Top 5 Videos: Inside NASA’s 3D Printing Facility
Welcome to a new week of top five videos! We’ve scoured the internet to bring you some incredible content featuring the latest and greatest in video-based content where 3D printing is the star of the show! Starting off, we journey to NASA’s Advanced Manufacturing Building at the Langley Research Center for a look at their cutting-edge technology. Afterwards, we join ProfessorBoots as he 3D prints a remote-controlled dump truck, taking you through the design and assembly process. In the third spot, Carbon showcases the upgraded Print OS 1.40, which promises faster and more efficient 3D printing before we rejoin Robert Murray-Smith to explore the world of 3D-printed gears and create a steampunk pencil sharpener. Finally, we round off with a heartwarming Halloween celebration at a children’s hospital, where 3D printing technology plays a crucial role in making the festivities accessible to all. There’s a lot to cover, so without further ado, let’s dive in!
Top 1: Inside NASA’s Additive Manufacturing Building
We begin our video journey at NASA’s Advanced Manufacturing Building at the Langley Research Center. The AM building serves as a hub for fabricating metallic and composite test articles for various aerospace applications. This building and all of its capability allows NASA engineers to assess and test novel and unique designs in-house. The building contains a number of notable systems such as ISAAC, an advanced fiber placement system that employs robotics to craft intricate shapes using composite tape material, and EBF3, a system that constructs metallic components with an electron beam melting process. These cutting-edge Advanced Manufacturing Systems are part of the next generation of manufacturing that takes NASA to the stars.
Top 2: A 3D Printed, Remote Controlled Dump Truck
In this video, ProfessorBoots embarks on creating a 3D-printed RC dump truck, intending to complement his growing fleet of 3D printed RC construction vehicles. He takes viewers through the entire process, by first outlining his design process, starting with 2D sketches and then gradually creating the 3D models for various components. Learn more about the battery-powered RC vehicle, and the assembly process which requires some electronic parts. But as you will see, the design showcases durability, adaptability, and a user-friendly interface. So much so that ProfessorBoots plans to optimize wire management and release the circuit board design in future versions, making it open-source. Get a head start on your next project by watching the rest!
Top 3: Print OS V1.40 from Carbon
This video from Carbon showcases their upgraded Print OS 1.40, which marks a significant upgrade for Carbon’s M3, M3 Max, and L1 3D printers. Leveraging force feedback technology, rigid parts can now be printed up to 25% faster, while elastomers can achieve up to 50% faster printing speeds. Default print settings may lead to a fourfold increase in throughput for some users. This update aims to enhance efficiency, predictability, and cost-effectiveness. Listen to the testimonials and real-world examples in the video, and take a look for yourself to see the benefits of the 1.40 update below!
Top 4: 3D Printing a Steampunk Pencil Sharpener
In this video, we rejoin Robert Murray-Smith for another episode of “Thinking ’n’ Tinkering”. In this episode, he discusses the historical significance and utility of gears before focusing on creating 3D-printed gears using Tinker Cad, emphasizing the choice of size for practical use. This comprehensive DIY project combines historical engineering concepts with modern 3D printing technology and enables the audience to construct a functional pencil sharpener themselves as a project, a useful piece of kit, or even as a gift. So what are you waiting for – There’s pencils that need a’ sharpening!
Top 5: 3D Printing Allows Children’s Hospital to Enjoy Halloween
In this final video, we take a look at the reason for the season. This local news report describes a heartwarming Halloween celebration at a children’s hospital in Westchester, New York that goes to great lengths to ensure a joyous occasion for its young patients, especially those with mobility impairments. They use technology, such as custom-made controls and switches, to make fun activities accessible to the children. The switches are pivotal in enabling the kids to operate power wheelchairs, communicate using AAC devices, and even perform schoolwork on computers. These custom pieces made possible through 3D printing, allowed the kids to have more independence and fun during this time of year when kids deserve to be kids!
Which Top 5 video was your favorite this week? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel.
Cover Photo Credits: NASA
