WTFFF?! 3D Printing Podcast Volume Two: 3D Print Tips | 3D Print Tools | 3D Start Point

3D Printing for Beginners with Joe Micallef

Fri, 30 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Live from the SoCal MakerCon show floor, author Joe Micallef details how he started in the 3D print industry and began to write his book, “Beginning Design for 3D Printing.” Beginners are introduced to 3D model design and creation with easy to follow tutorials for many free CAD software programs. There is a critical need for CAD designers and 3D print experts in the growing 3DP economy.

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Humanitarian Makers Getting Field Ready

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Humanitarian Makers at Field Ready volunteer their time and expertise to solve real world problems faced by those in war torn or natural disaster affected areas such as Haiti, the Sudan, and Nepal. Dr. Eric James shares how 3D printing speeds up the traditional emergency relief supply chain and details some of the unique challenges of using this technology in remote areas where power supply can be hard to come by.

Engaging Girls in 3D Print STEAM Education with Suz Somersall from KiraKira

Wed, 28 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Suz Somersall of KiraKira has created an online platform for girls to develop their 3D modeling skills by creating free courses and curriculum for 3D print STEAM education. KiraKira provides lessons and projects that ignite and inspire young girls to work on projects in what is widely a male dominated area of learning. As students of today grow and come to understand that over 86% of retail purchases are done by women, it’s key to understand what women want to buy and to design with them in mind.

3D Print Predictions for 2017

Tue, 27 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Celebrating our 400th WTFFF?! episode with a few 3D print predictions for 2017 and some resolutions the industry should make and actually try to keep. Tom and Tracy Hazzard share their own 3D print design resolutions for the next year and what’s to come in the next year on 3D Start Point. What companies are going to fade away in the next year and what companies will keep their footing and see continued success?

New 3D Printer – What the FFF Should I Do First?

Mon, 26 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Getting a new 3D printer is an exciting moment, but it can be rather daunting to figure out what the FFF to do first with it. We’ve come up with a few ideas and projects to ensure first time print success for first time 3D print users, especially those still working on building their CAD modeling skills. There are some great ideas out there, but they do still need to be approached with caution and expectations should be managed when it comes to what your first 3D print should be.

Review – TinkerCAD 3D Printing Software

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

As a free CAD 3D modeling program, TinkerCAD checks a lot of boxes when it comes to the basics of what is needed to learn how to create 3D models suitable for 3D printing. For beginners and espeically younger students, this program is a great place to start to gain CAD modeling skills, but it can quickly be outgrown. As an entry point into 3D printing, it’s a wonderful tool to use, espeically when combined with tutorial videos that help guide the first time CAD user to design their first 3D print.

Adaptive Manufacturing of 3D Print Wearables with Shamil Hargovan of Wiivv Wearables

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Additive manufacturing is turned on its head with adaptive manufacturing in the case of 3D printed insoles by Wiivv Wearables. CEO and Co-founder, Shamil Hargovan, explains the mind blowing process that brings these custom fit orthotics to life through 3D printing with unique materials and marrying adaptive manufacturing techniques with traditional ones. We dive into how custom 3D printed products fit into the marketplace, where to put the price point at to stay and remain competitive, while also being profitable – even considering a hybrid 3D printed final product for a mass customization market.

Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo Recap

Wed, 21 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

The Inside 3D Printing Conference and Expo in San Diego this year featured many companies and speakers that were focusing on real world applications of 3D print technology. We got the inside scoop from many different companies how they are leveraging digital fabrication and actually making profits from 3D printed products – not just talking about the possibility of it. With these new startup companies there is a new trend of being loyal to the consumer rather than the materials and manufacturer, and we have to say it’s a great direction to head in. Aside from that, we’ve found a potential machine that could be used for end-use products and looked at a few 3D printing companies that seem to be stuck in a terminal start up stage that leave us with a few predictions on the big shake out to come in the 3DP world.

3D Modeling to Slic3r – Slicing Software Review

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Switching from our series of CAD software reviews to a few slicing software reviews, and kicking it off with Slic3r. Slic3r’s slicing software is one of the original slicing softwares out there, but it has kept up with 3D printing’s advances and remains an on-going open source project. As the baseline standard for 3D print slicing software, it has certainly come a long way and we have much to say about its features and options for beginners and experts.

3D Print Prototype for Business Success with Ring Cam

Mon, 19 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Ring Cam uses 3D printed parts to capture that moment when she says, “yes.” Scott Brandonisio shared with us how he used 3D print prototypes to get the Ring Cam box just right, and making new iterations of it on the fly based off real time customer feed back. This episode is an excellent real world example of how 3D printing can play a critical role on the road to business success. Check out our initial thoughts and interview with Scott here.

3D Print Netflix with Hector Berrebi of 3DShook

Fri, 16 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

With more time to kill during these long winter and holiday months, there’s more time to 3D print some fun and clever items from 3DShook’s Netflix-like catalog of 3D print decor pieces. We have been fans of their curated designs for quite some time now, you can hear our thoughts in our first conversation with Hector here, and we remain impressed by their high design standards, as well as their partnerships with major companies and brands such as Lowe’s and Hello Kitty. They have recently developed new options to downloading 3D print files by the piece or by the dozen on a sort of membership level system and is worth looking into if you are looking for quality 3D prints that are worth printing.

Protecting 3D Printer Files with Chris Higgins of Orrick

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

New cases that have gone up to the Supreme Court are going to have an impact on the 3D printing industry, and patent attorney Chris Higgins takes us through what everyone needs to know about protecting 3D printer files. He identifies common misconceptions about 3D print intellectual property from patents, to business models, to design files and trade secrets. Find where innovation can happen in the patent world and how to protect trade secrets and prevent patent litigation issues through our discussion with Chris.

3D Print Musical Instruments

Wed, 14 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

3D Print musical instruments not only provide great sound, but provide a more affordable alternative to schools trying to keep expensive music programs in place. In a practical way, creating 3D print musical instruments provides students with the opportunity to be involved with the creation and building (through a kit) of their very own recorder, guitar, violin, or to design an instrument that has yet to be 3D printed.

Stability Issues in 3D Printing

Tue, 13 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

3D print figurines have inherent stability issues because they are made of different materials that are often moveable such as the arms and head of a doll. Disney research has come out with a white paper that provides a stability solution to these 3D prints through inserting weights to the product as it is being printed. Tom and Tracy talk how to address modeling the inside of the part and some of the complexities of creating stable 3D prints or even prints that are meant to sink if thrown in the pool.

Engaging Kids 3D Printing with Barbie Armor

Mon, 12 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Looking back at a successful model of not only an easy entry point into 3D printing for kids and beginner 3D printers alike, but also a successful model of how to monetize your designs before creation. This Kickstarter project is unique in its marketing and that it was brought back several times to re-market new products to a following that was already interested. By combining 3D printing with a product like Barbie, it’s a wonderful 3D design inspiration and business topic. Check out the original episode here.

How 3D Print Jewelry is Taking Shape REPLAY

Fri, 09 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

The accessories world gets a make over with the introduction and arrival of 3D print jewelry. We highlight LACE, a 3D print avant garde jewelry line by designer Jenny Woo, as a model for marketing not only a well designed product, but also one that has a story behind it’s creation. By giving their products a legitimate price point and therefore, value, this is a company that those looking to get into the additive manufacturing business world should take notes from. Listen to the original episode here.

Brick and Mortar 3D Print Retail with John Hauer of Get3DSmart

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Brick and mortar stores are missing opportunities for 3D print retail because of a lack of internal infrastructure. John Hauer of Get3DSmart shares why major retail stores are not adopting this technology despite having been initially intrigued and excited about 3D printing. Looking at how major brick and mortar retailers can stay ahead of the tech wave of 3D printing and make brick and mortar stores relevant again with good product and good business consulting guides.

Wearable 3D Prints – Silicon Valley Fashion Week

Wed, 07 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Geek and tech chic is having it’s moment in the wake of Silicon Valley Fashion Week 2016, and its no surprise to see wearable 3D prints up and down the runway. However, it is a surprise to still being seeing wearable 3D prints thrown into the mix more as a gimmick than as an actual viable fashion option. Is the fashion industry really ready to adopt 3D printing on it’s shelves?

Planning the Ultimate 3D Print Design Career

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

A 3D print design career is not limited to entrepreneurs as outside consultants, but includes intrapreneurs inside a company as well. Tom and Tracy Hazzard identify the 3D print design and designer gap of professional individuals who are lacking the skills companies desire. The 5 skills needed to fill that gap are not as hard to obtain as one might believe, and while today’s young students are gaining these skills as young as elementary schools, can we afford to wait until they hit to workforce for this gap to be no longer existent?

3D Print Project Kits REPLAY

Mon, 05 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

3D Print project kits are ideal entry points into the world of additive manufacturing, especially for those looking to customize products that are already on the market. By blending non-3D printed parts with the pieces from a 3D print project kit, users can have an immediate completed project and gain 3D print satisfaction instead of only frustration. These are also entry ways that current craft stores could sell 3D printed on demand components to existing product lines for consumers that are looking for something more particular. Check back on our original episode to see a 3D print clock project kit brought to life.

3D Printed Guitars REPLAY

Fri, 02 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Part 3D printing meets music class and part 3D printing meets art class, Olaf Diegels 3D printed guitar collection has us amazed. By showing your target audience something that 3D printing can achieve that will excite or inspire them is the best use of your marketing and product development dollars. Check back on our original episode here to see the inspiring 3D printed guitar designs and hear how your business can use 3D printing to attract the clients and customers it intends.

