open source hardware

3DPOD Episode 169: 3D Printing for Hackers and DIY with Mitch Altman

Mitch Altman, a pioneer in the fields of field-programmable gate arrays and virtual reality, has long been a leading figure in the maker community. Not only did he help establish…

Open Source Everything: Potential Success Areas

In this series, we previously explored how people use open-source hardware to develop unique tools, solutions, and projects. We also identified key elements for a successful open-source hardware initiative. Now,…

Open Source Everything: Assist in Everything with 3D Printing

In a previous post in this series, we looked at the opportunities related to open source assistive devices, often small and novel objects that can be 3D printed cheaply. Unique…

Open Source Everything: 3D Print Your Own Assistive Device

Professors Joshua Pearce and Jacob Reeves worked with student Anita So to make an open source walker. It’s a customizable device, whereby the joints are 3D printed on desktop machines…

3D Printing News Briefs, February 10, 2021: Ultimaker, CALLUM, Squarofumi, Hofstätter

We’re talking business, a 3D printer installation, and some interesting 3D printed products in today’s News Briefs. Ultimaker has appointed a new Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President, while…

The Maker Movement Unmade? Part 7: Make: Community Responds

To conclude our series on the transformation of the maker movement, we’re going full circle to the place that inspired this series in the first place: Make: Community (previously known…

The Maker Movement Unmade? Part 6: The Community Responds, Continued

In our last installment, we began relaying comments from the maker community, including prominent RepRappers and Adafruit, about the status of the maker movement. In this article, we’ll continue the…

17,000% Cost Reduction with Open Source 3D Printing: Michigan Tech Study Showcases Parametric 3D Printed Slot Die System

We often cover the work of prolific Dr. Joshua Pearce, an Associate Professor of Materials Science & Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering at Michigan Technological University (Michigan Tech); he also runs the university’s Open…

3D Printing Educator Spotlight On: Joshua Pearce, PhD, Associate Professor, Michigan Tech

As the global population continues to expand massively, with an estimated 7.5 billion people alive today, sustainability is becoming an ever-more-pressing concern. It takes a lot of energy to support…

Aleph Objects Positioned for Continued 3D Printing Success with New Facility and Increased Access to Capital

Open source 3D printer and hardware manufacturer Aleph Objects, Inc., located in Colorado, makes the award-winning line of LulzBot 3D printers, plastics, and parts that we all know and love. The…

Open Source 3D Printing: LulzBot and IC3D Team Up for First-Ever Open Source 3D Printer Filament

Open source is an ideology important to much of the 3D printing community; the ethos is at the foundation of many companies involved in the scene from the beginning, and…

The Blender Institute Uses a LulzBot Mini 3D Printer to Facilitate Open Source Creativity

One of the most popular 3D creation software programs is Blender, for a multitude of reasons. First of all, it’s free. Secondly, it’s open source, relying on the collaborative creativity of…

Introducing Felfil: An Italian Open Source 3D Printing Filament Extruder

It’s an open source project designed for home use, and Felfil is an extruder for plastic 3D printing filament, designed by a team of young makers from the Politecnico of…

Steven Osborn Gives Lowdown on Lulzbot Extruder Hacking for Lulzbot Taz 4

We all know the drill when it comes to the best-laid plans. Often you might have a project in mind that’s clear cut, and all you can think about is…

Your Open Source 3D Printed Designs Could Save the 3D Printing Community Millions

In an article published in Modern Economy by Dr. Joshua Pearce, of Michigan Technological University, titled “Quantifying the Value of Open Source Hardware Development” one of the challenges of Open…