Design "pre-approval"

For example, if someone wanted to open up a 3d print shop and utilize Shapeway services; would it be possible to have a number of designs verified and approved for printing before putting an order through? If I understand correctly, otherwise, the initial customer will have a longer wait for the model to be approved by a 'tech' before the actual printing and shipping takes place? Is there a more accurate breakdown of how long approval takes vs the actual printing/packaging/shipping? ie. once a design is initially approved, how long would subsequent copies of the same item take?

You can ask Shapeways Customer Services via service@shapeways.com for an opinion.
However, once your model has been 'approved' and successfully printed, the same model should get a 'printed before' flag and continue to be printable unless the design guidelines for the material change.

NetFabb Studio Basic is free software that has pretty much all the same tools as Shapeways operatives use and is great for error checking, repair and measuring parts. Using NetFabb takes a lot of the uncertinty out of the order process.
There's also NetFabb Cloud Service, now hosted by Microsoft, needing a Microsoft Live account for signin, This service repairs and boolean unions shells.

Shapeways aim to get you delivery to you on or before the expected delivery day, I've had new models turn up 3 days early and repeat models turn up on the day - I don't think there's any time reduction for printed before models - I expect the timing depends on the printer tray fill size & print time.

Paul

Alex Shapeways it is not like a competitor , here you can upload a design , and client can order directly and be available in all materials you make the design based on design rules.

It is not like : pay X to print , then print after. It goes to other way , and that gives you a chance to show creativity.

If client purchase , then the product it is treated like you have ordered it and passes the same checks then they are flagged as printed *this part was implemented recently.

Other than that , get the advice from Stop4stuff but don`t get him angry ... kidding!