CHANGE IS ADDITIVE—A 3D Printing News Series by Fathom

Chromatose—3D Printed Synthetic Organism

Chromatose, a project created by New Zealand-based designer Mark Wilson, is an entirely 3D printed synthetic organism that responds to external stimuli. Designed by Wilson using Rhino and Grasshopper, Chromatose was printed at 16-micron resolution on an Objet 350 Connex3 3D printer. The basic movements of the organisms are controlled by their own structure, which integrates pneumatics. When exposed to light and heat, the petals unfurl, then when touched or disturbed, equilibrium of the structure is disrupted and the petals recoil.

“The world has seen massive advancements in digital technologies, giving us more opportunities than ever. I’m interested in ways we can effectively apply these technologies by exploiting their unique capabilities, said Wilson.  This isn’t relevant to only hardware, manufacturing and products, but also software, organisation and systems – perhaps most importantly the potential intersection of any of these.” // Read More / / Watch Video // Artists Page

Metamaterial Mechanisms Combine Material Organization with Function—Rethinking Materials as Machines

Researchers at the University of Potsdam have been experimenting with metamaterials, designing structures with mechanical functionality as the primary inspiration.

These 3D printed structures are defined by their repetitive cell patterns rather than the material they are made from, allowing the researchers to create objects specifically for controlled directional movement / / Read More / / Watch Video

Nano Dimension Successfully 3D Prints Conductive Properties into Fabric

Nano Dimension, a world leader in 3D printed electronics and Fathom collaborator, has announced that they have completed successful tests on a new process that 3D prints conductive materials onto textiles. The process involves Nano Dimensions DragonFly 2020 3D printer and AgCite Silver Nanoparticle conductive ink. The conductive inks proved capable of matching the elasticity and material properties of the fabric // Read More

Facebook Enters the Hardware Market with 3D Printing Acquisition

From software to hardware—Facebook has acquired Nascent Objects, a hardware development firm focused on manufacturing acceleration and 3D printing. Nascent will be absorbed into the workflow of Facebook’s Building 8 lab / / Read More

3M Makes Non-Stick PTFE Polymers 3D Printable Through New Patent-Pending Tech

3D printing with PTFE? Industrial polymer giant 3M has made a type of fluoropolymer 3D printable. 3M hopes this patent-pending technology will further enable using additive manufacturing for production at a large scale // Read More

Voronoi Lamp

Available for download from Thingiverse, this 3D printable Voronoi lamp contains design elements similar to those used by Fathom designers in creating this years East Bay EDA Innovation Awards, as well as some furniture in Fathom’s Oakland office / / Download

Standard Hinge

Also available on Thingiverse, this standard hinge is hugely popular with the online community. Recommended to print on FDM machines // Download