WTFFF?! 3D Printing Podcast Volume Two: 3D Print Tips | 3D Print Tools | 3D Start Point (Tom Hazzard & Tracy Hazzard)

Looking for a good 3D design to print is a pretty daunting task. Find out what Tom and Tracy Hazzard think the 3D print design file sites out there are missing and why designers aren’t making the emotional purchasing connection with potential consumers. Taking a page out of Dan Clark’s book, The Art of Significance, to be inspired to design a 3D printable file that is significant and more than just settling on something to buy because there isn’t anything better to fit your needs. See the original transcript here: http://3dstartpoint.com/good-3d-design-is-hard-to-find/

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Using coding and algorithms to “design” 3D prints is limiting, boring, and you, more often than not, end up with generic, boring, and ugly. While sometimes it’s necessary to go into the g-code and make a few changes, only staying in the g-code and using that as the only method for product creation limits innovative and creative design thinking. We opened up a can of worms on what art and design really means to us, as product designers with a fine arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design, and welcome your thoughts in the comments to our original episode here.

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3D printer maintenance and good filament storage practices are obvious ways to prevent clogged extruders and failed prints, but we uncover some of the not so obvious techniques to keep 3D print materials flowing smoothly. How to determine if it’s a poor quality filament or a poorly designed product and what to do when a filament jam inevitability happens. Take a look at our tips for 3D printer maintenance in our previous blog post: http://3dstartpoint.com/maintenance-tips-for-consistent-material-flow/.

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Back to Business Monday episode where Tom and Tracy Hazzard explore how identifying and settling a business or product into a market gap can ultimately lead to success. There are many 3D printing companies out there that are all doing the same thing but not truly filling a need leaving a gap the size of the Grand Canyon.

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Discerning which 3D Print ideas to discard can be difficult, whether it be 3D designs or 3D business ideas. How to avoid “shiny object syndrome” and keep your business balanced between all the different ideas and how to know which idea to follow through on and which to discard and move away from.

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Bio 3D printing has been around for quite some time now, but how such a thing is possible is still surrounded by much mystery. Danny Cabrera is an expert in the field of Bio 3D printing and he sheds some light on what bio 3D printing is doing, how it works, and where he hopes to see it go as the 3D printing industry grows. Any entrepreneur can take a page from his book and find a need that needs to be filled no matter the industry.

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The first review in our Battle of the Mini 3D Printers is here! The M3D printer started as one of the most successful 3D printer Kickstarter campaings, now more than two years later the Maryland based company is in post reward production, selling their printers for $350 each. After giving this printer several tests, and jumping through many customer service hoops we cannot say that we are able to love it.

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For Back to Business Monday Tom and Tracy discuss the benefits of 3D Print Giveaways for promoting your business. But if you are going to go through the effort to take advantage of what 3D Printing has to offer for promotional giveaways, make then exceptional!

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In an effort to bring birds back into urban areas The Printed Nest has created a large network featuring 3D printed birds nests and their downloadable designs. They were our Earth Week design inspiration and we remain impressed with the many different nest iterations available for different types of birds in different types of environments. 3D Printing and bird watching make for an interesting blend of a very techy hobby with a very traditional and outdoorsy one. Head over to our Earth Day post for photos of these amazing nests and why we think we should get one for our house.

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A really cool and amazing project from none other than Nescafe that exemplifies a zero inventory marketing promotion. This project is about two year years old, but we just became aware of it and think it’s a great example of marketing and product development that uses 3D printing at the same time. We think we all know what 3D printing can do in product development, but here is what 3D printing can do for marketing, promotions, exposure, and transforming your brand.

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3D printed prosthetics was one of the first things that the media latched onto in covering what 3D printing can do, but since then 3D printing prosthetics has expanded into so many more different areas than just limb recreation. Highlighting different companies within the 3D print industry that have a veteran minded focus to provide technical training for the knowledge and skills gap that exists to use this technology, as well as unique opportunities specifically for veterans. Thank you to all service members that have served or are currently serving!

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Autodesk 123D software has many similar features of other CAD softwares, and while the company is one of the oldest in the CAD game, there are things that we are left wanting. It is a beginner software, great for those just diving in and wanting to learn CAD for 3D printing and 3D modelling, but if you are a more advanced user it is probably not the right fit for your skill level.

