3D Printing and CNC production
In the last few decades, CNC technology has become a huge part of the entertainment industry. From producing iterative prototypes using cheap FDM printing, to carving life-size statues on a CNC router, these techniques involve taking an .stl file or other kind of CAD model and making it real.
The two most common kinds of 3D printing are FDM (fused deposition modeling) and SLA (stereolithography). FDM printers heat a plastic filament and deposit that filament in precise layers to build up a shape, while SLA printers use a UV-reactive resin to cure the contents of a resin vat in layers to build up a shape.
Another common way of creating an object from a computer file is with a CNC (computer numerical control) router. Some common brands of these machines are Laguna and ShopBot. These machines use a line drawing to create numerical data, which is then used to control the path of a spinning blade. This blade cuts extraordinarily precise shapes out of materials like MDF, plywood, foam and more.
I've been lucky enough to be a part of the community of makers experimenting with these technologies for many years, and here I'll display some photos and videos of current CNC and 3D printed projects. I'll probably also show some painting of 3D printed miniatures. Enjoy!
