In a corner room of the Business Instructional Facility at the University of Illinois – a group of about 20 students meet weekly to learn how to change the world with 3D printing. Just two weeks into the course, we’ve already had our ideologies about 3D printing  flipped upside down by a guest lecturer, learned the basic mechanics of the process, and explored free designs we want to innovate during the semester. We are off to a fast start – welcome to BADM395: Making Things (Spring 2018)!

Guest Lecturer

At the start of week 2, the class was privileged to hear from John Hornick, a Finnegan lawyer who isa  litigator and counselor with broad experience across the intellectual property practice. More than that, he authored the book, “3D Printing Will Rock the World.”   John closely follows the 3D industry and advises his clients about the intellectual property issues surrounding this rapidly developing technology and how they may affect their businesses. Though we were only able to video-conference him, we all learned a great deal from this expert.

John taught us how 3D printing is flipping traditional manufacturing’s business model on its head. This model depends on mass production, economies of scale, and low labor costs, which are major barriers for competitors. 3D printing, however, eliminates these barriers because just one machine can produce an entire product and needs only a fraction of the labor. Furthermore, it brings the marginal cost down to nearly zero – John taught us that whether you print 1 jet engine, or 100,000 bolts for jet engines – the fixed cost of production would stay the same. He showed us how modern-day innovators were printing actual engines, full-sized cars and motorcycles, and even human organs. It was truly insightful to John’s wisdom. He taught us that given the highly unregulated and complex nature of securing intellectual property rights for virtual design, it’s nearly impossible to control who prints what.

Learning & Skills Objectives

During this week, our learning objectives included learning from what others have made/shared, as well as forming team names and brainstorming logo ideas.

The class spent time on a variety of online design databases: including Thingiverse, TinkerCAD, and Pinshape, just to name a few. We found that each site had a particular theme to it. For example, TinkerCAD had a lot of complex mechanics/tooling designs. On the other hand, Thingiverse was much more light-hearted, with models much more accessible to kids of all ages. As a class, we pored through these sites, finding interesting designs and sharing what we liked, what we disliked, and how we would further innovate with each other.

Finally, Professor Sachdev sorted us into our semester project teams. Many of us had to take a few days to come up with our team names. We have a lot of creativity in the class – just to name a few: Synergy, Money Makers, Fast Foward, Animakers, etc. Beyond simply naming our team, we were all tasked with creating a logo to 3D print in the following week. This was easy enough on paper, but we will see what happens when we upload onto an actual printer!

(PC: Aubrey Haskett)

Readings Reviewed

We had three readings that we reviewed this week. The first was entitled “How to Make Almost Anything” by Neil Gershenfeld. Neil discusses the newest digital revolution that is coming upon us, in fabrication. He writes about how communities should not fear or ignore digital fabrication – they can be used to educate, innovate, and breathe life into communities. Next, we read “The Maker Mindset” by Dale Dougherty. Dale discusses a crucial mentality that our class needs to develop – the Maker Mentality.

This is a kind of mindset that teaches people – especially students – to few problems not as static, but dynamic. This mindset creates a platform for students to ‘create’ new solutions to problems using innovative thinking strategies – all made possible through the 3D-printing revolution! Finally, we watched a video called “The Birth of Desktop Printing” with Matt Griffin which highlights the slow process that brought desktop printers (ex: Ultimaker) to the forefront of the consumer markets.

Overall, the three resources for Week 2 helped lay a solid foundation us to understand what 3D printing is, where it came from, and where it can go.

Student Reflections

As a class, we found Week 2 of BADM395: Making Things to be incredibly insightful. One student’s sentiments captures our thoughts well, “I don’t understand how these milestones have been happening under my nose. Owning the means of production used to be a privilege reserved for the rich, but now everyone can print from their home with this technology. The consumer’s changing relationship with traditional manufacturing is fueling the maker movement. (Rindler). Traditional consumers are evolving into prosumers all around us – we are now a part of this revolution.

