If you’ve got a 3D printer and a little bit of imagination, you can make pretty much anything. While these machines are still too expensive to be completely ubiquitous, early adopters are making some really amazing things. We got a look at a few of these objects at the 3D Printing Expo in New York this week. Here are the most unbelievable things we saw.
3D System’s adorable 3D printer — the Cubify — would fit right in with other home appliances. From a design standpoint, it looks just like a little sewing machine. And the company is using its machines to create some pretty neat stuff, like this platform shoe.
And this purse.
Or this chain-like belt.
It’s not exactly a Fender, but the 3D-printed guitar we saw at the 3D systems booth was awesome. Bonus points for the patriotic design.
There are certainly a lot of random, useless 3D-printed tchotchkes. But the wine opener we saw at 3D Systems’ booth is something you actually need!
Form Labs showed off an incredible chess set. The Rook you see is so very detailed, it even has a spiral staircase inside.
To see the detail on other objects from Form Labs, we looked at them under a magnifying glass.
Doesn’t this vase look like it was formed on a pottery wheel? Nope. It was printed on Sculpteo.
These creepy 3D-printed busts — including one of Tom Hanks — were churned out by an MCor machine, which prints using paper.
This 3D printed bangle is something you could actually see someone wearing, not just as a novelty. For a long time, 3D-printed items *screamed* 3D-printed. But as the technology improves, design quality is improving along with it.
Pictures: Nick Stango