Cat George, Author at re:3D | Life-Sized Affordable 3D Printing

re:3D Makes Top 16 of Inaugural MassChallenge Texas!

It’s with a huge amount of excitement, humility, and gratitude to announce that we have made it as one of the top 16 startups of the inaugural MassChallenge Texas! It’s been an incredible journey for our team to date to now be one of the top 16 startups from the 84 participating companies that hailed from 11 different countries across industries of high-tech, social impact, health, life sciences, general consumer products, and clean technology. We’ve been so inspired by the amazing entrepreneurs who make the magic happen of these 84 companies including companies like our fellow #HurricaneStrong Parallel 18 accelerator participants in Puerto Rico, Brands Of.

Other highlights from MassChallenge Texas to date have been receiving one of the People’s Choice Awards at the MassChallenge Texas Startup Showcase. Also, getting the ongoing mentorship and support from the MassChallenge team including getting to hire an amazing intern thanks to MassChallenge as well as receive incredible expertise and connections. These MassChallenge resources of knowledge and talent, exposure, and the inspiring fellow entrepreneurs part of this cohort make us so proud to be part of this community and are integral to where we are today.

During our time at MassChallenge Texas since the program was announced in February, we’ve made huge strides including launching Gigabot X securing beta users around the world with a successful Kickstarter. Gigabot X is a large-scale 3D printer that can print from reclaimed plastic, and as of now is actively printing from FOUR different types of plastic waste. Also, we are geared up to launch the largest 3D printer to date in the re:3D family this fall – Terabot – that boasts a 36″ inch cubed build volume. We’ve also launched a full enclosure called the Gigabox Enclosure for our 3D printers as well as acquired PRINTinZ, one of the first 3rd party accessories that became commercially successful in the build surface market. We’ve invested in building our applied R&D hub in Puerto Rico where we’ll continue to evolve the use of 3D printing technology in pursuit of a circular economy, decrease dependence on imports, and build a vibrant community of fellow problem solvers reimagining the ways in which we use technology to build a collective future, such as 3D printing hurricane relief and recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. We’ve continued to collect stories of impact from our customers in 50+ countries and across industries such as education, manufacturing, research, health science and beyond. And we’ve hired 6 new teammates and are still looking for 20+ more 3D printing enthusiasts to join the re:3D team (check out these positions…and tell your friends!).

All this is to say that since we joined MassChallenge Texas – thanks to the support of this global community and experienced mentorship– we’ve taken flight even faster on the trajectory of our vision.

So after giving a 10-minute pitch and 10-minute Q&A session to a panel of mentors and judges the other week, we have landed where we are humbly today as one of the top 16 startups of this MassChallenge Texas. As if we weren’t already in awe enough of our cohort of 84 companies that comprised the inaugural MassChallenge Texas, this final 16 also includes 3 veteran or military-owned companies along with us, Sempulse and Abraxas Technology (shoutout to you Bunker Labs for the support!). We also join the ranks of 12 Texas-based companies along with – Abraxas Technology, Aquasprouts, Cloud 9, EQO, GrubTubs, Popspots, Sempulse, Tiny House Coffee Roasters, ZPeg, Cloud Dentistry and Novothelium. As well as share industry knowledge and excitement with fellow finalists Partboyz Auto Parts, The Mentor Method, Pay Your Tuition, and Augmenta.

To be amongst these 84 companies and now these top 16, without a doubt, already makes us winners to be considered compatriots of companies at this caliber of innovation and impact who share our values of building companies intent on making this world better off than we found it. That said, today (August 1st) we pitched to another panel of judges in pursuit of a share of the $500,000 equity-free cash prizes to be awarded at the first MassChallenge Texas Awards Ceremony taking place on Wednesday, August 15 in Austin, Texas at Hyatt Regency Austin. At that event on the 15th, we’ll be bringing along Gigabot X to show everyone in person 3D printing from FOUR different types of waste and we’re hoping to earn funds (such as the People’s Choice Award!) to fuel an even faster production of these 3D printers that will use garbage to fuel solutions to big problems. Thank you, MassChallenge. #DreamBigPrintBigger

