Tag Archives: CNC Machining

How CNC Machining Revolutionizes Product Design: Boosting Efficiency and Precision

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CNC machining plays a transformative role in modern manufacturing and revolutionizes product design and production by automating machine tool control through computers. Therefore, CNC machining is a high-precision solution for modern manufacturers, utilizing advanced electro-mechanical devices to move tools across various axes based on computer-programmed instructions. A typical CNC machine includes a controller, machine tool, and workpiece. The controller executes instructions from a computer program, directing the machine tool to cut or shape the workpiece.

Designer: Proximars

While robots are typically associated with repetitive tasks, Primus challenges this notion by partnering with human creators to execute artistic visions. This robotic arm translates digital art into commands, creating geometric pieces reminiscent of Andy Warhol. With Primus, users can mount a canvas, calibrate, and begin painting, combining human creativity with robotic precision for a truly unique artistic experience.

What are the advantages of using CNC Machining?

1. Accuracy

Precision turning machines operate autonomously, ensuring defect-free products with consistent accuracy. Governed by codes and software, they maintain settings throughout production cycles for product consistency. Additionally, they operate continuously without compromising quality.

Image courtesy of: stockfilmstudio

2. Achieves Speed in Production

The Running milling machines can run at their fastest speed to meet high demands, they can work nonstop, 24/7, staying accurate and saving material. This makes production fast, efficient, and scalable without extra costs.

Designer: Kenji Abe

Kenji Abe’s Hakusaku series features exquisite machined aluminum saké glasses designed to elevate its visual appeal. Crafted from duralumin, these cups boast thin rims, as slim as 0.6mm, offering a unique drinking experience. Precision-machined and adorned with geometric textures, they prevent temperature transfer while enhancing aesthetics.

3. Lower Production Costs

Using CNC machines drastically cuts down production costs, enhances efficiency, and scales production without waste. It also reduces energy usage, trimming operational expenses, making it a cost-effective method without sacrificing quality. Additionally, the low overhead cost due to minimal human intervention substantially reduces expenses.

Designer: Yunjae Lee

Designing unique chairs can be tough due to their long history, yet they inspire endless creativity. Seoul-based designer Yunjae Lee innovates with birch plywood and CNC milling, crafting a chair with three rounded legs, requiring no additional hardware for assembly. The Tri-Round Chair, reminiscent of IKEA projects, breaks down into eleven pieces before assembly, creating a stable structure with its interlocking design. Built from 18mm birch plywood, the chair offers stability without extra hardware, reimagining traditional chair design with a modern twist.

4. Reduced Wastage

CNC machines use iterative optimization to minimize waste and produce components efficiently. This approach, coupled with fixed tooling and routes, maximizes raw material usage and significantly reduces waste for manufacturers.

Designer: Jörg Hugo

Ceramic Bodies is a collection of four porcelain vases designed by Jörg Hugo to fit together like a three-dimensional puzzle. Utilizing a blend of digital and analog design methods, Hugo creates timeless pieces that explore the relationship between materiality, form, and space. Each vase undergoes geometric optimization to minimize structural mass and energy, resulting in a visually captivating ensemble. CNC-milled plaster molds ensure precision in sizing, while 3D-scanning and modification techniques enable efficient production and customization. This innovative approach combines the craftsmanship of handcrafted ceramics with the efficiency of digital design, offering a unique and visually striking addition to any space.

5. Ensures Safety

One primary benefit for CNC machine operators is safety. CNC machines operate behind guards or enclosed, transparent safety doors, making them much safer than manually operated machines.

6. Supports Various Materials

Image courtesy of: zokov

CNC machines work with a variety of materials, including composites, metals, foam, phenolics, and plastics. When choosing materials for CNC milling, some factors like hardness and heat tolerance need to be taken into consideration.

Designer: Dom Riccobene

Dom Riccobene’s CNC-machined Mt. Fuji sculpture showcases the intricate beauty of Richlite, a durable and sustainable material. Blending data, art, and design, Riccobene creates detailed sculptures crafted by algorithms, earning him the title of “data sculptor.” With applications in various industries, Richlite’s versatility and tactile properties make it a preferred choice for residential, commercial, and industrial uses.

7. Low Maintenance Required

CNC milling machines are low-maintenance, usually requiring only periodic tool changes and light cleaning. This in-house serviceability saves money as professional maintenance engineers are not needed.

8. Consistent Output

The CNC process ensures uniformity by being computer-controlled, resulting in identical parts with no variations in quality.