As we progress into this class, the class is collectively excited to gain more hands-on experience as we expand our ‘maker mentalities’. In class to date, we’ve gained a lot of contextual and expert information on the industry and trends. Starting next week, we will have a crash-course in online modeling, the Cura software, and have a chance to actually print the team logos we planned this week.  We will have the opportunity to use our minds (and our machines) to bring something forward from nothing. Who knows, we may all end up with only melted piles of plastic after our first print – either way, we are extremely excited to see what the future holds this semester!

“The digital is now becoming physical.”

The Clash of the Digital and Physical World

Throughout the world, the emphasis has constantly been on the progressive digital movement: digital currency, data,  communication, media – the list is endless. Everything that was once physical is in the process of becoming digital if it hasn’t already. Hence, a phrase deeply caught my attention during my 3D Printing – Digital Making Seminar lecture. “The digital is now becoming physical.”

If the digital can become physical, then what does this mean for our world today?

How Far Have We Come?

Before I started to explore the world of 3D printing, I was constrained to believe that 3D printing was a concept that was too restricted by its weakness in tangibility. The examples of 3D printed items I had seen in the past were merely too elementary. Yet, upon learning about what has already been accomplished in the 3D printing industry, my view has completely been revolutionized.

I began reading how fully functioning cars, wheelchairs, weapons, everyday items, and even fully functioning hearts had been printed with 3D printers. This further birthed a curiosity in me to find out what the limitations would be for 3D printing technology.

How neat would it be to print out your own car in the future?

Existing Designs

Here are four cool designs of everyday items I’ve found online that is easily accessible:

(1) Measuring Cups 

Need a way to measure specific units, but don’t have the necessary tools? This design allows you to print out different sizes for measuring cubes. One thing that I would change to this design would be the availability to make custom cubes with exact measurements.

(2) Phone Holder

One of my personal favorites, this design allows you to set up a stand for your phone in a tri-pod like fashion. This is great for filming videos and taking still photography. A cool addition to this design would be the availability of making it more portable.

(3) Webcam Cover

Have you ever seen someone cover their laptop webcam with a post-it note? Even Mark Zuckerberg covers up his webcam on his laptop. With this neat tool, you are able to easily cover up your laptop’s webcam to prevent anyone from invading your privacy.

(4) Earbud Holder

Do you ever get your headphones in a bunch? This neat trick allows you to carry around your headphones in a neat and orderly fashion to prevent wires from tearing.

When I first heard of 3D printing, it was featured in one of those eyebrow-raising headlines that you’ll never hear of again. Fast forward to this semester, surrounded by the digital making community the past two weeks, and the current state of 3D printing technology seems futuristic. Furniture, organs, guns, and even houses all digitally printed layer by layer. Printing complex products without the need for individual parts is a monumental shift in the manufacturing process. This is why 3D printing is being called the third industrial revolution by some people. I don’t understand how these milestones have been happening under my nose. Owning the means of production used to be a privilege reserved for the rich, but now everyone can print from their home with this technology. The consumer’s changing relationship with traditional manufacturing is fueling the maker movement.

In the Maker Mindset reading, Dale Dougherty states that “makers are inspired by others.” Designing concept ideas and sharing them with others has slowly helped the movement gain steam. People are able to redesign concepts and tweak them to their liking. For example, you could print a customized sofa for your living room that filled the perfect amount of space. This digital making movement is as much about manufacturing as it is about art. It’s an extension of the inner human desire to create.

Although 3D printing has stayed under my radar, I discovered it through the education movement pushing it.  Dougherty’s reading states that real learning occurs while students are at play, which in this case is creating. Community 3D printing centers are being built all over the world so kids can have more control over their ideas. I believe in this learning philosophy because curriculum can sometimes feel rigid.

I had lots of fun looking at the Spaceway marketplace for 3D printed products with my groupmates. Sharing the funny, useful, or simply random products definitely sparked some project ideas for later in the semester. 4 Notable mentions included:

Universal Chopsticks Helper T2

As a Chinese restaurant goer, I liked this idea. The chopsticks could be customized to fit your grip.

iPhone 6/6S Wahoo Mount Case – Hill Climb 

It’s annoying to continuously get your phone out to change the music or for directions while biking. A phone mount for the center of your handlebars is a handy gadget and safer alternative for bikers. The mount could customize the mount to fit any bike.

