Mojo Coworking, a leader in the innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial communities of Asheville, is partnering with The Van Winkle Law Firm, the largest law firm in Western North Carolina, to launch the Mojo • Van Winkle 3D Innovation Lab.
“3D printing has been around for about 30 years, but the idea of it being accessible to anyone is brand new,” says Craig McAnsh, founder of Mojo Coworking. “Since Mojo is the place in Asheville where anyone can plug into social, creative, and entrepreneurial energy, it makes sense for us to stay on the leading edge of technologies that support these values.”
The Lab features the first publicly available 3D printers in the Asheville area.
3D printing accelerates creativity. Through mass customization and speed to market, a designer can make products and showcase them to an audience overnight.
Custom accessories have taken off among 3D printing businesses. Online communities like Thingiverse.com, Cubify.com, and Shapeways.com offer an online marketplace where individuals can make, buy, and sell their own products. Jewelry designers, for example, upload their 3D digital designs and customers purchase them. Once an order is placed, a 3D printer prints the product and the online partners ships it. 3D fans can also download the working files and print their item at the Mojo • Van Winkle 3D Innovation Lab.
On demand creativity is not just the future, but now.
“If you want to learn how to make it yourself, join us at the 3D Lab,” says R. Brian Johnson, a patent attorney at The Van Winkle Law Firm. “’What will you make?’ is our concept. We want to invite inventors, creators, designers, and innovators to push their boundaries of creativity.”
A grand opening event with remarks will be held November 20, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. with special guest Adam Reichental – national retail sales manager of 3D Systems, Inc.
Features of the 3D Lab
The Mojo • Van Winkle 3D Innovation Lab includes two 3D printers – the Cube and the Cubex Duo – and a Macintosh 3D computer design station along with a variety of software and design tutorials. A 3D scanner will be added as soon as they are available.
The Cube will allow users to create plastic items in a single color up to 5” x 5” x 5” inches. The Cubex Duo will allow two colors up to the size of a basketball.
Classes and demonstrations will be held at the Mojo • Van Winkle 3D Innovation Lab. Mojo Coworking members will have premium access and member-pricing, and events will be open to the public. To learn more about future programs, sign up for the Mojo Coworking e-newsletter at http://tinyurl.com/joinmojo.
I think it would be fun to shape chopped liver. Or maybe Spam.
FDM machines work by melting a material to a fluid state, depositing it on a surface where it re-solidifies. You can liken it to a glue gun attached to an XYZ table. Typical materials are ABS and polycarbonate. Additional additive prototyping process are SLA and laser sintering with a few more less common process. Most design engineers use these tools on a daily basis.
What other materials would you suggest?
This is a really neat idea. I hope for their success. A great local option rather than using protolabs or any of the other expensive job shops. Hope they can increase their capabilities. I find it odd that they are using mackintosh. Not many CAD packages work on macs, they must be specializing in animation type software.
I think the great thing about this is that Mojo is providing a place where someone can come in and mess around with the machines and software and actually learn the process of 3D printing. There is a pretty big learning curve and it takes time to get going and Van Winkle and Mojo are subsidizing that learning curve for the Asheville community.
Way to go!!!
more plastic, what about other materials?
Mojo actually uses a plant-based plastic of some sort…..