About MassChallenge: MassChallenge is a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators. Headquartered in the United States with locations in Boston, Israel, Mexico, Switzerland, Texas, and the UK, MassChallenge is committed to strengthening the global innovation ecosystem by supporting high-potential startups across all industries, from anywhere in the world. To date, more than 1,500 MassChallenge alumni have raised more than $3 billion in funding, generated more than $2 billion in revenue, and created more than 80,000 total jobs. Learn more about MassChallenge at http://www.masschallenge.org.

3D Printing Connectivity In Post-Maria Puerto Rico

re:3D had a #HurricaneStrong year in 2017 – our Houston team was hit by Harvey and our team in Puerto Rico withstood Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. June 1st marks the official beginning of hurricane season in Puerto Rico and in this series, we are highlighting stories of impact and insight to encourage #3DPrintedPreparedness this year.

It’s no surprise that the 3.4 million people in Puerto Rico struggled to communicate after Hurricane Maria.

90% of cell towers were damaged, satellite phones were rendered useless, and over 1,000 wireless antennas were lost. For the wireless antennas in operation, they require 8-9 generators powered by diesel fuel – which not only costs a whopping $150 or so an hour but is also particularly problematic when Puerto Rico experienced a massive shortage of gasoline that is needed to fuel the Island until the infrastructure is fixed. The communication infrastructure was severed and the use of typical WiFi that requires sending a large amount of data was impossible. But some entrepreneurs decided to see this problem as an opportunity and created a connectivity solution.

Founders Jonathan Diaz Sepulveda, Victor Santiago, and Saul Gonzalez of a local software development startup – ALQMY – used Gigabot to 3D print a prototype and design Low-band Frequency Network that is uniquely capable to function in the post-hurricane conditions. 3D printing gave the team access to the technology needed to create products quickly and rapid prototype working devices.

The devices were designed using Rhino 6 and printed in PLA.

These walkie-talkie-esque prototype products called Firestarters were equipped to operate on lower bandwidth frequencies, similar to the communication technology used in pagers. The devices were able to create a decentralized wireless network without having to depend on the decimated infrastructure, and had the capability to connect people within 1.5 miles of each. Not only were people able to connect by sending SMS communications but the devices also enabled sharing of GPS information. Puerto Ricans would be able to coordinate allocating petroleum for those in need, bringing food to one another, and connecting with loved ones about their ongoing living conditions and safety.

While this product is operational and still in prototype stage, the founders have entered the next phase of manufacturing Firestarter at scale as part of their bigger vision to make these devices available to people as preventative emergency measures before it’s too late. This access to connectivity in emergency situations is particularly close to Saul’s heart – his community in Utuado had to bury a loved one in a backyard without being able to contact supportive emergency services. Firestarters are affordable products that come with the peace of mind of community connectivity and are still relevant today in Puerto Rico as recovery continues to be a work in progress. Connectivity continues to be an obstacle, and yet is imperative for ongoing recovery which is especially top of mind as hurricane season begins again starting June 1st. Beyond Puerto Rico, ALQMY is sharing this technology with the world by making it open-source so others can proactively learn from Puerto Rico’s experience and prepare for emergency situations.

It’s entrepreneurs like these who are coming together and building a more resilient Puerto Rico, utilizing technology to lead the next generation of innovation. According to Saul, the entrepreneurial ecosystem here is more positioned than ever to flourish – evolving into a culture of tight-knit community and open idea sharing. They are participants in one of the most innovative projects in Puerto Rico where the city of Bayamon has taken on a project to become the world’s smartest city by launching the first Internet of Things lab, applying technology to things like agricultural technology, transportation, and more. Beyond producing Firestarter, ALQMY offers software development services at affordable prices. Get in touch to learn more about them, their services, and the Firestarter prototype.