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Anyone of our listeners, teachers, educators, or head of the PTA even, anyone who is considering getting 3D printing into schools, this is the one for you. We had a great conversation with Drew Lentz the manager of the MakerBot Learning Team. He shared many helpful and free resources for educators for all kinds of the learning spectrum, whether one is a right brained or a left brained type of learner there’s a program for you to learn 3D modeling. Makerbot has some great events this summer for teachers, hosting Make-A-Thons in major cities across the country.

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Head of Experience Design at MakerBot, Mark Palmer, gives insights into how nearly any business can integrate 3D print product development into their in house design and prototype process. He goes into how 3D printing and having a 3D printer right on your desktop or workstation changes the way product designers and engineers create parts and models. Read the original transcript here: http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-print-product-development-process-with-mark-palmer-of-makerbot/

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Couture 3D fashion design has been making waves ever since Dita von Teese wore an entirely 3D printed dress in 2013. Taking a look into the future of 3D print wearables and eventually 3D print textiles.

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There are so many people in the early stages of start-ups, that we have been getting a lot of people that are stuck in these cycles of overthinking and not being able to take the next step forward. In this Back to Business Monday episode, we discuss how to set up your road map to success and identify when you need those roadblocks to prevent you from going further. As Tom’s mother puts it, “Don’t go borrowing trouble.”

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Answering a listener question about what STEAM is and why we think the “A” is critically important, especially in schools where the arts programs have been slashed due to budget cuts. We love that by putting 3D printers back into schools, it is helping to bring the arts back into the schools by forcing that creativity into the curriculum again.

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If you are a regular listener to WTFFF?! you know that Tom and Tracy love the idea of a full color FFF 3D printer, and have been seeking one that can print more than one color well since the inception of this podcast. A new contender has entered the arena claiming “unlimited” color capability in an FFF 3D printer. The advances and effort are to be applauded, but how real is the claim of “unlimited” color capability?

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3D print figurines have inherent stability issues because they are made of different materials that are often moveable such as the arms and head of a doll. Disney research has come out with a white paper that provides a stability solution to these 3D prints through inserting weights to the product as it is being printed. Tom and Tracy talk how to address modeling the inside of the part and some of the complexities of creating stable 3D prints or even prints that are meant to sink if thrown in the pool.

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In this Back to Business Monday episode Tom and Tracy Hazzard discuss why you should diversify your 3D print freelance work, but maybe not too much! Where and how to get started and how to promote your skills in a professional and concise manner.

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If you are an educator, or even a student, or you’re involved with education and considering 3D printing, or even if you’re just a parent and you want 3D printing education integrated in your kid’s school system, this interview with Cindi Schultze should be particularly interesting to you because it’s a great story of how a school district got into it and how this teacher who wanted nothing to do with 3D printing at first now thinks it’s one of the best things ever.

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New cases that have gone up to the Supreme Court are going to have an impact on the 3D printing industry, and patent attorney Chris Higgins takes us through what everyone needs to know about protecting 3D printer files. He identifies common misconceptions about 3D print intellectual property from patents, to business models, to design files and trade secrets. Find where innovation can happen in the patent world and how to protect trade secrets and prevent patent litigation issues through our discussion with Chris.

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3D food printing is still in it’s infancy but after this interview with Luis Rodriguez and Jason Mosbruker, we can’t wait to taste test some of the 3D food items that are already out there. The combination of tech meets food is an industry gap that any company can swoop into and find success, especially with foodies. 3Digital Cooks has a full 3D food printing resource guide that truly is bringing makers into the kitchen.

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The old rules of PR have changed, opportunities of social media and sites like Pinterest often rival the effect of traditional media exposure, including television. For this Back to Business Monday Tom & Tracy discuss how anyone can get media exposure and promote their business, even on a tight budget. Listen to this episode for tips and tricks you can use today.

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3D Print project kits are ideal entry points into the world of additive manufacturing, especially for those looking to customize products that are already on the market. By blending non-3D printed parts with the pieces from a 3D print project kit, users can have an immediate completed project and gain 3D print satisfaction instead of only frustration. These are also entry ways that current craft stores could sell 3D printed on demand components to existing product lines for consumers that are looking for something more particular. Check back on our original episode to see a 3D print clock project kit brought to life.

