ImplicitCAD is a new, open source, programmatic modeling tool that is similar to projects like OpenSCAD and OpenJsCAD. The author, Christopher Olah, first told me about it at a party last year and now it’s ready for people to start using it!

I asked Chris some questions about his efforts:

Q: What’s the purpose of the ImplicitCAD project?
A: To provide more powerful Programmatic CAD Tools to the 3D printing community.

Q: How does ImplicitCAD compare to OpenSCAD?
A: To me the fundamental difference is the operations we provide for manipulating objects. For example, in OpenSCAD it’s really hard to not make your object look like a bunch of pieces that have been glued together. But with ImplicitCAD’s rounded CSG operations, one can easily create natural transitions between components.

Q: What was the biggest challenge in producing ImplicitCAD?
A: Existing 3D geometry engines didn’t provide the features we wanted, so we wrote our own. That massively increased the size of the project, relative to if we’d relied on an external engine like OpenSCAD.

It’s quite easy to work with. Here’s a twisted, rounded extrusion that I made from a modified example:

The installation instructions don’t mention it, but I was able to get ImplicitCAD running just fine in Windows. First you need to install the Windows version of Haskell from here, then run these commands in a command prompt window:

cabal update
cabal install implicit

It’ll take a little while, but once finished you can follow along with the examples in the README file as normal.

Being version 0.0.1, there may be a few bumps in road… But ImplicitCAD is already doing cool things and rendering faster than OpenSCAD.

You can check out more examples and discussion going at Thingiverse here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:16532

Posted in 3D Printing, Derek Quenneville by Derek Quenneville | No Comments

An 83-year-old’s lower jaw was completely replaced with a 3D printed titanium substitute due to a chronic bone infection. The operation occurred in June, but has only recently been publicized.

The doctors chose this approach because they believed traditional reconstructive surgery was too risky considering her age. The operation to attach the new jawbone took only four hours, one-fifth the time of the traditional method. The time savings is due to the fact that the 3D printed jaw fit the patient perfectly. The woman went home after four days.

The titanium jaw was printed by LayerWise before being coated with a special bioceramic via a high-temperature plasma spray to help the part mimic real bone.

Via BBC News

Posted in 3D Printing, Taylor Gilbert, Technology by Taylor Gilbert | No Comments

Open source and low cost plastic extrusion 3D printers have become so common they don’t even seem exciting anymore. There are even low cost UV resin printers and powder/adhesive printers around if you look. But laser sintering has remained the domain of high-end commercial printers.

This project Swarthmore College engineering student Andreas Bastian is an important step towards making laser sintering machines accessible. It uses a relatively low-powered laser to fuse a wax powder. These models can then be made into metal via traditional lost-wax casting. It’s not quite a direct-to-metal laser sinter printer, but its a step closer.

On a side note, 3D printing directly into stainless steel is available through Personal Factory.

Via MAKE via Hack a Day

Posted in 3D Printing, Hardware, Open Source, Taylor Gilbert by Taylor Gilbert | 1 Comment

It can be pretty costly to set yourself up with 3d modelling software, particularly when you’re after the good stuff.

So you can imagine the buzz that’s followed DAZ 3D’s recent release of three of their major titles as free downloads for all to enjoy.

Modelling human figures? DAZ Studio Pro will sort you out.
Landscapes and environmental animations? Bryce 7 Pro has it covered.
And the one that has us talking here at Ponoko… 3D models both for rendering/animation and ready to export as .stl files? Hexagon does this and more.

To purchase this software suite from the Digital Art Zone would once have left you on the nasty side of $800, but for a limited time full version downloads are completely free.

Now all that’s left is to fire up your imagination…

Digital Art Zone

Posted in Downloadable, Guy Blashki, Software, Tools + Apps by Guy Blashki | 2 Comments

Hey, Sam here,back collecting the post from The Laser Cutter.

Above is The Exploded Eye as Quoted from flickr:
Architect postgraduate Marina Karamali has exploded the human eye in her spacial exploration of the human anatomy.
Courtesy of  LaserCut WORKS.

After the jump, rockets, a smokehouse, a tire, and a lamp…

Above is a Draconian Marauder, another work from Sascha Grant:
I bought a 30 year old rocket kit on ebay and instead of ripping it open, I located scans of all the parts online and laser cut them. Figured I’d keep the old rocket kit as a collectable. The parts were cut from 600gsm cardboard (.85mm thick).
And then flew the finished rocket!!

Above is the Smoke House, a Laser cut birch plywood architectural model from LaserCut WORKS.

Above is a tire that I believed was laser or CNC, but turns our to he hand carved by artist Wim Delvoy. From Snuva.

Above is a laser cut art deco inspired lamp from Hamish Coventry1.

Above is a book cover Laser etched by Mikey Lland.

Posted in Laser Cutting, Sam Tanis by Sam | No Comments

Arkitypo is an exploration of typographic history. From A to Z, each letter features a 3D printed letter specimen of a unique typeface that portrays a particular trait. The exhibition was created by London based design studio Johnson Banks in collaboration with Ravensbourne University. Video and more photos after the jump…

The work took six months to complete, including research into each typeface. This research was then used to inform the three-dimensional form. The letter ‘B’ for example, is based on two typefaces – Baskerville and Bodoni. They are fused together as Bodoni was based upon Baskerville, but with slightly exagerated proportions.

Courier was commissioned by IBM for its typewriters in the 1950’s, however, it soon became the default standard among typewriter fonts. As such, they have modeled the letter C onto typewriter keys arranged in a C shape.

OCR-A was one of the early computer typefaces designed to be used in optical character recognition. It is often used for printing cheque numbers and was often printed with magnetic ink.

With the Send to Print / Print to Send exhibition also currently running, London seems like the place to be to see 3D print design exhibitions at the moment. Arkitypo is only open until the 8th of February, 9.00am to 6.00pm daily at Arup gallery.