#3DPrintedPreparedness 3d printing Hurricane Recovery Puerto Rico Rapid Prototyping

3D Printing Contest: Fast Furniture Challenge

About The 3D Printing Fast Furniture Challenge:

re:3D had a #HurricaneStrong year in 2017 – our Houston team was hit by Harvey and our team in Puerto Rico withstood Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria. June 1st marks the official beginning of hurricane season in Puerto Rico and we want to open a global challenge to create a 3D printed solution to have “fast furniture” available if we undergo another hurricane.

Hurricane Maria destroyed over 70,000 homes in Puerto Rico – and the furniture in it. Our team in Puerto Rico had boots on the ground and was exploring using 3D printing for recovery efforts and one of the number one asks from the community was 3D printing solutions for destroyed furniture. So our teammate Alessandra set on a mission to create 3D printed furniture joints that could be made as quickly and cheaply as possible to then quickly assemble basic furniture that can withstand 150 pounds using pre-cut wood from Home Depot. Needless to say, this is not a simple task – but we believe in solving complex problems and as a community-driven organization, we’re opening up this up challenge to the global community in hopes of identifying a solution to be prepared for this year’s hurricane season. We know this product would be good for a womb chair. If you’re looking for such a product, this is a good womb chair replica for sale near you.

3D Printing Fast Furniture Challenge

Goal

Create modular 3D printed joints in PLA that can effortlessly be assembled into a 36”x36” table with pre-cut wood from Home Depot under 1 hour.

Application: Open application for any person or groups worldwide.

Requirements

3D joints must take less than 48 hours to print and cost under $20 to print.
Materials: pre-cut wood from Home Depot. No nails, screws or glue should be used for assembly
Furniture must be able to withstand 150 pounds
Easy assembly and disassembly
Watertight STL files submitted to info@re3d.org with a digital 24”x36” presentation board with visual content (renders, drawings, assembly steps…) explaining your design.

Contest Timeline

Applications Open: June 8th
Submit STL files and presentation board by August 8th
Semi-Finalists Selected For Printing Their Design
Winner announced August 29th

Awards

re:3D will identify the top 3 table joint designs to be printed on Gigabot and assembled using wood sourced from Home Depot. The design that can bear the most load after assembly will be deemed the winner.
Winner will get a price of $250 USD
Judging Criteria For Semi-Finalists
- Creativity
- Well organized, coherent presentation board
- .stl quality: watertight, containing little to no errors.
- Ability to 3D print joints without supports.
- Estimated print time
Judging Criteria For The Winner
- Assembled table using pre-cut wood will be able to withstand 150 pounds
- Assembly difficulty
- Print Cost
- Print Time

What To Take Into Consideration

PLA is weak against tensile forces
3D printing creates objects with layers which is also their weak point: 3D prints tend to break along the layers just as wood breaks along the fiber direction.
Different wood sizes won’t fit on the same basic pipe-like joints

Next Steps

Submit any questions you have on the 3D Printing Fast Furniture thread in the re:3D Community forum!

3d printing Contests furniture Hurricane Recovery

Gigabot X Launches On Kickstarter!

Learn more about Gigabot X, the first product of a family of products that will empower users to print from reclaimed plastic. To become a beta user and check out more details, visit the Kickstarter campaign page!

MassChallenge Texas 2018 – Here We Come!

We're thrilled to be scaling up with MassChallenge as MassChallenge scales to Texas!

MassChallenge is a global network of zero-equity startup accelerators that is headquartered in the United States with locations in Boston, Israel, Mexico, Switzerland and the UK. To date, 1,495 MassChallenge alumni have raised over $3 billion in funding, generated over $2 billion in revenue, and created over 80,000 total jobs.

This year, MassChallenge is running an inaugural program in Texas. As a company that is founded, headquartered, and proud to be rooted in Texas as we scale globally, we here at re:3D are excited to be part of this cohort of 84 startups from 11 countries in a program run in our hometown. These startups are solving problems in industries from high-tech, health care, clean energy, social issues and beyond.

