Shapeways Blog

Designer Spotlight: Bathsheba Grossman

blog@shapeways.com (Natalia) — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:57:58 +0000

This weeks Designer Spotlight focuses on Bathsheba Grossman, a long standing and influential community member here at Shapeways, whose beautiful mathematical designs have inpired many designers, not to mentions a few past designer spotlights!

The Emerging Topologies of 3D Printing Showing in Sydney, Australia

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:53:46 +0000

Emerging Topologies is an upcoming exhibition exploring how contemporary technologies are changing our relationship with the architectural space we inhabit. The exhibition is the culmination of artist Josh Harle's four year doctoral research, informed by degrees in Computer Science, Philosophy, and Sculpture, and completed between the School of Design, COFA, and the Faculty of the Built Environment, University of New South Wales. The artist's practice utilises exotic production techniques and bespoke software tools that map, scan, and visualise the city in contingent, poetic ways using 3D fabrication, laser etching, cloud processing, and structural reconstruction from images.

The artist explores the shifting landscape of a city experienced through mobile mapping technology, sketching out his own improbable paths through the shadows. The works tell tales: compiling esoteric maps of journeys through strange cities, and taking playful, winding trips across the smudged face of the GPS screen.

The research thesis will also serve as the catalogue for the exhibition, and the artist is selling printed and DRM-free ebook versions to help with the cost of the exhibition.

Opening: Tues, May 21, 5-7pm

Where: Kudos Gallery 6 Napier St, Paddington, NSW

Hours: Wed to Fri, 11am – 6pm, Sat, 11am – 4pm

Want to Talk 3D Printing in Manhattan Today, NYDesigns & Pratt Hosted Events

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:54:00 +0000

This morning, Monday, May 20th, 10.30am-11.30am with panelists Shapeways, and MixeeMe. Shapeways, the world's leading 3D Printing marketplace and community with US headquarters in Long Island City, communes with its collaborators, architect and innovator Francis Bitonti and MixeeMe, designers and vendors of customized 3D-printed characters.

NYDesigns and the Pratt Center present panel discussions during WantedDesign that will highlight distinctive design and production collaborations between manufacturers and designers in New York City.

The panel discussions will unpack the relationship between the two groups and explore the evolution and potential for local concept development, prototyping and production. The discussions will be followed by factory tours the day after.

Entry is free, register via Eventbrite.

The panel discussions will be held in GALLERY 6 at WantedDesign, Terminal Stores – The Tunnel 269 11th Ave. (btw. 27th & 28th Sts.) New York, NY 10001

Autodesk Saves Tinkercad from Extinction

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Sun, 19 May 2013 00:34:00 +0000

Autodesk has announced that it has purchased Tinkercad and it's core technology to resurrect the browser based 3D modeling app from the dead.

Several weeks ago Tinkercad killed the popular 3D modeling app, closing new users and announcing a slow death for existing users from the free to the pro accounts. Today's news that Autodesk is saving Tinkercad is even sweeter as it has unlocked all of the pro features so you now have unlimited designs as well as access to the 'superscripts' that take the relatively simple 'drag and drop' assembly of geometry to a greater level of 3d modeling complexity.

The Autodesk team are also planning to continue to develop the 3D modeling app further with more import and export options and it may even find it's way into the already impressive 123D range of apps that are perfect to design for 3D printing with Shapeways.

Thank you Autodesk, Long Live Tinkercad...

Gravity Defying 3D Printing Robot (Almost) Makes Objects Appear in Thin Air

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:42:00 +0000

Mataerial by Petr Novikov, Saša Joki?, Joris Laarman Studio and IAAC is a 3D printing robot that instead of building an object layer by layer, draws forms from any surface out into thin air.

Working in the same manner as the "3D printing pen" except instead of your shaky hand trying to make a recognizable shape from an ooze of hot plastic cooled by a fan, this process uses two thermosetting polymers which set when combined by a precision robot actually 3D Printing in space. The team also state that CMYK colors can/could be combined in the same manner to create full color 3D printing using the same method. The same process could of course be used at a much smaller scale and theoretically multiple robots could 3D print different materials simultaneously onto any surface such as a conductive material and a non conductive material to create electrical pathways. This is definitely a technology to watch and hopefully their patent application is not so restrictive as to restrict its potential.

Mataerial is the result of the collaborative research between Petr Novikov, Saša Joki? from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and Joris Laarman Studio. IAAC tutors representing Open Thesis Fabrication Program provided their advice and professional expertise. During the course of the research we developed a brand new digital fabrication method and a working prototype that can open a door to a number of practical applications. The method that we call Anti-gravity Object Modeling has a patent-pending status.

via Dezeen

Friday Finds: Release Your Inner Child

blog@shapeways.com (Priya) — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:03:48 +0000

Since Maker Faire is a kid-driven event, we dedicate this week's Friday Finds to kid friendly products to help remind us that we're never too old to be inspired.

Keep it silly with the Nose Ring by zheng3.