Via designboom

Posted in 3D Printing, Art, David McGahan, Design, Events by David McGahan | No Comments

Bilal Ghalib and Alex Hornstein are currently driving across the country in a Prius with two 3D printers in their trunk for a project they call “Pocket Factory.” They are printing products to sell in various cities along the way as an experiment to try starting a business based on accessible 3D printing technology.

You can see their route on the map below or read about it on the Pocket Factory site.

Via psfk

Posted in 3D Printing, Maker Movement, Taylor Gilbert by Taylor Gilbert | No Comments

This is perhaps the clearest indication of how easily available laser cutters are these days. They are now being used to recreate classic movie scenes for a youtube video. I’m just surprised no one did it earlier.

In this video, Martin Raynsford cut James Bond in half with a laser like in Goldfinger (it’s an alternate ending). The resemblance to Bond is uncanny.

Via Hacked Gadgets

Posted in Laser Cutting, Maker Movement, Taylor Gilbert by Taylor Gilbert | 1 Comment

I love this project because it ticks all my boxes: the parts are laser cut, the design is open source and well-documented, and the finished machine is equal parts ingenious and pointless. Check out this post for an overview of the project, or take a look after the break for video of the bot in action and examples of what it can draw.

Posted in Art, Electronics + Robotics, Hardware, Laser Cutting, Open Source, Programming, Rich Decibels by Rich Decibels | No Comments

If you do any 3D printing work, you’re probably familiar with MeshLab. It’s a great tool for fixing models, skinning point clouds, and all sorts of interesting stuff. But did you know that there’s been a version of MeshLab for iOS since September?

It doesn’t have the editing capabilities of the desktop software, but it’s a great tool for viewing and presenting 3D models on the go.

You can import files using iTunes or email, but the best way is to use the Dropbox integration feature:

Once imported, a model can be rotated and zoomed in all the usual ways:

Models can also be viewed in flat or point cloud modes, and the light source is easily adjusted:

If you’d like to give it a try, MeshLab can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/meshlab-for-ios/id451944013?mt=8

(via Tony Buser @tbuser on Twitter)

Posted in 3D Printing, Derek Quenneville by Derek Quenneville | 2 Comments

Making for business and leisure

Wellington’s Graphics Solutions co-founder Elizajane started off using Personal Factory for personal projects.  It was a chance discovery by word of mouth as often happens in this part of the world.  The graphic designer already knew about the potential of laser cutting, so she was quite excited to learn just how accessible the service was.  Initially Elizajane experimented with making plywood and felt ornaments, which caught the attention of the Your Home and Garden magazine.  It wasn’t long before the projects became more company focused with commissioned designs for promotional jobs, as well as Graphic Solutions signage and branded gifts from a variety of felts and plywoods.Easy access to digital fabrication has enabled Elizajane to move away from handcrafting and printing and reach a more polished aesthetic with made objects.  Her photography and graphic design background means no shortage of ideas for designs to laser cut.  The 2D graphic nature of her designs means very little hand finishing is required.  The felt parts are aired out, and the plywood parts are given a light sand (it’s incredible how beautifully smooth you can make the ply with just a few scuffs of fine sand paper).  The next challenge is adding an extra dimension to designs with 3D printing.

Words of wisdom from Elizajane after the jump:

How would you describe your creative process? I’m quite a big workbook-type person. I like to photograph, draw, or collect ideas, then focus it all into a project. (I love the process!)

Have you been surprised by anything in the PF process: positives/negatives? The team at Ponoko has been amazing – both the Wellington-based team and the online team. Helpful with questions, suggestions, everything!  ASK questions!  Use the forum for some problem solving.

Do you have any tips for other makers? Its well worth using the Prime pricing, for speed of delivery AND price of product.  Remember not to cram things into EVERY little space – this can be hard to resist – I know!Elizajane: http://felt.co.nz/shop/elizajane

Posted in Functional Art + Objects, Maker Stories, Yana Skaler by yana | No Comments

Unless you are of the vegan variety, you probably have quite a few things made of leather, mostly footwear and luggage.  Leather is a wonderfully versatile material, and I’ll always pick it over its plastic substitutes.  Working with leather requires skill, but is incredibly satisfying, provided you have the right tools.  In the last few years laser cutting has become more and more prolific as a tool for manipulating leather, and now features prominently in many everyday leather items.  We’ve featured some laser cut and laser engraved fashion previously, but that was only the tip of the iceberg.

Leather in fashion has seen its peaks and troths, and it’s definitely at its peak currently if the catwalks are the vogue yard stick.  Laser cutting is behind much of that popularity, and as always the fashion trend is driven by the hi-fashion avant-garde designers who push the concepts and boundaries of material use and perception.  Some of the notable ideas come from Visbol de Arce’s Anatomy collection, current king (or in this case, queen) of the fashion mountain Iris van Herpen’s Synesthesia, and a selection of rather unusual bags from James Platt.

More sweet leathery goodness under the cut:

Where visionaries lead, fashion houses follow.  Laser cut leather garments are now appearing in High street fashion outlets, such as ASOS.  The mass market appeal is certainly increasing, fuelled by fashion heavyweights such as  Louis Vuitton, Haider Ackerman, Valentino and Giles.

Quite a few Ponoko Personal Factory makers have used laser cut leather to create a variety of products.  These range from purely ornamental to quite utilitarian objects.  You can even find leather goods to adorn your cranial area.  There are the Haha Bird moustachioed neck warmers, Christina Westbrook’s masquerade mask cut from Dark Brown leather and Matt Borgatti’s seriously Steampunk leather and brass goggles that we’ve featured a while back.

Need something to carry stuff in?  Is it a camera?  A filleting knife?  Your credit card richess?  Not only do we have these carrying options covered (in leather), but the files for all these useful designs are available for FREE from the Ponoko showroom.  That’s a whole lot of free.