Designer: Baliza Norte

The BN! lamp, a modular table lamp crafted with CNC milling techniques, ensures precise and interchangeable assembly. Inspired by timber toys, its design guarantees symmetry and seamless operation. Delivered in a flatpack, it requires no extra hardware for assembly. Each component is meticulously crafted for easy replacement, and users can choose a bespoke brown color scheme.

CNC machines initially require a higher investment than manual machines, but as usage grows, costs decrease. Skilled technicians are still essential for programming and supervising, but finding them can be challenging, potentially impacting the quality of machined parts in some shops.

What are the four Steps of CNC Machining?

CNC machining progresses through four stages:

Step 1: Create the CAD Drawing

Image courtesy of: SpaceOak

The first step involves creating a CAD (Computer-Aided Design) model using 2D or 3D design software. Note that complex designs may require skilled designers, and the CAD model serves as the blueprint for the machining process, guiding the CNC machine in executing precise instructions for material cutting or shaping.

Designers: Ahmet Yasir Karakus & Ahmet Ergun

The ROWND unveils a user-friendly CNC lathe, compact and precise, suitable for new users and professionals alike. Its intuitive touchscreen interface and compatibility with various materials make it accessible and efficient for diverse projects.

Step 2: Convert CAD to CNC File

To convert CAD to CNC, use Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software or basic tools. CAM translates CAD designs into G code, which CNC machines understand. Note that basic tools offer simplicity but lack the advanced capabilities of CAM software.

Step 3: Configure the CNC Machine

Before manufacturing, the CNC machine needs proper setup, akin to configuring a printer. This involves positioning the workpiece accurately and configuring the die and other settings.

Designer: Jasper Mallinson

Jasper Mallinson’s Mecha-Morphis Wearable CNC Machine revolutionizes design manufacturing with its portable exoskeleton design. Small enough to fit on the arm, it provides remarkable mobility for intricate tasks, empowering creativity on the move. Versatile and sustainable, Mecha-Morphis reflects a fusion of innovation and environmental consciousness, offering a glimpse into the future of creative freedom.

Step 4: Execution

Once the configuration is complete, machine operation can proceed by executing the program on the CNC machine’s display panel. One may need to navigate program prompts for different settings. The machine runs continuously until manually stopped or due to errors or any form of power disruptions.

Designer: Makera Design

The Carvera enables one to create prototypes, designs, PCBs, and molds on your tabletop. Compact and equipped with powerful modules, it offers 3-axis CNC machining capabilities with optional laser-cutting and a 4-axis upgrade. Self-leveling and intuitive, it includes drill bits, a probe tool, and a laser module. With a robust build and versatile compatibility, it’s perfect for home or workspace use.

In conclusion, CNC-produced machines play a key role in product design as their components offer superior quality, and zero defects, alongside environmental benefits. Opting for CNC over manual machining brings advantages like precision, speed, safety, efficiency, and cost savings.

The post How CNC Machining Revolutionizes Product Design: Boosting Efficiency and Precision first appeared on Yanko Design.

Snapmaker unveils a powerful all-in-one desktop device for 3D printing, laser cutting, and CNC, for its 8th anniversary

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To celebrate 8 years of cutting-edge devices that have helped the creative community build like never before, Snapmaker announces a Premium version of their flagship Artisan all-in-one making device. The Artisan, which debuted in 2022, is a multipurpose desktop device that laser cuts, 3D prints, and even CNC machines all thanks to a compact form factor and a brilliant modular design that lets you swap out 3D printing, CNC, and laser modules whenever you need. A whopping 400x400x400mm work area means you can create, prototype, or set up a factory line right on your table, and the Artisan Premium now features an upgraded 40W laser module that’s 4x more powerful than the one on its 2022 model. Along with this, the company is also ushering in its 8th anniversary with a 48-hour Makerathon event that fans can watch online, coupled with offers, gifts, and a referral program that gets you rewards!

Designer: The Snapmaker Design Team

Click Here to Buy Now: $2,599 $2999 ($400 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

The Artisan Premium is Snapmaker’s top-of-the-line creating tool. A 3-in-1 device that prints, engraves/etches, and CNC machines, the Artisan Premium offers a large work area and still saves space by offering so many functions in one workstation. An all-metal design ensures factory-grade precision, an enclosure contains the dust and protects your eyes from laser damage, and a control unit with a 7″ touchscreen allows you to easily operate the Artisan with ease. On the inside, a modular interface lets you plug in any of Snapmaker’s variousmodules, giving the Artisan its functions.

3D Printing: Thanks to the optimized transmission system and motion control algorithm, Artisan features a high dimensional accuracy when printing at a high speed.

Laser: Coming with the 10W Laser Module, Artisan is capable of faster and deeper cutting on more materials, and delivering refined laser engraving.

