“There’s a lot that comes into play for actually designing something and bringing your concept into real form,” said Steve Weart, Director of Customer Success at Shapeways. “That’s why there has been such a huge, and positive, impact in partnering with ZVerse, especially due to the massive scope needed for 3D design.”

ZVerse aids with the design and file formatting process, and Shapeways takes it from there, guiding customers in everything from selecting 3D printing materials and technology, to manufacturing and delivery of market-ready products, shipped in white-label packaging.

The journey from concept to manufacturing always begins with that lightbulb moment, translated into a model; however, the intent behind the design can vary greatly.

“One-off designs tend to spark a lot of creativity, acting as a door opener,” says Weart. “While customers may have originally come to us to solve a problem with a design whether it’s something artistic, a trophy, or something they are trying to create around the house, that actually gets people into 3D printing and often they return with a whole new design project.”

The file creation process begins as the customer creates a design request, approves the quote, and ZVerse moves forward with QA, job approval, and the designer completes their work. After that, ZVerse routes the file to Shapeways.

Analysis regarding printability is one of the most important steps after the customer uploads the 3D model, and file fixing services are available through the User Application Team to ensure excellence in production.  

“We are able to help regenerate many models that originally were not printable,” says Angeliki Sioliou, User Application Design Specialist at Shapeways. 

Although the majority of models are easily uploaded and 3D printed, in some cases there may be details that prohibit quality 3D printing.  

“Different materials have different guidelines, and sometimes we run into problems when a model is set for a material that isn’t compatible with a more complicated type of geometry,” says Sioliou. “We are able to offer customized feedback in many cases and help regenerate models that may originally not have been printable.”

In working with Shapeways and partners like ZVerse, customers have access to a dedicated design team in-house, and a large network of engineers too, all ready to handle support for unique one-time designs for artwork like statues, or fine jewelry like custom earrings made with precious metals such as sterling Silver or Gold. Other special products may include models for architectural projects, dioramas used in educational settings, trophies, and other promotional items.

More typical projects include 3D designs for scanning and reversing engineering parts, end-to-end product development, and converting 2D drawings into 3D files. The ability to design for rapid prototyping is also one of the most appreciated 3D printing benefits. Prototyping allows for testing, continued product development, and accelerated speed to market. There may be several cycles involved in the iterative process—or a hundred. 

Customers like Gavin Stener, founder of 67 Designs, are dedicated to 3D printing due to the unprecedented freedom in design and excellence in materials and technology like Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic]. 3D printing allows his company to create unique and rugged accessories for off-roading vehicles—even when consumer demand could historically call for a turn toward mass production and methods like injection molding.

Prototyping allows manufacturers to:

• Optimize designs and reduce cost.
• Decrease the number of parts in one assembly.
• Nail down the final design for mass production of parts.

For clients like Tilt Hydrometer, rapid prototyping through Shapeways offered the opportunity for CEO Noah Neibaron to make over 100 iterations before settling on the finalized design for the his unique design measuring and monitoring the fermentation process, bringing more advanced technology and precision to the culture of home-brewing. The same material used for prototyping, Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic], was ultimately used for the final, functional product too—bringing more advanced technology and precision to the culture of home brewing.

“I ended up learning a lot about technology,” said Noah. “I was passionate about brewing and I really wanted the business to take off.”

“Shapeways was a large part of that. They were really great with fast service, quality, and the range of colors which actually ended up affecting our whole product line because we now make eight different colored 3D printed tilts—and those are the colors Shapeways sells.”

Many customers just aren’t sure where to start or how to design for 3D printing. The key is in realizing that Shapeways and partners like ZVerse are there to offer execution of their ideas and designs, accompanied by comprehensive support. There is no reason to try to do it all alone! 

About Shapeways

Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to make over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here. Contact Shapeways now to enjoy the benefits of advanced technology and materials for 3D printing with accuracy, complex detail, and no limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders.

The post 3D Printing Boosts Production from Concept to Market appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

In Increasing Your Production Power: Additive Manufacturing with EOS & Shapeways, the long-standing manufacturing partners and industry leaders outline the features of EOS materials, along with identifying the main benefits in developing products for additive manufacturing.

1. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) is More Powerful than Ever

Relying on SLS 3D printing, EOS harnesses the power of powder-based technology targeted by lasers to solidify nylon particles, layer by layer, into the desired structure. Most SLS printers are large, and capable of printing an average of 500 to 1000 parts in a single build.

