So you want to enter the iPhone 5 contest we are running to win $500 worth of 3D Printing but you do not know where to start? We uploaded some files to TinkerCad so you can get started and now the team from TinkerCad have taken it one step further with a really handy video showing how to customize an iPhone case in TinkerCad.

TinkerCad is a perfect tool to get started designing for 3D Printing thanks to it's drag and drop capabilities.  Because it is browser based you never need to download or update the software. You always have the latest version.

Thanks again to the team at TinkerCad for putting the video together... 

It Arrived!!!

The first 3D Printed iPhone 5 has landed at Shapeways and along with it an update to the design for the iPhone 5 case templates for the contest we are running at Shapeways where you can win $500 worth of 3D Printing by designing an accessory for the iPhone 5.

There are already over 30 3D Printed products already available on Shapeways to fit the iPhone 5, enter your design in the contest to win.

We have updated the downloadable files for customization now that we have been able to test the fit, especially around the corners for the iPhone 5, the case can be downloaded here, and the bumper here. 

As Ikea starts to use more 3d renders of products in it's catalogues Kickstarter has changed it's guidelines on new product and hardware projects stating the product renderings are prohibited and that product images must be photos of the prototype as it currently exists.

This is interesting from a number of angles:

1. Ikea is using 3D Renders as it is faster and cheaper than photographing an object in different settings, it also means they can prepare the catalogue artwork before the product is in production.  Ikea as a brand is reliable enough that we understand the basic quality of product we will receive if we purchase from the catalogue.
2. Kickstarter is moving away from 3D renders so backers can better understand the quality of the product they will receive. The projects on Kickstarter are not (often) from a reliable brand, so people are taking a risk that they can actually deliver the product they promise, to an acceptable quality, in a timely manner.
3. 3D Printing your Kickstarter project with Shapeways, either as a prototype like the Glif, or as the final product as Joshua Harker has done gives you the opportunity to show that you have a better chance of delivering a viable product.
4. Shapeways renders your 3D model as soon as you upload it so you can preview your design before you 3D Print it for yourself.  We recommend that you do 3D Print and photograph any product you would like to sell so that your customers can see exactly what they will get.  Like Ikea, uploading photorealistic renders is often faster and cheaper than taking photographs but like Kickstarter potential buyers of your designs are relying on these images to determine the look, feel and scale of the design as proof that your design will work. This is the reason we only promote products that have photographs, not renders to ensure that your customers have a better understanding of what they will receive.

We would love to get your thoughts, are there any scenarios where you think a render is suitable?

via Solidsmack Image Cunicode

Mikola Lysenko has created an app to turn an 8-Bit character sprite into a 3D printable model with his Shape Carving Editor using WebGL and the Shapeways API.  You can see some of his 8-Bit voxel sprite models in his Shapeways Store.

To use the Shape Carving Editor to make your own models take a look at Mikola's blog which has all of the instructions how to use the app along with all of the thinking behind the project.... 

The source code for the client is available on GitHub, so feel free to download it and try it out.

UPDATE: These files may not be 100% correct, I will double check ASAP...

UPDATE 2: THE CORRECT FILES ARE NOW AVAILABLE, PLEASE SEE DETAILS HERE.

We announced the contest to win $500 worth of Shapeways 3D Printing last week and have already seen a few designs for the iPhone 5 trickle in but we wanted to make it a little easier for you with a few 3D files to download that might help.

We have used the specifications provided by Apple to 3D model a dummy iPhone 5 suitable for 3D Printing in Nylon and one for Full Color 3D Printing, along with a basic case for the iPhone 5 and a basic bumper.

Please note we are waiting for the 3D Prints to come back and of course we have not yet tested them on an iPhone 5 yet..... 

You can download the STL files to modify in your 3D software of choice as long as it supports STL import, we have also uploaded the case to TinkerCad along with the bumper and the dummy iPhone 5 so you can start customizing the design even if you do not have any 3D CAD skills, yet... 

UPDATE: THE CORRECT 3D FILES ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD, PLEASE SEE HERE.

The iPhone 5 has now been announced and about go on sale on in the U.S. so we want to see what innovative new designs you come up with to 3D Print for the latest iteration of the iPhone to hit the market.

We are running a contest to find the coolest possible 3D Printed accessory for the iPhone 5, be it a case, mount, amplifier, magnifier, connector, stand, spinner, launcher, disguise, necklace, shoe, bottle opener, ping pong paddle, helmet, destroyer, anything.

Upload your NEW design for the iPhone 5 with the tag iPhone5_3D by Friday October 19th for your chance to win $500 worth of Shapeways 3D Printing!

The Shapeways team will choose a winner based on the design we deem to be most awesome... 

You can download the dimensions of the new iPhone 5 from Apple now to make your design perfectly fit the new device and check out their Case Guidelines to ensure your design does not impede the performance of the iPhone 5.

Continuing our series of Solidworks 3D modeling tutorials for 3D Printing by SolidWize, this week they explain Validating your Design with SimulationXpress:

You just received your bright new 3D printed part and the unthinkable happens; it breaks. With the right model prep, this can be avoided. Last week I did a post on creating a one handed bottle opener modeled after the Kebo from Rush Design. The last thing you would want to happen is to have your brand new bottle opener break the first time you use it. That's why in this week's tutorial by SolidWize, I'll be talking about validating your design using SolidWorks SimulationXpress. The most suitable Shapeways material for this use case would be Stainless Steel.

SimulationXpress is a fairly simple tool to use, and can allow you to quickly verify that your model will have adequate strength.

Watch the full tutorial below. If you'd like to follow along, you can download the SolidWorks file from my GrabCad Profile.

simulation xpress from Rohit Mitra on Vimeo.

About the author: Rohit Mitra is the founder of SolidWize.com, a membership based online training system for SolidWorks users.

From time to time, you'll likely come across an image of something you want to create a 3D model from. With SolidWorks, you can use the sketch picture tool to import an image to build from. This Kebo bottle opener by Rush Product Design Studio makes for a great example, and we'll use it in this weeks tutorial from SolidWize.

By bringing the picture into a sketch, you can quickly reproduce the desired geometry inside of SolidWorks using just a few lines, arcs, and the fully define sketch tool.

Watch the full tutorial below. If you right click and save the picture of the Kebo, you'll be able to follow along. You can also download the completed model from the Solidwize Shapeways page.

Kebo Bottle Opener Upload 2 from Rohit Mitra on Vimeo.

Next week's video will cover using Simulation Xpress to validate and optimize your design for a Shapeways Stainless print.

About the author: Rohit Mitra is the founder of SolidWize.com, a membership based online training system for SolidWorks users.

UPDATE: Solidwize is holding a webinar on creating beautiful renders using Photoview 360 next Wednesday, September 12th. Check out http://solidwize.com/webinars for more information.

Autodesk offer free 3 year software licenses under their assistance program for Students, Faculty and Displaced Workers.

This is an awesome program for students and/or the unemployed to get their hands on some professional tools (including 3D modeling software), hone their skills and knowledge of software to make them an asset to an employer or maybe even start your own business.

Software that may be suitable for 3D modeling for 3D Printing with Shapeways include Autodesk Product Design Suite, 3ds Max, Inventor, Maya and AutoCad.

* Free products may not be used for commercial, professional, or other for-profit purposes, and are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies the software.

via Between The Lines.