On Air 3D Design Consultation with Fleet Hower of Locknesters

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Get a sneak peek at how a product or design consultation goes with an on-air 3D design consultation of the puzzle toys created by Fleet Hower. He takes us step by step through his design and business process and we take him step by step through how his products and designs fit into the market he intends to reach. It’s a can’t-skip episode for those interested in knowing more about 3D print businesses, and espeically desktop FFF 3D print businesses.

SoCal MakerCon 2016 Recap

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

SoCal MakerCon is under new management from our friends at Vocademy, and this years experience was far different from previous years. The noticeable differences between the shows of 2015 and 2016 are a tell tale sign of the state of 3D printing and gives away who may be the forerunners of the industry. Many surprising companies and organizations made a showing at this years event with lots of interactive booths in the STEM/STEAM realm for kids in elementary to high school grade levels. While not as 3D print heavy, there were many take aways from attending and getting to know more about the different programs available in the local area to supplement the standard public school education.

ZMorph Multicolor Image Mapping

Tue, 29 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Poland is a hot bed of high tech FFF 3D printers, so it is no surprise that ZMorph has introduced a multicolor image mapping tool to create mixed or blended filaments with their line of 3D printers. There are very few 3D printer and software combinations out there that are able to attain such fantastic results, and it is something many have been after for a long while. Also out of Microsoft is a new patent for CMYK+W mixing for achieving reportedly any color on a 3D printer, and while this idea is great in theory, it might not be as achievable in reality.

Quality 3D Printables with Rees Calder of MyMiniFactory – REPLAY

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Rees Calder of MyMiniFactory shared how they are incentivizing 3D print designers to create quality 3D print files that the 3D converted and non-3D converted will want, need, like, and ultimately purchase. With their unique advertisement revenue share system and strategic targeting of key consumer buying bases, they have a true platform for success in the ever growing marketplace. Listen to the original interview episode here.

Essentials to Know When Picking a 3D Printer – REPLAY

Fri, 25 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

As the holiday shopping season gets into full swing, there’s many factors to consider when shopping for the 3D print maker on your gift list. Picking a 3D printer to bring home out of the thousands out on there market can be a daunting task, but answering a few quick questions from our original post here will help to narrow down what 3D printer is best suited for your needs, budget, skill level, and what you intend to create.

Scanning for 3D Data with Lisa Federici of Scansite

Thu, 24 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Just as 3D printers range from hobbyist level, to professional, to commercial, so does the world of 3D scanners. Lisa Federici of Scansite, a company that has been doing professional 3D data scans since 1994, shares her enthusiasm for the growing 3D scanner market and why the different types all have their place in the industry. We also get her tips on what makes a good 3D scan better from her experience working with the military and high profile companies like Nike, Boeing, and Fitbit.

Lessons Learned After 1000’s of Hours Designing 3D Prints

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Thousands of hours spent on designing 3D prints has led to more than a few lessons learned about how to best create 3D printed products. The order of the design process has to be right for the product to end up right so we are sharing our five top lessons about 3D printing, 3D design thinking, and what to do and consider at each step of the process.

Digital Formed 3D Print Gift Angel

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Part software, part web plug in, the Digital Forming customization tool is the app that 3D printing for consumer products has been missing. We tested it out on our 3D print angel ornament to see how the entire process works from setting up customization limits and allowances to it generating a new STL file for the custom worded design. Any 3D print business thinking about expanding their product line to include personalized varations from text to texture, or size to final shape, should check out what Digital Forming has to offer to streamline major design steps.

3D Print Design Coding is Not Art – REPLAY

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Using coding and algorithms to “design” 3D prints is limiting, boring, and you, more often than not, end up with generic, boring, and ugly. While sometimes it’s necessary to go into the g-code and make a few changes, only staying in the g-code and using that as the only method for product creation limits innovative and creative design thinking. We opened up a can of worms on what art and design really means to us, as product designers with a fine arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design, and welcome your thoughts in the comments to our original episode here.

3D Print Maintenance Tips for Consistent Material Flow – REPLAY

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

3D printer maintenance and good filament storage practices are obvious ways to prevent clogged extruders and failed prints, but we uncover some of the not so obvious techniques to keep 3D print materials flowing smoothly. How to determine if it’s a poor quality filament or a poorly designed product and what to do when a filament jam inevitability happens. Take a look at our tips for 3D printer maintenance in our previous blog post: http://3dstartpoint.com/maintenance-tips-for-consistent-material-flow/.

3D Print Aerospace with Donald Godfrey of Honeywell Aerospace

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Heading into the world of 3D print aerospace with Donald Godfrey of Honeywell. There are so many lessons any 3D printing business can take from look at the model of success in this additive manufacturing industry segment. Donald showcases how rapid prototyping provides astonishing cost and time savings that produces safer and more reliable parts, as well as detailing what engineering students need to know and be doing now in school to find success in the workplace after graduation.

Medical 3D Printing Bones

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

The numerous benefits of 3D printing bones found by researchers are Northwestern University are astounding. We’ve seen medical 3D printing before, but the way these 3D printed bones are being produced is very FFF like in nature. Looking at all the benefits hospitals, doctors, surgeons, and patients could see from 3D printing bones when it’s cleared for use in human patients.

3D Printing Manufacturing Revolution

Tue, 15 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

The declining state of many factories does not lead us to think that we are on the verge of a 3D printing manufacturing revolution, as TED Talk speaker Olivier Scalabre has presented. Some aspects of the 3D print industry are seeing an evolution, while other segments are not. An area that needs the most evolution, revolution, renovation, and upheaval lies in the hands of the school system and educators to provide a better foundational understanding of how products are made if we want to be able to understand how to improve their manufacturing processes.

3D Print Needs Gap Identification – REPLAY

Mon, 14 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Identifying where the 3D print market has a needs gap, and in the case it’s huge cavernous one. Looking at other market areas, it can be hard to pin point if the gap is there for a reason or if it’s an opportunity for a business to develop and grow in. Avoid the “me too” and be “me only” or “me special” with our thoughts on market-proof testing and market gap identification: http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-print-market-needs-gap-identification/.

Making 3D Printing More Accessible with MatterHackers

Fri, 11 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Lars Brubaker of MatterHackers shared in-depth information on how the MatterControl platform operates to streamline many of the different software processes out there for 3D printing. Along with the creation of an image converter and text creator, they are working with schools to develop a comprehensive curriculum specifically for use with 3D printers in the classroom. Look back at the interview transcript here: http://3dstartpoint.com/making-3d-printing-more-accessible-with-matterhackers/.

DesignerCon 3D Toy Artist with Christina Douk of Douk3D

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Talking 3D print design with 3D toy artist Christina Douk who fell in love with how 3D printing brings to life her computer models. The next generation of designers will have a new view of design and how to conceptualize and bring to life their creative ideas because of 3D printers. Fascinating to find out her comparison of 3D prints she had done from Shapeways and Sculpteo through a Groupon deal from the level of service, time to receive product, and final result.

3D Print Wedding Planning

Wed, 09 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Helping to plan our daughters upcoming wedding has drawn us into 3D print wedding planning for favors and decorations. 3D printing opens up the door to customized gifts and accessories and the wedding industry is ripe to take advantage of this technology. A 3D print wedding is the perfect time to create unique to you and personalized items on what is widely believed, at least here in the US, to be the biggest day of your and your spouses’ life.

Virtual Reality and 3D Printing

Tue, 08 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Attending the FutureX Live Conference hosted by Moxie showed us how brands can look at the future of advertising and marketing, to include a combo of virtual reality and 3D printing. Recapping some of the ideas the keynote speakers had on how the 3D print industry can take notes from the early days of virtual reality from as far back at the 1920s where the industry was damaged from bad content, but how getting out of the hype cycle actually drove that industry forward. Is that the stage the the 3D printing industry is in now?

Battle of the Minis Part 3: MakerBot Mini 3D Printer Review REPLAY

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 11:00:00 GMT

Our Battle of the Mini 3D Printers continued with the MakerBot Mini 3D printer, a smaller and more desktop sized version of the MakerBot Replicator 2. See how this 3D printer moved to the top bracket of our battle based off the quality of product, user experience, and reliability of printing in our original episode here: http://3dstartpoint.com/makerbot-replicator-mini-3d-printer-review-battle-of-the-minis-part-3/

3D Filament Recycling REPLAY

Fri, 04 Nov 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Looking back at how 3D printing drastically reduces waste compared to traditional plastic manufacturing methods, despite the sudden onslaught of 3D print filament recycling machines. Should you consider making your own filament from recycled bits and pieces of 3D prints that didn’t work out or that you don’t need anymore? Check out our thoughts on the matter and if it’s helping or hurting the 3D print industry at large: http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-print-filament-recycling/.

Desktop 3D Printing in Metal with Tuan TranPham of Desktop Metal

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Desktop 3D printing in metal may not be coming to an at home desktop in the near future, but it is making big waves in the rapid manufacturing world. Tuan TranPham of Desktop Metal explains three major benefits to 3D printing end use parts in metal and how Desktop Metal is looking to democratize enterprise in this field. We look at how the plastics 3D printing industry should look to the metal 3D printing industry as a guide to truly showcase what this technology can produce when products are designed with consumers and being an end use product in mind.

Veterans and 3D Printed Prosthetics

Wed, 02 Nov 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D printed prosthetics was one of the first things that the media latched onto in covering what 3D printing can do, but since then 3D printing prosthetics has expanded into so many more different areas than just limb recreation. Highlighting different companies within the 3D print industry that have a veteran minded focus to provide technical training for the knowledge and skills gap that exists to use this technology, as well as unique opportunities specifically for veterans. Thank you to all service members that have served or are currently serving!