Most builds are made up of thousands of layers, resulting in detailed parts with intricate features. Shapeways uses popular nylon thermoplastics like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] in partnership with EOS, along with other materials that according to Cary Baur, Senior Manager-Polymer Technology at EOS, are fairly common engineering plastics which translate well to other applications—including those that are also being used in traditional manufacturing methods like molding or machining.

One layer at a time is recoated at roughly 100 to 120 micron layers. Each layer of powder is deposited and then heated to just below the melting point.

“We use a directed laser in select areas to melt the materials and create the geometries that we want,” said Baur. “Essentially, we print in a two-dimensional method, but we do that in consecutive layers in the sense that we are building up a three-dimensional object. What this really does in terms of creating value is that it allows you to take a digital file and implement it in a way that gives you a huge design toolbox.”

2. Design Freedom is Huge

Freedom in design is boundless with SLS 3D printing. Supports are not required for this powder-based technology due to the bolstering effect of all the unsintered powder bunching up around parts during printing, stabilizing them throughout the process. This means that engineers don’t have to worry about factoring in support structures to the design process, and even better, production specialists don’t have to worry about fitting them in intricately to the print build—or risk the possibility of damaging parts during post-processing as supports are removed.

“We can 3D print lightweight parts that previously were very bulky because we couldn’t make custom lattices like we can now,” said Baur. “Now we can take those, reduce the mass dramatically, and also reduce material inputs.”

“There’s parts we used to have to machine and mold separately and assemble via different processes that all require more time and cost. Given our design freedom, now we can look at the process differently and design components to fit in with each other during printing.”

Complex parts can be made with better tolerances, greater efficiency, and may include dynamic, moving parts too.

3. The 3D Printing Journey Extends from the Concept to Reality

At the customer level, design begins with developing products for a specific application. After that, Shapeways is responsible for understanding the customer’s needs, revving up production, and providing solutions to scale for other manufacturers.

With the ability to eliminate tooling, 3D printing offers better cost optimization. Along with that comes great efficiency in the use of resources—namely, materials—as less are used in additive manufacturing as compared to subtractive, and much powder can be recycled in each build. Assemblies can be reduced in many cases, allowing for embedded functionality, and the ability to produce large parts all in one piece—meaning that quality and speed are improved, and there is also much less chance for error during production.

This is especially true during product development when many changes are continuing to take place. Projects are turned around swiftly, especially with the potential for quick feedback on virtual or tangible models, as well as haptic feedback.

“In comparison to the speed in 3D printing which takes hours or a few days, it can take months to create molds for traditional methods like injection molding,” mentioned Steve Weart, Director of Customer Success at Shapeways. “The time involved in production really adds up too if one or more changes need to be made.”

“Additive manufacturing makes more and more sense, especially in terms of being environmentally friendly. If we can make something locally, it really changes the game too.”

Shapeways customers are able to cater to the growing trend in demands from consumers for customized fit and customized treatment, whether in fashion or critical applications like medicine.

4. Low- to Medium-Volume Production Yields Great Efficiency

On demand 3D printing is a revolutionary concept, and one that is quickly gaining appeal and traction. With the ability to send Shapeways digital files and then set up customized 3D printing as needed whether for one part, low-batch production, or even mass production of parts, customers are able to avoid spending precious capital in buying their own 3D printing equipment and related materials, eliminate the need to keep inventory on hand or pay for warehouse space, and can even enjoy complete product fulfilment, as orders are shipped out directly in customized packaging.

“With a digital twin for parts on file, you can then just have a number of machines on standby ready to print parts on demand to keep company equipment up and running,” said Baur. “There is a very strong business case for converting as many aging parts as possible to digital files, so they are available when needed—and without having these massive warehouses full of aging parts and inventories just sitting there.”

SLS materials and technology are used in a wide range of applications, to include:

• Aerospace
• Consumer goods
• Electronics
• Eyewear
• Footwear
• Medical devices and medical equipment

The automotive industry is a good example of customized products that are in demand for low-volume production—especially for luxury cars where there may be a target audience for complex interior parts that can be made much faster and more economically than with a traditional method like injection molding. For many different parts, weight can be reduced enormously, saving economically and in efficiency.   

