This spherical gear was made using a 3D printer, can be yours for the holidays

[Shawn Knight]

Proxy Design Studio has created a 3D-printed spherical gear known as the Mechaneu. Described as the first in a series of kinetic, 3D-printed objects designed to explore the limits of 3D printing as an art form, it really is a work of art worth taking a moment to look at.

The company wrote custom software that creates geometry similar to how nature solves problems using shape. As the above video explains, 3D printing allows a method of manufacturing that has previously been impossible such as interlocking assemblies in the production process.

Technical jargon aside, it’s a really awesome 3D-printed toy that just so happens to be up for sale. Unfortunately, it’s not cheap by a long shot as you’ll need to shell out just south of $200 to own one.

Found is a TechSpot feature where we share clever, funny or otherwise interesting stuff from around the web.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/54939-this-spherical-gear-was-made-using-a-3d-printer-can-be-yours-for-the-holidays.html

 

[AnonymousSurfer]

$200? My ***... We have a 3D printer where I go and this would cost somewhere between $10-$25 to make

 

[Adhmuz]

$200? My ***... We have a 3D printer where I go and this would cost somewhere between $10-$25 to make

And how many man hours to design and develop something like this would it take you? It's easy to say you can print this yourself, but then how about you design it yourself too? Cost of materials and cost of development are two different things and you seem to be missing the connection, or simply you aren't appreciating what has been done here.

Btw, where is it that you go that has a 3D printer. I'd like to be able to just go someplace that has a 3D printer laying around that I can mess around with.

 

[9Nails]

Very clever little mechanical ball. Is it that "Ah ha" moment for 3D manufacturing? Maybe.

 

[Guest]

Good and now make one in stainless steel and with better quality surfaces and edges....

 

[davislane1]

$200? My ***... We have a 3D printer where I go and this would cost somewhere between $10-$25 to make

And how many man hours to design and develop something like this would it take you? It's easy to say you can print this yourself, but then how about you design it yourself too? Cost of materials and cost of development are two different things and you seem to be missing the connection, or simply you aren't appreciating what has been done here.

Labor (in all its forms) is the one thing everyone wants to collect on, but nobody ever wants to pay for.

 

[captaincranky]

Jeez, I just pissed away 200 bucks on a 27" A-MVA monitor from Acer. Now I'm kicking myself in the a**, 'cause I could have had one of those things for the same price.......

 

[NeurotechHD]

Good and now make one in stainless steel and with better quality surfaces and edges....

And make it tiny. This would be far more amazing if the ball were, say, the size of a large marble (or smaller!).

 

[NeurotechHD]

Jeez, I just pissed away 200 bucks on a 27" A-MVA monitor from Acer. Now I'm kicking myself in the a**, 'cause I could have had one of those things for the same price.......

You should have saved an extra $100 and went with a 144hz ASUS monitor. Faster refresh rates are far more pronounced an upgrade than a switch to AMVA.

 

[oldikes]

Jeez, I just pissed away 200 bucks on a 27" A-MVA monitor from Acer. Now I'm kicking myself in the a**, 'cause I could have had one of those things for the same price.......

You should have saved an extra $100 and went with a 144hz ASUS monitor. Faster refresh rates are far more pronounced an upgrade than a switch to AMVA.

Boy you must be fun at parties. xD
jk

 

[NeurotechHD]

Boy you must be fun at parties. xD
jk

Haha, well he was half joking/ half serious and I replied before my morning coffee - I don't even attempt jokes until well past 3pm

 

[captaincranky]

And make it tiny. This would be far more amazing if the ball were, say, the size of a large marble (or smaller!).

Right...I'm thinking they should shrink it down to a bit larger than a golf ball, then string several together on a stout chord. After that, they could market it to bored, upper crust suburban housewives as, "The perfect pool boy replacement".

You should have saved an extra $100 and went with a 144hz ASUS monitor. Faster refresh rates are far more pronounced an upgrade than a switch to AMVA.

Yeah you're right. That's because everyone needs need a 144Hz monitor to do work in Photoshop.

So now that you're up, what's one the agenda, trying to count the frame rates on your current monitor?

 

[Guest]

Years of research, my foot! This looks like an almost direct copy of my brother's design.

Here's a link to his 3D-printed version.

 

[Guest]

Forgot to attach the video of the final version:

It looks like they took their design right off this guy's blog.

 

[Ainaemaet]

$200? My ***... We have a 3D printer where I go and this would cost somewhere between $10-$25 to make

And how many man hours to design and develop something like this would it take you? It's easy to say you can print this yourself, but then how about you design it yourself too? Cost of materials and cost of development are two different things and you seem to be missing the connection, or simply you aren't appreciating what has been done here.

Labor (in all its forms) is the one thing everyone wants to collect on, but nobody ever wants to pay for.

Yet we pay for it anyways. You don't really have a choice do you? What's your point?