Mudbox CAD Software Review

Tue, 01 Nov 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Our series of CAD software reviews continues with Mudbox, an artistic and sculptural type of program that is a simple program to pick up and use as an intermediate level program once you’ve outgrown the beginner and basic CAD softwares out there. Although it’s not a free program, it’s small monthly fee for the features it offers is nominal. Tom Hazzard shares what sets this program apart from the other CAD software programs out there suited for creating creative and artistic 3D print models.

3D Print Cosplay Game Of Thrones REPLAY

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D printing your own costume for Halloween parties or cosplay events can inexpensively take your outfit to the next level. There are many entry points into 3D printing and creating your own special costume props is one of our favorite ideas to bring more people around to the idea of learning how to create things they want to 3D print. We had so much fun whipping up a cosplay costume piece for our Game of Thrones ensemble, and you can see how we did it here: http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-print-cosplay-and-an-update-on-pinshape/

The 3D Printing Store REPLAY

Fri, 28 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Located in the greater Denver, Colorado area, The 3D Printing store does far more than your average service bureau. From printing and design to birthday parties and educational training, they offer so many ways to get started in 3D printing and to grow your skill set. With multiple types of 3D printers from several different companies it’s possible to try them all and see which printer would be the best fit for your “what.” To see the full transcript of this episode, click here.

Consumer Level 3D Printing with Chris Campbell of FormURLife

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Dispelling the myth that consumer level 3D printed products are cheaply made and cheaply designed with Chris Campbell of FormURLife. The opportunities that 3D printing provides to the end user market are far beyond just creating prototypes and design iterations. Looking at all the things and little details that need to come together to create a quality consumer level 3D printing product, as well as some business marketing take-aways that this successful 3D print business has honed in on.

Crafting 3D Print Buttons

Wed, 26 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Crafting your own 3D print buttons is an excellent beginner 3D print project for any age user inside or outside of the classroom. We’ve looked through the design libraries for 3D print buttons and were a little disappointed about what was out there, there’s a big opportunity here that is being missed in terms of truly showing off what 3D printing can do. This is a project that can easily be done in a weekend or in a classroom setting, whether that be an art class, home ec class, or otherwise.

Why Every Business Should Get a 3D Print Expert Evaluation

Tue, 25 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Identifying five areas in any business that requires a 3D print expert evaluation. 3D printing has changed product design, development, manufacturing, and retail – it’s time to see if your business should transition over to using this new disruptive technology as well. From zero inventory to operational efficiency, there’s reasons for any business to at the very least consider what adopting additive manufacturing can do for their brand, company, and bottom line.

3D Printed Furniture REPLAY

Mon, 24 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

It took awhile for us to come around to the idea of 3D printing furniture, but we knew it had a future when we saw what Russell Singer had done to make a hybrid coffee table by combining 3D printed parts with off the shelf items to make a unique and one of a kind statement piece. By chronicling his process through photos, it’s possible to recreate this replay of a design inspiration episode on your own over the weekend. Head over to http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-printed-furniture/ to see our thoughts on his 3D print furniture project.

Intellectual Property 3D Printing REPLAY

Fri, 21 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Desktop 3D printing is where it is today because of the corporate asset value of intellectual property laws and regulations. Looking back at how a dislike of patents came about due to the open-source RepRap movement and why this ideology needs to take a backseat if the industry wants to move forward even further. Check back on the original blog transcript at: http://3dstartpoint.com/intellectual-property-3d-printing/

Global 3D Printing Topography with Jason Ray of Sightline Maps

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Initially created to solve a military problem, the founders of Sightline Maps are expanding their downloadable 3D printing topography map files to school classrooms. Tom and Tracy Hazzard speak with Jason Ray about how teachers are integrating 3D printing into their curriculum and fostering better understanding of more than just geography concepts with their students. Sightline Maps is a very interesting company who is doing things we haven’t yet seen in the 3D printing industry and doing it in a fascinating way.

Breaking Barriers with 3D Print Glass

Wed, 19 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Very out of the box thinking has lead to a very FFF like 3D print glass printer due to the research and efforts at the MIT Glass Lab. We are blown away by the beautiful 3D print glass creations and excited about how this will impact other areas of the 3D printing industry when you look at how the extruded glass builds the final product. Featuring other newsworthy 3D print glass endeavors, as well as a classroom 3D print STEAM project that’s way better than the messy tissue paper glue that kids come home with called “stained glass.”

3D Print Headsets Open Source the Brain

Tue, 18 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Open sourcing the brain is possible with 3D print headsets to create better fitting, and therefore, better reading brain scan helmets for more accurate data results. Today we are discussing how an ambitious 3D printing project could be combined with concussion screening for a better insight and understanding to what happens to the brain after a head injury. Also covering what to look for in concussion symptoms that might show up after being cleared from the doctors office that every parent should be on the look out for no matter what sport your child plays.

Algae 3D Print Filament with Barbara Zeller of Algix 3D REPLAY

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Algix 3D’s line of algae based filament has ushered in a new color wheel of earthy choices for 3D printed products. As the movement to transition away from petroleum based plastics and back to plant based plastics gains momentum, Algix 3D is at the forefront of creating safer to use filaments that are better for the environment. Check out how their emissions-safe filaments are ideal for use in the education field with their ABS alternatives and smaller coil quantities in our original Earth Week post here: http://3dstartpoint.com/algae-3d-print-filament-with-barbara-zeller-of-algix-3d/

Good 3D Design is Hard to Find REPLAY

Fri, 14 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Looking for a good 3D design to print is a pretty daunting task. Find out what Tom and Tracy Hazzard think the 3D print design file sites out there are missing and why designers aren’t making the emotional purchasing connection with potential consumers. Taking a page out of Dan Clark’s book, The Art of Significance, to be inspired to design a 3D printable file that is significant and more than just settling on something to buy because there isn’t anything better to fit your needs. See the original transcript here: http://3dstartpoint.com/good-3d-design-is-hard-to-find/

Forming the Digital Supply Chain with Victoria May of Digital Forming

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

London software house, Digital Forming, has really dialed in the digital supply chain process. We first heard of them as part of the Lowe’s Innovation Lab Bespoke project and could not wait to have them on the podcast to talk about their online preview and customization tool in relation to 3D printing. They provide more than just customization tools and services for companies of any size, large or small, and this is one of the killer apps that integrate design and retail with 3D printing.

Changing Sports Equipment Design with 3D Printing

Wed, 12 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D Printing has already changed the world of sports, most notably at this year’s past Super Bowl. Making customized 3D printed objects is something we’ve touched on many times, but 3D printing has also changed design and they way things are created. From head to toe, there’s virtually not a body part that 3D printing hasn’t already helped protect when it comes to sports equipment.

3D Print Makers Shifting Mind-to-Market Manufacturing

Tue, 11 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D Printers are putting us back in a mindset to manufacture and make, we owe thanks to the makers for making manufacturing relevant again. Looking at using 3D printing to actually make products and not just use 3D printer for prototyping. Tom and Tracy Hazzard propose how to truly join the maker world with the manufacturing world and how the two are intertwined already.

3D Printed Bird Nest Designs REPLAY

Mon, 10 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

In an effort to bring birds back into urban areas The Printed Nest has created a large network featuring 3D printed birds nests and their downloadable designs. They were our Earth Week design inspiration and we remain impressed with the many different nest iterations available for different types of birds in different types of environments. 3D Printing and bird watching make for an interesting blend of a very techy hobby with a very traditional and outdoorsy one. Head over to our Earth Day post for photos of these amazing nests and why we think we should get one for our house.

3D Printing with Flexible Materials REPLAY

Fri, 07 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Softer 3D print support materials often prove to be problem causers when using the machine as they tend to jam up in the extruder or in the Bowden tubes. Tom had to be the lead investigator for several late nights and cross-continental Skype calls to solve a filament jam on machine from a well known 3D printer company. Looking back at our print tips for flexible materials that have held true over time in this replay episode, and you can’t miss the crazy filament jam pictures on our past post here.

3D Food Printing – Bringing Makers to the Kitchen with Luis Rodriguez and Jason Mosbruker from 3Digital Cooks

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D food printing is still in it’s infancy but after this interview with Luis Rodriguez and Jason Mosbruker, we can’t wait to taste test some of the 3D food items that are already out there. The combination of tech meets food is an industry gap that any company can swoop into and find success, especially with foodies. 3Digital Cooks has a full 3D food printing resource guide that truly is bringing makers into the kitchen.

3D Printed Wigs

Wed, 05 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Transitions Hair Solutions is creating custom 3D printed wigs for patients who have lost their hair due to disease or as a side affect of cancer treatments. By taking a 3D scan of a patients head, they are able to create a more secure fitting and more realistic looking wig that provides a greater sense of comfort to the wearer. These 3D printed wigs can even take into account the direction the hair will lay as well as the texture of the hair that will be added.

Blender CAD Software Review

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

“What” you want to create can eliminate what CAD 3D modeling software you use. Examining what Blender software has to offer for beginners, students, artists, or those with a more engineering mindset.

3D Print STEAM Building with Victor Ciccarelli of STEAM Maker Workshop REPLAY

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Filling a needs gap is a great business building process and Victor Ciccarelli of STEAM Maker Workshop knows by personal experience. His mission isn’t solely focused on teaching how to use a 3D printer, but rather it’s about teaching others to be creative in cross-functional interdisciplinary ways. We are inspired by how he stumbled into this business accidentally but made it his passion to instill in students the power and potential that 3D printing has to create anything they can design. To see the transcript for this podcast head over to our past post here.

You Don’t Get Exceptional Customer Service Without Exceptions REPLAY

Fri, 30 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

What every 3D printer company and manufacturer needs to hear on providing exceptional customer service. Despite how fast the technology is moving forward, some customer service practices are stuck in the past on a rigid script with no employee empowerment to fix issues that can (and do) arise. Looking at how both the customer and the business can work together to resolve 3D printer problems from all the variables that could go wrong from the hardware to the software. To see the transcript for this podcast, head over to our past post: http://3dstartpoint.com/you-dont-get-exceptional-customer-service-without-exceptions/.

