Haunted by 36 Women

Many types of women have inspired Ted Noten in making his new series of work. Assemblages, rings, necklaces, bracelets and brooches in many different colors, materials and sizes are the result of a one year survey through the world of women. Featuring: the Fashionista, the Icecream Girl and the Femme Fatale. These assemblages are translated into jewels by 3d printing technique.

During Design Miami, Atelier Ted Noten presented his first 3d printed jewellery in 24 krt. gold in a live show where the buyer can decide himself at what point in the design process he wanted to print his design so the buyer himself becomes part of the design process.

The Japanese artist Hokusai immortalized the most enchanting landscape he knew in a group of woodprints: ‘36 views of Mount Fuji’. These images inspired Ted Noten to develop 36 jewels for just as many types of women. Noten also made images: each woman was portrayed in a three dimensional collage. The shoes, car tyres and other ‘objects trouvés’ he used, seem a far cry from regular jewellery.

When Ted Noten started using cad-cam to realise his most recent collection ‘Haunted by 36 Women’ (2009), he initially used the 3D printing technique in a rather slow way. It started by making sculptures from assembled found objects(HAUTE COUTURE). These sculptures, assemblages of shoes, chairs, tyres and other found objects, were 3d scanned and then computer manipulated and rapid prototyped to become pieces of jewellery in either gold(COLLECTORS ITEM), titanium, steel etc.etc. and coloured nylon. The sculpture Night Bird was the model for two gold rings and a limited series of 25 titanium rings. To find out later that this ring was a perfect prototype for an unlimited series, now with a new and independent name and identity, ‘Miss Piggy’.(PRET A PORTER)

Miss Piggy is a collection of rings, 3D printed nylon with glass fibre, 2009

A democratized ring for everyone, available for a low price ( € 37,00) and manufactured in an unlimited series. With this rapid prototyped ring the artist tries to conquer the world: a genuine Ted Noten ring for every woman on earth is his ideal.

via Say Hi To Design

Danish vs Japanese Design, Again

The Japanese retail brand MUJI and Danish toy staple LEGO have teamed up to develop a set of 4 different boxes. Inside those boxes you’ll find the classic LEGO bricks but also a few sheets of paper. Now get your MUJI hole punch out of the third drawer down in your desk and hey presto, you’ve got MUGO or LEJI…. Buy yours here (I guess)

via today and tomorrow

Square Polygon is a is a collaboratively edited question and answer site for anything related to 3d modeling, 3d stock and visualization.

Unlike forums where answers to questions get buried under pages of responses and hundreds of threads Square Polygon makes sure that the best answers surface to the top so they are clear to follow and easy to find. Everything is editable, just like a wiki. Square Polygon is focused on the 3d community, questions about 3d modeling, 3d stock, visualization and post production. If you use 3D Studio Max, Maya, Zbrush, Sketchup, Rhino, Photoshop or any other 3d or post production package Square Polygon is for you.

Brought to you by Tom Moor who is also responsible for Cadyou (previously mentioned on Ponoko blog) and 3DFilter (also on Ponoko blog) Square Polygon is in it’s infancy so there are not too many questions/answers posted yet, but if you have a 3D question to ask and didn’t know where to go, here is your opportunity.

Or put it into your RSS Feed and you may learn via 3D osmosis…

the beauty of a cardboard beast

I recently visited Yellowstone National Park for the first time, and wildlife was definitely one of the highlights. Those of you who saw the National Park documentary will know how much Yellowstone founder Theodore Roosevelt loved the wildlife and loved to hunt it just as much.

Teddy is not alone in wanting a buck head above his mantle. In fact, my favorite interior design trend of today is the revival of the taxidermied creature as decor. But hunting isn’t what it was in the early 20th century, and there’s now a catch 22 to displaying a beautiful stuffed bust. Shooting your own bear/buck/elk seems a little uncouth and yet purchasing a prize kill from an antiques store is such a wuss-poseur thing to do. Laser-cutting has brought us a much more earth and animal friendly alternative, and it’s called Cardboard Safari.

These animal trophies come in plain cardboard or white and can be customized by painting the pieces yourself. Prices range from $12–$52 depending on size. I went with the biggest Bucky for my Chicago mantle shown above. But if animal heads aren’t your thing, there are wreaths and trees too.

A Stitch in Soup saves Nine???

