Before 3D printers become as ubiquitous as cellphones, they could form the basis of small-scale manufacturing concerns and have huge potential both here and for developing countries, where access to many products is limited.
Associate Professor Joshua Pearce, a Michigan Technological University researcher posits the following: “Say you are in the camping supply business and you don’t want to keep glow-in-the-dark tent stakes in stock. Just keep glow-in-the-dark plastic on hand, and if somebody needs those tent stakes, you can print them. It would be a different kind of capitalism, where you don’t need a lot of money to create wealth for yourself or even start a business.”
3D printers deposit multiple layers of plastic or other materials to make almost anything, from toys to tools to kitchen gadgets. Free designs that direct the printers are available by the tens of thousands on websites like Thingiverse. Visitors can download designs to make their own products using open-source 3D printers, like the RepRap, which you build yourself from printed parts, or those that come in a box ready to print, from companies like Type-A Machines.
3D printing isn’t quite as simple as 2D printing a document from your home computer — at least not yet.
“But you don’t need to be an engineer or a professional technician to set up a 3D printer,” Pearce said. “Some can be set up in under half an hour, and even the RepRap can be built in a weekend by a reasonably handy do-it-yourselfer.”
It’s not just about the money. 3D printing may herald a new world that offers consumers many more choices as everything can be customized. Cellphone accessories, a garlic press, a shower head, a spoon holder, and the like are as few as three clicks away, and we’re not talking about miles. 3D printers can save consumers even more money on high-end items like customized orthotics and photographic equipment.
It’s not just about the money. 3D printing may herald a new world that offers consumers many more choices as everything can be customized.
Consider the Source

This year, for the first time, respondents to the annual Future of Open Source Survey chose “better software quality” as the No. 1 reason for adopting open source. Is innovation in enterprise software happening anywhere else other than in open source land?
Hadoop is at the center of the big data trend. OpenStack has the momentum in private cloud. Open source frameworks and IDEs absolutely dominate app dev, while all the leading NoSQL databases are open source. Android now powers more smartphones than any other mobile OS. Plus, Microsoft and Salesforce excepted, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cloud provider that uses anything but open source software to deliver its service.
IBM’s public embrace of Cloud Foundry at OSCON provides a telling example of open source’s pole position. As with OpenStack, IBM is providing code contributions, but the Cloud Foundry community will steer development.
Consider the Source

Science tells us that every square meter of the earth’s surface, when exposed to direct sunlight, receives about 1000 watts (1 kilowatt) of energy from the sun’s light. Depending on the angle of sunlight, which changes with the time of day, and the geographical location, the power of the sun’s light will be somewhat more or less than 1 kilowatt-hour per hour for every square meter of the earth’s surface exposed to the sun. Of this solar energy, about 523 watts is in the infra-red spectrum and the ultra-violet portion accounts for about 27 watts. The remaining 440 watts is produced by the octave comprising the visible range.
The chart pictured below depicts the current state of the art for Photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. PV research focuses on boosting solar cell conversion efficiencies, lowering the cost of solar cells, modules, and systems, and improving the reliability of PV components and systems. Accelerating the integration of PV technology is an essential part of global sustainability. Click on the chart reproduced here for a full size copy.

An experimental apartment building in Hamburg, Germany is harnessing the power of the sun to generate power, but not in the way you expect. Photovoltaic cells are totally yesterdays news — the BIQ building gathers power using a bioreactor façade packed full of microalgae.

Large clear panels on the front of the building are where the microalgae are growing. These microscopic organisms behave like any other plant. They absorb sunlight, process carbon dioxide, and produce oxygen. The algae flourish in a regular cycle, with the mature plants being harvested on occasion.

The process is highly efficient as it results in no additional carbon output, and algae produce more biomass by area than any other plant. Any light that is not absorbed by the algae can be captured by the façade and used to directly heat water or air when it’s chilly out. Failing either of those immediate needs, the heat can be piped down into borehole heat exchangers (an 80-meter deep hole filled with brine) for later use.

Tooling Up for Hydroponics

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have accomplished a stunning architectural feat using silkworms. To construct this “Silk Pavillion,” 6,500 live silkworms were guided via computer, creating a 3D print of the domed structure. Students at MIT studied the worms’ spinning patterns and tested whether they could control them by altering the worms’ environment.

Consider the Source

NASA has successfully tested its first rocket engine component made through 3D printing. On Thursday, NASA subjected its new rocket engine injector to a series of high-pressure fire tests involving liquid oxygen and gaseous hydrogen, demonstrating that additive manufacturing (its official name) could one day help the agency build the next generation of rockets faster and at lower cost.