CNC: The high-rigidity linear modules and high-speed spindle empower the CNC module to carve or cut smoothly on various materials with a high dimensional accuracy.

The new 40W laser module is now more powerful than ever, allowing you to cut through thicker and tougher materials faster, giving you mastery over paper, fabric, leather, wood, plastic, metal, brick, glass, and many more materials. The 3D printer features a dual-extruder design that lets you print in multiple colors or add different material supports, and the 200W CNC machine is perfect for subtractive prototyping from wood, or even soft metal and stone. The 400x400x400 working area gives you the ability to build large-scale models, and the inclusion of an air pump in the Premium variant helps clear the working area while the Artisan is doing its job.

Along with the reveal of the Artisan Premium, which goes on sale on May 28th with an MSRP of $2999 USD, or €3299 EUR (vat included) if you’re in Europe, Snapmaker is even holding a 48-hour Makerathon with the theme “Play Well” that reflects the company’s roots in fun and exploration and its ongoing commitment to innovation and creativity. Held on 31st May and 1st June, the Makerathon will see Snapmaker’s entire company divided into 10 teams that will then participate in a series of challenges where they’re required to “Make Something Wonderful”. The event will stream on Snapmaker’s Facebook page, and will also coincide with Snapmaker’s Print & Play Challenge, a video contest that all Snapmaker users can participate in.. All you need to do is print anything you can play with (toys, games, music instruments, etc.) and film a video of yourself playing with it. The first five submissions will be screened at the Makerathon, and the Print & Play Challenge will continue all the way up until the 16th of June or Father’s Day. You can participate in the Print & Play Challenge, or even visit Snapmaker’s website to explore tonnes of new content, including printable 3D models of Snapmaker’s 3-in-1 machines, massive discounts on all products, and a referral program that offers a FREE 1064nm IR Laser Module to anyone whose friend buys an Artisan Premium.

Click Here to Buy Now: $2,599 $2999 ($400 off). Hurry, deal ends in 48-hours!

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ROG Zephyrus G16 laptop at CES 2024 brings a thin, all-aluminum frame to your game

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Gaming laptops are powerful beasts, sometimes almost as powerful as some desktops. Most of them, however, almost feel as heavy and as bulky as those towering computers because of how much technology they pack inside, including the required cooling systems. Thanks to the laws of physics and limitations in manufacturing, it almost seems like having a gaming laptop that’s as slim and sleek as a MacBook is just a pipe dream. Consider those dreams fulfilled, then, with the newest duo in the ASUS ROG Zephyrus line, bringing to the CES 2024 crowd the first glimpse of an all-aluminum CNC machined gaming laptop that maintains a mind-blowing thin and light body despite the power it crams inside.

Designer: ASUS Republic of Gamers

Although the typical laptop might have plenty of metal on the outside, the majority of gaming laptops use plenty of plastic or only plastic for the chassis. It’s more resilient to pressure and is cheaper to manufacture, helping to offset the costs of the expensive hardware. However, it also has poorer heat dissipation, is prone to deform from excessive heat, and makes the laptop feel less premium than its price would suggest. The Republic of Gamers is, fortunately, challenging the status quo with the 2024 ROG Zephyrus G16 and its slightly smaller sibling, the ROG Zephyrus G14, bringing a sleek and elegant look you won’t easily find on most of its kind.

With an all-new, all-aluminum CNC-machined chassis, the ROG Zephyrus G16 and G14 bring a touch of class to your gaming gear. It isn’t all just for show, of course, because the change in materials also improves the structural rigidity of the laptop, reduces its overall weight, and increases the space for components inside. That means more room for more things while still keeping the laptop thin and light. At only 1.49cm thick and 1.85kg light, the Zephyrus 16 is pretty much on par with the gold standard of lightweight pro notebooks, the MacBook Pro. For reference, the Zephyrus G14 stands at 1.59cm thick and 1.5kg heavy only.

Of course, Zephyrus laptops are heavy-duty gaming slash workstations, and ROG hasn’t forgotten the traits that truly mark this mobile PC as such. There’s a brand-new LED lighting array, one that runs diagonally across the lid. Appropriately called Slash Lighting, this lighting accent can display customized patterns and animations that quickly set the laptop apart from other premium-looking notebooks. This 2024 generation also welcomes a new colorway, Platinum White, with a matte finish that cements the Zephyrus G16 and G14 as luxury items for gamers.

In terms of hardware, the two aren’t lacking in any department either, sporting the latest Intel and AMD processors paired with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 or 4090 laptop graphics. In fact, these two boast the first ROG laptops to carry an OLED monitor under the ROG Nebula Display branding, offering rich blacks that truly make graphics pop. They both possess the latest cooling solutions, but the ROG Zephyrus G16 additionally carries a custom vapor chamber to make up for the more powerful hardware. These two stylish and powerful laptops are scheduled to land in markets in the first quarter of the year, though exact dates and pricing have yet to be announced.

