Physical Retail is the New Frontier for 3D Printing

As I mentioned in the Blu-Bin article on Tuesday, retail outlets seem to be the next logical step for 3D printing organizations — and this is happening on two fronts: 3D printing systems and accessories and 3D printshops offering consumer…

LUXeXceL Pioneering Manufacturing Technology for Advanced Optics in LED Lighting

Netherlands based LUXeXceL Group B.V received a well-deserved accolade recently when the company won the 2012 Enabling Technology Award for its Printoptical Technology from Frost & Sullivan. Based on its recent research on the advanced optics market for LED lighting,…

Survival of the Fittest 3D Design – The Generative Design Process and Co-Creation

An interesting issue concerning 3D printing and its organic relationship with design has been about the sheer increase in numbers of people engaging with design in its many forms. Indeed, in the future this issue will become more evident as…

The Customisation Value of 3D Printing

The ability to acquire unique, one-off desirable items has traditionally incurred tremendous expense, but that no longer needs to be the case thanks to 3D printing and some very creative design work. We have become aware of a new 3D…

MakieLab Continues to go from Strength to Strength

London, UK based MakieLab has come a long way since it was formed in March 2011 by Alice Taylor and a small team of four. The core business relates to making game-connectable 3D printed toys that can be produced on-demand…

Leapfrog – A Step Closer to Easy-to-Use 3D printing

Netherlands based start-up company Leapfrog is a fast moving new entrant into the 3D printer manufacturing space. They position themselves as an entry level plug and play provider with heavy emphasis on attractive consumer products with great looks and ease…

Inside the Makerbot Store

Last week we reported on the New Era of 3D Printing Retail, and this week we are delighted to share some images of inside the store, courtesy of Bertier Luyt, Le FabShop, France, who was over in NYC for Maker…

The 3D Printed Gun Story Continues to Get Coverage

I should probably declare at the outset that my opinions on the Wiki Weapons Project are quite strong and that this post is unlikely to be objective. I resent the fear-mongering, negativity and controversy around 3D printing that this project…

A 3D Printing Retail Service — Introducing Blu-Bin

3D printing retail outlets are, it seems, popping up by the week. It suddenly seems to have occurred to some in the industry that physical locations are the logical next step for engaging the consumer with 3D printing technology. News…

3D Designer Chris Yonge @ TEDx: How 4 Elements Will Transform Our Relationship To Things

Chris Yonge, a partner in MakersFactory, presented his vision of the future at TEDxSantaCruz and talked about what open products look like and how we can change our relationship with the things around us and therefore our relationship with ourselves. He mentioned…