Adelaide based design firm Enoki started designing A range of oneoff’s rugs in 2000 from 100% NZ wool. Enoki wanted to take this a step further….
In 2008 Judd + Susanna (Enoki) came up with the idea and imagery that has become ‘SOUP’. A series of alphabet symbols designed to be applied on a range of media.

In a group brainstorming session – the desire arose to hand make rugs – using recycled materials was the main inspiration behind embroidering the ‘SOUP’ images onto recycled cotton carpet underlays manufactured by The Smith Family. (an Australian charity organisation)

Fueled by a desire to escape the stress, speed and strain of commercial deadlines, to create by hand – slow design- slow make, along with the use of a ready made, recycled and “manufactured on mass” carpet underlay appealed. The thick felted underlay has inherent structural + acoustic properties, making it highly functional as either a carpet or wall hanging.

We wanted to bring it out from hiding under other carpets + layers. It’s simple, clean aesthetic is enhanced with our simple, totally bespoke embroidery. We do not want any 2 pieces to be alike.

The result is a beautiful product made from a utilitarian material which has been personalised by human interaction. Manufactured in one size 1.8 x 2.5 with no wastage. Enoki manufacture the rugs in collaboration various community and charity groups, with proceeds of each sale going to the organisations. In this way sustainable design can also mean social design…

Contact Enoki to see the full Stitched Soup range with 52 to choose from……

3–6 December, Shoreditch

UK design lovers/supporters/creators will gather the first weekend of December for the annual East London Design Show. The ELDS is still taking vendor applications. Work in fine art, ceramics, fashion and accessories, furniture, glass, product design, jewelry lighting, soft furnishings, and kids is all eligible.

I took a look through the array of talented exhibitors and put together my ELDS Wish List below.

1: I’ll put all of my stuff in this tote bag from textile designer Gina Pierce. 2: electricity usage display from DIY Kyoto. 3: rocker from previously mentioned Lazerian. 4: highlighter stylin’ acrylic cuffs from Sarah Eyton. 5: acrylic crystal earrings by Larios Jewelry & Design. 6: drink the tea of the future in this chrome set from Balfour Bernard. 7: like a dying chrysanthemum made of silver, ring by Linnie Mclarty. 8: “cartographic design for the 21st century” from the Future Mapping Company.

P.S. If you would like to promote a local event near you, email us here on the blog with the info, and we’ll post it!

Textile designers rejoice; there’s a Ponoko for us too!

Laser-cutting? Pssh. You don’t want holes in a pot holder or oven mit. 3D printing? Big deal. No one wants a crusty plastic pillowcase or a metal-sintered tote bag. DIGITAL FABRIC PRINTING—that’s the future… of aprons and napkins and place mats at least. Okay, so those comments don’t do anything to elevate the field of textile design, but a new company is stepping up to the plate. (And not to wash it!)

Envelop is an “online print-on-demand platform where [designers] can create, promote and sell high quality cotton items to textile lovers worldwide.” With Envelop, designers submit their designs which are digitally printed in Belguim and sewn into one of a number of finished products on-demand. Digitally Printed = unlimited color. On-Demand = no inventory. And the best part? Envelop = 12.5% royalty earned on each order. The worst part? Belguim = 21% tax.

Setting Envelop apart from many mass-customization start-ups is the company’s dedication to true designers. This isn’t the place for your mom to print the kids pictures on place mats. In order to register with Envelop, you must submit a link to an online portfolio that showcases creative, original graphics or illustrations. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just a simple collection of work on a community profile or blog. There are currently 80 independent designers from around the world signed up. Designs can be printed and made into aprons, napkins, oven gloves, pillow covers, place mats, pot holders, table runners, and tote bags.

Envelop is still in beta, and I hope that the company meets the success they need to grow their material and product offerings. With that in mind, I picked out some of my favorite designs to promote.

1: apron by friandises of Dampierre en Burly (FR); 2 & 3: napkin and apron by Monica Greco of Pavia (IT); 4: oven glove by Tamara Weiss of Philadelphia (US); 5: place mat by Alli Coate of Providence (US); 6: totebag by komraids of Dubai (AE); 7: place mat by the lilipinsson company of Amsterdam (NL); 8: tote bag by Michael Bojkowski of Prahran, Victoria (AU); 9: oven glove by choppingtools of Valencia (ES); 10: pillow cover by Carolyn Alexander Illustration and things of La Plagne (FR); 11: pillow cover by siebe of Brugge (BE). Wow.

