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Home / News / Fully functioning keyboard 3D printed in single session

Fully functioning keyboard 3D printed in single session

Objet Connex multi-material 3D printer able to create a properly assembled keyboard in one pass

Most 3D printed objects are either rigid or flexible, but rarely both. Objet’s Connex printer, however, is capable of printing with more than one material, enabling you to print out objects such as this functioning keyboard, which uses rigid material for the frame and keys and a rubber-like flexible material for the key cushions and feet.

Not only that, but it prints both materials in a single session, so the keyboard requires no assembly whatsoever. Obviously you’ll need to route in some electronics to make it compatible with a PC, but the physical build is 90 percent finished from the moment it leaves the printer.

Just another example of where 3D printing is heading and how it’s going to change the way we get hold of the products we need – especially when we get printers that can produce 3D printed circuits, too and churn out a fully-assembled gadget in one go.

[Objet via 3Dprinter.net]

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About

Dan is Editor-in-chief of Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website.  Our Editor-in-Chief is a regular at tech shows such as CES in Las Vegas, IFA in Berlin and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona as well as at other launches and events. He has been a CES Innovation Awards judge. Dan is completely platform agnostic and very at home using and writing about Windows, macOS, Android and iOS/iPadOS plus lots and lots of gadgets including audio and smart home gear, laptops and smartphones. He's also been interviewed and quoted in a wide variety of places including The Sun, BBC World Service, BBC News Online, BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio 4, Sky News Radio and BBC Local Radio.

Areas of expertise

Computing, mobile, audio, smart home