SLA Rapid Prototyping with Dávid Lakatos of Formlabs

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Deviating from our regular FFF discussion to take a dive into the SLA world with an interview with Dávid Lakatos of Formlabs. He shares about the history of 3D printing and the professional design economy era that he sees 3D printers moving towards. As the industry moves past the disillusionment period into the Age of Design and a freelance gig economy there’s a gap between the technology and user skill set.

3D Print Puzzle Toys

Wed, 28 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Very cool and very inspiring 3D print puzzle toys from Locknesters that will keep you, as a learning 3D print user, excited and interested in continuing to learn and use your 3D printer. Far better than the generic CAD test print models your printer may or may not come with, these 3D print puzzle toys provide learning concepts and maker milestones to conquer such as fit, finish, how the filament works, and many other areas to explore in 3D print production.

Top 3D Print Wish List Features

Tue, 27 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

The 3D print wish list features we want are largely different than the 3D print wish list that YouMagine put out. Looking at some “complaints” a little more in-depth on supposed issues such as filament, build plate size, lack of models, and other 3D print concerns. Our 3D print wish list focuses on the 3D print industry as a whole and issues that need to be addressed to push it further.

3D Print Product Development Process with Mark Palmer of MakerBot REPLAY

Mon, 26 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Head of Experience Design at MakerBot, Mark Palmer, gives insights into how nearly any business can integrate 3D print product development into their in house design and prototype process. He goes into how 3D printing and having a 3D printer right on your desktop or workstation changes the way product designers and engineers create parts and models. Read the original transcript here: http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-print-product-development-process-with-mark-palmer-of-makerbot/

3D Print Canada EH?! REPLAY

Fri, 23 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Taking a look back at the major way Canadian retailers are creating massive 3D print awareness to the general consumer public through an innovative marketing technique. 3D print advocate, former Pinshape adviser, and author, John Biehler gives the inside scoop on the unique way Canadian 3D print designers and artists are reaching the masses at a level that has not quite been reached here in the United States. Head over to http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-print-canada/ for more details.

Evolution of the 3D Print Classroom with Brian Federal

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D print documentary film maker and previous WTFFF?! Podcast guest, Brian Federal, shares what he has found over the past year of the evolution of the 3D print classroom. He identifies the obstacles and issues that are hindering students ability to know about, to learn, and to use 3D printers and what this means for the next generation of product designers and those in engineering related fields.

3D Print Promotional Product Inspiration

Wed, 21 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Create something personal and unique for your next corporate event, family reunion, or trade show with 3D print promotional products. The union of 3D printing and promotional products has always seems obvious to us, but the promotional product industry hasn’t seemed to take notice. We look at what this industry is lacking in terms of a full skill set that is holding it back.

Solidworks CAD Software

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

A professional package intended for commercial application, Solidworks CAD software is definitely geared towards designers in engineering. Tom Hazzard goes through the ins and outs of what makes this software program different than other parametric modeling programs and what type of designers it was created to be used by to make certain types of 3D models for 3D printing.

3D Printed Marble Machines REPLAY

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Classic Rube Goldberg machines get a tech twist with 3D printed marble machines. From the very basic with hand turned cranks to the more complex with motors and lights, any one of these are an ideal lesson plan in the making for a STEAM classroom. Head over to http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-printed-marble-machines/ to see the blog with photos and videos of these 3D printed marble machines in action.

3D Food Printing is Coming with Jordan French of BeeHex

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Hear the backstory of how 3D food printing came into the pizza making relam with Jordan French of BeeHex. Hint: it’s out of this world! Developing a 3D printer specifically for what you want looks like it is the way to go instead of making a 3D printer that can make anything. 3D food printing requires different delivery systems than your average FFF printer, and we are impressed by this 3D pizza printer from BeeHex.

Project Kits – 3D Print Components

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

We’ve always thought project kits are a great entry point into 3D printing, and we’ve found a really interesting one for 3D printed clocks that you can certainly customize nearly every aspect of these from the numbers, to the hands and face of the clock.

3D Photography with Troy and Sascha Plota of Plotagraph Pro

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

A new way to set your brand and product apart with an attention grabbing new form of photography for websites and social media by Plotagraph. More than a .gif and more than an average high quality photo, these Plotagraphs combine the power of a photograph with a video. Be sure to go to the blog at 3Dstartpoint.com to see these amazing moving images.

Myths About Successful 3D Print Product Designers

Tue, 13 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

There is nothing that excites us more than product design, but there are more than a few myths about what it means to be a successful 3D print product designer. The first of them being, are there even any successful 3D print product designers? In a world where product is everything, are 3D print designers designing products that will sell and approaching it with the correct mindset? Tom and Tracy Hazzard set the record straight of what product design really consists of in terms of time, finances, and communication between client and designer.

Controlling 3D Print IP with John Hornick of 3D Printing Will Rock the World

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

It’s still debatable that 3D printing is rocking the world but when it comes to 3D print IP it is definitely shaking things up a bit. Author John Hornick shares examples of how the two sides of the 3D print industry is disrupting the status quo. The 3D print IP world is still the wild west in terms of control and Tom and Tracy Hazzard take a look into the serious need for file and 3D printing safety and creation of 3D print product standards.

Back to 3D Printing School

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Kids don’t have to be the only ones headed back to school this fall! Now that the kids are back in school, it may be time for you to take some classes and improve your 3D Printing skills. Tom and Tracy Hazzard take a peek into how 3D printing is revolutionizing the classroom in every subject from English to History to Chemistry, for kids and adults.

ZBrush CAD Software Review

Tue, 06 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Doing a ZBrush CAD software review and it is a very different CAD program from anything else we have reviewd on WTFFF?! before. It’s a very different kind of CAD program in general. This is really gong to be very interesting for those of you that have been listening to our different reviews in our series of CAD software reviews.

Retail 3D Print on Demand is Here! with Jasmine Griffin of Lowe’s, Hector Berrebi of 3DShook, and Patrick Deem of Voodoo Manufacturing

Thu, 01 Sep 2016 10:00:00 GMT

A project called Bespoke Design is a new proof of concept project that brings retail 3D print on demand to a Lowes store in New York and online anywhere. This project was brought together by many forces including Lowes Innovation Labs, 3DShook, Voodoo Manufacturing, and Digital Forming. We’ve combined their interviews into one episode on the three different perspectives of the project, design production, and retail implementation.

Fun 3D Print Play

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D printing takes a twist on a childhood classic with new and fun 3D print shapes for bubble wands. A fun project involving 3D print play things like bubble wands and bubble machines that makes for a good school project or a fun Labor Day Weekend project before the kids all head back to school. Beat the summer heat designing and 3D printing your own wand shapes, then have a little fun outside testing them out.

Special Design Considerations for 3D Print Prototypes

Tue, 30 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Creating 3D print prototypes comes with a whole different set of considerations than typical run-of-the-mill 3D printed objects. How to manage the aesthetic side of creating a functional 3D print prototype for use as and end-use part.

Do I Need a Revolutionary Business Plan?

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom and Tracy discuss the need for a revolutionary or evolutionary business plan based on the book, Originals. What you need to do to prep the wider audience for your new business plan and assess if it’s a hot topic versus really revolutionary.

Modular 3D Architectural Prints

Fri, 26 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D Printing meets concrete to create beautiful walls, space dividers, and art in a form of 3D architectural. This goes far above and beyond 3D printed concrete walls that we have seen and really inspires us to think about what 3D printers can build to create talking pieces in your business, trade show booth, or unique installation in your home.

Rock your 3D Print Trade Show Booth with Jessica Larimore of Rock Your Booth

Thu, 25 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

An interview on something everyone in the 3D printing industry should take note of: How to have a successful 3D print trade show booth with guest Jessica Larimore. So much of what we have seen at trade shows makes us cringe, avoid a flop at a major event with her tips on how to represent yourself, your company, your brand well. She shares how to create your trade show booth to ensure success for your business.

Customized 3D Print Shoes from DSW – Will This Succeed?

Wed, 24 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

In the world of 3D printed shoes, a strategic announcement from Feetz and DSW came out this summer. Bringing custom fit 3D printed shoes to retail is a high goal and it will be interesting to see how they define it as a sustainable product. Also in the world of 3D print shoes, there’s a new type of life hack to create your own custom fit 3D printed orthotics which is fascinating how they combined 3D scanning with 3D modelling and then 3D printing.

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Uber for 3D Printing – Full Distribution Additive

Tue, 23 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Major announcements for 3D printing were announced in May that completely disrupt the additive manufacturing world. The reality of zero inventory and complete on demand manufacturing has arrived and it has CEOs in all industries, especially the supply chain industry talking about 3D printing.

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Diving Into Your 3D Print Business Feet First

Mon, 22 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

With the 3D Print industry being so new, it can be hard to find a model of business to follow. How do you decide if you need to take things slow, or jump in with both feet and completely commit?

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3D Fool’s 3D Print Stocks Reality Check with Steve Heller of The Motley Fool

Thu, 18 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Anyone considering buying 3D print stocks needs to tune into this reality check by The Motley Fool, Steve Heller. Today’s guest is Steve Heller from the Motley Fool on 3D print stocks and investments. I am excited to get hooked up with him. We want to talk with authority on the state of the 3D printing industry form a business and investment perspective. He is a 3D printing specialist, and their website is www.fool.com. He writes all about investing in the 3D printing industry. He’s got a pulse on what is happening there and has great sources inside the companies. He hears things from 3D Systems, Stratasys, and GE. He also goes to major trade shows too and has got a lot of knowledge to share. We have a lot of conjecture about these things on how to make a sustainable business.