via Swiss-Miss

Folding Tessellations of Light

Using the inspiration of the playful forming of origami and Lego, a German design student Alice Gruhle has created a lamp which can be adapted into different sculptural shapes.
Alice Gruhle won a competition at Hochschule für Gestaltung Offenbach with her Polymorph concept, which is formed from diamond-shaped modules that link together and allow “folds” at the join. For her end of term show, Gruhle made the lamp from modules cut and milled from polypropylene sheets.
To take the product further, she used Protmold’s ProtoQuote and ProtoFlow analysis software to optimize the design for rapid injection moulding production. She has since received her first delivery of injection moulded modules and is very pleased with the outcome.
“It’s really like Lego,” she says, “every part must be right so that they all fit together perfectly.”

Initially, Alice Gruhle experimented with a grid of squares, each divided into four triangles of equal size. She then transferred the grid onto a thin sheet of polypropylene, cut out the triangles and then joined them back together in their original arrangement with tape so they could be folded along the dividing lines. Alice kept on experimenting by stretching the squares into diamonds. To join these diamonds, she then added wings that could flap back and attach to the long-sided wings of the neighbouring module. With her paper prototype she used simple paper clips to join the wings but when it came to the modules cut from sheets of polypropylene, she chose ordinary rubber bands to make the connections.
Alice explained, “You can produce more complicated structures using diamond-shaped modules than you can with comparatively rigid squares. It is possible to, not only construct regular and closed bodies from them, but also open and chaotic structures. This really appealed to me!”
For the university’s end-of-term show, Alice produced 500 modules and joined them to create a single sculpture.

Alice has called her design “Polymorph” and has since used some 150 injection moulded modules to create a cocoon-like hanging lamp. Her design has subsequently been featured in German design magazines and you can see it on display at the forthcoming Euromold exhibition in December 2009.

Ponoko in the Press

Ponoko’s David ten Have was recently interviewed by The Dominion Post available on Stuff.co.nz during Global Entrepreneurship Week.
In the article David discusses what the internet has done for entrepreneurship, how the online world changed manufacturing and what the worst thing to do when entering a new market. All of which is great advice for anyone using Ponoko who is interested in selling their products.

Read the full article here.

Congrats Dave.

Like a Brightly Colored Cross between Dali and 70’s Mexican Muralists, in 3D….

San Francisco based artist Robert Geshlider has been producing a series of works using Solidworks and a 3D printer. What is really interesting is that instead of math-geek sculptures Geshlider is pushing 2D painting into 3D forms with a slightly hallucinogenic sense of humor.

All of these sculptures were made on a multicolor 3d printer. The shapes & colors are first drawn on a computer using 3d CAD software and the file is then exported to the printer. The printer uses an inkjet head to deposit colored glue onto a bed of powdered plaster. The parts are built up layer by layer, in .004” increments. This printing technology is part of a field known as Rapid Prototyping, and was initially developed for product development.
I trained as a painter in the early 80’s and have wide visual interests from Persian miniatures to R. Crumb. Using digital technology to fabricate sculptures helps to resolve a number of design issues while creating others.

It is so good to see something a little more loose coming out of what is basically 3D engineering software. I can just imagine Robert at his local Solidworks User Group meeting, sharing his outcomes with a bunch of guys doing air conditioning ducts and pedestal fans.

via Fabaloo

Peppersprouts Silhouetted Wood Coasters gets a mention in the gift guide and front page on the Velocity Art and Design website..

Congratulations to Peppersprouts (previously mentioned on Ponoko Blog) with their Silhouetted Wood Coasters for getting some mainstream press for their designs. It will bew interesting to see how this affects their sales as people clamor to get a unique Christmas gift. Available from their Ponoko Showroom or Velocity Art and Design a set of four sells for just $28 dollars.

This goes to show what a great platform Ponoko can be for realizing, promoting and distributing your designs. To produce the same product without Ponoko Peppersprouts would have had to invest in an initial run of production, send out samples to press and negotiated distribution. With Ponoko the only investment is your time, once the orders start coming in Ponoko deals with the rest.
And if the product is not successful, you are not stuck with 15,000 coasters under your bed.

Best of luck to Peppersprouts and all Ponoko users with Christmas sales..

Israeli based studio Kulla was founded in 2007 by Miri Breskin, Adi Shpigel and Keren Tomer have produced a series of products based on reusing plastic shutters that have been discarded without any recycling solution.