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How One Company Is Building The World’s First Consumer And Hobbyist-Friendly CNC Machine

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I’ve been in the design field for over a decade and NOT ONCE have I touched a CNC machine. I’ve 3D printed a lot through the years, but the CNC has always eluded me as an incredibly complex product that requires true expertise to use. You need to know how to calibrate it, how to maintain it, how to run a job, how each milling/drilling bit works with each different material (like wood, metal, plastic, etc.), and how to ensure that the machined dust and metal burrs get carefully diverted outside so they don’t cause problems in the future. If using the 3D printer is like riding a bicycle, using a CNC machine feels like trying to pilot a plane. It’s incredibly complicated, detailed, and intimidating… but it doesn’t need to be.

Designers: Ahmet Yasir Karakus & Ahmet Ergun

Click Here to Buy Now: $3799 $6550 ($2,750 off). Hurry, only 16/65 left! Raised over $350,000.

The folks at ROWND have unveiled what they proudly claim to be the most user-friendly CNC lathe machine ever made. Designed to be small enough to sit on your tabletop (most industrial CNC machines are the size of a phone booth), the ROWND is a meticulously crafted device that lifts the veil on CNC lathes and makes them much more approachable to new users, designers, small teams, hobbyists, and prototypers. Roughly the size of two fax machines (remember those?) kept beside each other, the ROWND offers cutting-edge precision with the ability to work on materials like aluminum, brass, plastic, and wood… with a gorgeous touchscreen UI that you can even operate through your phone.

Precise results.

The ROWND, named after its rotary lathe capabilities, lets you lathe-machine or even laser-etch on a variety of surfaces. With the ability to transform materials like metals, woods, and plastics, the ROWND lets you build complex rotational designs with relative ease, and incredible accuracy. At its heart is the machined monoblock chassis with heat-treated rails that give it its incredible industrial-grade 20-micron precision, ensuring that there’s absolutely zero room for tolerance, wobbling, and error during machining. Its expert build is only preceded by its user-friendly design, which allows you to easily work on projects without really requiring prior experience.

All your work happens under a clear plastic hood, letting you view your jobs as they’re in process. A standard lathe chuck powered by an 800W spindle motor lets you mount your raw material, while a universally compatible interface for the tool head gives you the freedom to choose from multiple add-ons including drilling/milling bits, routing bits, texture tools like knurlers, or even a laser engraver head. An optional automatic tool changer gives your ROWND the ability to intuitively shift from larger drill bits to smaller precision ones as it processes a job, giving you stellar-quality results without requiring you to constantly monitor the job, change bits, etc. Finally, a simple detachable tray at the bottom collects all the waste, allowing you to easily clean out your ROWND like you would a coffee machine.

Enhanced User Experience

Where the ROWND really makes great strides is in its UI. Most CNC machines are designed to intimidate, with their control panels that look like you’d need a PhD to understand what’s written on them. The ROWND simplifies it with multiple options, from a 7-inch dedicated touchscreen surface that offers a clearer, more intuitive UI for anyone to understand, as well as a mobile phone app that lets you manually control the lathe or even import 3D models from a local library as well as ROWND’s online 3D library. Moreover, the ROWND can even be manually controlled using a game controller. Sure, a submarine may not be the right place for such a controller, but the ROWND lets you control your lathe rather precisely using the joystick on your existing wireless game controller. It’s fun, without the side-effects of being in a poorly constructed submersible vehicle. Too soon?

The ROWND also accepts input via your desktop or laptop, connecting through WiFi, Bluetooth, or USB-C. Moreover, an SD card reader also lets you share 3D models with your ROWND, which is compatible with all standard formats and file types like step, dxf, and g-code.

For the folks behind ROWND, this is just the beginning. They’re seasoned experts in the CNC industry, not just as users but as builders and manufacturers too. The ROWND has undoubtedly been years in the making, and the company is looking to expand the machine’s capabilities by designing newer tools and heads to extract the most out of your ROWND. The device currently stands at 17.7 inches tall, 17.7 inches deep, and 29.5 inches wide (450x450x750mm), and weighs a paltry 110 lbs (50kgs) as opposed to most CNC machines that weigh upwards of 400 lbs. The ROWND starts at a discounted $3,799 for super early bird backers on Kickstarter, opening up a new world to designers, engineers, artists, hobbyists, etc.

Click Here to Buy Now: $3799 $6550 ($2,750 off). Hurry, only 16/65 left! Raised over $350,000.

