The UW Foundation and COE Development have been gracious and provided a way for you to help support our students and lab.

Karsten & Louise Solheim Additive Manufacturing Fund
The Solheim Rapid Additive Manufacturing Lab supports continuing efforts to explore materials and concepts associated with 3D printing. The lab operates across departments, including: engineering, art, DXArts, architecture, industrial design and recently radiology/medicine. Products from the lab have been displayed in the Kline Art Museum  and DHUB Barcelona, in addition to rapid prototyping for various projects. These efforts were kick off with the “Printed Pot” article written by Profs Mark Ganter and Duane Storti and published in Ceramics Monthly.

Make a Donation to Mark Ganter

Make a Donation to Duane Storti

Thanks for helping us spread the information…

24 Comments on Help Support Us

  1. Zack Kielich says:

    Hi there!
    Your site here has inspired me with so much cool stuff, that I want to look into trying this out. I’m fairly certain that I wouldn’t be able to afford one, but what type of printer have you tested out the glass printing on? I want to search around Los Angeles and see if there are any opportunities to try this out! Thanks!

    • ganter says:

      Zack, There are basically two vendors for 3DP hardware: ZCorp and Exone/Prometal. You should be able to
      use equipment from either group. If you look oninternet auction sites, there is quite often used equipment
      available. We have been using Z400 class machines, Z300 and Z310 class machines (all monochrome) with
      good luck. Also, the Exone/Prometal RD1 hardware is VERY flexible and we used it for a research project
      involving dental ceramics.

      Please keep us posted on your progress.

  2. Tim says:

    has anyone looked into printing directly into graphite powder? and if so would it be strong enough to use in an EDM (electronic discharge machine)?

    • admin says:

      Tim, yes graphite has come up in group meetings several times. One would need to find graphite in 20-40 micron particle size (likely available). Next, one must be willing to make a complete mess out of your machine (as powder graphite can produce messes that are legendary). Also, you will need to find an adhesive that you can use with graphite and doesn’t degrade in the EDM tank. Overall, we think that it will likely work BUT the mess will be amazing. If you try it, please take pictures and send them. We would be happy to post them.

  3. Dimitrios says:

    Wow

    I feel like I hit the mother load with this site. I recently acquired a Z 402 and am working on getting it up and running.I am also working on starting a 400 series user group and was wondering if you guys would be interested. I also read your post on the OTB (Out of the Bag) Hydroperm idea for powder. Are using this powder in a 402 type machine. Also I was wondering if you are using the Rice wine as a Binder and if you can recommend a particular brand.

    Please accept my humble donation.

    Thanks

    Dimitrios Papagiannis

    • admin says:

      Dimitrios, yes VOHP works in the 400/402 just fine. There are several binders that work look at XF1 or XB1. We are currently having the best luck with XB1 – isopropyl alcohol and water mix (use the search function on this site to locate the binders or look on the recipes tab).

  4. john webster says:

    The bone powder is interesting, I wonder if crab shells could be used?.

  5. Savvas says:

    Hello,

    i wanted to inform you about a new powder recipe i found in the internet. Its very fine powder of wood and the resulting objects are supposed to have similiar strength as MDF and similiar detail as laser sintering. Below is the website with the related information:

    http://fabbaloo.com/blog/2011/.....-wood.html

    Maybe you could experiment with this recipe and reproduce the claimed results

    Thanks

  6. Mrbroms says:

    Hey guys-
    I just bought a used 310 . And I found your site a few days later. I love the timing. I have been over all of the recipes and I thank you again and again! I love the site but would love to see a forum started to see how topics progress. For example, how vohp and hydrocal/ perm and xf1, xb1, rice cooking wine is working for particular machines. This way people could submit there own images and interact more than just commenting to different articles. If not on this site, perhaps start a forum only site to work in cooperation with this site. Food for thought. I know I would love to submit some images and ideas but don’t have the computer website savy to start my own. You have a great site and I hope to participate more in the coming future.
    Thanks,
    Broms

  7. Johnrpm says:

    Just downloaded the inkjet stuff, thank you, thank you, thank you,
    this will advance 3DP, and help us tinkerers get into using printheads.

  8. Anja says:

    Hi
    Your site is submitted and listed in the 3D Printing Directory. Hope it helps expanding your media coverage. Below is the site that you are listed in:
    http://www.3ders.org/directory/

    Regards,

  9. Kevin H says:

    Congratulations to Prof. Ganter and all the printistas in the Solheim lab! I just saw an article in this morning’s Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....ing27.html

  10. Tomek Pluciennik says:

    Hi,

    I follow your website almost since the beginning of the Open3DP, and your works are a huge inspiration for me – your powder and binder recipes was my start point. It took me a while, but now we are printing only using our powders, binders and washing fluid. All this greatly reduces the costs of the 3D printing and allow us to offer quite unique products. We started as a typical service bureau but now everything has changed. It happened that way because I believe, powder printing is not ideal for most prototyping aplications, where the accuracy of finished parts, or certain material properties are required. But I found it great for custom 3D printed miniatures, especially colour architecture models, representing complex buildings, with great number of details, such as stadiums, hotels, offices and other. I didn’t find an offer similar to ours and I would like to show you our creations as I believe you had a great input in our works.

    I’m writing this also, because It seems to me that good old powder printing 3DP is over the hype and now the focus of 3D printing society in pointed toward other 3D printing technologies. And I think that it’s a time when 3DP should be (apart of prototyping business) considered as a standard manufacturing technology, of course with it’s own pros and cons and specific aplications, such as ours. I belive that at this point we are able to compete with off-shore factories, which offer die cast models, especially when it comes to small, complex, colour models and flexibility of the scale and quantity. Single powder printer and the staff of 2 can produce up to 50 000 pcs of mini stadiums or other buildings per month with the details and colour aplication precision unmatched by hand painting. So I see this as a great opportunity for licensed products manufacturing and mass distributed advertising gadgets. And all of this is possible in a part thanks to you. So thank you and keep up the good work.

