Jeff's Tool Shed

That’s right, you heard me, gimme my prototyped part in steel. Now, Shapeways can give you just that. They just announced the first stainless steel printing technology. How cool is that? Why get that bracket in some cheap plastic when you can get it in cool stainless steel?

As with other 3D prints, these parts are built up layer by layer, but with powdered steel instead of plastic. They are then infused with bronze and baked in an oven. After the parts have cooled, you can leave them be or have them tumbled for a polished look. It’s up to you.

I’ve included their “official” press release below. I’m working with them on some sort of a giveaway, so keep an eye out for more freebies!

SIGGRAPH (August 4, 2009) — Many 3D modelers have found their way to Shapeways to bring their personal designs to life by using 3D printing. Until now the materials were limited to different kind of polymers. Today Shapeways becomes the world’s first company offering 3D printing in stainless steel for everyone.

Technique

This is a completely new technique which deposits stainless steel powder in a very thin layer, combining it with a binding material. Printed objects are built up like this, layer by layer, gradually creating the form just as you designed it on the computer screen. When complete, they are infused with bronze and cured in an oven. After cooling, the models can be left in the original steel finish or tumbled to get a great polished look.

Quest

“After our offer for pre-designed stainless steel Ringpoems and cufflinks, we are now making 3D printing in metal available to everyone and for all products. This is a truly unique service that we are proud to announce. It is yet another step in Shapeways’ continued commitment to deliver personalized production capabilities to everyone in the widest range of materials” says Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO of Shapeways.

New possibilities

Shapeways’ users can now also choose to have their designs 3D printed in metal, allowing for a new look and feel to these unique items. New possibilities come into reach both functional and from a design perspective, because the material specifications of metal differ greatly from polymers. Pricing is reasonable with $10.00 per cm^3. At this price level unique rings can be made for $ 4.70 only. Combining the creative power of Shapeways users with this new feature, there will be no limit to the creative and functional applications of 3D printing in metal. Visit www.shapeways.com to get started.

About Shapeways:

Shapeways, the world’s first 3D co-creation community, brings design to life with cost effective, high quality 3D printing. Shapeways is redefining Do-It-Yourself by connecting consumers to the latest in micro production with easy to use click-and-drag product customization and advanced upload-to-print tools for seasoned 3D designers. Shapeways encompasses a diverse community of artists and enthusiasts engaging in everything from collaborative creation to selling their 3D designs as products through the unique Shapeways Shops, an international marketplace for consumer created 3D printed products. Shapeways is spinning out from the Lifestyle Incubator of Royal Philips Electronics, located in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

Shapeways, the first online consumer co-creation community is proud to announce a great opportunity for all its community members as well as to anyone that is interested in doing 3D printing. One of the most important promises that Shapeways made when they first launched last year was to make 3D printing affordable to everyone. They’ve followed on their promise, offering all their different kinds of materials at unprecedented prices. Today Shapeways is proud to announce today that their most popular material, White, Strong and Flexible is now 10% cheaper. This is not a temporary discount but a permanent discount!

By lowering the price of it’s best selling material, Shapeways is delivering on its promise to make next-gen products available to everyone and allowing anyone to experience how unique personalized production is. As demand for materials increase, Shapeways will continue to bring the highest quality and the lowest prices to consumers.

Shapeways now has an online store for you to make money on all those designs you’ve been saving. You have heard of Shapeways, right? The online store to bring your designs to life? Well, not only can you get 3D prints of your designs, you can now sell them! Do you have some cool stuff that you’ve designed in SolidWorks (or, gulp, another 3D package) and you’re interested in selling it? It doesn’t matter if you’re a designer or an artist or just screwing around, Shapeways is there to help you make some extra cash.

You can read the press release below, or go to www.shapeways.com/shops for more information.

SHAPEWAYS SHOPS HAVE ARRIVED: NEW GLOBAL MARKETPLACE FOR 3D PRINTED PRODUCTS LAUNCHES

From Model Trains to Gadgets, Shapeways Shops launches for 3D designers to Sell their Products in the Worlds First 3D to Reality Marketplace

CES – January, 2008 – Shapeways, the 3D printing and production service, announced today the
launch of the much anticipated Shapeways Shops. The Shops offer artists, designers and hobbyists alike, a unique online platform to show and sell their designs to a world-wide audience. This new marketplace enables anyone to make money with their 3D modeling skills, bridging the gap between the digital 3D models and real tangible products.

More details can be found at www.shapeways.com/shops
Shapeways makes unique production affordable. Whether you design beautiful interior
accessories or make useful items for you and your fellow hobbyists. You don’t have to think about
mass production anymore. From now on you can actually make money with your 3D models.
Upload your models and sell them at the Shapeways Shop and start your own personal
production line without any investments.

Shapeways does everything for you: payment service, customer support, production and
shipment, which is all provided free of cost. All you have to do is creating your own 3D models.

Shapeways provides an easy, online interface for 3D artists and contemporary design consumers
of all skill levels to order their reasonably priced 3D designs as physical, printed objects. Within
ten business days, a tangible, 3D product will be produced and arrive at the customers home.
Join Shapeways and become a member of the vibrant and creative community to share your
knowledge, interest and now make some money with things you really like to do.
Key Points:

- Shapeways offers an online platform for 3D creative’s to show and sell their designs to a
world-wide audience
- Shop owners can price the items they are selling with their own mark up.
- Artists and designers keep the copyright rights to their designs / products.
- Shapeways assumes full responsibility for production, orders, shipping and customer
service enabling designers to focus on doing what they do best: Imagine and create.
- Shapeways accepts most file formats of 3D modeling software (.STL, VRML, .X3D,
colada) what makes uploading a design easy and efficient.
- Users and potential buyers can browse through their favorite designs easily through
categorized objects the can enter the shop via the models or via the shop gallery.
- Shop owners have the ability to promote their shop and 3D designs on the Shapeways
landing page as well as display feedback and comments through Shapeways Shops.