Want even more free stuff?  There is a free laser cutting file for the leather necklace, which has been cut from Driftwood upholstery leather.  This newly added, beautifully soft material is available in the NZ material catalogue.  US makers have the option of Mocha instead.  The thicker, stiffer Russet leather is also a popular choice and is the preferred material for Cuff Modern’s extensive collection of cuffs and chokers.  Russet’s stiffness makes it suitable for rings, such as the ones featured here from Megan Ellis.

Leather is available from both the US and the NZ hub, as well as Vectorealism and Formulor.

Posted in Materials Catalog, Yana Skaler by yana | No Comments

We know it’s a “manufactured holiday,” but we’re all about manufacturing! And really, what better theme than love to invent a holiday for?

So to show our love, we’re running everyone’s favorite promotion as a Valentine Special!

Spend $50 or more at Ponoko, get a FREE $50 Making Voucher.

To get your $50 making voucher: place a $50 minimum order at the Ponoko US or NZ hub. Type in XOXO in the special shipping instructions, and we’ll email you your $50 Making Voucher.

Things you should know: Offer is for making stuff with Ponoko. Showroom or sample store purchases do not qualify. $50 minimum does not include shipping. Other coupons and vouchers cannot be used towards $50 minimum. Offer only good at Ponoko US and NZ. Offer totally valid for Ponoko Prime accounts! Offer ends at midnight pst on February 17, 2012.

About the free Making Voucher: Promotional making voucher is good for a future order, not the initial $50 order. One promotional voucher per account. (Making Vouchers are good on making costs only.)

Posted in Ponoko News by Ponoko Team | No Comments

The Ponoko connection may be tenuous, but I’m going for it anyway. These remote controlled flying people are simply awesome.

The above clip was put together as a part of a viral marketing campaign for the film Chronicle, but don’t let that deter you if you’re keen to take to the skies yourself.

Downloadable PDF plans are available from RcSuperhero that you can send to your favourite laser cutting service; or you can get a head start and buy the laser cut foam, sub-structure and various parts in kit form. And then what? Simply whack in the required electronics and soon you’ll be launching your own human-shaped glider into the sky.

It must be quite a sight to behold in the flesh. What a brilliant idea.

via ubergizmo

Posted in Downloadable, Electronics + Robotics, Guy Blashki, Laser Cutting, Toys + Games by Guy Blashki | No Comments

Did ya hear that Tinkercad released the newest version of their awesome, easy, browser based CAD tool? And guess what; you can send your Tinkercad design directly to Ponoko to have it 3D printed!

Tinkercad is super fun, easy to use, and you can make all kinds of stuff with just 3 simple design tools. We really want you to try it out, so we’re having a little contest to give away a pack of nine 3D printed material samples!

How to enter

1. Go to the App Gateway and find the Tinkercad app.
2. Design something with Tinkercad.
3. Tweet a pic of your design to @Ponoko and @Tinkercad with the hashtag #3Dprinting.

Prize

One pack of 3D printing material samples from Ponoko. Your pack will contain a sample of each of the following materials: Durable Plastic, Rainbow Plastic, Superfine Plastic – White, Stainless Steel, Gold Plated, Durable Gloss – Black, Durable Gloss – Ivory, Durable Fine Plastic, and Glazed Ceramic. That’s 9 material samples valued at $90 when bought individually!

Deadline & Restrictions

Get Started w. Your Tinkercad Design

Check out this three and half minute tutorial on using Tinkercad. Then hop over to the App Gateway, click on Tinkercad, design something rad, and tweet to win!

Posted in Contests + Competitions, Tools + Apps by Ponoko Team | No Comments

Since the beginning of history, people have been using tools to reshape their environment while in some sense being reshaped by their tools. Each new age has been defined by a new set of tools, a new type of hardware, from scraping sticks with rocks to cutting out forms with a laser. These are our best hardware articles from 2011.

#10 Stead i Cam: laser cut handheld camera crane

After watching a few minutes of shaky video most people are about ready to claw their eyes out (or turn off the video). Even best and newest super-HD camera with every imaginable feature will produce terrible video if it is not held steady. Unfortunately, commercial camera stabilizers are very expensive. Laser cutting to the rescue.

#9 HP scanner for 3D objects but not a 3D scanner

This HP multifunctional printer combo caused some confusion when it came out with its “scanner for 3D objects.” While it is not a 3D scanner, it is still a clever addition. The scanner takes pictures from multiple angles and automatically combines them into one well-lit high resolution photo. It would be particularly handy for people selling their wares online.

#8 DIY robot drawings amuse passers-by in studio window

Dubbed Der Kritzler (The Scribbler), this little robots draws programmed images onto the window to simultaneously decorate the maker’s studio and entertain people passing by. The structure is laser cut, and it is controlled by an Arduino board.

#7 The making of Arduino: Five guys walk into a bar…

Stories about how successful computer companies start quickly become legends. This is the legend of Arduino. It starts with five guys in a bar.

#6 Modifying a Makerbot for PCB milling

In theory, all CNC machines, from routers to laser cutters to 3D printers, use essentially the same method to control the motion of the tool. So it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine transforming one into another. This series of experiments with a Dremel mounted on a Makerbot for making PCBs might be one of the trickier goals.

#5 Teagueduino: the snap-and-go Arduino

Arduino made it easier than ever before to assemble custom hardware, but that hasn’t stopped people from trying to make it even easier. This plug-in Arduino work-alike deals with the hassle of trying to shove tiny wires into a breadboard.

#4 Upverter: online hardware design tool

Sharing open source software online is pretty easy, but hardware is a bit trickier. Upverter is trying to make it easy to work on collaborative open source hardware projects with a web-based schematic tool and a versioning systm integrated with Github.

#3 Arduino for beginners: SparkFun ProtoSnap

ProtoSnap from Sparkfun gives everyone access to the kind of custom hardware manufacturing that was only available to huge companies making thousands of units. You send them plans and they send you pre-configured modules ready to wire into your projects. Brilliantly simple.

