he made while working with MakerBot, are currently on display at Super Frog Gallery at New People in San Francisco.
Check out more images after the jump.
(more…)
An easy way to make stands for things
This is a quick guide for Blender beginners like me. I feel faintly ridiculous typing this up when there are Blender experts doing complex, incredible things, but one has to start somewhere, yes? 
A few days ago I finished printing Skimbal’s giant Bathtub U-Boat on my MakerBot. It took about 35 hours, so once it was done I definitely wanted to display it on the shelf. One problem: the final product wasn’t stable enough to stand on its own without falling over. As you’ll see, this is a very easy problem to fix.
The original source file that has the U-Boat’s pieces assembled and aligned is in Sketchup format, so it needs to be converted into something that Blender understands. First, open the file in Sketchup and use the Select tool to shift-click the middle three pieces of the white U-Boat.
Then, go to File -> Export -> 3D Model, set the filetype to .obj, and change the export options as pictured: (click for large) (more…)
3D printed planter jewellery
We usually think of potted plants as something that decorates spaces, not people. Georgia Tech Industrial Design graduate Colleen Jordan challenges the idea that plants have to stay at home by creating tiny and wearable 3D printed planters that carefully cradle your favourite little flower or succulent. The design evolved from her research project on Material Perception, which explored the notion of beauty in plastic.
The miniature planters are printed in Durable Plastic, and Colleen experiments with textures by sanding or rubbing the surface with acetone. The experimental process ensures that the designs are constantly evolving, regardless of how they are fabricated. Colleen is also planning on creating laser cut bracelets and using CNC routing to make a bench.
More from Colleen under the cut:
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