3D Printers and Printing

Sean Huxter is a Senior Technical Artist and avid toy collector who enjoys spending his free time designing and 3D printing anything and everything related to science fiction. Huxter remembers the day he received his Afinia 3D printer like it was yesterday, although it was just over a year ago, on June 7, 2013. “It was my first true experience with a 3D printer. Even with reading through the manual and setting up the printer, I had my first print completed within 105 minutes of opening the box. It was a dalek from the Dr. Who series.” It is no surprise that Huxter put his printer to immediate use. He [Read more…]

Making Medical Device Testing Fixtures Medical Device companies are drivers of economic activity in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area and Interrad Medical is a member of that community. An illustration of the SecurAcath anchored just beneath the skin. Interrad developed the SecurAcath®, a subcutaneous catheter securement device that utilizes a small anchor placed just beneath the skin in the subcutaneous tissue. The device is attached to the catheter at the insertion site – eliminating the need for adhesive devices or sutures. One of the important parts of Interrad’s design workflow is testing different versions of products before manufacture. Part of that process entails creating testing fixtures. These fixtures either hold [Read more…]

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Ebelt is a pilot, participated in NASA’s Zero Gravity flight, and enjoys gliding on the weekends. Kaye Ebelt is an inspired educator and life-long learner who has a BA in Elementary Education, ME in Computer technology, and MS in Science Education. She is currently an Albert Einstein Fellow, serving as the Directorate for Engineering at the National Science Foundation. Ebelt also participated in NASA’s MicroGX and Reduced Gravity Flight in 2011. The Power of Passion It is clear from Kaye Ebelt’s background that she has a passion for learning. During her interview, we learned how she is passing that passion on to other teachers and students. As the Directorate for [Read more…]

“Our story begins when a few educators in Baltimore learned that the city was closing the nearby Rec Center. The closings were due to the financial constraints of the Baltimore school district budget. Two blocks from one of the most recent Rec Center closures, however, a technology teacher in Baltimore City Public Schools had a vision of revitalization. His vision found a way to re-imagine the role this underutilized space could fill by converting it from a Rec Center into a Tech Center, where youth could learn a wide variety of high-growth, tech-sector skills such as digital fabrication, web or app development, and electronics. To turn this dream into reality, [Read more…]

Bonnie Roskes is the creator of 3DVinci, a company that offers training in SketchUp and other application tutorials to beginners and professionals and everyone in between. Roskes is a professional structural engineer who loves teaching others how to use great modeling applications. Her “Google SketchUp Cookbook” was a Graphic Design Amazon Bestseller in 2009. In The Beginning 3DVinci was an innovation born out of necessity. “I wrote the first tutorial for SketchUp in 2001, when SketchUp wasn’t at all mainstream. There were no other tutorials on the market, and people needed guidance on how to use the software. In 2006, when Google bought SketchUp, there was a free version that [Read more…]

Daniel Lucaci leads Industrial Inspection Systems (IIS) Ltd., located in Ontario, Canada. IIS provides automated Non-Destructive Testing and Examination (NDT/NDE) solutions to the oil and gas industries. An Industry of Integrity Oil and gas pipeline integrity is extremely important. Pipelines can fail due to defects such as corrosion, cracks, or dents. These can result in property damage, injuries or, in the worst cases, fatalities. Daniel Lucaci’s company provides testing and automation solutions to pipeline manufacturers that certify and ensure the safety of their pipes. IIS solutions allow manufacturers to automatically inspect their pipeline welds for defects. If a defect is encountered, it is marked and an alarm is activated so [Read more…]

Daniel Casner is the president of Robot Garden, a community workshop that provides members with the resources to create technologic and artistic projects, individually or as part of a team. As an indication of Casner’s community activity, he recently received the President’s Volunteer Service Award. “An idea is a curious thing. It will not work unless you do.” – Jaeger’s Facts Daniel has the above quote on his personal website. After interviewing him, it is clear that through hard work, he has been able to bring great ideas to life. One such idea is Robot Garden, a community workshop in Livermore, CA. Robot Garden strives to inspire and educate the [Read more…]

Setting The Scene with the Afinia 3D Printer Owen Collins is a Professor and Head of the Department of Theatre at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA, about 3 hours southwest of Washington, DC. Prologue Owen had always enjoyed theater’s “technical side”. “My dad is an architect, and through him, I developed an interest in drafting. During the late 80’s I was employed at his firm and learned how to use computer drafting tools.” “During graduate school, I became interested in how computers were used to control the “technical side” of the production: lighting, sound and video affects. I worked in New York City for a year and then [Read more…]

Drumroll, Please… Today, we are reducing the price of our award-winning H-Series 3D Printer 19%, to $1,299USD. (NOW ONLY $799 – update 3/15/2016) The printer can be purchased from the Afinia 3D Store or from Afinia 3D Retail, Online Partners and Resellers. “We are excited to offer this substantial price decrease to our customers. It will make it even easier for schools with tight budgets to purchase 3D printers for STEM education in the classroom.” – John Westrum, V.P. of Afinia 3D. The company also recently announced the availability of new Premium PLA filament at $29.99 per reel, which will also benefit school budgets. A Leader in Desktop 3D Printing [Read more…]

TANDEMKROSS is a New Hampshire-based company that locally designs and manufactures gun improvement products. Their mission is to solve firearm problems that the manufacturers can’t or won’t: Making good guns great. Competitive Shooters Their market is predominantly gun-owners who use their firearms for competitive shooting. They make magazine expanders, front and rear sights, and kits to simplify the takedown of guns for cleaning, as well as many other accessories for Ruger, KelTec, and other manufacturers. “The firearm industry, as we know it today, has been around since the 50’s. When you look back at the number of manufacturers that have been around for a while, there aren’t that many. Colt, [Read more…]

