Simon – Malta 3D Printing

When considering that nearly everybody carries a smartphone these days – in addition to their keys and wallet – it makes perfect sense why so many designers and manufacturers have been actively designing accessories ranging from speakers and cases to stands and sleeves for the mobile devices. However, the one problem that everybody runs into is also among one of the most difficult to solve: battery life.

Inspired by the need to create a portable, on-the-go power solution for smartphone users that doesn’t involve carrying bulky cases or powerpacks, designers Doug Stokes and Chris Tait of Design on Impulse in the UK recently created what they are calling “The World’s Smallest Phone Charger” – AKA “The Nipper”.

Consisting of two AA batteries and a magnet that reside on a user’s keyring (the batteries are only installed when in use), the 10 gram Nipper is capable of charging smartphones while users are out and about or perhaps most importantly – during an emergency situation.

“The Nipper was primarily designed for emergency use,” explain the designers.

“When all else fails, when all hope is lost – in situations where you desperately need to use your phone but have no access to laptops, electrical sockets, wind turbines or solar panels the Nipper will be there for you.”

The design of the Nipper contains 3 neodynium magnets that are responsible for both making an electrical connection to the circuit board as well as holding the batteries together. According to the designers, the circuit is actually a “boost converter” that converts the power from the batteries into a 5v power supply to charge your phone. For today’s modern smartphones, this means that the batteries can supply an additional 10% battery capacity in 30 minutes, and 20% in just over an hour.

Like so many other hardware developers today, Stokes and Tait turned to 3D printing to make their idea for the World’s Smallest Phone Charger real – and have put the concept on Kickstarter to help it gain some traction; already, the campaign has surpassed their $10K goal by more than $3K and it has three weeks left to go.

“If we’re making small volumes of Nippers, we’ll 3D print the cases out of high quality nylon, but if demand is high and we have to make a full Nipper army we’re going to injection mold the cases out of polypropylene,” says the designers.

“The two halves of the Nipper are connected by either fabric or genuine leather straps. The neodynium are nickel plated on the classic Nippers, and gold plated on the premium Nippers.”

While the concept is certainly impressive, the fact that Tait and Stokes just graduated school together and entered a national design competition to develop The Nipper makes the story all the more impressive.

“One moment we were doing our finals and the next we were in the centre of London, working on a product we’d come up with in our flat which we’d been given support to make into a reality,” said Stokes.

“A lot of people who have just graduated are spending the summer travelling or trying to find a job and move out of home. But being able to go straight from university to working in Somerset House every day, where you’ve got Parliament on one side and St Paul’s on the other, is pretty amazing.”

Considering that the device comes in a number of colors and will likely expand to include multiple strap options, the charger is likely to fit with anybody’s style similar to modern smartphone case designs.

For those interested, a ‘Classic Nipper’ can be purchased starting at just $23 over on Kickstarter.

3ders.org

by Simon | Aug 19, 2015

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150819-3d-printing-helps-uk-designers-develop-the-nipper-the-worlds-smallest-phone-charger.html

3D printed prosthetics for Ugandan schoolchildren

Posted on 24/08/201508/09/2015 by aneczka2307

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150603-3d-printed-prosthetics-get-ugandan-amputees-back-on-their-feet.html

3D printed prosthetics get Ugandan schoolchildren back on their feet

Although we’ve heard numerous stories about how 3D printing has helped enable hundreds of those in need of prosthetic limbs, a majority of the cases have been located in the United States or the United Kingdom where 3D printers or 3D printing providers are becoming increasingly common and access to a 3D printer is getting easier than ever before. While this is excellent news, there are still many world locations where affordable prosthetic devices – and even 3d printers in general – are needed and could be used perhaps even more than those located in more developed Western countries.

In the meantime – thankfully – various organizations and 3D printing providers have been picking up 3D printing jobs as needed to ensure that those who need the prosthetic devices the most are getting the proper care that they need. More recently, the University of Toronto and charity Christian Blind Mission took it upon themselves to produce prostheses for a Ugandan schoolboy who had been in need of a prosthetic device for years.

The schoolboy, Jesse Ayebazibwe of Kisubi, Uganda, tragically had his right leg amputated after he was hit by a truck after walking home from school three years ago. Since then, the nine-year-old has been maneuvering with the aid of crutches – however they have since made it difficult to play or move around. “I liked playing like a normal kid before the accident,” he said.

