What My 3D Selfie says About Design

 

Design Blogger Karen LeBlanc's 3D Selfie printed in ceramic resin by iMakr

Recently, while attending the London trade show, 100 % Design, I became one of the first to experience a 3D cloning machine that scans and 3D prints a selfie. It belongs to the 3D Store iMakr — the product of a team effort by iMakr engineers and designers. My whole experience at the iMakr trade show exhibit is emblematic of a seismic shift in the manufacturing process from  mass production to customization.

 

Design Blogger Karen LeBlanc checks out 3D selfies at the iMakr exhibit at 100% Design in London

iMakr, in Central London, is one of the world's largest 3D Printing stores and is pioneering 3D printing technology for consumer use.

 

Karen LeBlanc in the photo booth that scans and digitizes my image into a 3D ready to print file

Mechatronics Engineering student Pankaj Raut was there to operate the scanning booth and spoke to me about the potential of 3D printing to change the way we create, relate to and purchase products.  The 3D scanning booth uses 44 cameras to create high-resolution digital files then it 3D prints the files to produce a lifelike replica.

 

Karen LeBlanc's 3D Selfie printed in ceramic resin by iMakr

My 3D selfie is made of a ceramic resin material but there are many types of materials to choose from: metal, laywood filament, plastic, and much more. For those early adopters who have a 3D printer at home,  iMakr has an online platform called My Mini Factory (www.myminifactory.com) where every owner of a 3D printer can download free printable files. Here are two examples:

 

The Love Me Flower contributed by Frederic Thibaud

 

Hot Me?...Never Mug

Raut and the team at iMakr are at the forefront of a revolution in the culture of design. 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing,  portends the democratization of design by eliminating the costly barriers to traditional prototype manufacturing.  All one needs is an imagination, a software program to sketch out and digitize the idea and a 3D printer to make it real.   Imagine this:  you've lost one of your favorite shoes. It's no problem—just download the files for it and print a spare to complete your pair.

 

3D printed red shoes, photo courtesy of iMakr

Or perhaps you can't find the perfect light fixture with the exact look and size you need for the foyer?  Now, you can design it and upload the files to an online 3D printing store or print it at home with your own 3D printer.

 

3D printed light, photo courtesy of iMakr

"3D printing is getting to a stage where we can print more complex objects, making it easier to create customized objects that were only mass-produced," says Raut.

 

3D printed dress sleeves, photo courtesy of iMakr

From fashion to home interiors and mundane necessities such as replacement parts, 3D printing can be convenient and cost-effective.  3D printing has been around for years but the recent marketplace emergence of affordable consumer grade printers has created competitive pricing. Now anyone with a spark of creative genius can sketch it, scan it and print it into reality.

 

3D printed vase, photo courtesy of iMakr

"This changes everything for an engineer such as myself.  Now we can focus more on solutions since the constraints of mass-produced objects are lifted," notes Raut.  In the very near future, Raut sees desktop 3D printers just as common in the household as 2D paper printers.  He envisions a day when people can use 3D printing to replace broken parts, make personalized gifts, even do  "Santa" shopping online minus shipping and handling charges. "Parents could even look up, download and print toys more specific to their child’s age and liking without leaving their home," says Raut.

If you want to test drive the technology for free, go to www.myminifactory.com  to request free 3D Printable objects. If you have a 3D design in a ready-to-print file, you can upload and share it at My Mini Factory or if you have the idea but lack the technical expertise, designers at iMakr can create it for you. To check out more design possibilities with 3D printing, read my post on the winners of 100% Design's 3D Printing Design Competition.