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An interview on something everyone in the 3D printing industry should take note of: How to have a successful 3D print trade show booth with guest Jessica Larimore. So much of what we have seen at trade shows makes us cringe, avoid a flop at a major event with her tips on how to represent yourself, your company, your brand well. She shares how to create your trade show booth to ensure success for your business.

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It’s still debatable that 3D printing is rocking the world but when it comes to 3D print IP it is definitely shaking things up a bit. Author John Hornick shares examples of how the two sides of the 3D print industry is disrupting the status quo. The 3D print IP world is still the wild west in terms of control and Tom and Tracy Hazzard take a look into the serious need for file and 3D printing safety and creation of 3D print product standards.

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Taking a look at Swirly Celebrations and how they used mass customization 3D printing to fill a market gap. This company has used 3D printing to make different ethnic and culturally dressed cake toppers for weddings, birthdays, and all sorts of celebrations. The idea of a mass customizable world with 3D printing is possible.

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Algix 3D’s line of algae based filament has ushered in a new color wheel of earthy choices for 3D printed products. As the movement to transition away from petroleum based plastics and back to plant based plastics gains momentum, Algix 3D is at the forefront of creating safer to use filaments that are better for the environment. Check out how their emissions-safe filaments are ideal for use in the education field with their ABS alternatives and smaller coil quantities in our original Earth Week post here: http://3dstartpoint.com/algae-3d-print-filament-with-barbara-zeller-of-algix-3d/

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Get a sneak peek at how a product or design consultation goes with an on-air 3D design consultation of the puzzle toys created by Fleet Hower. He takes us step by step through his design and business process and we take him step by step through how his products and designs fit into the market he intends to reach. It’s a can’t-skip episode for those interested in knowing more about 3D print businesses, and espeically desktop FFF 3D print businesses.

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3D printing is blazing a new trail for marketing and product design by being such a disruptive technology. John Rich, VP of Future Experiences at Moxie, tells how he investigates new technologies and presents them to big time clients like Coke-a-Cola and Nike to change their business platform and get them ahead of the tech curve. Avoid being a follower of marketing trends and create your own trail with 3D print marketing.

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For Business Monday Tom and Tracy share a business lesson from Napoleon Hill’s “Think And Grow Rich”. Every business leader and entrepreneur needs to recognize his or her strengths and weaknesses, hiring the right expert can make the difference between success and failure, especially in the 3D printing industry.

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As the holiday shopping season gets into full swing, there’s many factors to consider when shopping for the 3D print maker on your gift list. Picking a 3D printer to bring home out of the thousands out on there market can be a daunting task, but answering a few quick questions from our original post here will help to narrow down what 3D printer is best suited for your needs, budget, skill level, and what you intend to create.

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We’ve always thought project kits are a great entry point into 3D printing, and we’ve found a really interesting one for 3D printed clocks that you can certainly customize nearly every aspect of these from the numbers, to the hands and face of the clock.

Suz Somersall of KiraKira has created an online platform for girls to develop their 3D modeling skills by creating free courses and curriculum for 3D print STEAM education. KiraKira provides lessons and projects that ignite and inspire young girls to work on projects in what is widely a male dominated area of learning. As students of today grow and come to understand that over 86% of retail purchases are done by women, it’s key to understand what women want to buy and to design with them in mind.

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In this episode with Michael Weinberg, IP and General Counsel at Shapeways, Tom and Tracy Hazzard address why it is important to pay attention to what is going on with copyright and trademark law in the 3D printing industry, including a current Supreme Court case that is taking up this situation on IP and infringement issues. This episode will be helpful to anyone in the 3D printing field, but especially the designers and those with a 3D print business.

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A new round of upcoming expiring 3D print patents is on the forefront. We are excited about what this means for the advancement of desktop 3D printing in terms of metal and laser sintering processes. Also breaking down what types of royalties to expect as inventors of any type of patent.