Bitcoin Cufflinks

What screams “I’m a millennial” louder than 3D printed Bitcoin cufflinks? Jokes aside, the 3D printed fashion options for men’s belts and cuff links weren’t bad. Maybe one day I’ll be wearing a belt buckle and cuff link I made myself.

Bugle For iPhone 5

This is one of my favorite products because it’s a simple, yet creative solution to someone’s problem: their iPhone wasn’t loud enough. You don’t need to be a physicist paid by a corporation to explore cutting-edge acoustic quality research to develop your own product. Testing 3D printed prototypes is inexpensive compared to current mainstream manufacturing. Although the item pictured above is a crude amplifier, it shows that anyone can be an engineer.

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My name is Michael and feel free to comment or read my future posts, I’ll be here all semester.

Genesis is the first book of the Bible, covering the Christian creation account. In it, God speaks into the darkness, and brings something from nothing.  I too, this semester, plan to bring forth things from nothing in this course. The advent of 3D printing truly symbolizes the 4th major revolution in human history; I look forward to joining this movement and becoming an avid maker. A little about myself – I consider myself a content creator – music, photography, videography – but I look forward to entering into the physical realm!

Takeaways

In class this past week, we had a guest lecturer discuss the implications of 3D printing changing the world as we know it. I found it incredibly insightful – hearing John Hornick’s ideas about the future of ‘prosumerism’ really shifted my paradigm about being a maker. I learned that 3D printing is far more than printing face models and paper weights – in reality, people are printing human organs, jet engines, and entire cars! What interested me the most about what he said was regarding the unregulated nature of 3D intellectual property. In the assigned reading for class, I read about the theorized dangers of 3D printing for the masses. British scientists theorized about the ‘gray goo’ – a nefarious name for a mass of self-replicating robots capable of consuming all biomass on Earth.

It seems like something out of a sci-fi movie – but with the rate that artificial intelligence is growing, along with the growing ubiquitousness and complexity of personal 3D printing – it makes me wonder how far-fetched this idea really is. Consider Cody Wilson, a law student who released blueprints for a 3D-printed plastic pistol called “The Liberator” in 2013. When he did this, there were over 100,000 downloads of this actual weapon – capable of shooting actual bullets! It makes me wonder what measures we should be taking to protect 3D-printing technologies from not getting into the wrong hands.

Luckily, we won’t be printing any weapons this semester in class. Rather, I look forward to understanding the methodologies and practices behind creative design and bringing my thoughts to life! Something out of nothing!

Everyday Objects

I accessed the popular online design database, Thingiverse, to discover some potential projects to make. They are detailed below:

1. Canon Lens Hood (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:36284)

As a photographer, I’m naturally interested in practical photography accessories. I would definitely explore this lens hood design for my Canon T5. To improve on it, I would explore integrating an actual lens cap into the lens hood itself, so I can be confident I can protect my lens if I leave for a quick shoot.

2. Flash Stand (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:9534)

I would also look into creating this simple flash stand! People always underestimate the value of external flashes during a big photoshoot – but setting up flashes is the most difficult part! Being able to print these en masse would make life much easier. I would see if I could modify this design to attach it other accessories like Speedlites or diffusers.

3. Ring Lamp (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:480042)

A ring lamp is an essential tool to create epic videography scenes. This would require a lot more work (buying and wiring the LEDs), but offers the ability to customize the ring lamp for any custom lens I own. This would be a great addition – but a lot more labor and fabrication intensive. Learning opportunity!

4. Canon 5D Model (https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:29662)

This last design has no particular utility – but would be a great addition to my desk, or as a gift to a fellow hobbyist. This body is a classic and recognizable design – I would modify it by adding some degree of personalization – perhaps a custom monogram on the lens cap!

Signing Off

I learned an unbelievable amount in only 2 weeks of maker lecture sessions. I look forward to actually getting hands-on with my work. The next time you hear from me, I will have brought forth things from nothing.

This week was my first week in class and I really enjoyed hearing from our guest speaker as well as meeting everyone that I’ll be working with this semester. I enjoyed our discussion of 3D printing and the idea of being able to create at zero marginal cost. It’s an interesting look into the future of technology.  3D printing has the potential to be a disruptive technology especially if more and more people begin to use it.