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Gorgeous machined-aluminum saké glasses with intricate details were designed to uplift its taste and visual presentation

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They say the key to a good saké tasting experience is a well-made saké cup. If constructed perfectly, these cups have an incredibly thin rim, making the saké glide perfectly onto your tongue, coating it in a way that makes you forget that you’ve got a cup to your lips. Most saké cups end up using materials like porcelain and glass, for their heat-resistance and ability to be fabricated with intricate thin rims… however, designer Kenji Abe feels this prerequisite makes metal a perfect candidate for saké cup design. Abe’s series of cups, titled Hakusaku, explore the use of duralumin (an aluminum alloy) to make beautifully intricate saké cups. The cups come in the three traditional shapes/profiles, and have a rim as thin as 0.6mm, making it feel like you’re directly drinking the saké without even feeling the cup.

Designer: Kenji Abe

Traditional cups come in various shapes too, from the classic straight-edge cup to the bowl-shaped cup and the trumpet-shaped cup. Each of these cups alters the experience of consuming saké, as does the material. It’s unclear if the aluminum cups change the flavor of the saké the way they do with wine, but the metal construction of the cup plays an important role in thermal conductivity, allowing your lips and tongue to feel the cold metal before the chilled saké coats your tongue.

Each glass comes machined from a single piece of duralumin, an aluminum alloy known for its strength. Microtextured to absolute perfection, the cups have a wonderful satin finish that makes them gorgeous to look at, and rather than leaving each cup blank, Abe chose to machine a wonderful geometric texture onto them. This cut-glass-inspired ‘kiriko’ texture not only plays the role of giving each glass its signature aesthetic, but also increases surface area to prevent the warmth of your fingers from reaching the saké and changing its temperature.

Designed to be more durable than porcelain or glass, clinking the Hakusaku saké feels much more satisfying too, with the signature clinking sound of metal against metal.

The straight-edge cup is reminiscent of a shot-glass, with its design that requires you to tilt your cup upwards and tip your head backward as you take a sip. This lets the alcohol flow straight into your mouth, spending less time on your tongue and directly hitting your throat for that warm feeling.

The bowl-shaped cup creates a wide rim that allows the aromatic notes of the saké to hit your nose as you drink the beverage. The wide rim also allows you to taste more saké with each sip.

Finally, the trumpet-shaped cup allows you to observe and savor the subtle flavors of the saké. The wide rims mean you’re prompted to take sips instead of a single gulp, which lets you enjoy the saké over time.

Each cup is meticulously machined from a single duralumin billet

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The components of this table lamp were CNC-milled for precise and interchangeable assembly

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The BN! is a modular, customizable table lamp that’s constructed from CNC-milling techniques to ensure precise and interchangeable assembly.

Timber toys, like Jenga and burr puzzles, depend on precise fittings and even edges to fulfill their purpose. Much like those timber toys, wooden product designs that are CNC-milled maintain a symmetrical and unified structure to ensure seamless assembly and operation. CNC-milling also allows designers to keep the number of building materials to a minimum.

Designer: Baliza Norte

From wooden figurines to timber homes, CNC-milling is trusted as the means to format components and cut them down to their most precise angle. The BN! Lamp designed by Baliza Norte, an architecture and interior design project, is constructed using CNC-milling techniques for an assembly process that doesn’t require any hardware or tools.

BN!, a lamp named after the company that designed it, is a tabletop lamp constructed from sheets of plywood that were pre-fitted to fit into each other without the need for extra hardware or tools. Delivered in a flatpack design, when disassembled, BN! Lamp perfectly fits in a 28 x 28 cm square and can easily be packed for shipping or transporting.

Using modern CNC technologies, each component of BN! Lamp “is intended to be a playful object which can be easily assembled or disassembled, it subtlety evokes a timber toy.” Since each module of the BN! Lamp is fitted for precision, each one can be replaced when necessary. The modular and interchangeable configuration of BN! Lamp also allows users to choose the brown color scheme, giving the lamp an air of bespoke appeal.

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CNC-milled porcelain vases fit together like a three-dimensional puzzle

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Ceramic Bodies is a collection of four porcelain vases that fit together like a three-dimensional puzzle.

Designer Jörg Hugo studied architecture before opening his own design studio. Calling it Studio Jörg Hugo, his work largely explores “the relationship between materiality, form, and space,” as he describes on his personal website. Relying on either digital or analog design methods and production techniques, Hugo creates timeless pieces that completely reinterpret how we interact with space and material. One of his most recent projects, Ceramic Bodies, comprises a collection of four porcelain vases that almost appear to melt into each other like a three-dimensional puzzle.