  11. Michael F. says:

    Dear Geniuses, (how else should I address you?) ,
    I am putting together a road trip for 4 days and was wondering if any of you had an experiment that you would be willing to take on the road to Zcon 2013, If your project could be manufactured in route and documented along the way by press/video/you, This is an open source project but we will respect your IP. So if you like the idea of spending 4 days pushing the boundaries of science while crammed into an RV with other mad scientists. No Tesla coils please!

    This project will attract some big name vendors or it won’t get the green light so if you want to meet and network with pioneers, visionaries and investors then maybe become one (or a bigger one), the sooner you get your name out there the better.

    Email me ASAP there are only 8 slots left. With your email please include what you want to accomplish/learn by doing this experiment in person.

    Let us choose the time my friends, and let it be now.

    Cheers
    Michael Freer
    Founder
    3DAppVentures

  12. Kyle Jiang says:

    Hi
    I’ve heard a lot about your low cost ceramic printing, but cannot find your recipe. Please help.

  13. Timur Leno says:

    I am contacting you to inform you all about the newest breakthrough in the field of Large Scale 3D Printing/Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing program embarked on by Thermwood Corp., a major American manufacturer of CNC machines based in Dale, Indiana.

    Collaboration among pioneers in the Department of Energy, Oak Ridge National Laboratories, R. Byron Pipes of Purdue University, the University of Knoxville’s Office of Research and Engagement, and Techmer ES, to name a few, have triggered innovation in this cutting edge large scale 3D printing technology in a noble attempt to increase the use of composite materials in Industrial, Aerospace(molds, models, tooling and fixture) , Defense and Military, etc., manufacturing while lowering the costs significantly.

    LSAM is the only 6 Axis, FDM (Fuse Deposition Modeling) 3D printer system performing both the “additive” and the “subtractive” functions on the same machine, allowing initially composite material of ABS and/or PP with up to 40% carbon graphite, autoclave safe, with printing speeds of up to 500 lbs/hr, and withstanding temperatures up to 650 F. The LSAM working envelope begins at 10’x10’x5′ High and expands by 10′ increments to 100′ in length and more with Z Axis clearance of 6′.

    LSAM utilizes the “Near Net Shape” approach, creating a shape nearly but not exactly the final net shape using “Melt Shape Technology.” A subtractive function then machines the part to the exact final net shape. The LSAM is full 5 axis system,five axes to position the head in any orientation and the sixth axis to align the shaping wheels to the machine motion direction. Thermwood QCore CNC control software has added a feature called “Tangential Following” which eliminates the need for a specialized CAD/CAM system allowing the use of virtually any 5 Axis CAD/CAM system to program machine motion.

    LSAM ushers in a new era and eliminates and eases the heavy burden on Earth’s resources by using and creating alternative composite materials and spawning micro manufacturing local factories across the world. This will replace and further disrupt conventional environmentally burdensome manufacturing methods, as well as methods of shipping and reshipping that rely heavily upon fossil fuel.

    Please kindly review the following links to see how Local Motors’ use of LSAM provides a more environmentally responsible alternative to the conventional way of making cars, creating hope and excitement for many scientists and concerned citizens around the world.

    World’s First 3D Printed Car at IMTS 2014

    http://blog.thermwood.com/topic/local-motors

    LSAM (Large Scale Additive Manufacturing System) by Thermwood

    http://www.thermwood.com/lsam_development_main.htm

    For more information, for an in-person meeting, and to get involved in LSAM innovation with your R&D project, or to refer to an industry partner, please feel free to contact me at 1-206-963-1675 or email me at timleno@themwood.com.
    I would be glad to set up a live demonstration via internet to witness LSAM additive and subtractive while interacting with programmers and operators. Further, we would welcome you to visit our campus and our people and/or set up a test print a 3D sample for your own review.

    I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
    Awaiting your kind comments soonest reply.

    Tim A. Leno, BSME MBA
    Authorized Thermwood Representative
    Aera International LLC
    20412 16th PL, NW
    Seattle, WA 98177
    timleno@thermwood.com
    206-963-1675

    http://www.thermwood.com
    http://www.ecabinetsystems.com
    http://www.youtube.com/ThermwoodCNC

  14. paul precour says:

    Thank you! I found your site when researching Additive Manufacturing feasibility in our Industry and found it to be an incredible resource. Taking a cue from the America Makes Foundation, we are currently experimenting with Fe0 particulate as a mix with existing metal powders as well as trialing Nylon/Carbon Fiber builds to direct parts replacements. We will be receiving our first 3D printer (a MarkForged/1) from 3DSystems and plan to purchase an open source DMLS printer by the end of this Qtr. to be used in conjunction with our machine shop. We would like to keep in touch with the community (and more than willing to give a tour!) and share our results , good and bad. Looking forward to hearing your opinions on this.

    Paul Precour
    Nucor Steel Seattle
    Main Office (206) 933-6565
    Cell (206) 359-2401

  15. Adam says:

    Hello

    i’m using a 3d gypsum powder based printer, it uses a type of Plaster of paris that is super pure, white and smooth , will it be a problem if i just got a normal plaster of paris and i used it instead , since the price is really expensive for the powder from the company

    Thank you

    • ganter says:

      Just plain plaster of paris my not work all that well. It needs more water than can be jetted
      by the inkjet system. HOWEVER, there are plaster compounds that require very little water
      to set (like hydroperm, hydrocast, etc). Something like only 20% water.

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