Complaints

Where does one go to file a complaint with ShapeWays?

Samantha

You can go here

Thank You.


Message sent.

Or you can send a normal email to service@shapeways.com. That way the email string is all in your own email system.

For example, when I first ordered things from SW and had problems I used this online form to raise the issue. On at least one occasion I had no response, but also no record of what or when I had sent the form.

Thank You. I will keep that in mind.

My complaint is simple, models that used to print without issue or complaint, now are rejected and I'm told the models should never have been printed in the first place. The Service Team refuses to deal with the issue that the models in question, successfully printed on more than one accasion. They simply prefer to side-step the issue and tell me that the models should never have been allowed to be printed before. But also refuse too address that they claim the models in question actually couldn't pass the check list to be printed, but still were able to be printed.

How can a model manage to get printed, if they claim the printers wouldn't be able to print the models because of tolerances in the first place?

It's like ShapeWays no longer knows what their printing machines can do.

I'm posting my complaint here in the open. In hopes that someone at ShapeWays will decide NOT to just ignore me, or the issue I'm raising, as usual.


Samantha

Good luck with that.

These issues have been raised many times in the forums - I have yet to see a SW answer that addresses them. The rules for FD/FUD seem to have changed without official announcement (or changes to the design guidelines) and silver printing also seems more constrained.

All within SW's rights of course, but very poor communication imo.

This has come up very often recently - part of the problem is probably that what constitutes a successful print for
us customers may actually have been successful in the n'th attempt, and shapeways appears to be cutting back
on their bravery to increase throughput and save cost. (And the many new hires at the recently opened NY site
probably still lack some of the experience of their Dutch counterparts).
Also, "somethings seems to have happened" at the production partner that does the silver printing - either they
got a new one around christmas, or maybe it is a simple human issue such as an old, experienced master silversmith
now being retired.

I'm half-in, half-out on this subject. Just a week ago, I got a rejection because I left a small shell 'hanging' in open space on a model. It SHOULD have never been passed, but I have a copy sitting here on my desk. It was a big oops on my part, and I've already repaired the model. MY fault, not theirs.

I applaud the production team for going the extra mile to get the first one out the door. My issue is that they should have told me with that first copy that it had issues. From some discussions I have had over the (years), I do believe that Shapeways is working on a better workflow from designer-production-designer, and yes, I wish that those fixes would accelerate. But I also comprehend that what worked for 100 models/month is not going to work for 100,000 models/month. As the workload increases, the workflow needs to change.

The online visual design rule checker Shapeways uses in the ring creator is pretty cool. If they could somehow make that available for all model uploads for the various processes that would be helpful before anything gets built, although it doesn't solve the fundamental problem of changing design rules..

Alternately I don't see any big problems with a DRC sign-off or bypass by the designer if there are borderline DRC problems. If there's something like an inconsequential tab or bobble on the inside of an model that does not pass DRC is it really a problem?

100% agree.

SW can obviously do what they want. But, if the workflow is changing why not engage with the designers and communicate what is happening?

COMMUNICATION!! COMMUNICATION!! AND COMMUNICATION!!

Those are the 3 main factors of business. Failure to communicate, with partners, customers, clients and everyone else, and the business FAILS!

Just look at ENRON. And I am sure if I had the time, and this post had the space, I would attempt to list all the companies that have folded up shop
over the last 20 yrs. Because they forgot to COMMUNICATE with people.

And right now there is a serious lack of communication between me (the shop owner), and ShapeWays (service team). When the kick a model
that used to print, and when you have the guts to call them out on it. They fall back on the easy answer to the problem;

"it should have never been printed in the first place"

Like Stonysmith said, He did a model, it got printed, he has it on his desk, yet NOW they reject it. There is a serious case of miscommunications
going on at ShapeWays. And it needs to be fixed. A model that printed without issue over a couple of months, and NOW it has an issue.

Someone needs glasses, if you ask me.

Samantha

It's become a wack-a-mole game. A model printed successfully, you make it available, a customer orders it, it won't print and you fix the error and re-upload it. Another customer orders it, and it won't print for another reason. You fix it, and there's another problem. It's the mole jumping up in another hole and you keep bashing.

I cannot say Shapeways is wrong. Unfortunately by printing these designs in the past they "lured" me into some sloppy habits and enabled me to push the design limits a little too hard. I am in the process of going through all my designs and reworking them.

Lately I get a new rejection- shells that aren't attached. However they are (except one that was my oops). My understanding was that intersecting shells were OK (and they printed OK in the past). Now I am no longer sure, and the topic doesn't seem covered in the materials guidelines. I have just ordered some new models that have intersecting shells- we will see what happens.

My thoughts at this point is to only order prints myself, and after I have the physical model in my hands sell it on ebay. It totally defeats the zero inventory, just in time production process that shapeways makes possible, but I just look like an idiot when a customer orders a model and gets an email that it can't be printed.

SHAPEWAYS- ARE YOU READING THIS? TELL US WHY! I WILL MAKE LEGAL MODELS IF I CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT LEGAL IS.

I also pointed out to customer service that a "square" wire that measures .88 has an equal cross section to a 1 mm round "wire." No luck. And no one can tell me when a wall is too narrow and becomes a wire. With FUD that can make a huge difference.

Hey guys, as this subject has come up many times, I'd like to redirect you to this thread here. Please feel free to continue the discussion there.