At Shapeways, we’ve been rethinking how engineers, product designers and businesses source their 3D printed parts. Today, we’re excited to announce a major step forward: the launch of Instant Quoting and a new, streamlined ordering process that removes the traditional shopping cart experience entirely.
Why we’re making this change
Our mission is to make advanced manufacturing accessible and as we’ve evolved, so has our customer base and their needs. Our business users told us they needed:
- Speed: Faster pricing and turnaround times.
- Clarity: Transparent, reliable cost estimates at the point of design.
- Efficiency: Fewer clicks, fewer steps and fewer delays in getting parts made.
Instant Quoting delivers on all three.
What’s new?
Selective Absorption Fusion (SAF™) is a powder-based process that uses infrared energy to fuse layers together. Think of it as a smart, scalable way to produce strong functional thermoplastic parts. Perfect for prototypes. Even better for short-run production.
- Multiple Live Quotes: Work on multiple quotes at the same time.
- Quick Re-Order: Easily re-order previous quotes.
- Simplified Checkout: Order directly from the quote: no cart, no waiting.
- B2B Focus: Built for engineers, procurement teams and product developers scaling additive manufacturing.
By removing the shopping cart, we’ve eliminated unnecessary steps and focused on what matters most: getting your parts produced as quickly and reliably as possible.
The Future of Shapeways
This launch marks the full transition of the Shapeways brand away from B2C toward a dedicated B2B manufacturing platform, with Thangs taking over as the place for non-industrial designers and consumers. Whether you’re prototyping a new product, iterating on a design, or scaling to production, we’re here to help you move faster and smarter.