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How to be a 3D Print Power User

Wed, 17 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

What 3D print power users are doing to create 3D CAD designs that sell and equally as important: are printable. Stand out as a 3D print designer by taking into consideration what many 3D print users don’t, your “what.”

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Stratasys Materials & Filament Selection

Tue, 16 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Stratasys’ extensive material and filament list for an extensive amount of 3D printers are influencing the industry from a commercial and consumer standpoint despite not being in the consumer market. From functional to stylistic, Stratasys materials and filament completely hits the mark, except for one key thing in terms of what users are looking for. Understanding and taking a look into what material options are available to you is essential in creating products specifically made to be 3D printed.

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Intellectual Property 3D Printing

Mon, 15 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

While many people involved in the RepRap movement, and the modern desktop 3D printing industry, think that Intellectual Property has been holding the industry back from growing to its full potential, Tom & Tracy discuss how Intellectual Property plays an important role in corporate asset value, and is actually responsible for making desktop 3D printing what it is today.

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Seeing Through 3D Print Eyewear

Fri, 12 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

The ability to 3D print eyewear is disrupting an industry that has not changed in quite some time and is held by a very small subset of people. Exploring the ways 3D print eyewear can really take off in terms of customization of size, color, and even lens type.

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Writing the Book on 3D Printing with Isaac Budmen of Budmen Industries

Thu, 11 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Isaac Budmen, author of the Book on 3D Printing, is an all around business man with ground breaking ideas on what the industry is lacking and what can currently be done with today’s technology. His book, The Book on 3D Printing, is for hobbyists and professionals alike that want to become better acquainted with 3D printing, and covers everything from the basics of “What is 3D printing?” to crowd sourcing funding for 3D printing. Exciting interview with someone who really gets it.

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Design Principles for 3D Printing

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Understanding the basic principles of design leads to better products on the market. 3D print designers should study elements of design in order to make items that people actually want, need, and will buy if the industry is to move forward. Tom and Tracy share their design principles for creating 3D printed products.

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Self Leveling 3D Print Bed Technology

Tue, 09 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tech Tuesday meets IP with a patent announced recently by a Polish 3D printer manufacturer about a self leveling 3D print bed. The patent they have filed is combination of software and hardware that sounds very similar to what another company, MatterHackers, has done with their software. Leveling a 3D print bed can be a tedious task, and to get 3D printing to a more consumer level, this is an issue that needs to be solved before widespread home adoption becomes a reality.

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Current State of 3D Print Verticals

Mon, 08 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

How many different industry areas is 3D printing being found in? Tom & Tracy take a look at the current state of 3D print Vertical Markets, and if we can trust the numbers being reported?

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Checkmate! 3D Print Chess Set

Fri, 05 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

A timeless classic gets a modern twist by One Save Solutions who created a typographical 3D print chess set. A great entry point for anyone into 3D printing, as well as being an idea art and design project for students.

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The Future of Disruptive Technology with John Rich of Moxie

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D printing is blazing a new trail for marketing and product design by being such a disruptive technology. John Rich, VP of Future Experiences at Moxie, tells how he investigates new technologies and presents them to big time clients like Coke-a-Cola and Nike to change their business platform and get them ahead of the tech curve. Avoid being a follower of marketing trends and create your own trail with 3D print marketing.

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Expiring 3D Print Patents

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

A new round of upcoming expiring 3D print patents is on the forefront. We are excited about what this means for the advancement of desktop 3D printing in terms of metal and laser sintering processes. Also breaking down what types of royalties to expect as inventors of any type of patent.

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Full Color 3D Printing Complexities

Tue, 02 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

If you are a regular listener to WTFFF?! you know that Tom and Tracy love the idea of a full color FFF 3D printer, and have been seeking one that can print more than one color well since the inception of this podcast. A new contender has entered the arena claiming “unlimited” color capability in an FFF 3D printer. The advances and effort are to be applauded, but how real is the claim of “unlimited” color capability?

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3D Print Giveaways

Mon, 01 Aug 2016 10:00:00 GMT

For Back to Business Monday Tom and Tracy discuss the benefits of 3D Print Giveaways for promoting your business. But if you are going to go through the effort to take advantage of what 3D Printing has to offer for promotional giveaways, make then exceptional!

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Couture 3D Fashion Design

Fri, 29 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Couture 3D fashion design has been making waves ever since Dita von Teese wore an entirely 3D printed dress in 2013. Taking a look into the future of 3D print wearables and eventually 3D print textiles.

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Tips for Taking 3D Print Photographs with Aaron Johnson of Shotbox

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Anyone involved in 3D printing is likely printing a lot of small objects and wants to document them for their own record or want to put them up online on Pinterest, Instagram, or Thingiverse, and it is very hard to get good 3D print photographs. Aaron Johnson, founder of Shotbox, sheds some light on how to get quality photographs of 3D prints or anything small to showcase your skill.

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Just Do It – 3D Print Experience

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Trying and doing to learn 3D printing is better than listening and watching, sometimes you need to just do it. Take that first step and dive into 3D printing, you can figure it out as you go along. If you are endlessly waiting for next months newer/better/faster 3D printer to come out, you will always be waiting because the technology will continue to improve. Refine your skills now and upgrade as needed – you might not even need the faster print speed.

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Rhinoceros CAD Software Review

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Rhino 3D, or Rhinoceros CAD software is somewhere in the middle between the parametric engineering intensive and free form artistic modeling programs available. Its open architecture for 3rd Party Plugins makes it adaptable to many different specialties. Tom and Tracy discuss why it has been Tom’s CAD program of choice for over 14 years. It still comes down to “What” you want to model, just like with 3D printers the right printer for the job comes down to “What” you want to print.

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Business Power of 3D Print Wearables

Mon, 25 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Wear your 3D prints as a unique marketing technique to show off what your business can do.

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3D Printed Lamp Shades

Fri, 22 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Update the look of your home this weekend by designing and printing your own 3D printed lamp shades. Take a peek at the blog to get inspired like we are.

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Comprehensive 3D Printer Testing with Natalie Mathis and Quincy Robinson of 3DKitbash

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Not your average files to 3D print, Natalie Mathis and Quincy Robinson of 3DKitbash have created amazing sculptural 3D printable toys off the back of their many successful Kickstarter projects. They have also created a unique set of tools to download to really test the capabilities of your 3D printer. This is a great case study of an innovative design business platform and a must listen to if you in an art related business. Tune in and see how you can get 20% off their printer test kits and other design files until August 1, 2016!

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3D Digital Design Joinery

Tue, 19 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D Digital design joinery is right up our alley with our background, and we are looking at these 50 digital joints similar to wood joints over on Adafruit. Looking at and understanding these traditional construction methods apply to modern 3D printing technology in more ways than one. However, these might not be that feasible for actual use in 3D printed or plastic products depending on what you are doing with it.

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Handling 3D Information Overload

Mon, 18 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

There’s an absolute ton of information that we’re shifting through every single week in this industry, that is the epitome of information overload. Managing an inbox, managing group projects, and managing countless articles and podcasts can be overwhelming. We’ve found several tools and have come up with our own personal rules for keeping on top of all the information overload that gets dumped into our inbox.

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Interactive 3D Prints

Fri, 15 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

One of the first interactive 3D prints we’ve seen is this interactive 3D printed vest by artist Behnaz Farahi. It’s an incredible blend of technology and fashion, this interactive 3D prints changes shape based on eye movement across the piece with a little help from a motion sensing camera.

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3D Print Club for Everyday Innovation with Chad McAllister of The Everyday Innovator Podcast

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

In this jam packed interview guest, Chad McAllister talks creating a class for kids to learn about bridging the digital and physical worlds through 3D printing. How he learned to 3D print by teaching others, and what curriculum and resources out there that he found useful, and how he turns product managers into product masters.

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Future of 3D Printed Drugs

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Although not quite ready to be available from your local CVS, 3D printed drugs are moving from the world of fantasy into reality. Talking about two articles that speculate on how 3D printing will be used in the medical field in the near or maybe not so near future. The first article discusses using 3D printer for at home prescription creation aka, 3D printed drugs. The other as a way to treat acne with a topical 3D printed “mask” made from a type of prescription filament.

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AutoDesk 123D Software Review

Tue, 12 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Autodesk 123D software has many similar features of other CAD softwares, and while the company is one of the oldest in the CAD game, there are things that we are left wanting. It is a beginner software, great for those just diving in and wanting to learn CAD for 3D printing and 3D modelling, but if you are a more advanced user it is probably not the right fit for your skill level.

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How 3D Printing Equity Crowdfunding Can Grow the Industry

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D Printing equity crowdfunding is a really good topic for everybody who is considering starting a business in the 3D printing industry, and needs to raise money. Defining what that means, how to use it to your advantage and if Kickstarter is the way to go. Breaking down the steps to funding your seed capital with the new regulations that have been put into effect since May 2016.

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Mass Customization 3D Printing

Fri, 08 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Taking a look at Swirly Celebrations and how they used mass customization 3D printing to fill a market gap. This company has used 3D printing to make different ethnic and culturally dressed cake toppers for weddings, birthdays, and all sorts of celebrations. The idea of a mass customizable world with 3D printing is possible.

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3D Print Ceramics – Collaboration Between Art & Tech with Kate Blacklock of Rhode Island School of Design

Thu, 07 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Kate Blacklock is an artist out of Rhode Island who is doing a lot to help 3D printing advocacy as well as in 3D print ceramics. We saw a Public Knowledge blog post about the panel discussions that have been going on for the 3D/DC 2016 event in April. It was an event designed around bringing exposure to Congress of 3D printing and what it can do. The idea was to get them excited with 3D printing by showing it, to make them aware of 3D printing as well as letting the government to allocate more resources and funds for the education of 3D printing is important.