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Desktop 3D printing is where it is today because of the corporate asset value of intellectual property laws and regulations. Looking back at how a dislike of patents came about due to the open-source RepRap movement and why this ideology needs to take a backseat if the industry wants to move forward even further. Check back on the original blog transcript at: http://3dstartpoint.com/intellectual-property-3d-printing/

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What 3D print power users are doing to create 3D CAD designs that sell and equally as important: are printable. Stand out as a 3D print designer by taking into consideration what many 3D print users don’t, your “what.”

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EU Makers has created a filament spool that is designed to be repurposed and reused. This company took it even one step further by offering free 3D models that you can print and really make the spool a useful object in their home. In this episode we are covering our favorite designs and how this can be a fun weekend project.

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Our series of CAD software reviews continues with Mudbox, an artistic and sculptural type of program that is a simple program to pick up and use as an intermediate level program once you’ve outgrown the beginner and basic CAD softwares out there. Although it’s not a free program, it’s small monthly fee for the features it offers is nominal. Tom Hazzard shares what sets this program apart from the other CAD software programs out there suited for creating creative and artistic 3D print models.

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Additive manufacturing is turned on its head with adaptive manufacturing in the case of 3D printed insoles by Wiivv Wearables. CEO and Co-founder, Shamil Hargovan, explains the mind blowing process that brings these custom fit orthotics to life through 3D printing with unique materials and marrying adaptive manufacturing techniques with traditional ones. We dive into how custom 3D printed products fit into the marketplace, where to put the price point at to stay and remain competitive, while also being profitable – even considering a hybrid 3D printed final product for a mass customization market.

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Tom and Tracy Hazzard address how educational aspects relate to what’s happening to the 3D printing industry with Kiki Prottsman from CODE.org. This company has developed systems to get computer science curriculum into every grade level from elementary to high school. Their method should be the model for getting 3D printing into all grades instead of each 3D printer company recreating the wheel each time.

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Part software, part web plug in, the Digital Forming customization tool is the app that 3D printing for consumer products has been missing. We tested it out on our 3D print angel ornament to see how the entire process works from setting up customization limits and allowances to it generating a new STL file for the custom worded design. Any 3D print business thinking about expanding their product line to include personalized varations from text to texture, or size to final shape, should check out what Digital Forming has to offer to streamline major design steps.

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Part three of the Battle of the Minis (3D Printers that is). Up in the ring is MakerBots Mini 3D printer appropriately called Mini Compact.

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What every 3D printer company and manufacturer needs to hear on providing exceptional customer service. Despite how fast the technology is moving forward, some customer service practices are stuck in the past on a rigid script with no employee empowerment to fix issues that can (and do) arise. Looking at how both the customer and the business can work together to resolve 3D printer problems from all the variables that could go wrong from the hardware to the software. To see the transcript for this podcast, head over to our past post: http://3dstartpoint.com/you-dont-get-exceptional-customer-service-without-exceptions/.

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A question we get at every business conference is, “What do you use for a non-disclosure agreement?” We are so amazed that everyone thinks they have to have it. We think it can be a little, if not a lot, detrimental to your business. Discussing reasons for and against having an NDA and sharing our template over on our blog.

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Tom and Tracy Hazzard share their tips on using LinkedIn for your business advantage to gain exposure and get yourself, your skills, your business, or your product noticed. Identifying common profile mistakes and sharing lesser known tips and features of LinkedIn that can give you the professional edge.

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A 3D print design career is not limited to entrepreneurs as outside consultants, but includes intrapreneurs inside a company as well. Tom and Tracy Hazzard identify the 3D print design and designer gap of professional individuals who are lacking the skills companies desire. The 5 skills needed to fill that gap are not as hard to obtain as one might believe, and while today’s young students are gaining these skills as young as elementary schools, can we afford to wait until they hit to workforce for this gap to be no longer existent?

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We can all get bogged down with all the things we need to do, but how are you defining achievement vs activity? Is all your business really accomplishing anything? This back to business Monday episode is here to help you identify where your time is being spent and how you can spend it more wisely.

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This design inspiration Friday, we are really inspired by Bernat Cuni and the challenge he gave himself to create a different 3D espresso cup model a day for 30 days. We love this exercise in design and challenge you to do it for yourself to boost your creative process and hone your skills as a 3D designer. Bernat has created an amazing body of work, so be sure to check the show notes at 3D Start Point.