Medical devices like orthotics can also be made much more accurately for fit and functionality. Shape and density are improved with 3D printed products, with specific pressure-point areas and insoles that are designed for the weight and mass profile of the wearer. Performance is better, and customers are much less self-conscious due to more aesthetically pleasing choices. Being able to make a lightweight product is extremely important for orthotics too.

5. Customer Demand Drives Ongoing Product Improvement

Currently, Shapeways offers Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic], Thermoplastic Urethane (TPU), and PA11. These materials are designed to offer flexibility in options for 3D printing, excellence in material properties, and ease in quality control and production.  

“Nylon 12 is our highest-volume material on the market right now,” said Baur. “Nylon 11 also is very popular for applications that require more dynamic mechanical strain and more compliance.”

“A large part of our business is helping to identify the needs of our customers specific to an application,” said Baur. “If we don’t have a current material that meets customer needs, we often can make it, and often we will help enable our customers by working with Shapeways to then look at a material and a production process, with Shapeways filling the production need with the EOS material.”

About Shapeways

Contact Shapeways now to enjoy the benefits of advanced technology and materials for 3D printing with accuracy, complex detail, and no limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to make over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post Top 5 Takeaways from 3D Printing Solutions Webinar appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

“For every model, we are trying to keep the right balance between aesthetics and functionality.”

Proper orientation is one of the most principal elements in 3D printing, with a lot of ground to cover overall for ensuring a quality product. Typically defined as a way to align or position an item, in terms of 3D printing, orientation at Shapeways is related to how industrial parts are placed together in the build tray. This also presents the opportunity to make sure a product reaches its true potential for success; in fact, nearly every ingredient for making a quality product comes together in the orientation.

Efficiency and Speed in Production

Each industrial 3D printing build is unique, driven by customization. While traditional manufacturing tends to revolve around mass production, the orientation process is still defined by different requirements too. Good examples include techniques like molding, where there must be considerations made for how a split line is going to occur on a part, or in CNC machining, figuring out how a part is going to be oriented in the jig to be cut. With 3D printing, the tradeoffs to be decided on begin during the modeling process; for instance, using a vertical alignment might allow for added space in a build, but cause longer production time, and vice versa with horizontal positioning.

Hundreds or even thousands of parts can be printed at once when using a technology like Selective Laser Sintering, meaning that this is a much different story from setting up one part and configuring it like an only child; in fact, packing a tray, also known as ‘nesting,’ is much like putting together a puzzle, even with the help of proprietary software.

Shapeways generally chooses the best orientation for parts that customers upload. Orientation must match the materials and technology at hand for the best results.

While Shapeways customers may not always know each other, often their customized 3D models are actually neighbors in the build tray, especially with a technique like SLS 3D printing, where so many parts can be manufactured at once. This means that many different parts for multiple customers may be oriented in the same build tray. For example, it would not be uncommon for one customer’s 3D heart models to be included in the same build with a different customer’s custom drone parts.

Other Shapeways customers, however, may demand such specific orientation that their 3D models are not nested in with others. For example, 67 Designs—a company who makes high-end accessories for off-roading vehicles—required very careful attention to the layout for the parts because of their logo, resulting in separate, dedicated build trays.

Considering Supports in 3D Printing

For SLS 3D printing with popular materials like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic], supports are not required, allowing for greater freedom in organizing the build tray; however, for processes that do require supports, packing and subsequent removal of support structures should play a role in the planning process ahead of time. Positioning of parts must revolve around the amount and type of supports being used, and the reasoning behind that is simple: good orientation means good support.

Dealing with supports can sometimes be a headache, but in some technologies—and for some particular 3D models—they may be impossible to avoid. The upside is that supports allow Shapeways customers to design some very cool parts, allowing for more intricate details as well as compensating for bridges, overhangs, and more. Robust supports ensure printability, and help avoid serious issues later, like total collapse or other types of failure.

Orienting with removal of supports in mind is key too. This is especially relevant for highly customized, complex parts requiring more comprehensive stability. The proper angles in orientation must be considered, preparing for easier extrication of supports—especially in the presence of overhangs and gaps in material.  

