Page 298 - Making things move_ DIY mechanisms for inventors, hobbyists, and artists

Chapter 9 Making Things and Getting Things Made 275

FIGURE 9-7 Spacesuit glove patterns cut out with Eyebeam’s
V-660 Universal Laser Systems cutter (left) and assembled spacesuit
glove prototype (right) (credit: Nikolay Moiseev and Ted Southern).

small 3D thicknesses. CNC mills can make all kinds of shapes in all kinds of sizes out
of a variety of materials.

3D printing is the new trend when it comes to manufacturing things quickly. The various
systems and machines accomplish it in different ways, but the end result is a real 3D
thing that started life as just a CAD model. Engineering and product design companies
use these machines to visualize parts and assemblies and troubleshoot designs before
final production runs, as well as to impress potential investors. You can use these
machines to print actual usable parts in Projects 10-1 and 10-3 in Chapter 10.

In the open source, low-cost arena, MakerBot Industries (www.makerbot.com) is
leading the pack. Their machines make parts by depositing super-thin strands of
plastic in layers that stack on top of each other until the part is complete. Industrial-
scale machines made by companies like Stratasys do the same thing, but not for
around $1,000.

If you don’t have access to a real 3D printer, you certainly have access to virtual ones.
Plenty of companies will give you instant online quotes when you upload a model
(check www.solidconcepts.com and www.shapeways.com) and can be good solutions
if you just need one or two parts made.