Not only do we get to be collaborators alongside this cohort of high-impact entrepreneurs from around the world and in a program rooted in the Texas startup community we call home, but also re:3D will receive access to MassChallenge’s global network, world-class mentoring from experts, tailored programming, free co-working space, and access to corporate partners. The accelerator culminates in August 2018 at the MassChallenge Texas Awards Ceremony, where selected startups will pitch for the opportunity to win a portion up to $500K in no-equity awards. As we scale up the work we are doing and move the needle toward realizing our vision, getting access to these resources in real-time and on a day-to-day basis is paramount.

We are grateful for the opportunity to join forces with this global community of support who likewise share our commitment to strengthening global innovation. Follow the journey and learn more at texas.masschallenge.org!

This Company Is Pursuing The Untapped Potential Of 3D Printing In Kenya

After growing up and working in his family’s manufacturing business in Kenya, Mehul Shah saw the big opportunity of 3D printing and decided to pursue its untapped potential full-time. He started Ultra Red Technologies two years ago as a contract 3D printing company in Nairobi to design, prototype, and produce custom 3D printed products that solve problems for clients in their community and around the world.

From their inception, the team received requests from a broad scope of industries. In the first few months, they created a cooler box for a major plastics manufacturer, CNC machined spare parts and ethanol cookstoves from sheet metal.

"We believe in the untapped potential of 3D printing."

Mehul Shah, @UltraRedTech

The range of requests and the eagerness to quickly produce high-quality products at scale immediately brought Mehul and his team to the realization that it was necessary to upgrade from a desktop cube printer to an industrial size to meet customer demand. Ultra Red Technologies needed a printer not only with the capacity, capability, and adaptability essential to the variable needs of customers and their various requests, but also a printer that was easy to use and repair, and that came with world-class customer support available to them in Nairobi. In-depth research led them to Gigabot, and a video confirmed their decision to become part of the re:3D family.

The Gigabot has been Ultra Red Technologies’ premier printer and has leveraged its unique strengths to produce products across industries using a wide range of materials in variable sizes, from large, human-sized products to small creations, all with the same attention to magic details. Ultra Red Technologies’ creations range from product designs for students, to custom-made electronics, to splints for physical therapies, to dental appliances, to computer-aided engineering projects, to individual creative requests (like a wine rack or speaker) – the list goes on and on. The applications for 3D printing are endless, limited only by customer imaginations. Customers easily envision what they want to create, upload a photo, and Ultra Red Technologies makes it a reality.

The applications of 3D printing are endless – limited only by our imaginations.

Not only has the breadth, quality, and scope of use of the Gigabot been influential on Ultra Red Technologies’ business, but its high rate of productivity and quick turnaround time has turned first-time customers into repeat users.These customers come back because Ultra Red Technologies produces high-quality products effortlessly, and further, pre-emptively provides solutions to problems the customers would otherwise later encounter. They have saved some of their customers up to $150,000 through product prototyping and cut down the timelines of product design projects from the norm of 6 months to a couple of weeks. For instance, Ultra Red Technologies has cut the build times of cardboard architectural models from 6 months to just two weeks. And the 3D printed models come with the bonus of added detail not found in other methods of creation. An outstanding “wow factor” like this makes customers keep coming back for more.

But this is only the beginning for Mehul and his team. Seeing the massive opportunity in the 3D printing industry, Ultra Red Technologies has evolved to expand its services and has started producing their own innovative products – bringing to life their ideas and building products in pursuit of their passions and solutions to significant problems. They began to hone in on their enthusiasm for the outdoors by launching a particular arm of their company, Ultra Red Outdoors, and to date, have created custom outdoor products such as canopies for wildlife exploration vehicles. Currently, they are in the middle of printing parts to make a solar-powered desalination device to provide access to reliable, clean drinking water for the 41% of Kenya’s 48M population currently without it. And they are just getting started.

Their impact is tangible, and the possibility is exponential. Check out more about the 3D printer Ultra Red Technologies is using and follow their journey. To learn more about Ultra Red Technologies and their services, contact their team.