Designer: Jörg Hugo

Each vase that’s included in Ceramic Bodies is deformed by design. Dotted with imprints and depressions, the deformed shape of each vase is a type of stabilizing technique called geometric optimization, which finds the most suitable configuration for an object to minimize its overall structural mass and energy. Fitting together like twin pieces, the plaster molds for each vase were CNC-milled from gypsum blocks to ensure accurate sizing and streamline the production process.

Before production, “All porcelain bodies were 3D-scanned, re-topologized and modified,” Hugo explains, “making it possible to change scale, adapt shrinking factors and optimize the stability of each porcelain body in a short period of time.” In order to ensure the vases were stabilized when they came together, Hugo altered the outer surface when necessary. While handcrafted ceramics is a timeless art, through Ceramic Bodies, Hugo found a digital way to save time while making art that looks handcrafted.

Starting with gypsum blocks, Hugo reconfigured the outer surface of each vase so that they would fit into one another. 

Hugo carefully shaped each vase so that they could form one unit. 

The vases could stand alone as an art piece or work as individual vases for flowers. 

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This CNC machined Mt. Fuji comes to life with an intricate carving process. Watch the video!

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Call us nerds, but there is something so beautiful about watching an intricate machine at work – it’s like a visual trigger of ASMR. Dom Riccobene knows this better than most and he put his creative genius to work and created this detailed CNC machined process – and don’t be fooled by the quick video. It requires a lot of coding to get the machining just right and by using some drill experimentation, we have the result here – a crafted Mt. Fuji made from a dark piece of Richlite.

Meet Richlite – a durable, versatile, antimicrobial, and sustainable material. Dom Riccobene masterfully blends data, art, and design to give us these intricate sculptures crafted by algorithms. This material was first used 75 years ago in the aerospace industry but quickly expanded to commercial, marine, and action sports applications. You’ll find Richlite in residential, commercial, and industrial use, everywhere from exterior cladding to furniture, from musical instruments to skateparks because of its machinable and tactile properties which make it flexible to use in a variety of design situations. For a realistic finishing touch to his sculpture, Riccobene also adds incense, harking back to the days of Mt. Fuhi’s eruption days.

He has been dubbed ‘data sculptor’ by his fans and we couldn’t agree more!

Designer: Dom Riccobene

These geometric paintings were made by a CNC-machining robot!

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There’s a common belief that robots can do manual repetitive labor very well, but robots can’t create art. Robots aren’t capable of creative thinking for sure, but there are two aspects to creating art, right? The idea, and the execution. Meet the Primus robot – it partners with human creators to be able to execute their artistic visions. Designed to work as a robotic arm holding a brush or a tube of paint, Primus is great at execution, creating stunningly accurate geometric artpieces that absolutely pop!

The first series of artpieces pay a minimalist homage to Andy Warhol, one of modern art’s biggest proponents. The Warhol artpiece was translated from a digital format into a set of commands that Primus can understand. Then all you do is mount a canvas, calibrate the Primus, and get it to start painting! Primus uses a combination of brush strokes and paint extrusion, creating paint that isn’t just flat, but has an element of thickness to it too. Certain swatches use stencils, which the human helps apply and remove during the painting process. The result? A very odd yet appealing combination of art and a robotic factory-line! I guess Warhol would really find this enjoyable!

Designer: Proximars

Created to be the Uber of prototyping, Xometry is making it simpler to custom-make designs quickly

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To put my problem into perspective, I made a 3D printer fund for myself in 2015 after working for a company that had a Makerbot Replicator 2. I loved the idea of making models and sending them to a machine that fabricated them for me. It’s been 5 years and my fund’s still growing, and I can sort of still afford a decent consumer 3D printer, but A. I can’t make up my mind, and B. I can’t help but wonder if this consumer 3D printer will ever be as good as a professional printer used by prototyping agencies.

It’s a good thing I never went on to buying that 3D printer, because owning a printer can often limit you to the capabilities of said printer. For designers who work across multiple industries and may require different processes and materials to really explore the true potential of design, it’s just better to hand off the expertise to, well an expert. It’s comparable to learning a new software and spending time and money trying to figure stuff out, versus hiring someone who has the software skills you need, saving you time and effort in the process.

Now I’m not knocking on 3D printer ownership, because people’s needs differ from occupation to occupation, and from hobby to hobby… but for designers and studios who just want to be able to fabricate without investing in a printer or picking up the skills involved, or like me, spending years wondering which printer is the right printer, companies like Xometry has a nifty solution. You do the designing, they’ll find you your manufacturer. Based out of Maryland and operating globally, Xometry has a network of over 4,000 CNC manufacturers, 3D printers, molders, and more. Using its intuitive dashboard, Xometry lets you tap into its network to get your needs fulfilled. I don’t use the Uber analogy often, but Xometry helps you get your designs made, instead of you fabricating them yourself with a self-owned 3D printer, much like Uber gets you from A to B, instead of you buying a car and driving yourself.

