whisperoftheshot:

Library builds a hackerspace

In March, MAKE’s Phil Torrone argued that libraries should retool to become hackerspaces. The Fayetteville Free Library in Fayetteville, NY is doing just that. Here’s the story from KQED’s Mindshift:

Earlier this year, MAKE Magazine’s Phillip Torrone wrote a provocative article asking “Is it time to rebuild and retool libraries and make ‘techshops’?” In other words, should libraries join some of the other new community centers that are being created (such as General Assembly which we covered yesterday) and become “hackerspaces” or “makerspaces”?

“Yes!”, says librarian Lauren Smedley, who is in the process of creating what might just be the first maker-space within a U.S. public library. The Fayetteville Free Library where Smedley works is building a Fab Lab — short for fabrication laboratory — that will provide free public access to machines and software for manufacturing and making things.

So far, the Fab Lab is equipped with a MakerBot, a 3D printer that lets you “print” plastic pieces of your own design. The potential for 3D printers to revolutionize manufacturing as we know it is huge: imagine being able to design and then manufacture — or “print” — whatever you want. Moreoever, imagine the tools of manufacturing being in the hands of everyone, not just giant factories (and remember, since this is a public library, this is really putting the technology in the hands of everyone, not just those that can afford a membership at a traditional hackerspace).

The Public Library, Completely Reimagined

Boing Boing

Could 3D Printing Change the World? Technologies, Potential, and Implications of Additive Manufacturing explores the technology of AM and its broader implications, which include:

• Assembly lines and supply chains could be reduced or eliminated for many products. AM can produce the final product—or large pieces of a final product— in one process.
• Designs, not products, would move around the world as digital files are printed anywhere with any printer to meet design parameters. A “STL” design file can be sent via the Internet and printed in 3D.
• Products could be printed on demand without the need for inventories.
• A given manufacturing facility would be capable of printing a huge range of products without retooling—and each printing could be customized without additional cost.
• Production and distribution of material products could become de-globalized as production is brought closer to the consumer.
• Manufacturing could be pulled away from “manufacturing platforms” like China back to the countries where the products are consumed, reducing global economic imbalances as export countries’ surpluses are reduced and importing countries’ reliance on imports shrink.
• The carbon footprint of manufacturing and transport as well as overall energy use in manufacturing could be reduced substantially and thus global “resource productivity” greatly enhanced and carbon emissions reduced.
• Reduced need for labor in manufacturing could be politically destabilizing in some economies while others, especially aging societies, might benefit from the ability to produce more goods with fewer people while reducing reliance on imports.
• The United States, the current leader in AM technology, could experience a renaissance in innovation, design, IP exports, and manufacturing, enhancing its relative economic strength and geopolitical influence.

Download the whole article

acus.org

futuramb:

3D Printers Will Build Circuit Boards ‘In Two Years’ | Wired Enterprise | Wired.com

Before you know it, we’ll be building circuit boards with 3D printers. In other words, 3D printers will help us manufacture PCs. Or even, other 3D printers. “Printing actual circuit boards is very close,” says David ten Have, CEO of 3D printing outfit Ponoko. “Most of the assembly tools are completely automated anyway. I’m guessing 18 to 24 months.”

Printing a bicycle with a 3D printer with an interview of Ed Sells from Bits and Bytes

(by BromptonWorld)

thebib:

Project Shellter is an interesting application of technology to aid the natural world. The project aims to produce artificial shells for hermit crabs using a MakerBot, which would otherwise have to be supplied by harvesting spare shells from the ocean.

We just added a facebook page and connected our tumblr to it.

when I was created this summer to connect users with 3d printers etc.

3dprintingblog:

It was buzzing at the 3D Printing Event in Eindhoven, the first of this kind ever held in The Netherlands. Enthousiasm about this technology, but also warnings for too much optimisme. A lot of issues have to be solved. Read more on our website (a Google translator tool is on the website) The next days I will post some more thoughts about this very nice event

whisperoftheshot:

Fabricatr is a new service that aims to connect owners of home fabrication machines to the people that want to use them.

The idea is to help more people try home manufacturing while also allowing the owners to create revenue from their machines.  This should help the field grow as well.

I just put up an email form for interested parties so you should sign up for future information. 

Please do!

Hello everybody this is Fabricatr.

We aim to be a service to connect owners of home fabrication machines such as 3d printer, laser cutters, and diy cnc machines to the people that want to use them for their personal projects. This service hopes do three things: Provide owners a source of revenue from their machines, allow users without the means to own a machine a chance to try them out, and aid in the growth of the home fabrication movement.

We are currently still in development so please be patient with us while we are finishing the site. If you would like to be notified about our status please sign up with your email on our main page.

Thanks,

The Fabricatr Team

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