Political power grows out of the nozzle of a 3-D Printer.
Posted on 11/12/2013 4:16:19 PM PST by bigbob
The Cartesian Co. printer EX¹ transforms electronics and prototyping in the same way that 3D printing has made things possible that were inconceivable even 5 years ago.
The EX¹ printer is not designed to create any 3D object like normal 3D printers. It’s been crafted and designed for one key purpose, to allow you to 3D print circuit boards, layering silver nano particles onto paper or any suitable surface to rapidly create a circuit board. In 2011, an article in Wired said that within two years 3D printers could print electronic circuits. Two years to the day, we’re announcing the EX¹, a printer that allows you to rapidly 3D print circuit boards.
The process is as easy as clicking File > Print. This lets you create electronics, just as you've envisioned - wearable electronics, paper circuits, printed computers or whatever you imagine. A 3D printer creates the objects of your imagination; the EX¹ lets you create the electronics of your imagination.
(Excerpt) Read more at kickstarter.com ...
However, here is something very clever and useful: a rapid prototyping machine that indeed prints in 3 dimensions to create printed circuit boards directly. The innovative chemistry uses silver nitrate (AgNO3) and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) to create conductive tracks directly on a substrate, which can range from plastic films to paper, stickers, and even fabrics.
If you're into electronic prototyping in any way and know what it's like to do toner transfer or silk-screening (or wait weeks for boards from China!), you'll want to take a look at what these young Aussies have done!
Political power grows out of the nozzle of a 3-D Printer.
Soon we will want for nothing.
I figured they were only laying the solder runs. individal components(resistors, capacitors, diodes and transistors along with complicated chips) seem like they would be damn near impossible to do at this point in time.
Printed Electronics is around, google will show some companies doing it. But yeah, tough to do more than basic passives although some claim to be able to do transistors, diodes, etc. The big payday will come if/when someone comes up with a way of printing an RFID device using web technology. Get the price down to under a nickel and lots of manufacturers will put one on individual items in the grocery store, drugstore, etc.
I would think that the use of silver in any form would be a bit "pricey" compared to copper.
These people had better pick a new name. There already is a 3D printer company called ExOne.
I wait for them to come in the mail :-(
But I do get 10 small 2 sided boards for about 13 dollars including delivery. 5cm square but you can get lots of sm parts on a board that size.
http://imall.iteadstudio.com/open-pcb/pcb-prototyping/im120418001.html
The very best buy is for ten 10cm x 10cm boards for 24.90
I sometimes panelize these...they are great for making up a bunch of small USB dongles.
Sure is ahead of those wax crayon and acid bath kits Archer sold in the sixties.
You’re another guy who remembers those, eh?
Then we moved up to the light etching and the pen. Then tape masking.
What’s nice about this is you can make your own multi-layer (> 2 layer) board.
Been waiting, sort of.
How small can you get a board with a circuit that does nothing but listen for a signal and open a current? While presenting itself to a network as a neutral device?
Hmmm, well it could be mighty small. A tiny micro-controller
like an ATtiny 85 or an 84 could watch for a signal on a pin and use another output pin to control a transistor switch.
As for the network, if it’s something simple like I2C or CAN then a micro-controller is ideal. If it’s something like Ethernet then I’d go with a cheap Raspberry Pi and use its IO pins for switching.
Roughly I’d say a board an inch square could handle the micro-controller setup..even smaller if using surface mount parts. The Raspi is credit card sized.
Well, here’s the thing. This will logically go into what will be an assassination tool. A flattened needle 5 inches long, containing detcord and a network-enabled detonator presenting as some device and listening for a code. The needle would be able to be quickly shot into any headrest through an open or part-open window and leaving no obviouus sign of its presence.
Existing method, but before you had to actually swap out the headrest.
Progress!!
Whoa, that there sounds dangerous and illegal.
Not something I think anyone should try to make :-(
Stay peaceful.
Lol. Technology is like fire. Only that very few have foreseen what’s coming.
And no, I’m not building anything. Just mapping the terrain. And it’s quite dangerous.
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