Additive manufacturing uses layers of metallic powder traced in specific patterns by lasers. The technique isn’t too far removed from traditional 3D printing, except it uses high-powered laser beams. While an engine injector is normally one of the most expensive components of a rocket engine to produce, additive manufacturing not only reduces development time from over a year to a number of months, it also cuts costs by more than 70 percent. Following the successful test, NASA says it will look to scale-up and establish production requirements for the injector, helping it “demonstrate the feasibility of developing full-size, additively manufactured parts.” However, the agency says has no plans to test its printed components in a live test flight until 2017.

Consider the Source

Two 3d printed metal samples made with EOS 3d printers. A Formula 1 race car’s custom heat exchanger and an artificial joint.

Consider the Source

URBEE is a return to fundamentals, a rethink of traditional automotive design and manufacturing. As a species endangered by our own actions, we must quickly learn to stop burning fossil fuels. Surely, the ultimate goal of Design is to serve the ‘public good’. Therefore, corporations and individual designers have a responsibility to offer products that are not only useful, but in balance with the environment.

URBEE is now crowd-funded to create the greenest car on Earth. A first prototype was completed in 2013. It became the first car to have its body 3D printed. The team recently initiated a second prototype, called URBEE 2. They are embracing Digital Manufacturing as essential to the design of an environmental car. Engineered to safely mingle with traffic, the two passenger vehicle will have its entire exterior and interior 3D printed.

Consider the Source

Understanding different types of plastics is crucial when making decisions on items for your family and home. Recycling numbers, ranging 1 through 7, are used to specify what type of plastic is contained in an item and in turn how that item may be recycled. They are found inside an M.C. Escher style triangle of arrows turned in on themselves on the bottom of most plastic containers. Of the seven different types of plastic available on the American market, all are based on a different resin. Each of these seven varies in both its effect on environmental safety and ease of recycling. What follows is a general outline of most types of plastics along with their most common uses.

PLASTIC #1: POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET OR PETE)
Common uses: 2 liter soda bottles, single use water bottle containers, cooking oil bottles, peanut butter jars.
This is the most widely recycled plastic. Commonly recycled, PET is semi-rigid and very lightweight. It’s best suited for single-use containers as it can break down when exposed to light and heat, causing it to leach. PET can also be recycled into fabric, similar in strength and appearance to virgin nylon.

PLASTIC #2: HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (HDPE)
Common uses: detergent bottles, milk jugs.
HDPE is a sturdy and reliable non-leaching translucent plastic. HDPE resists UV penetration, which can damage and discolor the plastic. Dishwasher-safe and able to withstand temperatures from -148 to 176° F (-100 to 80° C), it’s ideal for food and beverage storage.

PLASTIC #3: POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC)
Common uses: plastic pipes, outdoor furniture, shrink wrap, water bottles, salad dressing and liquid detergent containers.
Most PVC vinyl products contain phthalates, which mimic human hormones and also affect various life forms including fish and invertebrates adversely. For this reason, we do not recommend products made from PVC for food storage.

PLASTIC #4: LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (LDPE)
Common uses: dry cleaning bags, produce bags, trash can liners, food storage containers.
LDPE are safe, non-leaching plastics. Flexible, impact-resistant and microwave-proof, it’s dishwasher-safe and able to withstand temperatures from -148 to 176° F (-100 to 80° C). Safe for use with food and beverages.

PLASTIC #5: POLYPROPYLENE (PP)
Common uses: bottle caps, food containers, drinking straws.
BPA-free, polypropylene is commonly used for injection molding. It’s resistance to high heat generally makes it microwave and dishwasher safe, as well as a good option for food and beverage storage.

PLASTIC #6: POLYSTYRENE (PS)
Common uses: packaging pellets or “Styrofoam peanuts,” cups, plastic tableware, meat trays, to-go “clam shell” containers.
Polystyrene foam is a major component of plastic debris in the ocean, where it becomes toxic to marine life. Currently, the majority of polystyrene products are not recycled. This material should be avoided.

PLASTIC #7: OTHER
Common uses: LEXAN, certain kinds of food containers and Tupperware.
This plastic category includes any plastic other than the above named types. These containers can be any of the several different types of plastic polymers.
Polycarbonate is the most commonly-known #7 plastic. Proven to leach BPA, it is not recommended for food storage. Not all “other” plastic is polycarbonate, however. Plastics labeled #7 can also be a combination of several safe plastics. You should engage in due-diligence when making decisions about #7 plastics.

Consider the Source

SunnyBot is about the size of a large desk lamp and is equipped with an on-board mirror that continuously adjusts to reflect the sun’s rays on a chosen area. It is integrated with a dual-axis microcomputer that’s powered by a row of solar cells and comes with an optional feedback system. The device redirects 7,000 lumens (equal to a single 500 watt halogen lamp) with a range at just over 656 feet.

Consider the Source