#2 Let a robot decorate your eggs this Easter — the incredible Egg-Bot!

Dipping Easter eggs in dye is now officially outdated. The Egg-Bot decorates your eggs (or any roughly spherical object about the same size) using patterns and shapes you prepare in a program like Inkscape.

#1 Rich Decibels disrupts brainwaves using an Arduino

I’m not sure if experimenting on your own brain is bold or crazy, but it’s definitely cool. Rich Decibels Brainwave Disrupter uses lights and sounds set to specific frequencies to alter brainwaves and induce auditory and visual hallucinations.

Posted in Hardware, Taylor Gilbert by Taylor Gilbert | No Comments

The open source movement has come a long way since its beginning with computer software. Now we have open source electronic hardware, digital fabrication machines, and even farming equipment and houses. If it can be made, it can be open sourced. Here are our top ten articles about open source projects from 2011.

#10 Second Generation Open Source Laser Cutter

This is a new and improved version of a laser cutter project organized on Buildlog.Net. It’s compact enough for a desktop and nicely contained in a custom enclosure. All the plans are available for free and kits are also available.

#9 Arduino 1.0 programming environment and language released

Despite the fact that Arduino has been widely used for several years, the programming language/environment only recently left beta status. Version 1.0 was released in 2011, the first full official release. They grow up so fast . . .

#8 FabFi: community-built wireless network

This is one of those inspiring projects that is so simple, yet so effective, you have to wonder why no one thought of it earlier. It combines an off-the-shelf router and a CNC’ed reflector dish to provide wireless internet to small communities in Kenya and Afganistan.

#7 Comic-style introduction to Arduino

Arduino helps people who are not so technically inclined do amazing things with technology, but understanding how it all works still requires wading through some technical information. Artist Jody Culkin made this beginning stage easier in the form of a comic-style introduction to Arduino. As a bonus, the comic has a CC license.

#6 Global Village Construction Set

The goal of Global Village Construction Set is to provide open source plans for all the farming and building machinery needed for a thriving village. This is, obviously, no small task, but they are doing great so far. Perhaps most notably, their machines are, on average, 8x cheaper than commercially available counterparts, including the cost of labor to build them.

#5 Open source hardware from Microsoft

Hearing “open source” and “Microsoft” in the same sentence is enough to make anyone skeptical, yet Microsoft is now offering their own open source microcontroller to compete with Arduino. I’ll let you judge for yourself.

#4 littleBits — educational open-source modular electronics

Electronics has a pretty steep learning curve to make much of anything. There’s studying the different components, soldering, and just figuring out how to connect everything together in a way that actually does something. littlebits is trying to simplify the process with pre-assembled modules that snap together with magnets to get you to the fun part faster.

#3 FabScan open source 3D scanner

It seems like a new low-cost open source 3D printer appears on the market every other week these days, but 3D scanners are quite a bit more rare. Enter the FabScan, an open source scanner based on a webcam.

#2 WikiHouse – the open source house

I’m not sure if this is the most complex open source project I’ve seen, but it’s definitely the largest in terms of physical size. The project is trying to make available plans for livable houses that anyone can download, cut with a CNC mill, and assemble with hand tools.

#1 Doctor 3D prints a model of a bone for surgery preparation

With the cost of healthcare rising at a dizzying rate, this project shows a small glimmer of hope. An orthopedic surgical trainee used open source software and an online 3D printing service to make a better model for surgical preparation than the hospital could for more than $1000 less.

Posted in Open Source, Taylor Gilbert by Taylor Gilbert | No Comments

Tinkercad has just released the latest version of their browser based CAD and 3D modeling application, and this version allows users to send their designs to Ponoko’s 3D printing services directly through the app.

Tinkercad’s got a new look, a new logo, and an improved user interface designed to get things done fast and to be quick to learn. With only three basic tools you can create a wide range of useful things. And best of all, you can send your designs to be 3D printed — all within your browser.

“We’re seeing a whole new range of CAD products being developed that make designing in 3D easier than ever,” says Ponoko CEO David ten Have. “Integrating those products directly with fabrication services means it’s also easier than ever to turn those designs into final products.”

Ten Have is very excited to see the addition of Tinkercad to Ponoko’s directory of product creation apps — the Personal Factory App Gateway.

“Tinkercad is one of the best new 3D design apps,” ten Have says “and we’re proud to offer Ponoko’s 3D printing services directly through Tinkercad via the Personal Factory API.”

Making it easy to turn designs into final products is the driving goal behind Ponoko’s Personal Factory API and software. It connects users directly with manufacturing to make custom goods, on-demand.

Kai Backman, founder of Tinkercad and a former programmer at Google, is equally as enthusiastic about the partnership. “We are always looking for opportunities to increase the number of great services our users can access directly from Tinkercad,” Backman explains.

He goes on to talk about working with the Personal Factory API: “The API is easy to work with. It has a fresh and modern design which made the technical work of integrating the Tinkercad editor with Ponoko very straightforward.”

To celebrate the addition of Tinkercad to the Personal Factory App Gateway, Ponoko is sponsoring a contest to win a sample pack of their 3D printing materials. To enter, simply design something with Tinkercad and tweet a pic of your design to @Ponoko and @Tinkercad with the hashtag #3Dprinting. (Click here for more contest details.)

About Ponoko
Ponoko is reinventing the way goods are designed, made, and distributed. With the development of the Personal Factory software platform and a global network of fabricators, Ponoko has created the world’s easiest making system. Over 100,00 customer designed products have been made so far, everything from 3D printed jewelry to laser-cut clocks to CNC routed furniture.