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LACE by Jenny Wu is the subject for this Design Inspiration Friday. The ability for her to create forms that are not able to be produced easily in normal jewelry is what impressed us the most. How 3D printing is allowing for designers and storefronts to have made on demand products with zero inventory.

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We met Debra Wilcox at CES earlier this year. She’s such an interesting person with such an interesting business we knew that we had to have her on the podcast. Her company is The 3D Printing Store in the greater Denver, CO area, they are far more than a 3D printer reseller – providing everything from education, to training, to birthday parties. They are also involved in bio 3D printing which is a field that just completely blows us away.

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Filling a needs gap is a great business building process and Victor Ciccarelli of STEAM Maker Workshop knows by personal experience. His mission isn’t solely focused on teaching how to use a 3D printer, but rather it’s about teaching others to be creative in cross-functional interdisciplinary ways. We are inspired by how he stumbled into this business accidentally but made it his passion to instill in students the power and potential that 3D printing has to create anything they can design. To see the transcript for this podcast head over to our past post here.

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Chatting with Lauren Watkins, the marketing manager at Pinshape, about their 3D design guide. Last fall, they included and excerpt from her guest blog piece on how to price 3D designs.It’s clear that they are growing towards not just having a bunch of members and content, but about having great shops with sell-able content. Definitely a step in the right direction.

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Where is the good 3D design? Tom and Tracy discuss what’s lacking in the 3D print market and don’t want to settle for the least worst design to meet a need. In this episode they discuss can one create a “wow” product and what it means to have a significant product.

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Yesterday we were stunned to learn that Pinshape will end its service and shut down its web site as of March 31st, 2016, just two days after the announcement. Does this news, which is a seismic event in the 3D printing industry, signal that the 3D printing bubble has burst? Tom and Tracy discuss what they know from talking with the founders of Pinshape, share why they are confident that this event is an isolated situation caused by a flawed business plan, in fact they discuss why this is the time to double down on the 3D print Industry (with the right business plan).

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Taking a dive into something we had been curious about for awhile, especially when we were considering starting a 3D print business. How much energy does a 3D printer use and how can you plan for the right number of circuits provide the right amount of amps?

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Stratasys’ extensive material and filament list for an extensive amount of 3D printers are influencing the industry from a commercial and consumer standpoint despite not being in the consumer market. From functional to stylistic, Stratasys materials and filament completely hits the mark, except for one key thing in terms of what users are looking for. Understanding and taking a look into what material options are available to you is essential in creating products specifically made to be 3D printed.

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The ability to 3D print eyewear is disrupting an industry that has not changed in quite some time and is held by a very small subset of people. Exploring the ways 3D print eyewear can really take off in terms of customization of size, color, and even lens type.

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3D printing takes a twist on a childhood classic with new and fun 3D print shapes for bubble wands. A fun project involving 3D print play things like bubble wands and bubble machines that makes for a good school project or a fun Labor Day Weekend project before the kids all head back to school. Beat the summer heat designing and 3D printing your own wand shapes, then have a little fun outside testing them out.

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The findings of researcher Mohammad al Faruque at University California at Irvine bring us today’s Tech Tuesday topic. He has found that through audio recordings of 3D printers printing objects, that one could use reverse engineering and recreate printed objects with incredible accuracy. What this means for intellectual property liability and ways to keep your 3D printer from being vulnerable and a security risk in this episode.

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Identifying where the 3D print market has a needs gap, and in the case it’s huge cavernous one. Looking at other market areas, it can be hard to pin point if the gap is there for a reason or if it’s an opportunity for a business to develop and grow in. Avoid the “me too” and be “me only” or “me special” with our thoughts on market-proof testing and market gap identification: http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-print-market-needs-gap-identification/.

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Brick and mortar stores are missing opportunities for 3D print retail because of a lack of internal infrastructure. John Hauer of Get3DSmart shares why major retail stores are not adopting this technology despite having been initially intrigued and excited about 3D printing. Looking at how major brick and mortar retailers can stay ahead of the tech wave of 3D printing and make brick and mortar stores relevant again with good product and good business consulting guides.