They have collected the shutters and given them a second life enabling them a new existence inside the house.

“We started tracing the path of discarded construction material,” relates Tomer. “We discovered that the renovators weren’t willing to give us the shutters and would only sell them to us, because they sell the aluminum frames. From the renovators we moved on to scrap metal shops, where we saw how they mishandled the poor plastic shutters, kicked them and broke them. We asked one of the scrap-shop owners for the shutters and because he had to pay for waste removal, he agreed to let us take as much as we wanted. We came, loaded up, and that’s how we found new raw material to work with.”

The Kulla’s work focuses mainly on material research and developing new work methods, offering new and refreshing ways of experiencing everyday products.  

via Core77 and Haaretz

Oh, and interesting final question from the Haaretz journalist that comes across kinda misogynistic but well handled by Shpigel.

Doesn’t a studio consisting of only three women generate tensions?

Shpigel: “On the contrary. Girl power, no? Basically, each one brings something a little different, and individual abilities. Miri and I are stronger in the details, the tuning, and compositions. Keren is stronger in the technical aspects, computers and anything related to carpentry and measurements. When she was abroad and we had to saw something, it just didn’t come out the same.”

by Alienology

The DualNexus Bracelet designed by using particle systems in 3D CAD software and exported to (Shapeways) 3D printing machine this bracelet is now available in its final form. Produced in nylon polyamide – a flexible material with incredible detail. Threads visible here are about 1mm thick. Second version of this bracelet in cuff form (open ring) is also available.


Alienology is Los Angeles based design studio and consultancy, active in the areas of Product Design, Architecture, Concept Design for film and themed environments – all done with expert 2D and 3D CGI skills. They also have some great products for sale in their Ponoko showroom.

Oh, and they also have a Mystery Product that looks very nice. Hmmmmm, I wonder what it could be.

May not protect your iPhone from the Ikee worm, but maybe from a nasty fall.

Those of you in Australia with an ‘open’ iPhone may be aware of the latest worm currently spreading that infects the iPhone with the scary sight of Rick Astley as your wallpaper. Sure it is a kinda benign but still alarming to be made so vulnerable. the MI-O Phone cradle by CagninaDesign can at least make sure your phone is safe from falls while charging (tenuous segue I know) with a simple folded plastic device available from Yanko Design for just $3. The plastic is held in place by the power pack and the cord simply wraps underneath to keep it a tidy discreet unit. I can see these as great christmas presents available in a wide range of colors. They also offer mass customization to accommodate specific client needs such as company logo, contacts information, web address, PMS color matching, etc.

Or, you could use Ponoko to make your own laser cut phone & cord holder combo, stylized branches, multiple devices, holding sunglasses, wallet and keys.

i.materialise is officially out on public BETA.

A brand new service aiming to make 3D printing as easy as printing on paper and allowing you to print and customize your 3D models.
i.materialise is a service by Materialise, a company behind world famous MGX collection (previously featured on the Ponoko Blog).
Now their experience is available to you.

It will be interesting to see how this service is used compared to Shapeways and other 3D printing services. The range of materials, colors and finishes is a little more complex with materials ranging from ABS, Polyamide, Alumide,Polycarbonate and ‘rubber like’ may imply a greater understanding of each plastic and it’s particular properties. Although Shapeways does have 3D printing stainless steel…

i.materialise will assist you in exporting your design from CAD, selecting the right material and creating your own custom lamp.
Below are several lamps, designed by Blender users during the alpha release of the project:



As previously mentioned i.materialise is currently in BETA, and all new orders automatically calculated with discount, so go ahead and checkout the new service. To get more news and information directly from i.materialise join their facebook or twitter, or check their official blog.

laser-cut structures from Wil Natzel

Lasercut cardboard squids were the result of an architecture thesis project from recent Cranbrook Academy graduate Wil Natzel. The aim of these structures is to create a “Spatial Graffiti,” a purely decorative and non-permanent enhancement to the built environment.

Natzel had been exploring large scale, laser-cut forms throughout much of his time at Cranbrook. Other projects included suspended light domes with laser-cut patterns, laser-cut graffiti signs, and free-standing cardboard towers. Visit the Wil Natzel portfolio to see these projects and more.

robot-built architecture

image above from: Archpaper

The first on-site installation to be digitally fabricated in the US will be on view until January of 2010 on New York City’s Pike Street. Designed by Swiss architects Gramazio and Kohler and presented by New York non-profit Storefront for Art and Architecture, the Pike Loop project employs R-O-B—of Venice architectural biennial fame—to construct a wall of over seven thousand bricks in an infinity loop.

