Layered Learning

Hey there! Welcome to 'Layered Learning'. This blog is about my crazy venture into tech and 3D printing. Two years ago, I knew next to nothing about 3D printing, software development, web development, you name it. Fast forward to today, and here I am, running a full-blown 3D printing and tech operation – who would've thought?



It all started as a simple chat, a ‘what if’ scenario that turned into a ‘let’s just try this’ kind of thing. From getting an Ender 3v2, immediately upgrading it, constantly breaking it, and finally getting it running well, to learning Fusion360, to piecing together my first API and setting up a CI/CD pipeline – it’s been one heck of a learning curve.



This blog isn’t going to be your typical tech story. It’s more of a figure things out as I go kind of tale. There have been loads of trials and plenty of errors, but also tons of fun and some real 'aha!' moments. I’m not an expert, but I’ve come a long way from where I started.



So, if you’re interested in a down-to-earth view of building something from scratch, fumbling through tech, and 3D printing your way to solving problems, stick around. I’ll be sharing everything – the successes, the mess-ups, and all the lessons in between. Let’s see where this journey takes us, shall we?



So, what is Lunar Prototypes?

Lunar Prototypes is an experiment at heart, a "throw it against the wall and see if it sticks" sort of venture. It's a learning experience and an opportunity. It's a dream of a future where we all have the Star Trek replicator at home and can make anything we want, fueling creativity and reducing manufacturing footprints at the same time. 

But how did Lunar Prototypes go from dream to reality? I guess it all started with a water bottle cap. I'd been into 3D printing for a few months, downloading and printing stuff off of Thingiverse. But having kids means things break even quicker than they usually do, and they soon exhausted the available STL files on the internet. 

In comes the water bottle cap for my daughter. No files existed, so what can I do? Design it myself! So, I set out to learn CAD. After a brief and unsuccessful foray into Blender, I landed on Fusion360 and was soon on my way to a bottle cap.



Fast forward a couple months of designing random household objects to designing a post adapter for a baby gate. This is where the idea really started to take form. I had to precisely measure out where on this post the mounting bracket would go, and in doing so, I started thinking what if someone else needed this, but their post had different measurements? This started my dive into parametric modeling.

About the same time, enter ChatGPT. After the usual assortment of random questions and getting it to talk like celebrities and say stupid things, I started asking more targeted questions about tech, 3D printing, and so on. The more I talked to it, the more I started treating it like a colleague instead of a tool.



I started bouncing ideas off it for parametric models in Fusion360 and integrating that into a website. The goal was to sort of showcase my designs, scratch my itch to be hands on in the tech field while working a job that is decidedly not hands on anymore, and overall, to help bridge the gap between "I can 3D print anything" and "I know how to design 3D models".

Fast forward through months of development, testing, failures, successes, frustrations, you name it, and here we are, with something I'm ready to share.

But Why Lunar Prototypes? 

I'm a space nerd at heart. From watching NASA TV all night long on a 13 inch CRT in my bedroom as a kid, to coaxing my children into watching just about every SpaceX launch, to pretty much refusing to watch or read anything not involving space in some way, I've always been fascinated with space and the future. Starting a company called Lunar Prototypes seemed to be obvious. 

It's not impossible to imagine a fledgling Lunar colony with a limited ability to get exports from Earth. In this imaginary colony it's entirely possible that self-sufficiency will be helped by having 3D printers in the home and workspace. From repair parts to personalized consumer goods, 3D printing offers the unique ability to get exactly what you want, on demand, with minimal waste and maximum personalization and customization. 

Consider being one of the first hundred or thousand to colonize the moon. Everything you could need would, of course be, coming with you. But what if you're missing that personal touch. A little style to go with the functional aspect. 3D printing, and Lunar Prototypes, helps fill that gap. 

I've worked in some pretty remote locations, from McMurdo Station, Antarctica to Svalbard, Norway. Not being able to head down to the store to get what you need is a real challenge. 3D printing can seriously impact how such a community would be able to sustain itself.

 

Maybe it's just a dream, maybe nobody will be interested in what I'm doing. That's okay. It's been an incredibly fun journey and worth every penny. Hopefully you will enjoy learning what I have learned. 

Layered Learning: 

What I'm aiming for with this blog is to share my struggles, successes, dead ends, insights, and hopes. I want to share my dream of a sustainable future where 3D printing is commonplace and central to an economy that prioritizes reducing waste while enhancing creativity and discovery. I want to connect with like-minded people and learn together.

In this blog you'll find posts about 3D design, 3D printing, AI based software development, and sustainable printing practices and advances. I look forward to sharing this with you, and I encourage you to subscribe, comment, and share your experiences as well!