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Dispelling the myth that consumer level 3D printed products are cheaply made and cheaply designed with Chris Campbell of FormURLife. The opportunities that 3D printing provides to the end user market are far beyond just creating prototypes and design iterations. Looking at all the things and little details that need to come together to create a quality consumer level 3D printing product, as well as some business marketing take-aways that this successful 3D print business has honed in on.

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Switching from our series of CAD software reviews to a few slicing software reviews, and kicking it off with Slic3r. Slic3r’s slicing software is one of the original slicing softwares out there, but it has kept up with 3D printing’s advances and remains an on-going open source project. As the baseline standard for 3D print slicing software, it has certainly come a long way and we have much to say about its features and options for beginners and experts.

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Open sourcing the brain is possible with 3D print headsets to create better fitting, and therefore, better reading brain scan helmets for more accurate data results. Today we are discussing how an ambitious 3D printing project could be combined with concussion screening for a better insight and understanding to what happens to the brain after a head injury. Also covering what to look for in concussion symptoms that might show up after being cleared from the doctors office that every parent should be on the look out for no matter what sport your child plays.

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For Tech Tuesday this weekwe are going to follow up on our announcement back in January about the newMakerBot Smart Extruder+. It was billed as being a major improvement over theprevious Smart Extruder, but is it really? Well we received our order for twoof them about a month ago, and have been working with it ever since. Now we areready to share our findings and experience with you.

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Tom and Tracy share recommended criteria for deciding what to design and 3D print, and their top 12 tips for 3D print designers. The tips range from best practices for anyone starting out with 3D printing, to more advanced and technical tips that will be more useful after you have a bit more 3D printing experience.

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Humanitarian Makers at Field Ready volunteer their time and expertise to solve real world problems faced by those in war torn or natural disaster affected areas such as Haiti, the Sudan, and Nepal. Dr. Eric James shares how 3D printing speeds up the traditional emergency relief supply chain and details some of the unique challenges of using this technology in remote areas where power supply can be hard to come by.

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In the world of 3D printed shoes, a strategic announcement from Feetz and DSW came out this summer. Bringing custom fit 3D printed shoes to retail is a high goal and it will be interesting to see how they define it as a sustainable product. Also in the world of 3D print shoes, there’s a new type of life hack to create your own custom fit 3D printed orthotics which is fascinating how they combined 3D scanning with 3D modelling and then 3D printing.

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It took awhile for us to come around to the idea of 3D printing furniture, but we knew it had a future when we saw what Russell Singer had done to make a hybrid coffee table by combining 3D printed parts with off the shelf items to make a unique and one of a kind statement piece. By chronicling his process through photos, it’s possible to recreate this replay of a design inspiration episode on your own over the weekend. Head over to http://3dstartpoint.com/3d-printed-furniture/ to see our thoughts on his 3D print furniture project.

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Tech Tuesday meets IP with a patent announced recently by a Polish 3D printer manufacturer about a self leveling 3D print bed. The patent they have filed is combination of software and hardware that sounds very similar to what another company, MatterHackers, has done with their software. Leveling a 3D print bed can be a tedious task, and to get 3D printing to a more consumer level, this is an issue that needs to be solved before widespread home adoption becomes a reality.

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Tom Hazzard reviews a free CAD design program, Trimble SketchUp. This program can get a bad rap but it’s not one that you want to ignore if you are starting out or especially if you are sending your design to others to collaborate, comment on, and view. Considering if it’s worth going to the Pro version or if the basic free version of the program is all you need for creating models for 3D printing.

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Live from the SoCal MakerCon show floor, author Joe Micallef details how he started in the 3D print industry and began to write his book, “Beginning Design for 3D Printing.” Beginners are introduced to 3D model design and creation with easy to follow tutorials for many free CAD software programs. There is a critical need for CAD designers and 3D print experts in the growing 3DP economy.

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Tom and Tracy Hazzard discuss how 3D printing outside the build plate can be possible with a new software program from Autodesk called Project Escher. Many 3D printers today are being held back by the software available, especially in the dual extrusion realm. Project Escher shows off the uniqueness of what only FFF printing can do – 3D print really large pieces that do not need to be assembled post production.