R-O-B is akin to “robots typically used to assemble automobiles and perform other high-precision tasks.” Get to know him a little more by watching this fantastic video. Storefront will be hosting an exhibition on the architects entitled Digital Materiality until Monday, 14 November. Don’t miss!

BY KAZUMI ABE

Japanese industrial designer Kazumi Abe has launched a range of illumination, reflection and storage solutions with her forest range of products. I like the simplicity and playfulness of the design. This is also a neat little example of introducing a bit of character to a design by combining CNC or Laser Cut features to a standard lamp or mirror. I could also imagine these itmes, or variances of in the Ponoko showroom.

via mocoloco

Simple Tweak on Time

At first glance, an elegant, minimal wall clock. But things are not so simple. A subtle effect is taking place, the Extra Normal Wall Clock features a die-cut opening that revolves around the center, revealing numbers that signify the hours. As it turns, the “hand” reveals a portion of the number marking each hour.
Design by Ross McBride AKA Normal.

Ross McBride was born in the Northeastern United States in 1962. He earned his bachelor’s degree in graphic design from the California Institute of the Arts, and upon graduation in 1985, promptly moved to Tokyo where he has lived ever since.

Upon arriving in Japan, Ross furthered his graphic design studies as a research student at Japan University (Nippon Daigaku). He later worked in several design offices, including Igarashi Studio under the auspices of Takenobu Igarashi. In 1991, Ross establish his own graphic design practice.

Gradually, Ross became more interested in product, and furniture design. In 1997 he initiated a move in this direction with his first public exhibition, “12 Timepieces”, at the Ozone Gallery in Shinjuku, Tokyo. In January 2000, K.K. Normal was established in order to manage Ross’ product, furniture, and interior projects.

Ross has exhibited at 100% Design London, Salone Satellite in Milan, ICFF New York, and Tokyo Designers Block where he won the Frame TDB Award 2003 for best installation design. He has worked on projects for Duende, E&Y, Max Ray, Starbucks Japan, Water Studio, Sharp, Sony, World Co. Ltd., and currently serves as a panel member of 100% Design Tokyo.
Check out more of his work at Normal.

And yes I would like an EXTRA NORMAL WATCH for christmas.

Thanks

Congratulations Martin Gibson who won a 12 Month Prime subscription from Ponoko

Design Droplets is an online Industrial Design Magazine that is focused on the Australasian Design community. Their aim is to publish articles that are informative, take a critical look at design and help you grow as a designer. Through a range of content including reviews, interviews, critical writing and industry news we peel back the layers of fluff that surround design.
Whether you are a student, a professional or just a design enthusiast, we hope you find Design Droplets a great read to get some tips from designers around the region.

They recently hosted a group writing project, calling on submissions from readers to submit their own articles relating to the subject of industrial design or product design.

Martin Gibson’s article entitled Maxwell Render – Be a Show Off was the winner of the draw and scored a 12 Month Prime subscription from Ponoko.

You can also read the rest of the entries such as Life as a Freelancer by Nathan Partington and Think Different? No. Work Hard by Brandon Leedy, here on the Design Droplets site.

Thanks to Raph Goldsworthy

in rhyme and riddle—our latest user story

Ponoko is honored to be the subject of a recent piece by bard of the internet, the Web Laureate. Visit web-poet.com for more poetic compositions on life with cyberspace.

[ Ponoko ] interlock

the entire network of joints,
stretched and strained and withstood being
terribly jolted. constructed
of felt and bamboo, disappoints,
it so does not –

— int’net composed,
in manner of web digital ||

// making made many || more mirthful

// with pieces online in design
interlocking real – virtual

Modular and Expandable Screen System

MODULARI is a wide array of lacy cascading panels that can be used as room dividers, curtains, or anywhere you need a bit of a screen.
Kiril Kirov of RazortoothDesign created a system of interlocking tiles that form expandable screens. A box of 18 Modulari Architect tiles makes a 31-by-62-inch partition that can be hung from the wall or the ceiling. The swirl, leaf and drop motifs are available in white, peach, avocado and black.
MODULARI screens are made from EVA; Ethyl Vinyl Acetate mixed with a Calcium Carbonate filler. This material is widely used in the sports, toy and car industry. It is a non-toxic, lightweight, UV stable material, which is easy to clean, by using soap and warm water. The material has a temperature range of -2.2°F to 320°F. No acid or chemical will affect the material and it will only burn at approximately 752°F.
The EVA used in MODULARI is custom made, to accomplish the requirements for the screen. The material has a memory and when bent or crunched it will go back to its original shape. It is tough and yet lightweight, in order to create the perfect balance of strength and weight for the screen. Due to the modular nature of our designs MODULARI is easy to store if not in use.