About Personal Factory
Personal Factory is a cloud software platform for app developers to connect users directly to manufacturing devices to make custom goods on-demand. The Personal Factory API integrates product creation and customization apps with an established manufacturing and distribution system, so users can turn their designs into final products and have those products delivered to their door. Ponoko’s vision is a making device in every business, school, and home — powered by Personal Factory

Posted in App Gateway, Personal Factory, Ponoko News, Tools + Apps by Ponoko Team | 1 Comment

It integrates product creation and customization apps with an established manufacturing and distribution system, so users can turn their designs into final products and have those products delivered to their door.

This is part one in a series of tutorials written by technologist Mark Schafer on working with the Personal Factory API in Python.

The full API documentation is here. All supplied examples use cURL.

The code for this tutorial can be found here: https://github.com/Neon22/Ponoko-API-from-python

Basic steps

Firstly we need to work out how to communicate with the sandbox created for us to play in without mucking up the proper site. To do that we have to use an authentication method to prove we are a legitimate user of the API.

There are three ways to authenticate yourself with Ponoko. Two of them are for using it yourself and the third allows you to add designs and products to other people’s (your clients?) accounts. This third method uses OAuth as the authentication method. We won’t be dealing with that here. Instead we will just be using the simple personal method.

We will use the “Simple access keys (for your own Personal Factory only)” which shows up under that heading in your application page.

All of this assumes you have registered an application with Ponoko and can see it under your “my apps” menu item on your personal page. This is where you will find these keys.

The API documentation page shows us a simple url showing how we can send a message to Ponoko to discover the manufacturing nodes available for us to use to create products. Onto this simple URL we need to add the authentication args.

Our simple authentication string is in this form (using your own values shown in your app page) looks like this:

app_key=abcdefgh&user_access_key=stuvwxyz

The basic url looks like this:

https://sandbox.ponoko.com/services/api/v2/nodes

Resulting in this:

https://sandbox.ponoko.com/services/api/v2/nodes?app_key=abcdefgh&user_access_key=stuvwxyz

We expect to get back a json format string containing useful info (defined one the API page). So lets try this in Python.

Keys

Firstly – our secret app keys (on your My apps page)

app_key = ("app_key", " abcdefgh ")
user_access_key = ("user_access_key", " stuvwxyz ")

Sandbox vs Live

Secondly – we need to play in the safe sandbox until we get everything working. Then we’re going to want to switch to live. So we may as well make this easy now. The difference between the two is ‘www’ or ‘sandbox’ at the head of the URL.

# Use live system or Sandbox
#live_or_test = "www"
live_or_test = "sandbox"
baseURL = "http://"+ live_or_test +".ponoko.com/services/api/v2"

We will switch comments when we go live.

Python – urllib2 and pycurl

In python there are several good ways to construct, send, and receive this information. The one I’m going to use is the urllib2 module. Later we will use pycurl for posting more complex multi-part forms.

In python we have:

from urllib2 import Request, urlopen
from urllib import urlencode, quote
import json

nodesTAG = "/nodes" # added onto baseURL

# place following function code in here

## main
if __name__ == "__main__":#
    keydata = urlencode((app_key, user_access_key))
    success, nodes = get_manufacturing_nodes(baseURL, keydata)
    if success:
        print success, nodes

This approach has the function get_manufacturing_nodes returning two values. Success and the nodes found. Many things can go wrong in http communications so we need to address that.

Lets define that function:

def get_manufacturing_nodes(URL, keydata, verbose=True):
    """ Get the nodes from dedicated url.
        Uses basic request
    """
    URL_full = "%s%s?%s" % (URL, nodesTAG, keydata)
    if verbose:
        print "Getting Node catalog\n  %s" % (URL_full)
    req = Request(URL_full)
    success, result = basic_request(req)
    if not success:
        # fail!!
        if verbose: print "Error:", result
        return (False, result)
    else: # Success
        nodes = json.loads(result[0])['nodes']
        if verbose:
            print "Response:\n  %s" % (nodes)
            # for each node
            for i in range(len(nodes)):
                print "Node name", nodes[i][u'name']
                print "  Last updated:", nodes[i][u'materials_updated_at']
                print "  node_key", nodes[i][u'key']
        return (True, nodes)

In the above function:

1. We call it with the baseURL and the authentication key. We set verbose=True for debugging purposes. Later we’ll change this default to False.
2. We construct the URL arguments manually as they are simple.
3. Request has been imported from the urrllib2 module and formulates the request for us. When we call basic_request it will be actioned.
4. The result is a success flag an dthe returned string from the Ponoko server.
5. If the call failed we will see an error message in the result.
6. If we succeeded then we wil hav the list of manufacturing nodes in json form in the result variable.
7. So we extract them and report salient info on name and age for each manufacturing node if verbose.

Here is the function to perform basic http requests using urllib2. It detects the various exceptions likely to occur and returns correct codes. It also has its own verbose flag – which you can use to help see what it is doing or debug it.

def basic_request(request, verbose=False):
    """ request is in form of a urllib2.Request()
        Return (False, error) OR
        (True, response, url, info)
        """
    error = False
    result = []
    try:
        response = urlopen(request,timeout=100)
    except IOError, e:
        if hasattr(e,'reason'):
            error = ("FAILED to reach server", e.reason)
        elif hasattr(e, 'code'):
            error = ("FAIL - Server could not fulfill request", e.code)
    except Exception as inst:
        error = ("unspecified error occurred", inst.args)
    else: # all good
        result = (response.read(), response.geturl(), response.info())
        if verbose:
            print "Requested:\n  %s" % request
            print "Response:\n  %s" % result
        return (True, result)
    # Failed - return error codes
    if verbose:
        print "Error", error
    return (False, error)

It returns the error if it fails and a triplet of response, url, and info if successful. These may be useful for other purposes later. Primarily the response is all we need.

