Desktop Metal 3D Printing with Microwave Enhanced Sintering

Here is another revolutionary step forward in 3D printing: the desktop metal 3d printer. It deposits metal "paste" made from metal powder with a polymer binder in a similar way as any common FDM machine and the parts are then sintered in a microwave enhanced furnace chamber.
The price is comparable to higher-end professional FDM machine from a few years ago. They also sell production cell that has much higher capacity for more demanding production facilities.


Tech specs:

•  Build volume: 12 in x 8 in x 8 in (305 mm x 205 mm x 205 mm)
•  Materials:  Steel, Titanium, Aluminum, Copper and other undisclosed materials
•  Layer height: 50 μm (minimum)
•  Dimensions: 60 in x 49 in x 30 in (1500 mm x 1250 mm x 750 mm)
•  Technology: Microwave Enhanced Sintering
•  Price: $120,000 for the desktop version, $250,000+ for manufacturing cell production system

Desktop Metal presentation video:




Here is a much more in-depth video by GoEngineer with many details about the machines, materials, and the process:




Company homepage:

https://www.desktopmetal.com/

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Tend.ai Robotic Servant for your 3D Printer Farm

Tend.ai developed cloud robotics solution that enables a robotic arm to operate your 3d printer farm. You do not need to know how to program the robot since it uses a webcam and machine learning to figure out triggers and actions it needs to do. You basically show it what to do.
Since it can work non-stop, you can have a small manufacturing robotic cell in your workshop or home. it goes without saying it can operate other machines as well, such as CNCs or laser cutters.




One thing comes to mind: since you can get orders from the web, use a robot to operate your 3d printer, and package the objects, you will just probably need to send them via delivery service. That can probably also be automated... You see where I'm going ...

Source:

https://techcrunch.com/2016/06/22/tend-ai-trains-your-robot-to-operate-dozens-of-3d-printers-and-laser-cutters-at-a-time/

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3d Bioprinting introduction, possibilities, problems and current state of technology

All you wanted to know about bioprinting and 3d printing with living cells summarized in 20 minute video. Must-watch if you are interested in the topic. Wei gives great overview of the field and current state of bioprinting technology which is truly amazing with incredible future possibilities (and problems to be solved).


Speaker: Prof. Wei Sun, Tsinghua University / Xin Innovation Workshop,

Presentation held at Tel Aviv University, 19 - 20.5.2014.

I found presentation by Prof. Wei Sun in PDF format similar to the one in the video which is great reference material on bioprinting:

http://nsfam.mae.ufl.edu/Slides/Sun.pdf

Conclusions are important and probably there are many scientists working on it right now:

In future we need the following to ensure 3d printed organs:

• A new generation of biomaterials - Bio-Ink: go with cells (structure as cell delivery medium), grow with cells (support as cell ECM) and function with cells (as biomolecules)； 
• Developmental Engineering (vs. Developmental Biology) to fill the biological knowledge gap; 
• Bio-3DP manufacturing tools: viable, reliable and reproducible, and capable of making heterogeneous structures; 
• 4-D 3DP model: embedded time into Bio-3DP model: printing Stem Cells with control released molecules for complex tissues, Organs, Cellular Machines and Human-on-a-Chip devices

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AP report on titanium printed hip replacement surgery

Helping the elderly lady with high tech medical scanning, 3d modelling, custom laser fused titanium powder hip replacements and stem cells organic glue. Technology is amazing!

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Bioprinting presentation at MRRF 2014

Jordan Miller, Andy Ta, and Steve Kelly talk 3D bioprinting at the 2014 Midwest RepRap Festival.

Take a look at other stories about bioprinting:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/search/label/bioprinter

Source: Hackaday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UTAre6tvgE

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Cellstruder v2 with retractable syringe

Cellstuder is extruder that is design to deposit living cells in liquid form for DIY biology, biohacking or low-cost science purposes. Main advancement when compared to v1 is ability to retract the syringe with additional powered screw.

Files and instructions:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:251647

Here is the overview of Cellstruder v1:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2013/08/cellstruder.html

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Cellstruder

For those special projects where you need to print something with living cells ...

Project description:

CellStruder is a 20mL syringe extruder powered by a NEMA stepper motor, capable of of precise liquid extrusion at the microliter level. Originally developed in Jeff Tabor's lab at Rice University, this device is currently being used for cell printing, enabling research in synthetic biology, biological pattern formation and engineering of cellular logic. An example print of E. coli cells expressing green fluorescent protein is shown above as well as microscopy of printed cells.

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:109040 by Ravi Sheth

Update (17.2.2014):

Cellstruder v2 is released, now with retractable syringe mechanism:

http://diy3dprinting.blogspot.com/2014/02/cellstruder-v2-with-retractable-syringe.html

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