Open 3DP is a blog tracking the work done in the Solheim Rapid Prototyping Laboratory in the Mechanical Engineering Department on the University of Washington campus. The stated goals are experimentation and dissemination of 3D printing knowledge, but their specialty is ceramic based 3D printers. It is currently not a commercially viable technology, but has great potential and is very interesting from a purely technical point of view. This video gets a little artsy towards the end, but the first half features a nice explanation of the process:
The blog has a great energy and lets you geek out vicariously as new hypothesis are tested and materials explored. In this case they were testing the resolution and warpage of a print out when it was fired in the kiln.
Beyond the technical the team at 3DP occasionally posts about general interest items for makers like these plastic connective mechanisms for building forts out of stick and yard waste.
In the end passion is what makes this blog fun to read. Even the biggest 3D printing companies are struggling. The path to commercial success is murky at best, but it is an exhilarating technology with so much promise. Often projects like the MakerBot are compared to the “Home Brew Computer Club” that gave rise to the pc industry. I think the comparison is WAY off in terms of the commercial trajectory, but the technical enthusiasm seems to be similar. The 3DP “Manifesto” captures this sentiment well and is an inspiration for anyone interested in the way we relate to the built world.
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