Xometry, just like Uber, uses AI to guide you through the prototyping process. Just like how you don’t need to liaise with a driver or coordinating and comparing prices, Xometry’s back-end AI algorithm handles it all so you don’t need to compare quotations and samples across a bunch of manufacturers. Anyone can securely upload 3D CAD files to Xometry’s Instant Quoting Engine and receive quotes within seconds for processes like CNC machining, turning, 3D printing, and sheet-metal fabrication. The dashboard lets you upload your model and choose quantities, materials, colors, and finishes (you can even be as specific as choosing the quality of the material or the specific alloy of the metal you want) and instantly generates a price quote and a delivery timeline, saving you the hassle of having to own your own 3D printer, or liaise with a manufacturing company and waste time in the process. Then, they ship the parts right to your door, often within days. It’s as smooth and convenient as ordering a part from an e-commerce website, so you can leave the fabrication to the experts and focus on creativity…

Xometry’s services aren’t just for designers. They work with architects, automotive specialists, engineers, planners, artists, decorators, and even culinary specialists. Democratizing and streamlining the process, Xometry helps offer high-class services to People who want quality but can’t afford to buy state-of-the-art equipment, as well as to industry leaders looking to quickly prototype their ideas to perfection… I mean, the fact that they’ve got Bosch, BMW, Dell, General Electric, and NASA on their client list should be a testament to their abilities, no?

Use coupon code YANKO25 for $25 off your first order of $100 or more through 05/15/2020. Offer is good on any process. Limit one use per customer.

Get Your Instant Quote NOW!

Xometry – Custom Manufacturing At Your Fingertips

Xometry is the largest marketplace for custom manufacturing, connecting customers with optimal manufacturing solutions through proprietary AI algorithms. Xometry provides on-demand manufacturing and industrial supply materials to a diverse customer base, ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies.

Xometry’s global network of over 4,000 partner manufacturing facilities enables them to maintain consistently fast lead times and pricing (in a matter of clicks, not days) while offering a broad array of capabilities, including CNC Machining, Metal/Plastic 3D Printing, Sheet Metal Fabrication, Injection Molding, Urethane Casting, and Finishing Services.

Xometry provides 24/7 access to instant quoting and manufacturing feedback. Their Dynamic Manufacturing Partner Network ensures consistently fast lead times, low prices and efficient delivery, and they provide live support from our project engineering team via email, phone, or online chat to help you get exactly what you need.

CNC Machining

Their online Instant Quoting Engine gives you a CNC machining quote within seconds. Then they make your machined metal or plastic parts and get them to your door in as few as 2 days. Advantages of CNC:

– Custom Finishes. Select from a variety of finishes on solid metal and plastic parts, built to precise design specifications.

– Material Selection. Choose from over 50 metal and plastic materials. CNC Machining offers a wide variety of certified materials.

– Precision. Offers high-precision tolerances ranging from +/-0.001″ – 0.005″, depending on customer specs.

– Scalability. CNC Machining is perfect for production of 1-10,000 parts.

Metal 3D Printing

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) is a metal 3D printing technology that builds prototype and production metal parts from a CAD file using a laser to selectively fuse a fine metal powder in either stainless steel or aluminum materials. A DMLS machine is capable of producing highly complex features and all-in-one assemblies using metal materials that would be difficult to achieve with subtractive manufacturing techniques. DMLS is often used as a substitution for aluminum or steel metal casting. Advantages of DMLS:

– Complex Geometry. DMLS produces parts that cannot be made using traditional manufacturing techniques.

– Efficiency. DMLS defies traditional Design-For-Manufacturing guidelines, so designs that would typically be made in assemblies can be made in a single piece.

– Strength. DMLS utilizes powdered metals with strong mechanical and dynamic properties, making it perfect for end-use parts.

– Rapid Turnaround. Metal 3D printed parts do not require tooling which reduces the manufacturing lead time from weeks to days, allowing for faster innovation and speed to market.