If we run this we should see a result like this:

Getting Node catalog
  http://sandbox.ponoko.com/services/api/v2/nodes?app_key=abcdefgh &user_access_key=stuvwxyz
Response:
  [{u'materials_updated_at': u'2011/06/27 20:23:16 +0000', u'name': u'Ponoko - United States', u'key': u'2e9d8ccdb04a'}]
Node name Ponoko - United States
  Last updated: 2011/06/27 20:23:16 +0000
  node_key 2e9d8ccdb04a

If we had an error we might see this:

Getting Node catalog
  http://sandbox.ponoko.com/services/api/v2/nodes?app_key= abcdefgh &user_access_key= stuvwxyz
Error: ('FAIL - Server could not fulfill request', 401)

Showing us the only node in the sandbox is the USA hub, and when its materials were last updated. Once again – referring to the API docs is important to understand what to expect and what these fields are for.

We will use the last updated date to help us determine if we have to download a new materials catalog. If we did we could use a routine like the following to retrieve the product catalog to update our local store. (Which we are probably caching in our database.)

So we could change main to be:

## main
if __name__ == "__main__":#
    keydata = urlencode((app_key, user_access_key))
    success, nodes = get_manufacturing_nodes(baseURL, keydata)
    if success:
        print success, nodes
        for i in range(len(nodes)):
            update_node_materials(nodes[i], baseURL, keydata)

Also lets add a dummy materials structure to check against. This would instead come from your database and you will have to make code changes to reflect the different structure.

Node_materials = {'Ponoko - United States': [u'2010/06/28 20:23:16',
                {'6bb50fb04a' :
                     {u'material_type': u'printed',
                      u'updated_at': u'2011/06/27 20:23:16 +0000',
                      u'key': u'6bb500cdb04a',
                      u'name': u'Durable plastic'}},
                 {'6b62cdbed4a' :
                     {u'material_type': u'printed',
                      u'updated_at': u'2011/06/27 20:23:16 +0000',
                      u'key': u'6bb9552cdb04a',
                      u'name': u'Rainbow Ceramic'}}
                ]
            }

You’ll also need to add this near the others at the top of the file:

material_catalogTAG = "/material_catalog/" # added onto nodesTAG
from datetime import datetime
from copy import deepcopy

So for each node we can check to see if it needs updating. So update_node_materials might look like this:

def update_node_materials(node, URL, keydata, verbose=True):
    """ for a manufacturing node:
        - retrieve the catalog in json format
        - convert it to python dictionary and list structures
    """
    location = node[u'name']
    date =     node[u'materials_updated_at']
    key =      node[u'key']
    date = date[:-6] # strip off seconds
    recorded_materials = Node_materials[location]
    ourdate = datetime.strptime(recorded_materials[0], "%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S")
    newdate = datetime.strptime(date, "%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S")
    if verbose: print "Checking: %s vs. %s" % (ourdate, newdate)
    if ourdate <= newdate:
        # need to update some or all materials
        catalog = recorded_materials[1]
        catalogURL = "%s%s%s" % (URL, nodesTAG, material_catalogTAG)
        request = "%s%s?%s" %(catalogURL, key, keydata)
        if verbose: print "Requesting Catalog updates for %s\n  %s" % (location, request)
        req = Request(request)
        result = basic_request(req)
        if not result[0]:
            # fail
            print result[1]
        else: # Success
            materials = json.loads(result[1][0])
            show_materials(materials, location)
            # update the local store
            #!!!
    else: # no need to update
        print "No change to materials for %s" % (location)

I’ve added a function called show_materials here to show what’s in the catalog and to save it. But you will need to update your own materials datastructure.

def show_materials(materials, location):
    """ show what's in the materials catalog """
    key_superset = []
    key_commonset = []
    #
    key = materials['key']
    count = materials['count']
    catalog = materials['materials']
    if count != len(catalog):
        # something not right
        print "Expecting count to be same as length of catalog"
        print "Failing..."
    else: # good
        print "Location: %s" % (location)
        print "  %s materials found" % (count)
        for c in catalog:
            keys = c.keys()
            keys.sort()
            # collect superset of all keys
            for k in keys:
                if k not in key_superset:
                    key_superset.append(k)
            #
            print " ", c['name']
            if c['name'] == 'Cork':
                print c['key'], c['weight'], c['thickness']
##            if u'weight' in keys:
##                print c['name']
##                print " ", c
##                #print " ",c['type']
##                #print " ",c['kind']
##                #print " ",c['updated_at']
##                #print " ", keys
##            if u'type' not in keys:
##                print c['name']
##                print " ", c
        # Find common set of keys
        key_commonset = deepcopy(key_superset)
        for c in catalog:
            keys = c.keys()
            for k in key_commonset:
                if k not in keys:
                    key_commonset.remove(k)
        #
        print "Superset of all keys found is:", key_superset
        print "Common set of keys is:", key_commonset

There’s a lot of data in the catalog – so I have chosen to only print out the names and some info about the cork materials. I also gathered the keys that were used. This might help me when designing a database to know which fields are mandatory. Other possible fields are commented out above. Consult the API docs for all of them.

We would want to use the updated_at field to help us only modify fields in our material structure that were out of date.

For questions about this tutorial or any questions about using the Personal Factory API, please visit the Ponoko Developer Forum.

Part 2 in this tutorial series: Uploading a product.

Posted in API Tutorial, Personal Factory, Programming by Mark Schafer | No Comments

While we are still disappointingly far away from the vision of the future presented by The Jetsons, every once in awhile we get just a little bit closer. Swiss architects Gramazio & Kohler and Raffaello D’Andrea built this six meter tall (19.7 feet) tower of polystyrene foam bricks using an automated system of quadracopter robots for their project Flight Assembled Architecture.

This video shows some of the building process.

Via Dezeen

Posted in Architecture, Taylor Gilbert by Taylor Gilbert | No Comments

We may be preaching to the converted, but for those who still aren’t convinced (or maybe even aren’t aware) of just how exciting 3D printing is, this recent TED talk gives a neat overview.