I particularly enjoyed reading “The Maker Mindset.” I believe students learn in different ways and the ‘successful’ student isn’t always the one who thrives in a classroom setting. I agree that we should be pushing innovation and creativity in the classroom instead of stifling it. Giving more students access to 3D printers would give more students opportunities to explore their creativity.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:32513

This is a Coral Candle Fixture. It is a candle holder that casts light in a beautiful way. I would tweak it so that it had a bottom portion to it that would be able to hold the candle.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2260397

This is a makeup holder. I wanted to buy one of these, but I know making it myself would be more satisfying. I would tweak it so there are more spaces and by adding a drawer to the bottom of it.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:221284

This is a speaker for your phone. Its simple, but it looks really fun. I enjoy music and would like to hear how amplified this would make music.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1015178

This is a lamp that you can put over your lightbulb. I think it looks really appealing and would consider making it for myself.

Hi Everyone!

My name is Jason Ho, and I have really enjoyed the last two sessions of class. During the past two weeks, I have been focusing on learning as much as possible about how 3D printing works and the various applications of it. I am greatly interested in the applications of 3D printing and hope to gain skills and knowledge throughout the rest of the sessions that I can utilize in my future career.

The major takeaways I have had from class so far have been from discussion with my teammates and from guest lecturer Arielle Rausin. Arielle’s presentation about her business reminded me how practical the applications of 3D printing really are. It was amazing to listen to her speak about how she took a product she built inside the classroom, and turned it into a business. I learned how easy it was to integrate 3D printing into entrepreneurship. From discussions with my teammates I have begun to adopt a “making” mindset. Collaborating with other students to consider products we could produce for our final project has challenged me to think critically about problems in today’s world. I am seeking to work with my team to design and create something that will help make individuals lives easier. I really look forward to start making with my group.

After examining Thingverse, I found four interesting, everyday objects that really stood out to me.

#1 Multi-Purpose tube rack for falcon, eppendorf and PCR-tubes

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2769349

This is a rack designed to hold various types of test tubes. I picked this item because I am interested in how products created from 3D printing can be used in our everyday lives. The tube rack is something that could be used in science classrooms and laboratories. I would improve this object by adding in a handle to make it easier to carry.

#2 Gopro holder

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2773101

The second I selected is a Gopro holder. The holder provides support to safely and effectively hold a person’s Gopro. I picked this item because of its practical use. It reminded me that 3D printing is capable of producing items that will improve existing products. I would improve this object by providing enclosed support above and below the holder.

#3 Portable iPhone Stand

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2772561

The stand provides support to an iPhone. It allows easy access when watching videos on the go. I would improve this object by re-designing it to be able to support all smart phones. I selected this item because of its practicality. 3D printing can create consumer-based products like this that can reach a large audience.

#4 Zelda Castle

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2773221

This castle is modeled after a castle from a video game. I am amazed by the level of detail a 3D printer can produce. This object demonstrates that 3D printers can create objects with extreme detail and precision. I would improve this by increasing its size so it could be even more detailed and realistic.

Hello! This is blog post #1 and a recap of what I learned, found interesting, and further researched on 3D printing.

First off, “3D printing” is a current buzzword that  seems to be making the biggest headlines in innovative technologies. But, to my surprise, 3D printing is not a new concept! From the article, “How to Make Almost Anything” by Neil Gershenfeld, he discusses how 3D printing was first introduced in the 1980’s.  After reading the article, I was inspired at what 3D printing could accomplish but he also presented a dark outlook on 3D printing that isn’t always at the forefront of peoples minds. This technology has already resulted in weapons being printed, the development of counterfeit money, and potentially in  “gray goo” – self reproducing machines that multiply out of control and consume all of the earths resources! I don’t know how realistic gray goo is, but one thing I comprehended from this reading is that laws and regulation of 3D printing are a must. 