She calls herself an unlikely spokesperson for 3D printing. I love that as an artist. We haven’t had an artist for a while. I was really looking forward in talking about her design process. She is not a technical person which makes it exciting. She is an artist and a professor teaching others Industrial Design in the Rhode Island School of Design.

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Top 12 Tips for Designers

Wed, 06 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom and Tracy share recommended criteria for deciding what to design and 3D print, and their top 12 tips for 3D print designers. The tips range from best practices for anyone starting out with 3D printing, to more advanced and technical tips that will be more useful after you have a bit more 3D printing experience.

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Onshape Cloud-Based CAD Software Review

Tue, 05 Jul 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Reviewing the ins and outs of Onshape, a cloud-based CAD software that claims to allow everyone on a design team to be able to work on a design from anywhere on a computer, tablet, or phone. When you first think about cloud based CAD software, you may think that you are going to sacrifice something because it is online and that so many of these are free and very inexpensive. We have reviewed a couple of them already, one of them being Sketchup and another being TinkerCAD. TinkerCAD is a beginner software, but Onshape is something that we have just come to know recently. This is a very serious CAD program. It is not what you would expect.

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Bio 3D Printing is in the Lab with Danny Cabrera of BioBots

Thu, 30 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Bio 3D printing has been around for quite some time now, but how such a thing is possible is still surrounded by much mystery. Danny Cabrera is an expert in the field of Bio 3D printing and he sheds some light on what bio 3D printing is doing, how it works, and where he hopes to see it go as the 3D printing industry grows. Any entrepreneur can take a page from his book and find a need that needs to be filled no matter the industry.

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3D Print Product Development Process with Mark Palmer of MakerBot

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

How do professional designers use desktop 3D printing in their work flow? We dive deep into this subject to learn how desktop 3D printers have transformed product design and development for the better, accelerating time lines and reducing costs. Out guest is Mark Palmer of MakerBot, who will share how he and his team not only design 3D printers, but how they are a critical part of their product development process. This is a model of best practices that applies to any company designing and developing products.

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How to Calculate the Strength of 3D Prints

Tue, 21 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Calculating the strength of 3D prints can be a tricky thing to do, and is especially important when you consider your “what”. Listener, Lars Ahlstedt from Sweden, wrote in asking how to do just that with calculating the strength of a 3D printed bicycle, not just for fun but for one of Sweden longest bicycle races. Using our product development background to answer his question as well as take into consideration how important the testing phase is

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Discarding 3D Print Ideas

Mon, 20 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Discerning which 3D Print ideas to discard can be difficult, whether it be 3D designs or 3D business ideas. How to avoid “shiny object syndrome” and keep your business balanced between all the different ideas and how to know which idea to follow through on and which to discard and move away from.

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3D Printed Fine Art

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

3D Printing is being used by established fine artists to create some truly inspiring works of art. In this Design Inspiration profile, 3D printing was a critical part of the creative process, but it is not obvious. That reality makes this art even more impressive.

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Women in 3D Printing with Nora Toure of Sculpteo

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Nora Toure is the founder of the LinkedIn Group, Women in 3D Printing, as well as being the sales and business development manager at Sculpteo. She shares with Tom and Tracy Hazzard her experience in a male dominated industry and what she is doing to help push women into the spotlight for their efforts and achievements in 3D printing.

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MakerBot Mini 3D Printer Review – Battle of the Minis Part 3

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Part three of the Battle of the Minis (3D Printers that is). Up in the ring is MakerBots Mini 3D printer appropriately called Mini Compact.

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Trimble SketchUp 3D Printing Software Review

Tue, 14 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom Hazzard reviews a free CAD design program, Trimble SketchUp. This program can get a bad rap but it’s not one that you want to ignore if you are starting out or especially if you are sending your design to others to collaborate, comment on, and view. Considering if it’s worth going to the Pro version or if the basic free version of the program is all you need for creating models for 3D printing.

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Diversify your 3D Print Freelance Work

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

In this Back to Business Monday episode Tom and Tracy Hazzard discuss why you should diversify your 3D print freelance work, but maybe not too much! Where and how to get started and how to promote your skills in a professional and concise manner.

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3D Print Father’s Day Inspiration

Fri, 10 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Discussing some of our pick for 3D printed Father’s Day gifts, some that can be modified to better suit your dad and some that can be printed as is. Our blog at 3DStartPoint.com will have images of the 3D printable gifts for dad.

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3D Print Summer Camps with Mack Fixler and John Gomm of EduCraft

Thu, 09 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom and Tracy Hazzard sit down with Mack Fixler and JohnGomm of EduCraft, who teach STEAM and STEM and 3D printing summer camps whenthey aren’t teaching while school is on summer break. From beginner to advanced3D print studenats, they teach the whole process of 3D print and 3D design fromstart to finish with a push towards being creative. A must listen episode ifyou are an educator or a parent wanting their kids to get into 3D printing andstay learning throughout the summer.

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3D Print Accessibility

Wed, 08 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Texas A&M University has a very large population of students with disabilities, and students in the Engineering department have been working on a few projects to assist and enhance the lives of blind people using 3D printing. Tom and Tracy discuss the projects and the great potential 3D printing offers to help disabled persons.

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TinkerCAD 3D Printing Software Review

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Starting a series of reviewing popular CAD software packages today with a free, and more entry level program, TinkerCAD created by Autodesk. With primitive 3D shapes as base models, TinkerCAD is visually intuitive and geared toward the beginner 3D print designer. Tom and Tracy Hazzard dive into the fact that although TinkerCAD is geared for beginners, it might not be basic and beginner level enough for younger elementary age students as THE starting point for CAD design.

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Debunking the 3D Print IP Loss Hype

Mon, 06 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Some very bad information is out there about the “threat” of 3D printing to businesses. Tom and Tracy Hazzard discuss two recent articles that pushed out some misinformation about the industry. The trademark and licensing industries have gotten 3D printing all wrong, and don’t have their systems set for this new technology.

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3D Printed Tape Measure

Fri, 03 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Just because you can 3D print it, does that mean you should? This Design Inspiration Friday Tom and Tracy Hazzard take a look at a 3D printed tape measure from The Corner Case and explore how to create hybrid 3D printed products. Get inspired by thinking of gifts you can create and 3D print for dad for Father’s Day, just a few short weeks away!

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Quality 3D Printables with Rees Calder of My Mini Factory

Thu, 02 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

My Mini Factory is borrowing from a system that already works to incentive and create revenue for 3D print designers that share their files exclusively on their site. In this surprising interview with Rees Calder of My Mini Factory, Tom and Tracy Hazzard learn about how this designer revenue system works and how to incorporate and target those who have 3D printers and those who do not into wanting quality 3D printables.

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XYZ Davinci Jr 3D Printer Review – Battle of the Minis Part 2

Wed, 01 Jun 2016 10:00:00 GMT

The second installment of the Battle of the Mini 3D Printers. How does the XYZ Davinci Jr stack up?

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3D Print Power Consumption – How Much Power Does a 3D Printer Use?

Tue, 31 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Taking a dive into something we had been curious about for awhile, especially when we were considering starting a 3D print business. How much energy does a 3D printer use and how can you plan for the right number of circuits provide the right amount of amps?

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How To Get Press For Your Business or Designs

Mon, 30 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

The old rules of PR have changed, opportunities of social media and sites like Pinterest often rival the effect of traditional media exposure, including television. For this Back to Business Monday Tom & Tracy discuss how anyone can get media exposure and promote their business, even on a tight budget. Listen to this episode for tips and tricks you can use today.

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3D Printed Kayak

Fri, 27 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Fun 3D print project to kick off Memorial Day weekend – 3D print your own kayak! Think outside the build plate and have a little fun with this design inspiration from Grass Roots Engineering.

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3D Printing at Home Support with Kiki Prottsman of CODE.org

Thu, 26 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom and Tracy Hazzard address how educational aspects relate to what’s happening to the 3D printing industry with Kiki Prottsman from CODE.org. This company has developed systems to get computer science curriculum into every grade level from elementary to high school. Their method should be the model for getting 3D printing into all grades instead of each 3D printer company recreating the wheel each time.

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Engaging Kids 3D Printing with a Barbie Armor Kickstarter Project

Wed, 25 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

An older project that many new to 3D printing or even some who have been around in the industry for awhile may not have heard about is a Kickstarter project from Zheng3. They did this project around creating Barbie armor and other items using 3D printing called Faire Play, sort of like a Renaissance Faire. Great ways to get funding for Kickstarter through small rewards for backers as well as show off your design chops. Another great entry point for many into 3D printing, whether you want your daughter to have more outfits for Barbie or if you are interested in medieval accessory design, it’s a perfect way to get into 3D design modeling.

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3D Printing With Pellets

Tue, 24 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

An interesting and new type of Tech Tuesday that came from listener Cory Smith where full scale office chairs, the seat and back, were 3D printed in a single piece. To be able to create this chair design the printer is a modified delta 3D printer that uses plastic pellets instead of filament. Another good advancement and we can see that more furniture scale parts are being made.

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Who To Talk To When You Are Three Feet From Gold

Mon, 23 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

For Business Monday Tom and Tracy share a business lesson from Napoleon Hill’s “Think And Grow Rich”. Every business leader and entrepreneur needs to recognize his or her strengths and weaknesses, hiring the right expert can make the difference between success and failure, especially in the 3D printing industry.

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3D Printed Guitars

Fri, 20 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

This Design Inspiration Friday is for all the designers and aspiring designers out there to start thinking about how to apply 3D printing to what you want to make and figure out ways to make it happen, brought to you by Olaf Diegel’s 3D printed guitars. Do projects that make you excited so that you can learn 3D printing and design along the way.

