Can anyone tell me if/where I am going wrong?
From the graphs I posted earlier you can see that I have a massive problem with my airship models. The "ZPG-3" is just one of my 'ships and I have tried reducing it to two parts and split it down the longitudinal axis to reduce height and support material to a minimum...
(View it here:
https://www.shapeways.com/product/WDG2VB3CR/zpg-3-assembly-new-price-mods)
When the Support Material tool finally worked it showed me that it would print as I expected (and as per my post a moment ago.) The dreadful truth is that the price for this optimised model under the new formula is €83.34. Under the old system it was €20.74.
The original model that I am trying to modify to fit the new price regime -
https://www.shapeways.com/product/DJF7HB56D/us-navy-zpg-3w-quot-vigilance-quot - had a base price of €29.56 which has now become €106.28.
Can anyone give me any advice as to whether or not it could be possible for me to get anywhere near the original base price?
For me, 3D printing is/was the only practical proposition for producing my models; things like resin and white metal casting just are not an option as they would have been for 80% of Shapeways users in the days before Shapeways arrived.
The truth seems to be that the new pricing "fits" for anyone whose designs are mostly made up of cube/box elements - eg. trains, AFV's, trucks, buildings, ships etc. Start designing in spheres and cylinders -eg. modern aircraft, airships, balloons (and add things like vertical tail-planes and undercarriage assemblies) and you have major problems...
Derek
Derek66
CLASSIC AIRSHIPS