Help keep your kiddies a little more organized with the Porcupine Crayon Holder Base by JamesSaunders.

Make brushing more exciting with the adorable Brush'eM Kids! Toothbrush Holder by NovaStarDesign.

Rock out on the Electric Guitar Lego add-on by Chaffmar (and maybe it'll help inspire your entry to the Lego Add-on Weekend Contest!)

Release your inner child this weekend, have some fun, and don't forget to come visit us at Maker Faire if you're around California!

Weekend Contest #12: Create Your Own Lego-compatible Add-on

blog@shapeways.com (Bart) — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:53:03 +0000

(Image: Lego Ring by MulderandSkully)

I was browsing the list of Lego-compatible add-ons on Shapeways earlier this week and couldn't believe my eyes - the list DOESN'T STOP! It really got my ideas going, and I'm wondering if it will for you, too. Check out Triangle Lego, the Lego Barrette Clip, the little Electric Guitar or this Lego Arduino Brick. What can you think up that will connect with your Lego?

Head over to the forum for the full details of this weekend's contest. Have fun!

A Quick Peek At Our New 3D Printing Material as We Get Closer to Launch

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:19:27 +0000

As we tune our machines for the new 3D printing material on Shapeways we thought we would get your imagination fired up with a few seconds of flexible fun. We still not have locked down the design rules but aim for at least 1mm walls to be safe. Are you ready?

DesignX in NYC: 4 Days of Workshops & Discussions on Digital Design & Fabrication

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:31:13 +0000

During Design Week in NYC at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair, DesignX presented by MODE collective and Architects Newspaper is four days of digital design inspiration.

Presenters include Jesse and Jessica of Nervous System, Gil and Ronnie of Mode Lab, Francis Bitonti, Skylar Tibbits and even yours truly, Duann Scott of Shapeways presenting an intro to 3D Printing Marketplaces and Design for Fab with Autodesk 123D Design to guide you to not only design, but also 3D print from the cloud.

Check out the full range of events happening at DesignX from the May 18 to 21 at ICFF at the Javits Centre in NYC.

Premium Sterling Silver 3D Printing Stays on Shapeways

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:37:00 +0000

The trial has ended, we asked your opinion and now we are happy to say Premium Silver 3D Printing is here to stay on Shapeways.

We will maintain the same design rules, pricing structure and lead time for Premium Silver 3D printing but we will continue to monitor and work to reduce the lead time and cost as soon as possible.

Following is a recap of the Pricing and design rules.

Designer for Hire: Experienced 3D Designer and Visualizer Metin Seven aka sevensheaven

blog@shapeways.com (Bart) — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

We see many requests come into Shapeways via email and forums for people needing help realizing their ideas with 3D printing. Sometimes they have a sketch, sometimes they have a photograph, sometimes they have a 3D model they have started but can't get to the 3D printing stage. Shapeways Designers for Hire are 3D modelers who have the skills to help others get their ideas in their hands with Shapeways 3D printing.

Our second Designer for Hire, Metin Seven aka sevensheaven is an experienced 3D designer and visualizer with a long professional track record.

Contact Metin to get a quote for your project now.

The Beautiful Math of 3D Printed Mobiles

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:50:00 +0000

Beautiful, delicate, finely balanced mobiles 3D printed to dance on the breeze.

These 3D printed mobiles are the result of a collaboration between Marco Mahler and Henry Segerman, available 3D printed on demand through their Shapeways Mobiles Shop

Meet the Shapeways Community in Singapore on May 21

blog@shapeways.com (Bart) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:26:47 +0000

Shapeways member Hanyang Leong is hosting a community meetup in Singapore on Tuesday, May 21. If you live in the area, go and say hello! Everyone with an interest in Shapeways or 3D printing in general is welcome. Full details of the meetup are available on our community meetup page.

Running your own Shapeways Meetup is easy and an amazing amount of fun! If you're thinking of hosting one, contact us and we'll give you all the support you need.

Ask Your 3D Printing Questions on Fridays at 5 with Shapeways Engineers

blog@shapeways.com (Duann) — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:34:50 +0000

Fridays at 5 is our regular Google hangout where you get to ask Shapeways Engineers your questions about 3D Printing with Shapeways. Last week we talked about the upcoming launch of our new elasto material, how we 3D print our high detail acrylic and we set fire to a couple of Nylon and Full Color 3D prints to prove they are not suitable to put into a kiln.

Join us again this Friday to ask your questions or enter them in the comments of the blog so we can be sure to address them first. We are beginning to record these sessions so that we have an archive of answers to your 3D printing questions, thanks to Todd Blatt for the screen capture and 'interesting' questions.

Shapeways Roadtrip across America with Savannah

blog@shapeways.com (Natalia) — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:43:00 +0000

Hi Shapies!

I'm Savannah, the latest addition to the Shapeways Marketing team. I'll be splitting my time here between social media management and Shop Owner education.

I'm honored to be working with such a talented community of designers, Shop Owners and customers, so much so in fact, that I'm plotting the first Shapeways Roadtrip across America!