3D printing is poised to change the world. We’ve seen that it is being used to print custom running shoes and even parts for bicycles. Now Jim Smith of Grass Roots Engineering is showing that 3D printing can be used to float away. He used a large-scaled 3D printer to produce 28 colorful ABS plastic sections that were then bolted together to create a 16.7 foot long kayak. Each section has brass threaded thermoplastic inserts, which allows the 2D and 3D sections to be screwed together. Silicon caulk was used to ensure that the kayak was watertight and ready to head out.
It took more than a thousand hours – or just over 42 days to produce this kayak, so it isn’t exactly a quick print and go – but it is still a sign of the times to come. Video after the jump
We know – according to the movie Goldfinger – that a laser can cast a small point on the surface of the moon or cut through gold and nearly a 007 agent. A laser is an intense beam of light. The Nike Vapor Laser Talon is an intense running shoe that features a revolutionary 3D printed plate that can help football athletes perform at their absolute best. The shoe is a featherweight 5.6 ounces that can help players maintain their drive stance longer and even accelerate faster in the first 10 yards. This first shoe to utilize 3D printing technology can’t cut through gold however, but it can help wearers get the most out of every step.
One of the marvels of 3D printing is that it allows designers to make small modifications during the prototype stage. Even not so small changes can be accomplished as another model can be printed off.