MODULARI was designed in Brooklyn New York. All aspects of production including packaging are made in South Africa.

Available from several stores in the US or via there online stores here (and here for Japanese)

two internet communities that are democratizing the travel industry

Maker fairs, design conferences, trade shows… Whether for business or leisure, travel is an essential part of many people’s lives. And like most other essentials of modern life, it is dominated by big industry. Often the greatest expense when it comes to traveling is the accommodation. Even if you have the money for that plane/train/bus ticket, the cost of a hotel can make a trip simply unfeasible.

This fall, I had the opportunity to see a huge chunk of the American West. I recently returned from an epic seven-week road trip (the half-way point of which was meeting Ponoko CEO David ten Have at the studio in San Francisco), and along the way took advantage of a couple of resources that are making it easier to travel for less, thanks to people just like you.

CouchSurfing.org is a global network of people who have signed up to offer travelers a free place to stay. The CS spirit is nothing short of utopian,  ”Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch at a Time”. There are over one-million available places to stay in 231 countries, and member experience is over 99% positive.

My first couple nights of the road trip, I stayed with a host in Rapid City, South Dakota. Not only was it a free place to stay, but my host had been a youth leader and taken many groups through the Black Hills. He took me on a beautiful hike through the National Forest and even taught me about geocaching. Staying with a host through CouchSurfing was an enriching experience that I never could have gotten through a hotel chain.

While the CS ethos is committed to making new friends and helping people out free of charge, there is another website that allows members to make a profit.

AirBnb.com is a newer resource which lets people rent out an available room in their home/apartment or their entire property for whatever rate they set. Covering over 1500 cities in 93 countries, these “listings include vacation rentals, private rooms, entire apartments, bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, castles, treehouses, and many other traditional and non-traditional accommodations.”

The site uses PayPal for transactions, has a built in calendar for each member, and users can search available places in a specific city just like booking a hotel. AirBnb has the potential to be a huge benefit to hosts and visitors alike. While hunting for a place to stay in San Francisco, I came across a beautiful Victorian apartment in the Mission District; the entire 2br apartment was renting at just $100 a night. It wasn’t surprising to see that this place was booked through November—that’s $3000 a month from a quick listing.

Big hotel chains will survive as long as business expense accounts do. But when the trip is on your dime, that dime might go farther with someone just trying to make a little extra money or on a thank-you gift for someone kind enough to offer no-charge accommodations. As with all internet communities, going from the virtual to the physical involves a very real risk; but taken with caution, I think it’s worth the reward.

by Duncan Fitszimmons of VITAMINS Design Collective

Monster Monster is the “evil arachnoid pedestal your laptop deserves” and apparently “More awesome than any other notebook stand you have ever seen”

Available in red or clear, each stand is ‘hand crafted’ from laser cut acrylic. Does that mean they are using a hand held laser
Rubber feet to grip and protect your desk, each stand arrives in a poster tube and assembles in seconds.

Available from their online store for about U$ 47…

This would be a perfect product for the Ponoko store.

Found via Core77

Gets Kickstarted with 179% Funding….

MakerBeam is a toy and tool for the open source imagination. Build a fire-breathing robot dinosaur, a miniature CNC machine, a remote control car, whatever your overclocked brain can produce! Or build a castle, or that perfect enclosure to hold the circuitry for your custom electronics project.

Mini-T is a miniature version of larger T-slot building systems. It consists of extruded aluminum beams, 10 mm on a side, and various connectors and panels that slot into the sides of the beam, making up the full MakerBeam system.

As interesting as the product is in itself, even more exciting is the thinking behind releasing the system as an open source building kit…

MakerBeam is an open source project, and the first open source construction set we’re aware of. MakerBeam part models and standards will be released under Creative Commons licenses, allowing makers and tinkerers to modify and build off our platform. When boxes ship, MakerBeam will be atoms, not bits, and atoms are protected by patent rather than copyright. Makerbeam believe the Mini-T standard could have been patented, but are giving it into the public domain, because they have a larger vision for it.

