This is the title of the Presentation I gave at the 3DPrintShow 2014 in London in September about other ways that designers are accessing 3D printing! http://www.slideshare.net/AnnMarieShillito/.
I gave the presentation again (more slides added) on 31st October at a drop-in demo session at Creative Spark in Dundalk, Ireland. Creative Spark is a great resourse centre with space for small businesses to rent, with workshops, courses and classes for both learning, making and business development – the reason we were there. The previous day we had given a 1 day course on 3D modelling for 3D printing.
To 3D print you have to have the right sort of 3D digital model. This can be created by you by designing in a CAD (computer aided design) package, from scanning something 3D, or designed by someone else. The best way to understand the constraints and potential of 3D printing is to get down to designing in 3D. In our classes and courses we use our Anarkik 3D Design 3D modelling software as it is quick and easy to start working directly in 3D as the sense of touch from the haptic ‘3D mouse’ and naural movement in 3D make it more intuitive and immersive – and fun to learn and use.
In CreativeSpark for the 1 day workshop we set up our 10 laptops each with a haptic device. We think it is pretty necessary that everyone on the course has their own set up as everyone has a different approach to the way they work digitally. With Elizabeth Armour assisting me with the teaching and demos we can accommodate this method of teaching. We also had our Ultimaker2 3D printer with us to demo the concept and get some objects printed.
While we were in this part of Ireland we arranged a visit to Mcor Technologies. They manufacture 3D printers that use sheets of paper for the 3D printing process and their IRIS 3D printer prints in full colour by printing the colours required on each sheet on the margins of each x,y profile. It was great to have the opportunity to talk to their technical staff about the best approach to designing for their unique 3D printing process to secure a beautiful full colour 3D model printed in paper.
The following week when I was in Limerick we dropped in to the Fablab there to say hello to them. We arranged for the following day to give a few of those present a demo of our 3D modelling software. We also saw the amazing project they have been working on to 3D print a model of the buildings in the centre of Limerick!
Great presentation. So have you had any haptic designed models produced on Mcor’s paper based 3D printers?
Also, Anarkik3D software FAQ page says that it’s basically a PC based program. Are there plans to develop a MacIntosh specific version of Anarkik3D, without having to install the Windows OS on a Mac?
Hello Martin, Just to let you know that we released Anarkik3DDesign for Mac last year! Took a while as we had to develop own drivers so Falcon could run with a Mac.
Hello Martin, Apologies for takikg so long to reply. I had my first finished piece of jewellery 3D printed on Mcor’s IRIS 3D printer 3 weeks ago, in colour, in time to complete it and to wear it during the Madrid 3DPrintShow where I was on a panel and giving a presentation. An image of it is up on our Anarkik3d website in the AnarkikCreations pages and also on Pinterest.
As it is the Falcon haptic device that is PC based we are in the process of switching from being exclusively on a Windows OS to a platform (H3D) that will enable our haptic software to run on a Mac and on Linex. This will be released as V3.1 later this year.