Afinia 3D, a leading supplier of Desktop 3D Printers, now offers a new line of Premium PLA filament at store.afinia.com. Current colors include Green, Blue, and Gray, with Black, White, and Natural becoming available in the fall. PLA, also known as Polylactic Acid, is a cornstarch derivative and is the world’s second most commonly-used 3D printing thermoplastic. “Afiniacs are an enthusiastic and creative bunch, and they have asked us to add PLA filament to our line-up. In our experience, 3rd party manufactured PLA filaments do not print consistently and have issues with brittleness, nozzle clogging, and bridging or spider webbing that can leave users disappointed with the results. Our Premium [Read more…]

3D Printed Minnesota Wild Logo The Minnesota Wild are still hanging on in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After upsetting the Colorado Avalanche, they are giving the defending champion Chicago Blackhawks a run for their money. The Wild logo was designed by John Westrum of Afinia, this print showcases our H-Series’ ability to easily stop in mid-job and change filament colors. Red layer first, followed by Yellow, Green and White. [Read more…]

Clark Barnett is an Educator and Education Technology Consultant in Thousand Oaks, CA. He is currently part of the Conejo Valley Unified School District and an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University. In education circles, he’s known for his Ecosystem and build-a-bug Entomology labs. Engaging Through Experience “I was trying to figure out how to really engage my students because Ecosystems and Entomology are subjects that are far more interesting to experience than to read about. Fortunately, I got my hands on an Afinia Desktop 3D Printer last summer and the teaching ideas just began to flow. I decided to tell the kids that the classroom was an Environment in which [Read more…]

Afinia H-Series-printed models are featured in the just-released project book Modeling in SketchUp for 3D Printing, by Bonnie Roskes. Bonnie Roskes of 3DVinci has been writing SketchUp project books and producing YouTube tutorials for over 12 years. She has recently turned her attention to using SketchUp to create models for 3D printing. Bonnie says, “The 3D printing seed was planted when several teachers approached me about writing a project book on this topic. Schools are funding STEM, and 3D printers are finding their way to more and more classrooms.” “Teachers with 3D printers often wonder how to get started and what to make. My book opens by discussing printer types, [Read more…]

Grease, as he’s known to his friends and clients, grew up in St. Paul, MN’s East Side and served in the U.S. Army from 1980 to 1986. He was stationed in Bamburg, Germany and Ft. Carson, CO and, afterwards, served 2 years in the Army Reserves. Greg was with 11 Bravo Company Infantry. “When I arrived at Ft. Carson one of the Executive Officers was looking for a driver, so I volunteered. I drove a jeep for him, he liked my work ethic, and I then got a job driving for the Commanding Officer.” “After my discharge, I wanted to continue my education, so I attended a graphic arts school. [Read more…]

Mark Andersen – Restoring Pipe Organs with the help of his Afinia 3D Printer Mark Andersen is Vice President of Artisan Instruments, Inc. , a 65 year-old pipe organ restoration firm, based near Seattle, WA. He is also a concert pipe organist. In The Beginning Mark developed an interest in mechanics and music when he was quite young. “I had a bunch of model train sets and was constantly taking them apart and putting them together. About that time I was introduced to the pipe organ – it was a match made in heaven.” “When in high school, I apprenticed with a North Carolina pipe organ builder and spent many [Read more…]

Over the past few years we have heard, “3D printing is cool, but I don’t really know how that translates to real world stuff”. Here’s how some of our Afiniacs are pushing the boundaries of their industries and hobbies: Vadym Chalenko Graphic designer, illustrator, protyper, and product designer extraordinaire. Owner and creator of the Beastgrip. Just finished shipping the last of his 600 Kickstarter orders, made from 10,000+ 3D printed components. Robert Hughes Designer, prototyper, and fishing lure industry innovator. Owner of Lucky Bug Lures, a family-run business located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Bob has revolutionized the fishing lure industry by releasing several new lures each season, as opposed to [Read more…]

We were sent a great article about Afiniac Damon Swanson and the Circus Model Builders Organization. Damon was highlighted on our blog last year, and we’re glad to see that he is continuing to make headlines. For more information about the Circus Model Builders Organization, find them on online or visit their Facebook page. Damon Swanson and his Afinia H-Series Printer. Click to read full article. [Read more…]

Afinia announces today that it has filed its answer, affirmative defenses and counterclaims to the Complaint filed by Stratasys. According to Attorney William J. Cass, of Cantor Colburn, “Afinia has included affirmative defenses of patent misuse and will be investigating a potential claim for antitrust (by patent) given the significant differences between the asserted claims and the Afinia H Series.” Afinia is represented by William Cass of Cantor Colburn (860.286.2929 – wcass@cantorcolburn.com) and Mark Burns of Haugen Law Firm. Afinia’s answer to the Complaint filed by Stratasys More information: Exhibit A Exhibit B Exhibit C Exhibit D [Read more…]

We’re rounding out the year for Time Lapse Thursday, with only one more left. For this week, we decided to toss in a bit of a complex structure by printing a Castle created by ramenspork. This design is just as detailed and impressive small as it is when printed on larger scale. We printed our file at: Z Layer Resolution: 0.20mm Fill: Loose Material: ABS Quality: Normal With Raft Size: 82.51 x 68.38 x 99.12 mm What we really enjoyed about this print is that it’s what everyone needs to complete their very own fantasy world! Go ahead, STORM THE CASTLE! Until next week, Happy Printing! [Read more…]