The team behind MakerBeam believe in open source licensing, and the power and potential of the open source hardware movement. They also believe in the Constitutional impetus behind intellectual property law, namely, “To promote the progress of science and useful arts”. Balancing this is a complex and ongoing affair.

This choice was made carefully, cognizant of the reality of intellectual property and industrial production in the world today. Patents, not copyright, control production of parts and goods; even with a patent on our connector system, it is likely that significant success would result in our kits being cloned by manufacturers in other countries where patent lawsuits are pointless.

Also, desktop manufacturing of connector parts is not quite ready for prime time. The tolerances needed simply do not support rapid fabrication as an option at this time. This will change soon, however, and when it does, it hardly matters what license we choose for our 3-d models. If people want them, they will print them.

Read more here and although they are now funded through Kickstarter, I am sure that Sam Putman, Glenn Powers and James Coddington could always do with some additional love..

18 Ways to Get your Creative Juices and Cash Flows Going

That’s a pretty cool graphic, don’t you think?

• Vaughan Benz Furniture Competition — 15 November
Ever check into a room and wish you could overhaul the entire hotel? Put your pencil to the test! Design furnishings for the hospitality industry, all or part of a hotel room, suite, or hotel lobby. #1 gets $750.

• Black Friday — 15 November
A utopian gallery would be one that doesn’t take commission on the art. That artists’ utopia is Savannah based gallery Desotorow, and they are accepting art/design in any media for a juried holiday art show.

• Haute Handbags — 15 November
Got a handle on fashion and design? Artistic and innovative handbag designs are the subject of an upcoming publication from craft magazine publishers Stampington and Company. Bags can be made from absolutely any material and any process.

• Operation Void Deck Design — 16 November
Sponsored by the Singapore Institute of Architects, this design competition aims to re-envision the empty decks of public housing estates. Entries should demonstrate the power of architecture and design to elevate community spirit and quality of life. First prize is $3000. via FiveFootWay.com

• ReVision Design Awards — 17 November
There’s an all-star jury and a hefty $10,000 prize for this one! Develop a concept that answers the question “How can design make the way we live in our homes more efficient, sustainable, enjoyable and/or beautiful?” . via Dexigner

• Mark of Dreams — 17 November
Go iconic for the kids. Design the logo for the DREAM Center, a children’s arts education program under UNESCO/Tribute21. Winner will receive $3000.

• Bike Share System for Copenhagen — 18 November
Designing a product is one thing, but designing a successful system takes brilliance. Grant Denmark some of your genius, and develop a new bicycle exchange program for Copenhagen. First place earns €33,000. via Dexigner

• San Pellegrino Terme Identity — 18 November
“design a brand for the touristic complex of San Pellegrino Terme, that in a few years will become an international attractor by levering on the resources linked to the spas, to the luxury shopping, to the casino, to the quality foodservice.” I didn’t know Italian water had a ‘touristic complex’, but I know this is a graphic design contest. via Dexigner

• EcoTopia — 20 November
Any sustainable product designs are eligible for a group exhibition sponsored by design consultancy Nectar. And if you’ve made anything on Ponoko, it’s probably sustainable enough. Selected designs will be on view at the Nectar gallery in Long Beach, California in early 2010. via Dexigner

• Parkitecture — 20 November
Dwell magazine wants to see a new take on the garage. Designs must be executed in Google SketchUp and “illustrate the technological possibilities and sustainable potential of the garage of the future.” Winner gets a grand.

• Islington Housing Design — 20 November
Shape the future ground of London. Check out this architecture competition for affordable family housing in the London borough of Islington.

• The Postcard Show — 20 November
The Lab, a non-profits arts organization in San Francisco, is calling for entries for its twelfth annual art sale. Put your spin on the postcard, whether handmade or machine cut.

• Art Prize Arte Laguna — 26 November
Its not all about design on this list. Artists working in painting, photography, or sculpture can compete for €5,000 and a chance to exhibit at one of several Italian galleries. via Dexigner

• Artech Conference — 27 November
Do you take an academic approach to future of design, technology, and art? Think about presenting a paper at Artech 2010 at the University of Minho, Portugal. The topic is “Envisioning Digital Spaces.” via Dexigner

• Beautiful Brooches — 27 November
LivingCreatively is looking for unique and beautiful, handmade brooches. The winner will receive a $100 (Austrailian) gift voucher. via WhipUp Looking for inspiration? The Ponoko showroom carries 48 beautiful brooches.

