Tag Archives: 3D Hubs

The Cuda jetpack lets you fly underwater

Posted on by

It’s 2018 and jetpacks are finally here, but they don’t really propel you in the air yet… Archie O’Brien’s Cuda, developed with 3D Hubs, is the world’s fust backpack-sized jetpack that propels you underwater!

Pulling water from the front and pushing it out the back with incredible force, the Cuda is a relatively tiny contraption that fits right on your back, and when triggered, gives you a boost, propelling you at the speed of 8mph underwater with no effort.

Enticed by the Seabob, a hand-held water scooter, Archie built the Cuda as a low-cost alternative to the otherwise $10,000 Seabob. Built with 3D Hubs (the massive online manufacturing facility), Cuda went from idea to prototype in just a year, and featured a new propulsion system altogether (as opposed to being a shrunken version of a jet-ski). Using the services and materials provided by 3D Hubs, Cuda has a metal-turned driveshaft, a CNC milled heatsink, a completely 3D printed body PLA plastic body, and a carbon-fiber dust infused polymer for the propeller that gives it high strength and low weight. All 3D printed parts are coated with an epoxy resin to improve their performance and integrity underwater, while all the electronics are placed in waterproof compartments, sealed with silicone.

Using the Cuda is as simple as controlling the speed with a hand-held remote, and the direction with your body. Made out of 45 3D printed parts that can be assembled in just near 10 minutes, the Cuda is patent pending and may go into production as early as 2019, from where it could be used for anything from entertainment to emergency… for now, Archie’s plans are to use the Cuda to swim alongside dolphins!

Designers: Archie O’Brien & 3D Hubs

cuda_1

cuda_2

cuda_3

cuda_4

cuda_5

cuda_6

cuda_7

cuda_8

cuda_9

cuda_10

cuda_11

cuda_12

A Handmade (by Robots) Bike

Posted on by

delta_bike_layout_2

Taking a lesson from the automotive industry on automation, Mokumono partnered up with 3D Hubs to robotically build the bada$$ bike you see here. Unlike other bikes that are usually manufactured with hundreds of parts and days of manual work before being shipped across the world, this new production method simplifies things. It makes it possible for the build to occur anywhere facilities permit and cuts back on labor costs while saving on the fossil fuels burned to transport units overseas.

Unlike traditional bike’s steel or aluminum tubing that takes hours of hand-welding and meticulous oversight, the Mokumono uses two sheets of 7000-grade aluminum pressed into form and laser welded together. Using just two formed halves joined around a head tube, seat tube/bottom bracket and drop-outs, the welding is simplified and streamlined for automated production. The result is faster and requires less work. Better yet, the number of components is reduced so it’s stronger and there’s less to break! While it might not have the bespoke feel of other handmade cycles, the fact that it’s robot-built does give one a sense of relief you can’t find elsewhere.

Designers: Bob Schiller & Tom Schiller of Mokumono

mokumono_03

delta_bike_layout

delta_bike_3

delta_bike_4

The Frame

Unlike anything else. The aluminum frame is stiff in the areas where it matters. To allow for a comfortable ride, we designed the frame with floating rear stays and added a carbon fiber front fork. Making sure that our strong and lightweight frame offers a smooth ride.

delta_bike_5

Carbon Belt Drive

The Gates CDX Carbon Belt Drive System is designed to be a stronger, quieter alternative to the traditional bike chain. The durable carbon-fiber belt is grease-free and requires little to no maintenance. It won’t leave any marks on your pants and you’ll never have to pull over to fix a dropped chain.

delta_bike_6

Cambium C15 Saddle

The Brooks Cambium C15 saddle is made from vulcanized natural rubber and an organic cotton top that offers extraordinary comfort and exceptional freedom of movement. The hard-wearing top, die-cast aluminum structure, and tubular steel rails allow the Cambium to stand up to many years of hard use. Furthermore, a distinct dampening effect is delivered by the classic Brooks “hammock” construction, reducing road vibrations and keeping the rider comfortably in the saddle.

Fairphone 2 Gets a Range of Wooden 3D Printed Accessories

Posted on by
Modular Fairphone 2 Smartphone Wooden 3D Printed Accessories 01

The world’s first commercially available modular smartphone, Fairphone 2, has just gotten a pair of wooden 3D printed accessories, in the form of an amplifier and nightstand.

Promoted by its Dutch developer as an ethical smartphone, Fairphone 2 is supposed to prevent users from throwing money out the window when trying to stay in touch with the latest developments in the world of mobile devices. Their solution is to provide a backbone to which users can add modules and change them as they see fit. Of course, such a revolutionary device deserves to be used in tandem with some equally revolutionary accessories, and the amplifier and nightstand that were 3D printed using wood filaments definitely match that title.

To make the 3D printed accessories, Fairphone collaborated with 3D Hubs, an online 3D printing service platform that’s also headquartered in the Netherlands. Here’s what 3D Hubs had to say about this partnership:

“To help kick off the launch of the Fairphone 2, we’ve teamed up with Fairphone to introduce a new collection of 3D printable accessories for Fairphone owners. These accessories will add additional functionality and style to your Fairphone 2.

Instead of being mass-produced like most other smartphone accessories, these accessories are 3D printed on demand, preventing both unnecessary transport and overproduction. Even better, the designs are printed using a unique material made from recycled wood fibers and bioplastic PLA.”

The recycled wood fibers mentioned above are in fact called ColorFabb woodFill, and are supposed to take the smartphone’s sustainability to a whole new level. Not only will Fairphone 2 reduce the amount of waste that’s typically generated by people who are constantly upgrading their smartphone, but so will the accessories designed for this device.

“Designed by professional industrial designer Alan Nguyen and printed using woodFill 3D printing filament, the Fairphone 2 Nightstand is the ideal charging and resting spot for your device during twilight hours,” added 3D Hubs on their website.

Below is a video of how the Fairphone 2 was designed.

The wooden 3D printed Fairphone 2 nightstand is available on the manufacturer’s website for €19.50 (approximately $21.40), while the Fairphone 2 amplifier is a tad more expensive, as it costs €26.50 (around $29). Much like the modular smartphone itself, the 3D printed accessories are only available in Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark and Norway. We can only hope that the company is planning to sell its products globally.

The only other culprit, besides the smartphone’s limited availability, is that the Fairphone 2 costs €529.38 ($580), which is a bit of a steep price, considering the outdated specs. The manufacturer should have launched the product with better components, if it wanted people to even consider buying it. This way, they’ll have to think of upgrading it right after making the purchase, which is definitely not the way to go in the rapidly evolving industry that is mobile tech.

Be social! Follow Walyou on Facebook and Twitter, and read more related stories about the BLOCKS modular smartwatch, or the scammy modular smartphone Indiegogo campaign.

[via 3D Hubs]