Printing and Output Services: Online Resources

Generally Interesting

• Inventables.com - An excellent resource for raw materials, electronic components, prototyping supplies and materials of the future!
• Material ConneXion - Awesome database of materials, products and processes.
• Yale Architecture's Supplier List - Some repeats, good sources for SFS projects.
• TAP Plastics - Tons of plastic products, including acrylic hinges, glues, etc.
• Generator.x - A conference and exhibition examining the current role of software and generative strategies in art and design.
• .MGX Design Products - Interesting designs using digital fabrication techniques.

Laser Cutting

• Wikipedia's Laser Cutter Page - Some good background info.
• Adobe Video Workshop - Ecxellent training videos for many Adobe software products, including Illustrator.
• How Lasers Work - Learn all about the different types of lasers, their different wavelengths and the uses to which we put them
• Universal Laser Systems - Manufacturer of the AOC's X-660 and X2-660 laser cutters.
• Central Shippee - Supplier of laser-cutter safe 100% wool felt (T2 and Tempora grades only) in various colors.
• How-To: Laser-Cut Felt Snowman Bag - Tutorial & CDR files for cutting a decorative snowman bag.
• Laserage - Chicago area laser-cutting service bureau. Laserage specializes in laser scribing, machining, drilling, welding, and other custom laser job shop services on alumina, metals, plastics, glass, and most other materials.
• Inventables.com - More than 25 color of acrylic are available from Inventables.com. You can also pick up the acrylic in person at their loop location. Email them for details.
• Johnson Plastics - Distributors of laser engraving materials and supplies.
• Laserbits - Distributors of laser engraving materials and supplies.
• Petersen Plastics - Local plastics supplier and service bureau. Good prices on acrylic, also offer laser cutting and signmaking services.
• Rowmark - Laser-Cutter material manufacturer.
• McMaster-Carr - Industrial supply company that carries lots of laser-cutter materials, and a billion other products.
• Cardboard Table Project - Sruli Recht's flatpack cardboard work table.
• FoldUp!3D - Package design/unfolding plugin for Illustrator.
• Pepakura Designer - Application for making cutting templates from 3D poly models.
• Fine Laser Cut - Small-run laser cutting services in gold, platinum, silver (fine, sterling), copper, aluminum, brass, bronze, titanium, stainless steel, and alloys.

3D Printing/Rapid Prototyping

• Wikipedia's Rapid Prototyping Page - Some good background info.
• Stratasys - Manufacturer of the AOC's Dimension SST 1200 and many other Rapid Prototypers.
• 3D Printer Users - A blog dedicated to users and potential users of Desktop 3D Printing and fabricating solutions.
• Fabbaloo - A blog tracking developments in Fabbing, 3D Printing and Desktop Manufacturing.
• Protomold - Small-run injection molding service
• Time Compression Technologies Magazine - Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Manufacturing and Rapid Product Development.
• MCAD Magazine - Online industrial CAD/CAM magazine.
• RepRap - The 'self-replicating' rapid prototyper.
• Generated Math-Based STL Files - George W. Hart's algorithmically generated STL files.
• Solid Modeling - Discuccion of 3D solid modeling vs. surface modeling.

3D Scanning/Modeling

• Wikipedia's 3D Scanner Page - Some good background info.
• Wikipedia's 3D Modeling Page - Some good background info.
• Rhinocerous - 3D NURBS modeling for Windows.
• Rhino Mac Beta - 3D NURBS modeling for OSX 10.5 currently still under development.
• 3D Content Central - A free service for locating, configuring, downloading, and requesting 3D parts and assemblies. Free CAD model downloads.
• Pepakura Designer - Application for making flat-sheet cutting templates from 3D poly models.
• Fixtureworks - CAD models of industrial parts.

2D Wide-Format Printing and Scanning

• SAIC Campus Printing - Locations, details and drivers for all self-serve printers on compus.
• SAIC Service Bureau - Large-format archival inkjet printing and high-capacity copy center.
• General Access Lab - Open-access computer lab with scanning and inkjet/laser printing resources.
• Using Preflight in Adobe Acrobat - Excellent training video about using Acrobat's preflight processor to prepare PDFs for printing.
• Adobe Video Workshop - Collection of really useful training videos for Adobe software products.
• DPI vs. PPI - These digital printing terms are ofen used interchangably. What's the difference?
• Image Processing Fundamentals - Can't tell a bicubic resample from gaussian blur? Here's a basic crash course on digital image processing.
• Introduction to Digital Imaging - A great overview of digital imaging.
• Instant Photoshop - A Fast-Start Introduction to Photoshop For Photographers.