Tinkecad has been turning up the awesome dial on their WebGL browser based 3D modeling application over the past year but they just made it even better with the ability to import 3D STL files.... 

This will make it SUPER easy to customize an existing 3D model to 3D Print at Shapeways, whether it be your own file you have created in another software, or a downloadable file from Shapeways, or other 3D model repositories like Thingiverse and GrabCad. You can also grab multiples STL files and mash them together, add text, geometry, anything.... AWESOME.

One limitation is the STL import is currently limited to 25,000 triangles so don't go throwing zBrush madness at it just yet, and of course, make sure you have permission to use the 3D files, and if you modify them, be sure to adhere to the terms by which the original 3D model was shared..

Thanks to the Tinkercad crew for such a fantastic move. 

For the first time the Shapeways Crew will be hosting a 3D Printing Meetup in Seoul, South Korea.

Meet other locals that are interested in 3D Printing, get a chance to feel Shapeways 3D printed materials in person.

RSVP via Meetup

Saturday, September 8, 2012, 4:00 PM

Sejong University 서울특별시, KR

If you would like to attend or host a Shapeways 3D Printing Meetup in you area take a look at Shapeways Meetups Everywhere to see if there is a group already in your area, if not, you can always start one to meet other designers, artists, architects, animators, engineers, students, makers and 3D Printing enthusiasts in your local area.... 

Image via xoxoryan on Flickr

Elegant and modern, the Origami Vase inspired by the Japanese paper-folding craft 3D Printed in white ceramics by Shapeways.

We have seen some AMAZING home decor and beautiful vases 3D Printed in ceramics in many different colors but it is always a pleasure to see such an elegant design that takes a modern digital aesthetic inspired by an ancient oriental tradition to make such a timeless form. 

These three 3D Printed bicycles by Original Train & Rail are in HO scale 1/87 come in a very handy frame to make sure the tiny models are delivered safely and the bases make it easier for you to hand paint the models.Not quite as small as David Sun's Micro Car, These military bikes are very common everywhere in Switzerland. Civilian use of these bicycles is very popular because they are very tough (perhaps the miniatures are not quite as tough, but still very cool).

Disney are hitting the 3D printer again with their new D-Tech Me Princess (catchy name) in World of Disney at Walt Disney World Resort. They had the Star Wars 'Carbon Freeze Me' option a few months back where you could make like Han Solo but this time they are turning you, your wife, daughter or brother into a 3D Printed Princess.  More of Cory Doctorow's Makers coming to reality.

Just how tough are Shapeways 3D Printed iPhone cases? Tough enough to protect an iPhone against New York City subway tracks...

Shapeways Senior UI Designer, Anthony (@loosetony) Cangelosi put his 3D Printed Vibe iPhone Case to the ultimate test when he dropped it (and his iPhone) into the subway tracks in New York City. Soon after dropping the iPhone into the dark, dirty, rat infested tracks along came the subway train, scattering the rats and Anthony squeezed his eyes shut in anticipation of seeing the destroyed iPhone when the train had passed...

When the flying particulate grime had cleared, Anthony was somewhat amazed to see his iPhone and 3D Printed Case, separated but both intact down in the dark depths.  He summoned an MTA employee who told him to come back in an hour when someone would be able to retrieve the phone for him.... After another hours of trains, rats and grime, the iPhone and case was recovered from the tracks, the MTA employees put the 3D Printed iPhone case on (backwards), and Anthony's phone still worked perfectly.... Phew.

Once Anthony had taken the case off and put it back on properly, he noticed a small crack on the inside corner, either from the impact from the drop, or from the MTA employee putting the case on backwards.  Either way, the iPhone was unscathed, no chips, no cracks, no rat droppings, no problem.

If you want to get your own 3D Printed case to protect your iPhone, why not learn to design your own, customize a Vibe or choose from over 600 iPhone related designs in the Shapeways gallery....

Want to design and 3D Print your own iPhone case, customized to EXACTLY meet your needs? Whether you need a credit card holder, a bicycle mount, an iPad connector, a dog collar, a spork attachement or your logo, come along to the class Design Your Own iPhone Cast to be 3D Printed with Shapeways in NYC to get exactly what you want.

The introductory class will quickly cover the materials and processes of 3D Printing then it will be heads down in Inventor Fusion to design your case.

It is important to bring your laptop, a mouse and power supply and download Autodesk's Inventor Fusion (free) so you can design your own iPhone case to 3D Print.

Sign up via Skillshare

If you do not have an iPhone but still want to learn some 3D modeling skills, check out the  Toy Rocket 3D-Printing Workshop for Beginners and Earring 3D-Printing Workshop for Beginners classes also via Skillshare. 