Aside from that, the other reading, ” The Maker Mindset”, and the guest speaker/alum interested me into the wonders of 3D printing. They presented numerous possibilities of what 3D printing has to offer and how this technology can develop a wide range of items! Thus, the foundation of what 3D printing  was set, and that bar was very high. Our class then broke down into small groups and we started thinking of items to create. I had plenty of ideas, but the problem was that they were already  created. So, I went to find inspiration on 3D printing platforms and I found 4 items that I would like to make during the class sessions. Those include:

1. Webcam Privacy Screen

https://www.shapeways.com/product/8V5DCZ3GZ/webcam-privacy-screen?optionId=3405835&li=marketplace

In a time were infringement of privacy seems oh so popular, I would love to create a webcam privacy screen. Many students, including myself, use stickers or cut up sticky notes to cover their webcams. This object would be very useful to have but I would make a sliding screen to open and close the cam.

2. Cube Nails 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/TCF7N3VQH/cube-nails-size-0?optionId=17107908&li=marketplace

I was excited to see 3D printed nail art being developed because the classic gel nails are so damaging as well as expensive. This is a flexible polish with richly colored nylon plastic with a smooth finish. Comes in multiple colors! I would like to make different designs that are more flat and add images if possible.

3. Robbie and Bird

https://www.shapeways.com/product/XP82VDBGP/robbie-and-bird?optionId=42049009&li=marketplace

I would like to make something fun like a creative vase! In addition, this vase has nice detail that I would like to see a 3D printer construct.

4. The Little Meteor

https://www.shapeways.com/product/UD6ULCFWV/the-little-meteor?optionId=56493089

I would like to create a pendant that is polished brass plated with 14k Rose Gold! Many people are hesitant to get things 3D printed because they fear that the quality will lessen. I want to see if that is true by printing this item.

This week’s reading, combined with the guest lecture from John Hornick, really opened my eyes to the ways in which digital making has evolved, not only on a technical level, but also on a broader, cultural level. As one of the articles illustrated, the so called “Maker Mindset” is essentially that of a growth mindset—students must display curiosity and embrace failure, while facing challenge with a positive attitude.  I’d argue that this attitude is necessary to succeed at anything, but it seems to hold especially true in a community where ideas are quite literally coming to life, and where people can interact and share their ideas with so much more ease.

I think rapid globalization only makes the case for this exchange of ideas stronger. Neil Gershenfeld’s article How to Make Almost Anything talks about the first fabrication lab (“fab lab”) which was launched in the South End of Boston in order to promote education and excitement about technology in urban communities. The concept quickly caught on and was soon replicated in other countries, where students who might not have access to a full college education are now getting the opportunity to put their skills and creativity to good use. I did some additional research, and thought this article about a fab lab in Western Africa was quite interesting: https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/28/africa/3d-printer-electronic-waste/index.html)

Along with this cultural shift towards collaboration to solve problems, I think digital making is transforming the way in which we view the world. John Hornick explained how many of the things people are making today have a unique appearance, and often look like things created by mother nature. They are lighter, more efficient, and force us to rethink the norms of our physical world. I think it will be interesting to see how the field of design changes as a result, given that everyone will have the capability to be their own designer. Personally, I look forward to learning more about design principles and stretching my mind when it comes to what I can create, because I often feel limited or somewhat narrow-minded when it comes to making things.

When browsing Thingiverse, I came across a few prints that I thought would be quite useful:

1. Page holder reading tool https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:144660

I thought this idea of a “book ring” was pretty handy—I often have a hard time keeping books open with one hand, so having one of these would allow me to read more comfortably. I would modify it to fit my thumb properly, and I think it would be beneficial to add a grooved portion that hands under the bottom of the book, so that the rest of one’s fingers aren’t under too much pressure.

2. Self-watering planter https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:903411 

I’ve been on the hunt for a good self-watering pot for a while, since all of the house plants in my apartment sadly died over winter break. This is a basic model, but I would tweak it to make it a little more colorful, and maybe add something with which I can mount it to a wall.

3. Cookie cutter https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:572208 

I’m an avid baker and I thought these holiday-themed cookie cutters were really cute. I often wish I could customize my own cookie cutters, so if I had the chance, it would be cool to create a cookie cutter that resembled my house—it could also make a great holiday gift for families.

4. Earphone holder https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:416992

I thought this idea was really creative and definitely useful- my earphones get tangled all of the time, so it would be nice to have a tool to organize them. I wouldn’t make any modifications to this design—I thought it was quite functional as is.