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It’s our one year anniversary of the WTFFF?! Podcast and we are sticking true to our furniture design roots with this episode for Design Inspiration Friday. Initially we were not very open minded about the idea of 3D printing furniture, but with some of the advancements in technology and even in design we like what Russel Singer of Make It has done with creating a coffee table, we have come around. If you’ve given DIY 3D printed furniture a shot, be sure to let us know your results.

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We got a question from a listener about where can you find a community for teachers who use 3D printing in school. There are companies out there with the vision, but it’s not quite yet there today. We did a little digging and found some teachers who have created a community of their own, but also to not forget about your local makerspaces and in-person places who are there to help.

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My Mini Factory is borrowing from a system that already works to incentive and create revenue for 3D print designers that share their files exclusively on their site. In this surprising interview with Rees Calder of My Mini Factory, Tom and Tracy Hazzard learn about how this designer revenue system works and how to incorporate and target those who have 3D printers and those who do not into wanting quality 3D printables.

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Deviating from our regular FFF discussion to take a dive into the SLA world with an interview with Dávid Lakatos of Formlabs. He shares about the history of 3D printing and the professional design economy era that he sees 3D printers moving towards. As the industry moves past the disillusionment period into the Age of Design and a freelance gig economy there’s a gap between the technology and user skill set.

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While not in the FFF realm, the OLO smart phone printer isdefinitely noteworthy and is the subject of this Tech Tuesday. It came out of avery successful Kickstarter campaign for a resin 3D printer. It’s very simple,very small, very cheap, and uses your smart phone and an app to create thefinished products. Quite an interesting concept and another interesting gatewayinto 3D printing for a new or younger user.

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Tom and Tracy Hazzard sit down with Mack Fixler and JohnGomm of EduCraft, who teach STEAM and STEM and 3D printing summer camps whenthey aren’t teaching while school is on summer break. From beginner to advanced3D print studenats, they teach the whole process of 3D print and 3D design fromstart to finish with a push towards being creative. A must listen episode ifyou are an educator or a parent wanting their kids to get into 3D printing andstay learning throughout the summer.

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Softer 3D print support materials often prove to be problem causers when using the machine as they tend to jam up in the extruder or in the Bowden tubes. Tom had to be the lead investigator for several late nights and cross-continental Skype calls to solve a filament jam on machine from a well known 3D printer company. Looking back at our print tips for flexible materials that have held true over time in this replay episode, and you can’t miss the crazy filament jam pictures on our past post here.

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Tom and Tracy Hazzard dive deeper into a question that came up in the previous episode. Are most 3D printers on the market today jack knives? If a 3D printer is trying to be all things to every market, are they serving any specific market well? Maybe making 3D printers specific to the exact objects you want to make would produce better results. They even give a business concept out to all WTFFF?! listeners to illustrate this point.

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A professional package intended for commercial application, Solidworks CAD software is definitely geared towards designers in engineering. Tom Hazzard goes through the ins and outs of what makes this software program different than other parametric modeling programs and what type of designers it was created to be used by to make certain types of 3D models for 3D printing.

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Anyone considering buying 3D print stocks needs to tune into this reality check by The Motley Fool, Steve Heller. Today’s guest is Steve Heller from the Motley Fool on 3D print stocks and investments. I am excited to get hooked up with him. We want to talk with authority on the state of the 3D printing industry form a business and investment perspective. He is a 3D printing specialist, and their website is www.fool.com. He writes all about investing in the 3D printing industry. He’s got a pulse on what is happening there and has great sources inside the companies. He hears things from 3D Systems, Stratasys, and GE. He also goes to major trade shows too and has got a lot of knowledge to share. We have a lot of conjecture about these things on how to make a sustainable business.

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A new way to set your brand and product apart with an attention grabbing new form of photography for websites and social media by Plotagraph. More than a .gif and more than an average high quality photo, these Plotagraphs combine the power of a photograph with a video. Be sure to go to the blog at 3Dstartpoint.com to see these amazing moving images.

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A project called Bespoke Design is a new proof of concept project that brings retail 3D print on demand to a Lowes store in New York and online anywhere. This project was brought together by many forces including Lowes Innovation Labs, 3DShook, Voodoo Manufacturing, and Digital Forming. We’ve combined their interviews into one episode on the three different perspectives of the project, design production, and retail implementation.