Decoded Fashion hosted an event focussing on 3D Printing fashion. From fashion-forward dresses and shoes to masculine jewelry, they got together to discuss the latest innovation in 3D printing. At Space 530, the heart of NYC's fashion district, 5 presenters spoke to an intimate audience about this prime example of the FashionTech intersection.

The Presenters

Shapeways: Carine talks how our community of members (you) "make stuff" from jewelry to glasses to handbags.

GothamSmith: These four New Yorkers use "robots" (Shapeways) to 3-D print menswear accessories such as cufflinks.

Continuum Fashion: Part fashion label, part design label (200%awesome), Continuum Fashion uses digital technologies to create user-generated fashion collections.

Shulogique: Imagine a high-end stiletto specially created to fit the biomechanics of your foot. 

The Clip-it - iPhone travel dock is a simple an elegant way to turn your Euro iPhone charger into a wall mounted dock.

Clip-it for iPhone converts your Euro iPhone charger to a wall dock; making sure that you can easily charge your phone at every wall socket. Unfurnished rooms, hotels and conference rooms are no longer a problem.

 

Clip-it lets you wind the usb cable easily around your charger and is also usable as a small table dock during your journeys ore while at work.

 

Clip-it makes use of your existing Apple Dock Connector to USB Cable. Simply snap it in and lock the cable at the bottom. Clip-it is perfectly engineered to hold the latest two generations of original Apple charging cables.

 

Clip-it is designed for the latest two iPhone models: the iPhone 4 & iPhone 4S and the included Apple USB Power Adapter (European version only).

 

Now everybody PLEASE ask Remi to make a US, Australian, UK and Japanese version....

Designed by Eric Vergo for the PAW (Puzzle Around the World) project the Pentultimate puzzle is about to make it's way to twisty puzzle forum members around the world.

We will be sending a large Pentultimate around the world to other forum members to allow them to play with the puzzle, gather signatures for collector sticker sets, post pictures here, and tell the rest of the community about themselves. Eric Vergo graciously offered to design the puzzle and it has been built to survive minor mishaps. I had had a custom re-shippable box designed to hold the puzzle and the sticker sets too:

There are 23 participants that will receive the puzzle. Each person will be able to keep the puzzle for about 10 days. Members were selected based on a diverse set of criteria. We tried to strike a balance between designers, solvers, collectors, and other community contributors. 

It will take about 1 year for the puzzle to travel around the world. As each participant receives the puzzle they will have the opportunity to take pictures of it where they live (for example in front of a landmark) and post them here in the thread. They can tell where they live and what draws them to twisty puzzles. There are 23 sets of Pentultimate stickers that will travel with the Pentultimate. Each person will sign them and at the end of the project each participant will be given a set of signed stickers.

This is an amazing community project instigated by Brandon Enright that shows how a community can come together across continents over a shared passion, and a little bit of help thanks to 3D Printing. Good luck Twisty fans...

via twistypuzzles.com

We have discounted 3D Printing Ceramics at Shapeways, then extended the discount for another week, now we are continuing the ceramic love with a flat rate price of $0.18 per cm² on ALL 3D Ceramic 3D Printing at Shapeways.

So you can order your Cory Doctorow bust in Satin Black or Eggshell Blue, Gloss White or Pastel Yellow and it will cost you the same low price of only $0.18 per cm². Remember our 3D Printed Ceramics is calculated by surface area not volume, and be sure to read the Ceramics Design Guidelines before you order your model to ensure your design is 3D Printable in ceramics.

Take a look at some of the products 3D Printed in Ceramics in the Shapeways Gallery. 

3DMTP is a cloud-based software service, focused on making 3D architectural models 3D Printable. 3DMTP automatically transforms 3D designs, from BIM, 3D CAD, SketchUp software and other 3D visualization software into scalable and 3D printable model files.  

3DMTP helps overcome the complex challenges sometimes faced in making 3D scaled models printable for architects, developers and designers. The innovation is based on algorithms which study-the geometric structure of the model, identify and AUTOMATICALLY fix problems that would have prevented it from being successfully printed. Sweet.

Once you are ready to turn your design into a 3D printable model, upload your design file and set your parameters: scale, profile, and desired 3D printer. 3DMTP automatically processes the file without any additional operator interface. 3DMTP also fixes holes between polygons and facets, repairs reverse surfaces, changes the thickness of walls to minimum print tolerance for the selected printer, fixes non-volumetric geometry (making objects "watertight"), and fixes many other problems of degenerated geometry that otherwise would prevent the model from printing successfully

Check out some of their 3D Printable architectural models already in their Shapeways shop. 

La Gerbe, the first in the series of 3D Printed fashion by Dutch designer Bracelet Boutique is based on the painting La Gerby by Matisse. Take a look at some of the beautiful colors that Bracelet Boutique have dyed their designs to inspire you to try some DIY dyeing for yourself. Le Gerbe is available 3D Printed on demand by Shapeways in White Nylon or Stainless Steel.