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How a 3D Print Service Bureau Expands Options with Jessica Hedstrom of Scultpeo

Thu, 19 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom and Tracy Hazzard sit down with Jessica Hedstrom, Community Manager at Sculpteo, to talk about all the wonderful new materials that are available that enable 3D print designers more than just print in plastic. There is definitely a place for both FFF printing and service bureaus in this new developing world of on demand manufacturing. What materials are most popular or cost effective and what great services and discounts are available with Sculpteo.

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Battle of the Mini 3D Printers – M3D Printer Review

Wed, 18 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

The first review in our Battle of the Mini 3D Printers is here! The M3D printer started as one of the most successful 3D printer Kickstarter campaings, now more than two years later the Maryland based company is in post reward production, selling their printers for $350 each. After giving this printer several tests, and jumping through many customer service hoops we cannot say that we are able to love it.

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New Filament Colors

Tue, 17 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

We received a sample of four new filament colors from Toner Plastics recently and have tested them out for this Tech Tuesday episode. Some of these we haven’t seen a color out there like it, and they were much needed. The quality of the colors they sent actually made the test 3D printed pieces look less like a cheap plastic item and made them look more real and higher quality. Be sure to check out the blog post for photos of the colors and our test prints.

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Attorney-Client Communication is the Key for How to Get a Patent Quickly

Mon, 16 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

If you are creating intellectual property of any kind such as a patent, trademark, or copyright, this back to business Monday episode is one you’ll want to hear. Tom and Tracy Hazzard have over 20 years of experience with IP protection and have learned a lot from some things that have gone really wrong and some things that have gone really right when filing one of their 37 patents. Attorney-client communication of business goals and expectation in the end product is key. Writing meaningful, licensable, and valuable patents and copyrights correctly is so crucial.

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How 3D Print Jewelry is Taking Shape

Fri, 13 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

LACE by Jenny Wu is the subject for this Design Inspiration Friday. The ability for her to create forms that are not able to be produced easily in normal jewelry is what impressed us the most. How 3D printing is allowing for designers and storefronts to have made on demand products with zero inventory.

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3D Print Trademark and Copyright Advocacy with Michael Weinberg of Shapeways

Thu, 12 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

In this episode with Michael Weinberg, IP and General Counsel at Shapeways, Tom and Tracy Hazzard address why it is important to pay attention to what is going on with copyright and trademark law in the 3D printing industry, including a current Supreme Court case that is taking up this situation on IP and infringement issues. This episode will be helpful to anyone in the 3D printing field, but especially the designers and those with a 3D print business.

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How Nescafe used 3D Print Marketing Promotions

Wed, 11 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

A really cool and amazing project from none other than Nescafe that exemplifies a zero inventory marketing promotion. This project is about two year years old, but we just became aware of it and think it’s a great example of marketing and product development that uses 3D printing at the same time. We think we all know what 3D printing can do in product development, but here is what 3D printing can do for marketing, promotions, exposure, and transforming your brand.

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OLO First Smartphone SLA 3D Printer

Tue, 10 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

While not in the FFF realm, the OLO smart phone printer isdefinitely noteworthy and is the subject of this Tech Tuesday. It came out of avery successful Kickstarter campaign for a resin 3D printer. It’s very simple,very small, very cheap, and uses your smart phone and an app to create thefinished products. Quite an interesting concept and another interesting gatewayinto 3D printing for a new or younger user.

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How to Use LinkedIn for Business

Mon, 09 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom and Tracy Hazzard share their tips on using LinkedIn for your business advantage to gain exposure and get yourself, your skills, your business, or your product noticed. Identifying common profile mistakes and sharing lesser known tips and features of LinkedIn that can give you the professional edge.

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3D Printing CosPlay Game of Thrones

Fri, 06 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Geeking out over this week’s Design Inspiration Friday because Shapeways just reported that they were the service bureau for the Dorne Dagger. Tracy has read the books and both Tom and Tracy Hazzard have been watching the show, even participating in a Game of Thrones float for Mardi Gras this year in San Diego. Discussing how 3D printing can be an entry point to fans of any show or character because it allows you to get creative and really make a prop in a movie or TV show yours, even expanding your skill set as you work on a project.

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Estimating the Power of 3D Printing with Ron Hollis of CLSI

Thu, 05 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

An incredible interview with one of the earliest adopters and mover and shaker in 3D printing, Ron Hollis. He’s been fascinated with 3D printing since the early ’90s back when it was only referred to as rapid prototyping. He has a wealth of knowledge and business lessons to learn from such as how current 3D print companies should follow his business model with Quick Parts and how they are missing out on utilizing a key asset of their business. It was fascinating to hear about where everything we are doing today came from and why this economy has worked, along with some surprises that came from potential business failures.

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Can One 3D Printer Really Fit All?

Wed, 04 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom and Tracy Hazzard dive deeper into a question that came up in the previous episode. Are most 3D printers on the market today jack knives? If a 3D printer is trying to be all things to every market, are they serving any specific market well? Maybe making 3D printers specific to the exact objects you want to make would produce better results. They even give a business concept out to all WTFFF?! listeners to illustrate this point.

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3D Printing Outside the Build Plate

Tue, 03 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Tom and Tracy Hazzard discuss how 3D printing outside the build plate can be possible with a new software program from Autodesk called Project Escher. Many 3D printers today are being held back by the software available, especially in the dual extrusion realm. Project Escher shows off the uniqueness of what only FFF printing can do – 3D print really large pieces that do not need to be assembled post production.

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Borrowing Trouble

Mon, 02 May 2016 10:00:00 GMT

There are so many people in the early stages of start-ups, that we have been getting a lot of people that are stuck in these cycles of overthinking and not being able to take the next step forward. In this Back to Business Monday episode, we discuss how to set up your road map to success and identify when you need those roadblocks to prevent you from going further. As Tom’s mother puts it, “Don’t go borrowing trouble.”

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Save Your Mother’s Day by 3D Printing

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Mother’s Day is early this year and there is still time to work on a 3D print project or download a 3D printable gift for mom. Tom and Tracy Hazzard went through a few of the items from this year’s top picks and offer up a few suggestions on how to really impress mom with 3D printing this year.

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3D Print Teaching Startpoint with Drew Lentz of MakerBot

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Anyone of our listeners, teachers, educators, or head of the PTA even, anyone who is considering getting 3D printing into schools, this is the one for you. We had a great conversation with Drew Lentz the manager of the MakerBot Learning Team. He shared many helpful and free resources for educators for all kinds of the learning spectrum, whether one is a right brained or a left brained type of learner there’s a program for you to learn 3D modeling. Makerbot has some great events this summer for teachers, hosting Make-A-Thons in major cities across the country.

Essentials When Picking a 3D Printer

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Essentials when picking a 3d printer

3D Printer Spying

Tue, 26 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

The findings of researcher Mohammad al Faruque at University California at Irvine bring us today’s Tech Tuesday topic. He has found that through audio recordings of 3D printers printing objects, that one could use reverse engineering and recreate printed objects with incredible accuracy. What this means for intellectual property liability and ways to keep your 3D printer from being vulnerable and a security risk in this episode.

3D Printing Needs Gap Identification

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Back to Business Monday episode where Tom and Tracy Hazzard explore how identifying and settling a business or product into a market gap can ultimately lead to success. There are many 3D printing companies out there that are all doing the same thing but not truly filling a need leaving a gap the size of the Grand Canyon.

3D Printed Nest

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Happy Earth Day – today we certainly have a different type of project creating 3D printed bird nest designs to bring birds back into the city. This one was hard to come up with because Fridays we usually highlight a design and it’s been tough to find one that we thought was really appropriate for Earth Day. Monday we talked about business issues in going green and there are so many ecofriendly attempts going on with filament where we had a couple episodes this week with filament things and I think that has been great. In terms of design, though, it’s been tough, but we have selected one and we hope you enjoy it. It’s an urban development involving 3D printing.

Algae 3D Print Filament with Barbara Zeller of Algix 3D

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

With any form of plastic processing, 3D printing included, it’s fair for concern about the continued use of such a potentially harmful inorganic material to come up. But there are companies out there looking to make a 180 away from plastic and are finding viable alternatives that the market can pick up soon. Tom and Tracy Hazzard interview Barbara Zeller, the Marketing and Communications Manager of Algix. Barbara talks about the transition of Algix from creating biofuels to fabricating 3D print filaments out of algae, which is a much more Earth-friendly alternative. If you’re concerned about the material you’re using in 3D printing, this may be a good place to start your search.

Buzzed Beer 3D Print Filament

Wed, 20 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

In today’s episode Tom and Tracy Hazzard discuss a type of filament made from the by products of beer making as part of the continuation of Earth Week and going green with 3D printing. Is this type of recycled filament and collaborative capitalism where everybody wins too good to be true?

3D Print Filament Recycling

Tue, 19 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Today we continue our “Earth Week” theme addressing an often asked question on WTFFF?!, “Can I recycle my waste filament and reuse it?” It may not be easy, the color may not be great, and it may take a lot of time to do, but it can be done. There is one company that is built entirely around the mission of making filament recycling a reality.

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Easy Going 3D Printing Green

Mon, 18 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

It’s Earth Day this Friday, and we decided to make it Earth Week here at WTFFF?! Today’s Back to Business Monday episode is all about how easy it is go green with 3D printing. Focusing on how 3D printing reduces the carbon footprint of a business, saves on energy use, and is virtually zero waste and zero inventory.

3D Print Furniture

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

It’s our one year anniversary of the WTFFF?! Podcast and we are sticking true to our furniture design roots with this episode for Design Inspiration Friday. Initially we were not very open minded about the idea of 3D printing furniture, but with some of the advancements in technology and even in design we like what Russel Singer of Make It has done with creating a coffee table, we have come around. If you’ve given DIY 3D printed furniture a shot, be sure to let us know your results.

