by Ellie Wilke, The Scranton Journal
Something big is coming in terms of 3D printing and there is a Greene County connection. For those unfamiliar with the term, here is a quick run down.
It all starts with a three dimensional model designed on a computer. Once created, the printer’s laser molds the image in liquid plastic. The plastic is a spool of filament that gets fed into a hot melting chamber where it is molten and laid down, one layer at a time to build the object. Since plastic is deposited only where it is needed, 3D printers create no waste and are environmentally friendly.
“It can be thought of as a glorified hot glue gun that can make very precise shapes in three dimensions,” explained creator Matthew Fiedler.
Fiedler is a prominent leader in the growing industry of 3D printing. A 1994 graduate of Jefferson-Scranton High School, he is the son of Richard and Lenore Fiedler, who reside on a farm south of Scranton.
Since a young age, the engineer has been intrigued in how things are made and what makes them work.
The graduate from the University of Nebraska-Omaha first became interested in 3D printing in college. Years later, he and fellow co-founder Samantha Snabes became interested in developing a new way to recycle plastic and use it as a raw material to “print” new and useful products for consumption.
After discovering that there was not a 3D machine available large enough to do what they needed, the pair decided to make one themselves. Together they founded re:3D, a social enterprise company focused on an industrial quality 3D printer called the Gigabot.
“We aim to essentially democratize manufacturing by giving more people access to 3D printing technology thus allowing them to have what amounts to a personal factory in their house or business,” explained Fiedler.
Their machine, the Gigabot, can create objects up to 24” x 24” x 24” in size, about 30 times larger than a standard 3D printer on the consumer market. The Gigabot is made in the USA and is constructed with a rigid aluminum frame. The machine can work with a dozen different FDA approved plastics to build intricate creations.
The company has sold its printer in 23 countries around the world and throughout the United States.
“It is amazing to see that 3D printers are used in all industries and segments of society,” said Fiedler.
The Gigabot is used by small, medium and large business to create prototypes of new products before they hit the stores. A Houston public library installed a printer in their libraries for patrons to use. Artist, architects and inventors like the Gigabot for they can create new, unique and interesting concepts straight from their imagination.
Fiedler and his coworkers plan to continue developing the Gigabot by adding new features and capabilities this year. They are excited to focus on creating technology to recycle plastic into new feedstock material for the printer, leading to endless printing possibilities at a low cost to machine owners.
re:3d has initiated a program in which the company donates one free Gigabot printer for every 100 printers sold. To learn more about 3D printing and the winner of the first free Gigabot, visit the company’s website at www.re3d.org or watch the YouTube video here:
