3D Printer for Home, Education and Rapid Prototyping

Students and Teachers Enjoy 3D Printing at BVS

Rod Batschelet is the Technology Specialist at Benson Village School in Vermont. In his role, Batschelet instructs teachers how to integrate new technology, such as 3D printing, into the classroom. He also has an Associates Degree in graphic arts, and a certification in technology from Champlain College.

Introducing 3D Printing at Benson Village School

Afinia 3D printer at BVSBenson Village welcomed the Afinia 3D printer into their school system three years ago. “After I had talked about 3D printing for some time, our district technology manager suggested we move forward with the idea,” says Batschelet. “I did plenty of research to find what I thought would be the perfect fit. Over and over, I saw the Afinia praised as the easiest to use out-of-the-box, easiest to repair on-the-fly, and reliable. So that’s what we chose, and I haven’t looked back!” [Read more…]

Prototyping with Afinia 3D Printers Keeps Prices Low for ‘the Little Guys’

Eric Haddad is Chief Problem Solver at DiFi3D (Dimensional Fidelity). DiFi3D makes product development accessible for ‘the little guy’ by keeping costs down in the prototyping phase by using the Afinia H800 and H480 3D printers.

DiFi3D Makes Dream Designs a Reality

prototyping with 3D printed parts
Haddad 3D prints parts on the Afinia H480 and H800 3D printers, and assembles them to show his clients a completed prototype.

Haddad started DiFi3D in 2012 as a side-gig, and has grown it into a full-time job that he’s passionate about. “I help people refine and visualize their dream design, and set their product on the path to reality. I work a lot with individuals, and many times their ideas are tied to living a dream life. It’s my job to take their idea and move it to the next level, and help them visualize it,” says Haddad, who designs the product in CAD and 3D prints it. From there, he works directly with manufacturers, attains quotes, and streamlines the project for manufacturing or assembly. [Read more…]

3D Printing Completes the Process for Professional Engineer

Patrick Logan is a professional engineer with 33 years experience in manufacturing products from Bicycles to Space Stations. He currently works with small and start-up companies as a consulting engineer, designing products for performance and manufacture. He uses the Afinia 3D Printer to provide clients with a 3D print of their part. His website can be found at www.kridleytech.com.

With over 30 years of manufacturing products under his belt, Patrick Logan is no newcomer to functional 3D design, or even the concept of 3D printing. However, it was only recently that Patrick began 3D printing designs himself, with the help of the Afinia 3D printer. “Currently, I work with small and start-up companies. They come to me with an idea, and I take it, do what I can to improve it, and overall make it manufacturable and cost effective,” explains Logan.

In-house 3D Printing Completed the Process

Before getting the Afinia 3D printer in 2012, Logan would use a 3D printing company to create parts with an SLA printer. “I’d send the design to one company to 3D print it so I could test it,” says Logan. “If it didn’t work, we made adjustments and had it re-printed. When it did work, it then would go through another company to have them make a urethane mold. It was an expensive process, since each step had its own cost associated with it, but it was still less expensive than to simply get a mold that didn’t work.” [Read more…]

Gateway Technical College’s Fab Lab Creates Opportunities with 3D Printing

Greg Herker is the Fab Lab Program Coordinator for Gateway Technical CollegeGateway Technical College. He designs and coordinates the programs and is in charge of Fab Lab operations. Herker describes the Fab Lab as “A movement. A place where ideas and innovations happen.”

The Lab is open to students, businesses, and the entire community. [Read more…]