Modding - Page 11

Today Stratasys launched what it is calling the worlds first multi-material, multi-color 3D printer that can print in several different materials and colors simultaneously. The new Object 500 Connex 3 3D Printer allows for "virtually unlimited" combinations of rigid, flexible, and color rich printing to be completed all on the same machine at the same time, and will allow engineers and designers to test multi-material prototypes right in the lab almost instantly.

The printer features six palettes for the new rubber-like Tango color lone which includes opaque, transparent, and solid variations. Stratasys says that the new Object Connex 3 is designed with the automotive, consumer, sports, and fashion industries in mind, and the addition of flexible materials will only serve to make 3D printing an even more valuable process in every design and engineering workflow.

"Stratasys' goal is to help our customers revolutionize their design and manufacturing processes," says Stratasys CEO David Reis. "I believe our new Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer will transform the way our customers design, engineer and manufacture new products. In general and with the Connex technology in particular, we will continue to push the envelope of what's possible in a 3D world... Now we produce bicycle parts that look and feel like production parts. We are particularly excited about 3D printing our models directly in color. This gives our designers the ability to graphically display color contact pressure map data on rider contact parts like seats and grips. We are also working on doing the same with FEA & CFD stress data on structural bike components," adds Zeigle.

CES 2014 - 3D Printing was arguably the hottest category at this years Consumer Electronics Show, and we got the chance to stop by their booth on the show floor where XYZ Printing was showing off its sub $500 da Vinci 3D Printer. XYZ Printing is owned by the New Kinpo Group, a company that has been making normal printers for decades.

Pooling from its years of experience, XYZ Printing developed what can only be considered as one of the most refined consumer level 3D printers on the market today. The da Vinci's exterior is something that would look at home in anyone's workroom or office and would fit in alongside any other office machine. Furthermore, the da Vinci is fully enclosed which lends for a better build environment as well as acting as a safety barrier when the machine is running.

The da Vinci is a FDM-based printer and utilizes proprietary filament cartridges, which enable the company to provide consistent printing results and negates the issues with consumer supplied filament which might be of lower quality and cause issues. A build area of 7.8-inches cubed allow for large model creation, and is large enough for almost anything you need to print. XYZ has also built a "Cloud Database" which contains thousands of printable models, so users get a truly plug and play experience.

Scythe has released a new all-in-one panel for PC enthusiasts who want to greatly extend their cases front panel I/O offerings. The new Kama Panel 3.1 houses a plethora of additional ports, controls, and even a power and reset button.

The Kama Panel 3.1 is based on previous Kama Panel designs with some modern upgrades. Two USB 3.0 ports along with a 2.5" SATA port for HDD / SSD use are the most prevalent features, while a two channel fan controller with a backlit LCD screen is positioned to the right.

Also featured on the panel are several memory card reader ports, audio jacks and even a set of power buttons. This panel looks like it would be an excellent addition to modders who are building a custom chassis, and could be fit as is into any 5.25" bay or scavenged for parts to be custom fit by the skilled modder.

For the past two years Cooler Master has run an annual Case modding competition which has produced some of the most stunning examples of both professional and amateur PC builds from around the globe.

This year's Modding competition was no different with the usual mixture of drama, trolling and some friendly rivalries setting the stage for some mind blowing creations. The Competition itself is divided into three categories: Scratch Mod, Tower Mod and Cooler Mod, each with a plethora of modders fighting for a place as the best of the best in their individual classes.

Well after Months of hard work from all the hopeful participants the dust has settled in the workshops, votes have been tallied and winners announced. Cooler Master must have experienced a larger than expected turn out for this years event as we can see multiple second and third places have been added to the tower and scratch mod sections of the competition. Results are as follows.