Thanks to the support of a local orthopaedic technologist, Moses Kaweesa of the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services (CoRSU) in Uganda, Ayebazibwe was able to use an infrared scanner and some 3D modeling software to create a prosthetic solution for the young boy before shipping the files to Canada to be 3D printed.

“The process is quite short, that’s the beauty of the 3D printers,” said Kaweesa. “Jesse was here yesterday, today he’s being fitted.”

While Ayebazibwe previously wore a traditional-style prosthesis last year, his new 3D printed prosthesis is among the first in a trial that could see more 3D printed prosthetic device across Uganda for others in need – thanks in no small part to the efforts of Kaweesa.

Currently, the entire country of Uganda has just 12 trained prosthetic technicians for over 250,000 children who have lost limbs, which are often due to fires or congenital diseases. At $12,000, a portable solution consisting of a laptop, a 3d scanner and a 3d printer is not cheap – however when considering the impact that a portable prosthetic device system could have on over 200,000 children in need – in northern Uganda alone, many people have lost limbs due to decades of war where chopping off limbs was a common reality.

“There’s no support from the government for disabled people … we have a disability department and a minister for disabled people, but they don’t do anything,” said Kaweesa. “You can travel with your laptop and scanner.”

Upon receiving his 3D printed prosthetic, Ayebazibwe was clearly ecstatic. “(It) felt good, like my normal leg,” he said. “I can do anything now — run and play football.”

The boy’s 53-year old grandmother, Florence Akoth, looks after him, even carrying him the two kilometers to school after his leg was crushed and his life shattered. She too is thrilled.

“Now he’s liked at school, plays, does work, collects firewood and water,” said Akoth.

3ders.org

by Simon | Jun 3, 2015

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150603-3d-printed-prosthetics-get-ugandan-amputees-back-on-their-feet.html

3D printed Avengers Ultron helmet

Posted on 20/08/201507/09/2015 by aneczka2307

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150502-prop-artist-uses-3d-printer-to-create-a-full-size-wearable-avengers-ultron-helmet.html

Prop artist uses 3D printer to create a full size wearable Avengers Ultron helmet

With the release of the latest Avengers Movie – Avengers: Age of Ultron – in theaters today, there’s likely to be quite a few participants of the cosplay community who will either be coming out with their latest Avengers-inspired costumes or, after seeing the movie, will be inspired to go home and start on their next cosplay costume project.

Among those who have already gotten a head start on developing their Avengers-themed cosplay costumes is Michael Ruddy, a popular cosplay artist who uses additive manufacturing technologies to bring his costume ideas to life. Recently, Ruddy used his new gMax 1.5 XT 3D to print a full size, wearable Ultron helmet for a special client.

The gMax 1.5 XT, which is manufactured by gCreate, features 4,608 cubic inches of build volume – which is the best price-to-volume ratio for a 3D printer currently available on the market. Although he could have printed the entire helmet in a single pass thanks to the gMax 1.5 XT 16” x 16” X 18” print volume capabilities, Michael elected to divide the helmet into four separate prints – jaw, main face, top, and ears. The jaw was printed at 0.15mm layer height and took roughly 13 hours. The main face portion was printed at 0.2mm layer height and took about 30 hours, with the ears at 0.15mm layer height for an additional 10 hours. Finally, the top half was printed at 0.3mm layer height and also took around 30 hours due to placing supports in the middle.

After Ruddy’s client – Sean Shaw of Shawshank Cosplay Props – received his 3D printed Ultron helmet, he immediately assembled the jaw, face, top and ear parts into a final assembly with glue.

Once it was determined that everything fit as intended and was the proper scale, Shaw used car bondon to fill the part lines of the assembly before sanding down the entire assembled mask. Once he had reached a more finished stage, he followed the bondo with XTC-3D by Smooth On to further fill and smooth any remaining imperfections on the mask’s surfaces.

Once all of the mask’s surfaces were finished, the mask was molded using Smooth On silicone (Rebound 25 and Smooth Cast 300) to create a high-resolution mold from the original 3D print.

Finally, after casting the mask, the result was a wearable Ultron helmet that’s perfect for any Avengers fan – thanks in no small part, of course, to the ease of desktop and affordable 3D printing.

References:

3ders.org

by Simon | May 2, 2015

http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150502-prop-artist-uses-3d-printer-to-create-a-full-size-wearable-avengers-ultron-helmet.html