Five very cool 3-D printers from the Inside 3D Printing Expo
Vendors broke new ground in practicality and affordability with these 3-D printers.
The marketplace for 3-D printers and services has seen real growth, but in many ways the hype still outpaces the reality. While some companies have deployed 3-D printers, it appears that it's not being used for large-scale manufacturing.
But in areas where 3-D printing has made a foothold -- include prototyping, architectural design, and the manufacture of smaller batches of parts, particularly ones that are small or unique in some way -- it has become an essential part of the business process.
Academia and medical researchers have also been a prime market as 3-D printers prove ideal for building models and individually tailored parts.
One thing that 3-D printing has always had in abundance is a legitimate gee-whiz factor, which was fully on display at the cavernous Javitz Center in New York City during the recent Inside 3-D Printing Conference and Expo. The show attracted thousands of users, potential customers, academics, investors, and students, all eager to see the latest and greatest offerings from the world's leading vendors of 3-D printers. From bike frames to human jawbones, they got their fill, as it appears there now are few things that cannot be produced by a 3-D printer.
Here's a look at five of the coolest and potentially most useful products displayed at the show.
Aleph Objects. Lulzbot is a line of desktop 3-D printers from open-source hardware company Aleph Objects of Loveland, Colo. Lulzbot printers are an attractive option for designers on a budget who want to create lower-cost prototypes. Quality does not suffer however, according to the vendor, and the open-source model allows users to take advantage of the latest improvements in the 3-D printing industry, including design software and experimental materials.
But in areas where 3-D printing has made a foothold -- include prototyping, architectural design, and the manufacture of smaller batches of parts, particularly ones that are small or unique in some way -- it has become an essential part of the business process.
Academia and medical researchers have also been a prime market as 3-D printers prove ideal for building models and individually tailored parts.
One thing that 3-D printing has always had in abundance is a legitimate gee-whiz factor, which was fully on display at the cavernous Javitz Center in New York City during the recent Inside 3-D Printing Conference and Expo. The show attracted thousands of users, potential customers, academics, investors, and students, all eager to see the latest and greatest offerings from the world's leading vendors of 3-D printers. From bike frames to human jawbones, they got their fill, as it appears there now are few things that cannot be produced by a 3-D printer.
Here's a look at five of the coolest and potentially most useful products displayed at the show.
Aleph Objects. Lulzbot is a line of desktop 3-D printers from open-source hardware company Aleph Objects of Loveland, Colo. Lulzbot printers are an attractive option for designers on a budget who want to create lower-cost prototypes. Quality does not suffer however, according to the vendor, and the open-source model allows users to take advantage of the latest improvements in the 3-D printing industry, including design software and experimental materials.