Posted on 11/18/2013 8:25:02 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Just before the weekend Microsoft released its new 3D Builder app for Windows 8.1. We heard before the launch of Windows 8.1 that 3D printing capability would be native to the operating system; with plug-and-play support for a wide range of 3D printers and native support for many associated 3D file formats. Now the new Microsoft 3D Builder app puts a front end on this functionality and presents you with a “clean, simple user interface,” to easily get you from object browsing to finished output.
Microsoft calls the 3D Builder app “the best place to view, prepare, and print your 3D models on Windows 8.1-ready 3D printers”. The simple interface contains a viewer/browser and a library of 3D objects to get you started. You can choose to scale, rotate and adjust what you want to print. Also the program allows a bit of creativity as you can stack or push objects into each other to create new objects.
The Windows Blog informs us that 3D printing via Windows 8.1 will soon be supported by new drivers from many manufacturers and that “3D Systems, MakerBot and TierTime will be supporting Windows 8.1 in time for the holiday season”. MakerBot has already released its new driver...
If you have a MakerBot Desktop 3D Printer and Windows 8.1 a plug-and-print driver has already been released. MakerBot’s “one-click” driver was heralded by a Microsoft exec who said it helps to “make 3D printing a reality for the masses”. With the driver installed Windows 8.1 users can 3D print directly from any 3D modelling application that supports the Windows 8.1 3D print pipeline.
That’s cute, I bet that will give catia and solidworks a real run for the money. Develop a 1911 frame and slide on that, and see how fast the BATFE shows up at your doorstep.
Yep. I think so too.
That MSFT I paid about $31 a share for a few months ago is now $37 (while throwing off a healthy dividend).
I’m sure glad I didn’t listen to all the gloom-and-doomers who pronounced Microsoft dead.
Not that they don’t have problems to solve... but you have to be careful predicting the death of a company with lots of cash in the bank and smart people working there.
Probably lots of embedded code to censor anything that resembles a gun.
>> I bet that will give catia and solidworks a real run for the money.
Do I detect a tiny bit of sarcasm there? :-)
Microsoft drivers will insert a tag into your model so that any printed part can be traced to a computer. Just fyi.
How long before we begin to “print” food?
Just a little :)
20 years in the machine tool and automation industry (building the machines, not operating them), tends to leave one with a jaded view of the current state of the art, especially if you had to develop those technologies from scratch, back in the day, with a 80186 or a DEC alpha being ths best you had to work with.
Why? Building a firearm for your own use is not illegal.
Political power grows out of the nozzle of a 3-D Printer.
Done!
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/opinion/sunday/dinner-is-printed.html?_r=0
As long as you don’t get tired of ramen noodles in the shape of someone elses initials ;-)
The gov will find a way to eliminate this, or to take over. It hates anything that empowers the individual.
I was thinking that the basis for the food printing should have been a soy based liquid, but they actually used pastes of actually foods. They complained it wasn’t edible.
But, the implication of 3d printed foods that might work is an interesting one.
I've been checking out the free Blender 3D solid modeling software. It has a ton of tutorials and user support, plus it's full featured, but easy to learn and use.
Sorry, impossible. There’s way to much already out there for roll-your-own. HackADay, Instructibles, etc. all have enough links to get anyone started.
Been thinking of building myself one...then building the CNC, or buying a mill, for some smith’ing
On further review, this MS app only runs on Win 8. I’m on 7 Pro and not going to shell out a dime for tablet / phone features...
I just tried it. Won’t run for me. It looks like it wants to open and then disappears. I uninstalled and reinstalled and same thing. Doesn’t want to play nice with my computer. Oh well.
Considering what it costs me for a color cartridge and a black ink cartridge for my cheap HP Deskjet, I don’t think I’ll be affording one of these 3D printers and accompanying stuff in the near future.......
Nicely done, Microsoft!
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