Customized Orientation Settings During the Uploading Process

Shapeways often determines the most suitable orientation for parts, based on the best material for the application, and using as few support structures as possible. For some materials, however, like Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] and Fine Detail Plastic, it is possible for customers with more advanced knowledge to set the orientation with the ‘Set 3D Printing Orientation’ tool, using the following steps:

1.       Visit https://www.shapeways.com/mymodels and click the three vertical dots to the right of the model.

2.       Select ‘Open in 3D tools.’

3.       On the following page, click on the ‘Set 3D Printed Orientation’ button.

4.       A popup window will appear, displaying a navigational button in the bottom left corner. Use this to set the orientation, and then click ‘Save Orientation’ when done.

Note: This process will need to be performed for each material you wish to set the orientation for. These settings will not carry over to the other material options. Once you set orientation, Shapeways saves that selection for the same material each time. The goal is to ensure that each model is printed the same way every time, promoting accuracy and repeatability through orientation consistent with previous prints.

“Over time Shapeways has found the optimal way to orientate models,” explains Angeliki Sioliou, User Application Design Specialist at Shapeways. “Be aware that in printing miniatures, glasses, jewelry, or phone cases with the same material, orientation could be different and more complex.”

Although 3D printing has been popular with some customers for one or more decades, many are still used to designing for traditional manufacturing, and all the settings, materials, and technologies that go along with such methods.

“To set the orientation correctly, first you need to understand the technology,” said Sioliou. “Every technology and material is different, so if you are not confident about the technology, consult with the Shapeways team of experts.”

While very important, orientation is never a perfect science due to tradeoffs that are often involved. Many choices are left up to the designer, along with the opportunity to enjoy the beauty of infinite and mass customization. One of the greatest benefits in 3D printing is that nothing is set in stone—the design and modeling process allows for infinite changes and edits—and it is not the end of the world if a file or completed print needs further adjustments, especially in positioning a 3D design for the best outcome.

About Shapeways

Contact Shapeways now to enjoy the benefits of advanced technology and materials for manufacturing creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to make over 20 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post Aligning with Quality: Proper Orientation in 3D Printing Means Thinking Ahead appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Let’s dive in to find out just why the aircraft industry is using 3D printing.

A Fit For 3D Printing

Aerospace is a unique fit for many of the most-touted benefits of 3D printing:

• Part consolidation
• Lightweighting
• Complex geometries (“freedom of design”)
• Rapid prototyping
• Low-volume production
• Digital inventory

Let’s look at each of these areas to see how the production of aircraft can make use of these benefits.

Part Consolidation

The weakest point in an assembly is where it has been, well, assembled. When it comes to aircraft, such a weakness could become a point of critical failure, endangering human lives.

By consolidating multiple components of a part into a single 3D printed build, the number of assembly points is necessarily reduced. The unique geometries possible with 3D printing can reduce a part that typically has dozens or hundreds of parts to few — or to one single part. With no welding, riveting, or other fastening needed to keep the part together, not only are SKUs reduced, but so too are potential points of failure.

Lightweighting

Every ounce of weight matters when it comes to equipment meant to fly. Lighter-weight parts means less fuel, improving not only the carbon footprint of a flight but also the cost to fly.

Materials innovations in 3D printing are seeing constant improvements in different metals and polymers approved for use in different equipment. Many of these engineering-grade materials are familiar to those who have worked with them in traditional manufacturing — translating these formulations into 3D printable materials is bringing their capabilities together with part consolidation and other time- and material-reducing benefits to create altogether lighter final parts.

Freedom of Design

Many working with design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) like to proclaim that the technology offers great “freedom of design,” as complex geometries impossible to make with other manufacturing processes are for the first time possible.

Design methods like topology optimization and generative design are developing new shapes never before dreamed of that can be created only by 3D printing. These complex, often lattice-like designs not only reduce weight by including material only where necessary, but are often stronger than legacy designs. While certain constraints of course still exist, and may vary by 3D printing technology and material used, these are in many ways significantly reduced from those seen in traditional, subtractive manufacturing processes. New interior and exterior aircraft components can be designed to replace stodgy original parts, adding both design finesse and extreme functionality.

Rapid Prototyping

The earliest use of 3D printing is also its original nomenclature: rapid prototyping.

Quickly going from a napkin sketch idea to a CAD design to a first prototype — and then a second, third, and so on — speeds up the time-to-market for new products. While traditional manufacturing may require multiple iterations to be sent back and forth over weeks or months, the fast-paced aircraft industry can see much faster turnaround when designs can be created and finalized within days or weeks.

Low-Volume Production

As large as the aerospace industry is, by total volume the sheer number of aircraft produced is relatively small compared to, say, automotive or appliance production.