The speaker is Lisa Harouni, CEO of Digital Forming. Having specialised for a number of years pioneering software development for 3D printing applications, she is well placed to convince even the most sceptical of viewers that we are indeed on the cusp of a manufacturing revolution.

via TED

Posted in 3D Printing, Downloadable, Guy Blashki, Interviews, Thoughts + Opinions, Inventions, Open Source by Guy Blashki | No Comments

Hey, Sam here,back collecting the post from The Laser Cutter.

Above is a laser cut paper work from Nervous System.

After the jump, a pig, a dachshund, barnacles, a way to display business cards.

Above is a piggy bank from  DoES Liverpool.

Above is Laser cut Rimu wood brooch from Shara Lambeth.

Above is a barnacle wall test from Nervous System.

Above is a laser cut living hinge business card holder from Guy Dickinson.

Posted in Ponoko News by Sam | 2 Comments

The Send to Print / Print to Send exhibition has been running at the Aram Gallery on Drury Lane in London since January 13. It is exhibiting a range of avant garde 3D print designs. The exhibition includes works from the fields of architecture, industrial design, fashion, and product design.

Serie, Façade Model

The Aram Gallery uses this exhibition as a way to examine how designers’ processes are developing to accommodate new technological advances. We offer our visitors an idea of what 3D Printing is, and how it is being contemporaneously used. This exhibition is not intended as an exhaustive overview, but a cross-disciplinary pick and mix of examples.

Martyn Kayser, Vessel

Many of the items on display have been featured here on the blog, including Markus Kayser’s 3D printed vessel of sand produced using his Solar Sintering machine. If you’re in London town don’t miss out on seeing the amazing designs in person. The exhibition closes February 25th!

Posted in 3D Printing, Art, David McGahan, Functional Art + Objects, Furniture + Lighting, Jewellery by David McGahan | No Comments

Digital music production tools are so powerful these days that it seems you can compose and perform just about any kind of music entirely on a laptop. One of the weak points of digital production though is the physical interface: it’s hard to be expressive when you’re pushing your finger around a trackpad. You can have a lot more control if you have a few physical knobs and sliders and buttons. Enter the generic MIDI controller.

MIDI controllers are a popular DIY project as they are relatively basic: a suite of buttons and knobs wired to some kind of controller and mounted in a case. Instructables user Fuzzy Wobble has put together a fantastic tutorial on how to build your own MIDI controller. His approach is clean and affordable, using Ponoko’s laser-cutting service for the panels, and an Arduino-clone for the controller. Best of all, the tutorial is not just about how to build one unit, rather he aims to show you how to design your own custom controller.

He’s obviously a big fan of his Personal Factory, and his designs are gorgeous.

Posted in Electronics + Robotics, Hardware, Laser Cutting, Open Source, Programming, Rich Decibels, Software by Rich Decibels | No Comments

Here’s five of my favourite interviews from 2011: we’re talking printed organs, education, DIY, hobby printing, and the future of connectivity. Kick back and tune in!

3D printing organs

PopTech talks to Dr. Gabor Forgac, founder of Organovo, a company that sells “the world’s only commercial bioprinter proven to create tissue.”

What happens when you turn a middle school library into a hackerspace?

This guest article from Thomas Maillioux is a great story about what happens when you mix teaching with tinkering.

DIY in action at MIT

Ponoko co-founder Derek Elley talks DIY at an MIT symposium.

Rick Pollack from MakerGear

Rick Pollack, a pioneer in the hobby 3D printing market, talks to Derek Quenneville about running a maker business.

What happens when everyone and everything becomes connected?

This short film explores how connectivity is set to change our lives in ways never before imagined.

Posted in 3D Printing, Hardware, Interviews, Thoughts + Opinions, Maker Movement, Rich Decibels by Rich Decibels | No Comments

Hot on the heels of this year’s Best of the Blog in Art post comes this mesmerising clip from filmmaker Ralph Steiner’s Mechanical Principles, a 1930’s masterpiece in which the inner workings of all kinds of devices are revealed.

Taking a moment to appreciate the sculptural qualities of decidedly practical devices unveils the poetry inherent in their movements. It’s quite hypnotic, and well worth sitting back to contemplate (and indeed enjoy) over your morning coffee.

via Make

Posted in Art, Electronics + Robotics, Guy Blashki, Inventions by Guy Blashki | 1 Comment

Take a moment to step back and see the world a little differently with this selection of ten memorable works of art that appeared on the Ponoko blog during 2011.

From unique perspectives on everyday objects to different ways of capturing and expressing movement, join us to explore how artists continue to use digital manufacturing technologies in new and exciting ways.

1. Sculptures made with motion capture, 3D printing and bronze casting

The mesmerising motion of professional dancers and martial artists is captured in this intriguing project by Mathew Schwartz. Data from the sinuous movements is 3D printed before being cast in bronze, giving a unique perspective on human movement that would surely have Muybridge’s nod of approval.

2. Bicycle wheel animation

The wheels of the humble pushie become an animation paradise with these playful hand cut paper patterns from Katy Beveridge. Even fancier laser cut versions are now available on her Etsy store.

3. Movement through geometry

Taking a whole different approach to the concept of Movement, the striking laser cut and hand inked works from Otto Gunther have long been a Ponoko favourite. In this article, Otto talks through his methodology, and passes on a few tips for those eager to have a go themselves.

4. Time print machine

For the CNC drawing enthusiast who isn’t in a hurry to produce their next masterpiece, Paul Ferragut’s Time Print Machine offers a rather unique solution. His device incorporates a special program which takes the grey value of a pixel and converts it using a time-based algorithm.

5. MÖBIUS collaborative stop-motion sculpture

MÖBIUS is a sculpture that can be configured into many cyclical patterns and behave as though it is eating itself, whilst sinking into the ground. The resulting video is an optical illusion and a time-lapse of people interacting with the sculpture. A mesmerising installation at Melbourne’s Federation Square.