• Bottega Veneta Furniture Competition — late November
Chances are you are not a student at the University of Tokyo’s graduate school of engineering. But if you are, you’ve got a chance to design a piece of furniture to compliment the BV fashion line and have that design exhibited at the 2010 Salone de Mobile.  via StyleList

Heads Up!

• 2010 Australian International Design Awards — 1 December
Products available in the Australian market or designed by Australians for the global market can enter their designs in 9 categories: Consumer, Business, and Technology; Medical and Scientific; Automotive and Transport; Sport and Leisure; Housing and Building; Heavy Machinery; Architectural and Interior Products; Student. via Dexigner

• What Next? — 5 January 2010
Social Designer is looking for the next product subscription. Design an affordable, useful item than can be easily manufactured and delivered, and takes our social and natural environment into consideration. The winner can choose between $1500 cash or, in the event their idea is put into production, a 5% royalty contract. Ignore this one. The fewer of you that enter means the better chances I have of winning.

Sell your Wares, Maybe Even With a Ponoko Makers Grant?????

The Melbourne Design Market is accepting applications for their December market. The market is held twice a year in July and December and features the latest in fashion, homewares, furniture, lighting and product.

The event regularly attracts over 10,000 visitors to its carpark location at
Level 3
Federation Square Carpark
Cnr Flinders Street & Swanston Street
Melbourne, Australia
As well as featuring established designers it operates as a launching pad for new enterprises.

There is a selection procedure for prospective stallholders to ensure the quality and diversity of the products on offer. Given that it’s track record as a successful forum to launch new products, the market receives many more applications than can possibly be accepted.

Apply now, and if your application is successful prepare yourself for a big day of sales, orders, and most of all, meeting new clients and receiving valuable feedback on your business.

The next Melbourne Design Market will be held Sunday 6 December from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Stallholder applications are due 30 October 2009.

Also check out Bowerbird Bazaar in Adelaide, last one was so successful you better hurry to secure a space

Some advice from the Shapeways blog

There is a great entry on the Shapeways blog for anyone interested in getting some parts printed in 3D. It goes through some things to consider about the shape and wall thickness of the part in relation to the size. Really helpful stuff..

I recently used Shapeways to print some furniture hardware out of stainless steel and am very happy with the results. I will write more on this in a future post, with my personal successes and failures.. of which there were a few..

but the shapeways post is worth reading before you start modeling..

Dutch designer gets protective

This stand alone Armour sideboard is designed to offer shelter for ones valuables. Revealing its insides by sliding open its doors in a flowing move it is fully dedicated to its content. The oak wood parts show clear respect to the tradition of ancient wooden chests, enclosing and protecting precious items. The angular shapes refer to the modern way of protection and defendance.

The design of Dave Keune targets both esthetical as functional values. While developing his design, either products or environments, Keune operates through layers of research, development and production. By applying skilled craftsmanship within the production process, he aims for high-qualified results, in usability and durability.

Armor is designed and produced in a limited edition of 8 items for
Privee Kollektie..

by Rochus Jacob

A fantastic concept, beautifully executed with refined aesthetics and winner of the Incheon International Design Awards (iida 2009) green life. The chair uses the rocking motion of the sitter to generate power to run a reading lamp. I do hope Rochus Jacob intends the reader to delve into my favorite author Haruki Murakami the master of post modern, magical realism.

I was looking for opportunities to generate energy through activities we naturally do. The final result is a rocking chair that enables the user to experience production and consumption of electricity in a gentle and rewarding way. An abstract process becomes tangible and eventually cultivates natural awareness. Complexity is covered by simplicity. Advanced nano-dynamo technology which is built in to the skids of the chair and more efficient light sources such as the newly developed OLED generation makes it possible to build a rocking chair with a reading lamp running on electricity generated from the rocking motion. During daylight the energy gets stored in a battery pack. The construction of the flat and bendable organic light emitting diodes allows new form factors such as using the traditional shape of a lamp but instead of having a light bulb the lampshade himself turns out to be the light source. To have a drastic reduction of consumption the big challenge will be to make consuming less feel like getting more.

Congratulations on a fantastic concept

“This is the extent of his knowledge of the sea: it was very big, it was salty, and fish lived there.”
— Haruki Murakami (Kafka on the Shore)