Mixed Emotions (or Emojis) with Austin Robey of Make Mode

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

In this episode, Tom and Tracy Hazzard have some real world 3D print design sales numbers offered up by Austin Robey of MakeMode. Is it wise to rely only on organic traffic to 3D design sites or do you need to build in marketing to get your product out there? Discussing why your market needs to fit the file site customer base for your design and if having a customizable product really makes sense.

You Don’t Get Exceptional Customer Service Without Exceptions

Wed, 13 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Exceptional customer service is critical whether you are a start up or a major cooperation. In this episode, Tom and Tracy discuss why 3D print companies need to eliminate the finger pointing and solve the problem at hand. Examples of companies that have done it right, done it wrong, and some that made Tom into the investigator but still worked to fix the problem.

3D Printing with Flexible Materials

Tue, 12 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

It can be difficult controlling your print when you use flexible materials, including support materials which can often inherently be a softer material. For this Tech Tuesday episode Tom and Tracy are sharing their tips on getting a good print with flexible filament and discussing a recent 3D print meet up with CM3D where Make-It and FeelColor Filament were debuting a new filament line.

Good 3D Design is Hard to Find

Mon, 11 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Where is the good 3D design? Tom and Tracy discuss what’s lacking in the 3D print market and don’t want to settle for the least worst design to meet a need. In this episode they discuss can one create a “wow” product and what it means to have a significant product.

Building Bytes 3D Printed Bricks

Fri, 08 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

An interesting project out of the Netherlands, a hot bed of 3D printing, is our inspiration for this episode of Design Friday. It comes from designer/architect Brian Peters who made 3D printed bricks that he calls Building Bytes. We are so intrigued by the customization you can get with these, each brick is different and designed to be unique from the others to create these structures. Videos and more over at 3dstartpoint.com.

3D Print STEAM Building with Victor Ciccarelli of STEAM Maker Workshop

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

We have an interview today in the STEAM education realm with Victor Ciccarelli of STEAM Maker Workshop in San Diego. We got hooked up with him because of Cindi Schulz, the Teacher of the Year who we interviewed on a previous episode. It is the workshop through which she was hired to develop her program for how to incorporate 3D printing into the classroom for the curriculum. What’s so great about STEAM Maker Workshop is that it’s not about teaching people how to 3D print. It is about inspiring and teaching them about being creative in a very cross-functional, interdisciplinary way.

Critical Thinking is Taught Through Arts, not Science

Wed, 06 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Answering a listener question about what STEAM is and why we think the “A” is critically important, especially in schools where the arts programs have been slashed due to budget cuts. We love that by putting 3D printers back into schools, it is helping to bring the arts back into the schools by forcing that creativity into the curriculum again.

Maintenance Tips for Consistent Material Flow

Tue, 05 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Consistent material flow is one of the most common issues with getting consistent 3D prints. In today’s episode, Tom and Tracy have practical suggestions to identify what is affecting your print quality and what you can do to maintain that. There are many variables at play here, so it can be hard to know what the issue is.

Activity vs Achievement

Mon, 04 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

We can all get bogged down with all the things we need to do, but how are you defining achievement vs activity? Is all your business really accomplishing anything? This back to business Monday episode is here to help you identify where your time is being spent and how you can spend it more wisely.

Transforming Filament Spools Project

Fri, 01 Apr 2016 10:00:00 GMT

EU Makers has created a filament spool that is designed to be repurposed and reused. This company took it even one step further by offering free 3D models that you can print and really make the spool a useful object in their home. In this episode we are covering our favorite designs and how this can be a fun weekend project.

The 3D Printing Store with Debra Wilcox of The 3D Printing Store in Denver

Thu, 31 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

We met Debra Wilcox at CES earlier this year. She’s such an interesting person with such an interesting business we knew that we had to have her on the podcast. Her company is The 3D Printing Store in the greater Denver, CO area, they are far more than a 3D printer reseller – providing everything from education, to training, to birthday parties. They are also involved in bio 3D printing which is a field that just completely blows us away.

Has The 3D Print Bubble Burst? Pinshape Proclaims Its Demise.

Wed, 30 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Yesterday we were stunned to learn that Pinshape will end its service and shut down its web site as of March 31st, 2016, just two days after the announcement. Does this news, which is a seismic event in the 3D printing industry, signal that the 3D printing bubble has burst? Tom and Tracy discuss what they know from talking with the founders of Pinshape, share why they are confident that this event is an isolated situation caused by a flawed business plan, in fact they discuss why this is the time to double down on the 3D print Industry (with the right business plan).

3D Print Your Own Braces

Tue, 29 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

This Tech Tuesday we are highlighting a case study of college student Amos Dudley who used 3D printing, scanning, and modeling to create his own orthodontic device to shift his teeth. Successfully we might add. We have to applaud his initiative and drive, he took the tools he had available to him, dove into research, and made it work – he would be a great hire for any company.

Non-Disclosure Agreement Template for Better Business Negotiation

Mon, 28 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

A question we get at every business conference is, “What do you use for a non-disclosure agreement?” We are so amazed that everyone thinks they have to have it. We think it can be a little, if not a lot, detrimental to your business. Discussing reasons for and against having an NDA and sharing our template over on our blog.

Design Inspiration – 30 Days of 3D Printed Cups

Fri, 25 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

This design inspiration Friday, we are really inspired by Bernat Cuni and the challenge he gave himself to create a different 3D espresso cup model a day for 30 days. We love this exercise in design and challenge you to do it for yourself to boost your creative process and hone your skills as a 3D designer. Bernat has created an amazing body of work, so be sure to check the show notes at 3D Start Point.

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3D Design Guide to a Successful Shop with Lauren Watkins of Pinshape

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Chatting with Lauren Watkins, the marketing manager at Pinshape, about their 3D design guide. Last fall, they included and excerpt from her guest blog piece on how to price 3D designs.It’s clear that they are growing towards not just having a bunch of members and content, but about having great shops with sell-able content. Definitely a step in the right direction.

Recent 3D Print Patents

Wed, 23 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Discussing some recently published 3D print patents that are from major companies like Hasbro and Disney. Their PTO has published them from their applications. There is a caveat to this, because these are not patents, theyare just applications for a patent, but it gives us insight on to how these large companies are thinking about their brand and how it works with 3D printing.

The New MakerBot Smart Extruder, How Different Is It?

Tue, 22 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

For Tech Tuesday this weekwe are going to follow up on our announcement back in January about the newMakerBot Smart Extruder+. It was billed as being a major improvement over theprevious Smart Extruder, but is it really? Well we received our order for twoof them about a month ago, and have been working with it ever since. Now we areready to share our findings and experience with you.

Work-Life Balance

Mon, 21 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Whether you are hobbyist or a business, it can be trying to balance your work with your life. We meet a lot of couples where their business and home life are completely intertwined, and we are one of them. Can you ever find the right balance? How we’ve made it work for us, and some pointers on how to make it work for you on today’s back to business Monday episode.

Marble Machines

Sat, 19 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Thingiverse has a curated collection of these marble machines, which if you are a teacher looking for a great STEAM project for your classroom, we think this is it. We’ve gone through and highlighted our top picks, be sure to check the blog post to see how they look and operate.

3D Print Brand Licensing with Tom Simon of Source 3

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

After meeting up with Tom Simon of Source 3 at CES this year, we knew we needed to have him on the podcast to discuss the nuances of managing brand content for 3D printing. They are developing a system to take care of all the little details and keeping digital file rights managed correctly whether you are a large company who wants to license your images out or if you are a general user.

Is There an Online Community of Teachers for 3D Printing?

Wed, 16 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

We got a question from a listener about where can you find a community for teachers who use 3D printing in school. There are companies out there with the vision, but it’s not quite yet there today. We did a little digging and found some teachers who have created a community of their own, but also to not forget about your local makerspaces and in-person places who are there to help.

Advancements in Support

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Bringing another technical subject here for Tech Tuesday, and today we are talking about the advancements in support and their different capabilities in different slicing software. Is support material worth the time in post-processing? To us, it defeats the purpose of 3D printing, but there are items that are geometrically unable to be printed without supports, so what’s the best system to print supports?

Digital Footprint

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

It’s Business Monday, and today we are going to discuss the Digital Footprint conference. It is all about how to create a revenue generating website, and how to get your website to rank on the first page of google for thousands of key words. The information shared at the Digital Footprint Conference is critical for any business, including any related to the 3D Print industry.

Design by Coding is not Art

Fri, 11 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

It’s Friday, so it’s our design/innovation issues highlight. We’re going to focus this podcast on a couple of email responses we got to our episode two weeks ago on the digital sundial project. We each mentioned that we both are shocked that some people actually create CAD files through using code instead of a 3D CAD program where you are using tools to build things visually. We are clarifying a few things about what design and art means why we disagree with coding being considered as art.

Studies in 3D Print Curriculum with Cindi Schulze of Pride Academy in San Diego

Thu, 10 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

If you are an educator, or even a student, or you’re involved with education and considering 3D printing, or even if you’re just a parent and you want 3D printing education integrated in your kid’s school system, this interview with Cindi Schultze should be particularly interesting to you because it’s a great story of how a school district got into it and how this teacher who wanted nothing to do with 3D printing at first now thinks it’s one of the best things ever.

Ask Us Anything – MatterHackers Event Part 2

Wed, 09 Mar 2016 10:00:00 GMT

Even though it’s Wednesday, we are continuing our Hyper Tech Tuesday from our Ask Us Anything Event with MatterHackers. Part two contains questions geared more towards the advanced 3D print user as well as some live question and answer session from the audience.