With the proliferation of makerspaces, such as Tampa Hackerspace, Makerspace @ SPC and Faulhaber FAB LAB, one of the items that is in high demand is 3D printers. Sometimes these things can cost thousands of dollars in entry, with extra cost in printing supplies and part maintenance.
That is where FreeFab 3D comes in. Joel Porter came by to talk about the company's existing and upcoming models, which are far less expensive than many other models on the market. In addition, much of the machine is built with 3D printing techniques itself, meaning that you could theoretically print your own replacement parts if something goes wrong.
One of the great things about buying a FreeFab 3D printer is that included with the purchase comes 2 hours of training. This allows the company to pass on its communal knowledge, such as do not use the printer in front of an open window or under an air-conditioning vent.
Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.
Daniele is a student at Florida Polytechnic University who is studying Computer Science with a concentration in Cyber Security. In High School, she was introduced to the science and technology world through the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a robotics foundation where students of varying ages can compete through tasks that their robots perform. With help from mentors she met through FIRST, she became interested in programming and developing. Today, Daniele is a special events host for F5 Live: Refreshing Technology and PLuGHiTz Live Special Events and a co-host for both The New Product Launchpad and FIRST Looks.