Plastic 3D Printing

Plastic 3D printing is one of the fastest and most cost-effective methods available for the iterative design, prototyping, and production of custom parts with Xometry. Rather than material being removed from a stock, as historically done with subtractive manufacturing processes such as CNC machining, 3D printing works by repeatedly layering small amounts of plastic to build a design from the ground up. This is done by providing the 3D printer with a three-dimensional digital design file, commonly referred to as a computer aided design (CAD) file. Once you have a CAD file for your design, there are a number of different 3D plastic printing methods that can be used to create your parts. Advantages of Plastic 3D Printing:

– Precision. They use the latest generation of 3D printing technologies to meet tolerances of +/- 0.005” or +/- 0.002” per inch for SLS and +/- 0.004″ or +/- 0.002″ per inch for FDM, whichever is greater.

– Scalability. SLS can make a single part or component as easily as dozens of production pieces, while FDM is capable of producing end-use parts on-demand, increasing your throughput.

– Rapid Turnaround. Parts can typically be shipped in 3-4 days, allowing for faster design iterations and speed to market.

– Durability. SLS nylon is a durable material with great impact strength, medium flexibility, and high resistance to environmental factors, while FDM printed parts are available in a variety of high-performance plastics for applications that require resistance to the elements.

– Complex Geometry. Geometries can be built more easily due to the 3D printing process, adding complexity without additional cost.

Sheet Metal Fabrication

Sheet metal fabrication is the process of forming parts from a metal sheet. 3D CAD files are converted into machine code, which controls a machine to precisely cut and form the sheets into the final part. Typical forming tools are brakes, punches, and dies which can form angular bends and features. Installing inserts, such as PEM inserts, is standard practice along with welding and finishing services. Sheet metal parts are known for their durability, which makes them great for end-use applications (e.g. chassis). Parts used for low volume prototypes and high volume production runs are most cost-effective due to large initial setup and material costs. Advantages of Sheet Metal:

– Durability. Similar to CNC machining, sheet metal processes produce highly durable parts well-suited for both functional prototypes and end-use production.

– Material Selection. Choose from a variety of sheet metals across a wide range of strength, conductivity, weight, and corrosion-resistance.

– Rapid Turnaround. Combining the latest cutting, bending and punching with automated technologies, Xometry provides instant sheet quotes and completed parts in as little 12 business days.

– Scalability. All sheet metal parts are built on-demand and with lower setup costs compared to CNC Machining. Depending on your needs, order as little as a single prototype up to 10,000 production parts.

– Custom Finishes. Select from a variety of finishes, including anodizing, plating, powder coating, and painting.

Urethane Casting

Urethane casting provides end-use, rigid or flexible plastic parts with production-level quality. Built without expensive and time-consuming hard tooling, our urethane casting process uses a 3D printed master pattern and silicone molds to deliver high-quality, short-run parts up to 30” long. The finished dimensions of urethane cast parts depend on the accuracy of the master model, part geometry and casting material. In general, a shrinkage rate of + 0.15% is expected. Advantages of Urethane Casting:

– Durability. Polyurethane cast materials are available in rigid or flexible end-use plastics. Urethane cast parts are generally as tough or tougher than injection molded pieces, and are significantly stronger than 3D printed counterparts.

– Material Selection. They offer a wide range of rigid and flexible urethane cast materials, from very soft and flexible (Shore A) to extremely rigid and impact resistant (Shore D). Parts are cast in a color that is blended to your specifications.

– Rapid Turnaround. Urethane cast parts are shipped within 15 business days, depending on order specifications and volume. By contrast, injection molded parts can take months to build.

– Scalability. Their casting process is optimal for low-volume production for quantities of one to several hundred. On average, a silicone mold can accurately cast about 20-25 parts. The maximum quantity varies based on part design and material cast.

– Color Matching & Finishes. The urethane casting process is capable of reproducing small details. Little to no finishing is required, because the desired textures and finish levels are applied to the master pattern.

Injection Molding

Xometry delivers on-demand injection molded parts. Injection molding is the most cost-effective way to make a plastic part at scale and offers consistent quality for low-to-high volume manufacturing. Molding also has the highest variety of materials, colors, and configurations when compared to CNC machining or even 3D printing. Beyond materials, injection molded parts can have custom cosmetics, polishes, or surface textures. Advantages of Injection Molding:

– Scalability. Molding can be the ideal process for custom production runs of 250-25,000+ parts.

– Efficiency. In higher volumes, custom molding with Xometry produces significantly less waste than other manufacturing processes.

– Strength. Molded parts will generally perform better than the same part CNC Machined from the same material. Careful selection of the resins allow for a wide range of corrosion resistance and chemical and solvent compatibility.

– Rapid Turnaround. Using our vetted Partner Network, Xometry is able to produce top quality Molded parts in as little as 10 business days.

– Part Production. Piece price is significantly lower with Molding vs other processes, particularly as production quantities increase into the thousands.

– Precision. Molds are CNC machined to high precision, high tolerances and are able to produce thousands of identical parts with very small and intricate details.

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