6. Surreal 3d architecture mods

An expert in 3d architectural visualization, Victor Enrich sees the built environment as a conceptual playground where his imagination can roam free.

These striking compositions show local (mostly in Tel Aviv, Israel) landmarks bursting from within the confines of their rectilinear and physical law-abiding realities.

7. Laser cut zoetropes from animated GIFs

We all know and love animated GIF images, and the successful Kickstarter campaign Physical GIF celebrates these silent flickering favourites by releasing animations from their digital confines.
How do they do this? The individual frames of the GIF animations are edited to include little tabs and then laser cut, to be reunited on a turntable device. When the turntable spins and is illuminated with a strobe light, persistence of vision creates a fluid animation for your viewing pleasure.

8. 3D printed miniature Strandbeest

Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests have been steadily evolving ever since his first creature walked across a sandy beach back in 1990. Eventually, they will be set free to roam and live independent lives. Until this eventuates, you can enjoy building your own miniature wind powered mechanical creature with thanks to this nifty 3D printed kit.

9. MakerBot welcomes Artist-in-Residence

With unlimited plastic and 2 months access to the BotFarm, Marius Watz took on the challenge to become MakerBot’s very first Artist-in-Residence.

His work culminated with an exhibition in Oslo, and the models generated have been made available for download on Thingiverse.

10. A look at all the bits and pieces

Turning disassembly into an art form, photographer Todd McLellan meticulously arranges the components of everyday objects in this series of stunning photographs.

Each carefully composed piece is complemented by a chaotic exploded version, and somehow together these two dramatically different images convey both the complexity and ingenuity that is so much a part of product design.

Posted in 3D Printing, Art, CNC Routing, Guy Blashki, Laser Cutting, Maker Movement, Technology by Guy Blashki | No Comments

1. The world’s largest wooden structure

The enormous Metropol Parasol pavilion was erected in Seville, Spain last year. Spanning 230ft wide and 490ft long, the pavilion is said to be the largest wooden structure in the world.

2. Incredible CNC milled columns

These mind-blowing, intricate columns by Michael Hansmeyer were part of an installation at the Gwangju Design Biennial in South Korea last year.

3. WikiHouse — the open source home

WikiHouse aims to make home construction open-source. With WikiHouse, anyone could download the plans and build a house themselves.

4. Surreal 3D architectural mods

So this one isn’t digital fabrication, but it does involve the digital manipulation of photographs of buildings with 3D models. Artist/designer Victor Enrich re-imagines architecture in beautiful, impossible ways.

5. Labyrs Frisae from Graffiti Gone Global

Labyrs Frisae was the centerpiece of Art Basel Miami Beach satellite show Graffiti Gone Global. Constructed of 256 CNC cut metal sheets, the structure is representative of the general trend of “design by computation”.

6. Historic preservation in miniature

Architectural model making can be an act of historic preservation, as in the case of these commemorative scale models of the Futuna Chapel of Wellington, New Zealand.

7. Wonderful onion dome structures

The Zome is a clever dome like structure that can be assembled without the use of tools. Using Ruby scripts and Google SketchUp, a Zome design can be generated and pieces can be CNC cut.

8. Zero-waste construction of a pavilion

The Expandable Surface Pavilion is made of wooden sheets with slots that allow the structure to contract or expand to fit various spaces.

9. Pop-up architecture from a single sheet of paper

These fantastic pop-up designs demonstrate how space can be created from a 2D material.

10. Creating a show-stopping trade show booth

Some of the most creative structures are temporary ones. Check out the making of the Puffer, a trade show booth for the Siggraph Asia.

Posted in Architecture, CNC Routing, Kristen Turner by Kristen Turner | 1 Comment

A new solid modeling tool called OpenJsCad was released a few days ago. Thingiverse user joostn created it to get around some frustrations that he was having with OpenSCAD, including a feature that many others have clamoured for: variables!

The tool can run in any WebGL-capable browser, and has a separate, offline parser for heavy lifting. It’s too early to guess at what kind of adoption there might be, but the embedding feature could make sharing parametric models even easier.

For example, if someone who has no knowledge of OpenSCAD came across a parametric lens cap holder on Thingiverse, they would need to download and install software, download the script, figure out how to edit it, then export an STL file.

But if OpenJsCad were to take off, a creator might mark certain variables in their script as user-editable, then embed the whole thing on a Thingiverse page where changes could be seen in real-time and exported for printing in one click.

For fun, I took my old 4X LEGO tophat OpenSCAD script and turned it into an OpenJsCad version:

Pretty easy! I may have another modeling tool to share next week, but for now you should check out OpenJsCad here: http://joostn.github.com/OpenJsCad/

(via the MakerBot blog)

Posted in 3D Printing, Derek Quenneville by Derek Quenneville | 1 Comment

We’ve added four new materials to the NZ making hub!

First up is a new 3mm thickness of Hoop Pine Plywood. It’s an interior grade level plywood and produces very crisp laser engraving results. Good for furnishing and accessory designs like boxes, small furniture, shelves, displays etc. A P1 size is just $4.30. Get a sample for $3NZ.

Next we have 1.5mm thick Upholstery Leather in Driftwood. It’s vegetable tanned and finished with oils and waxes. The underside has a soft suede finish, great for use with bags, wallets, shoes, or decorative pillows. Prices start at a little under $14 for a P1 size piece. Get a sample for $3NZ.

Our third material is a 1.6mm thick Plywood made from Technoply Beech. The thinness does make it susceptible to warping but worked with properly its still great for model making, partitions, and jewelry. And a P1 sheet is priced affordably at just a bit over $5. Get a sample for $3NZ.

For the finale we’ve got a rayon/wool blend Purple Felt in a 1.5mm thickness. Felt can be used for coasters, table mats, package lining, and fashion accessories. And a P1 sheet is just $3.63! Get a sample for $3NZ.

Posted in Materials, Materials Catalog by Ponoko Team | No Comments