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Getting a new 3D printer is an exciting moment, but it can be rather daunting to figure out what the FFF to do first with it. We’ve come up with a few ideas and projects to ensure first time print success for first time 3D print users, especially those still working on building their CAD modeling skills. There are some great ideas out there, but they do still need to be approached with caution and expectations should be managed when it comes to what your first 3D print should be.

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Just as 3D printers range from hobbyist level, to professional, to commercial, so does the world of 3D scanners. Lisa Federici of Scansite, a company that has been doing professional 3D data scans since 1994, shares her enthusiasm for the growing 3D scanner market and why the different types all have their place in the industry. We also get her tips on what makes a good 3D scan better from her experience working with the military and high profile companies like Nike, Boeing, and Fitbit.

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It’s Business Monday, and today we are going to discuss the Digital Footprint conference. It is all about how to create a revenue generating website, and how to get your website to rank on the first page of google for thousands of key words. The information shared at the Digital Footprint Conference is critical for any business, including any related to the 3D Print industry.

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With any form of plastic processing, 3D printing included, it’s fair for concern about the continued use of such a potentially harmful inorganic material to come up. But there are companies out there looking to make a 180 away from plastic and are finding viable alternatives that the market can pick up soon. Tom and Tracy Hazzard interview Barbara Zeller, the Marketing and Communications Manager of Algix. Barbara talks about the transition of Algix from creating biofuels to fabricating 3D print filaments out of algae, which is a much more Earth-friendly alternative. If you’re concerned about the material you’re using in 3D printing, this may be a good place to start your search.

3D Printing has already changed the world of sports, most notably at this year’s past Super Bowl. Making customized 3D printed objects is something we’ve touched on many times, but 3D printing has also changed design and they way things are created. From head to toe, there’s virtually not a body part that 3D printing hasn’t already helped protect when it comes to sports equipment.

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“What” you want to create can eliminate what CAD 3D modeling software you use. Examining what Blender software has to offer for beginners, students, artists, or those with a more engineering mindset.

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3D Printing equity crowdfunding is a really good topic for everybody who is considering starting a business in the 3D printing industry, and needs to raise money. Defining what that means, how to use it to your advantage and if Kickstarter is the way to go. Breaking down the steps to funding your seed capital with the new regulations that have been put into effect since May 2016.

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How many different industry areas is 3D printing being found in? Tom & Tracy take a look at the current state of 3D print Vertical Markets, and if we can trust the numbers being reported?

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Located in the greater Denver, Colorado area, The 3D Printing store does far more than your average service bureau. From printing and design to birthday parties and educational training, they offer so many ways to get started in 3D printing and to grow your skill set. With multiple types of 3D printers from several different companies it’s possible to try them all and see which printer would be the best fit for your “what.” To see the full transcript of this episode, click here.

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Looking back at a successful model of not only an easy entry point into 3D printing for kids and beginner 3D printers alike, but also a successful model of how to monetize your designs before creation. This Kickstarter project is unique in its marketing and that it was brought back several times to re-market new products to a following that was already interested. By combining 3D printing with a product like Barbie, it’s a wonderful 3D design inspiration and business topic. Check out the original episode here.

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Tom and Tracy Hazzard sit down with Jessica Hedstrom, Community Manager at Sculpteo, to talk about all the wonderful new materials that are available that enable 3D print designers more than just print in plastic. There is definitely a place for both FFF printing and service bureaus in this new developing world of on demand manufacturing. What materials are most popular or cost effective and what great services and discounts are available with Sculpteo.

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There’s an absolute ton of information that we’re shifting through every single week in this industry, that is the epitome of information overload. Managing an inbox, managing group projects, and managing countless articles and podcasts can be overwhelming. We’ve found several tools and have come up with our own personal rules for keeping on top of all the information overload that gets dumped into our inbox.

To send us a message, go to 3dstartpoint.com or shoot us a message at info@3dstartpoint.com or on our facebook or twitter! Its absolutely free, so ask away and and don’t forget to subscribe so you can hear more on our regularly scheduled Thursday podcast episodes!

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