High-value, low-volume production is a perfect fit for 3D printing. Whereas many traditional manufacturing processes require expensive tooling and molding to be made, creating economies of scale for mass production, no molding is necessary for additive manufacturing. One or a few pieces may be made at a time — including different designs on the same build plate — with no additional molding or tooling costs. The point of inflection for additive versus traditional manufacturing typically requires hundreds or thousands of parts to be made before traditional techniques are more cost-effective — and while that may ultimately reduce costs to pennies per injection molded part, before that crossover point, 3D printing is more cost-effective. This is especially the case when using high-value metal powders, when material savings are imperative; 3D printing eliminates significant waste of material as only the material needed for a given build need be used, and much else can be recycled, rather than cutting away and wasting material from solid blocks in subtractive manufacturing processes.

Digital Inventory

When an aircraft is approaching the end of its useful life, often it can be salvaged through replacing certain parts to keep it flying. This is often done through use of physical warehouses, where these spare parts were stored on shelves until needed. These spare parts, in most cases, were made at the same time as the original mass-produced OEM parts, set aside to await replacement demand for worn parts. If that demand never comes, though, they were a waste of not only the time and cost of producing them, but also of storing them on shelves for however many years. Worse, if that demand comes but spares are out of stock — especially those forever out of production — the lack of a small part may ground a plane.

Rather than physically keeping goods on shelves, digital fabrication methods allow for storage of a design file that can be 3D printed on demand. 3D printing a replacement part allows for only those parts needed to ever be made — again without need for first producing costly molding or tooling. These on-demand spare parts can also be made anywhere with the appropriate technology, rather than awaiting OEM delays that can all too easily run up into weeks or months.

Flying High With 3D Printing

The production of aircraft, from prototype to spare parts, is increasingly benefitting from the use of 3D printing in the supply chain. Decentralized production, new design possibilities, and reductions in time, materials, and costs are offering new ways for aircraft to keep flying high.

The post Why Is The Aircraft Industry Using 3D Printing? appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Pete Weijmarshausen cutting the ribbon with Katja Lucas from Dutch Design Week, the Royal Commissioner Wim van de Donk, and the Mayor of Eindhoven, Rob van Gijzel

The future of 3D printing is looking brighter and brighter, as more people design custom that are exactly what they want. As excitement about 3D printing has grown, so has Shapeways and on Monday, October 20 we opened the our new 3D printing factory in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. This is our third location in Eindhoven and the largest so far! We’re so excited because we will not only be able to produce 3D printed products more efficiently at this new facility, but it has plenty of room to grow for the future. It’s a milestone in Shapeways history and we’re excited to be growing in the city where we began.

Pete Weijmarshausen welcomes guests and the Shapeways team to the new Shapeways Eindhoven factory

At the opening Shapeways co-founder and CEO Petere Weijmarshausen kicked off the evening and talked about how Shapeways grew from one office with one chair and desk to a company of 150 with factories on both sides of the Atlantic. We were also joined by very special guests Katja Lucas from Dutch Design Week, the Royal Commissioner Wim Van De Donk, and the Mayor of Eindhoven, Rob van Gijzel who spoke about the significance of Shapeways and 3D printing for Dutch design, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.

The entry hallway at our new Eindhoven factory

With Dutch Design Week in full swing we were honored that Katja Lucas made time in her busy schedule to talk about how 3D printing and companies like Shapeways are empowering designers to push their imaginations and their designs. The Rob van Gijzel, Mayor of Eindhoven, spoke about the city’s tradition of nurturing technological visionaries and the entrepreurial spirit that Shapeways exemplifies. The Royal Commissioner, Wim van de Donk, said he felt like, “A part of history,” and drew connections to Einstein’s time in Eindhoven and how 3D printing is not only driving our imaginations, but the next industrial revolution.

We also wanted to thank you, our community, for enabling us to bring your designs to life over the past six years. We’re all learning and growing together in this new industrial revolution and are curious to know, what do you think will be the next big thing in 3D printing? What are you looking forward to?

Three cheers for our community and thank you from the Shapeways Eindhoven team!

Want to see more of our Eindhoven factory? Join us on this minute-long, Hyperlapse tour!

The post The future of 3D printing is now: A new factory for Shapeways Eindhoven appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Factory floor at our Long Island City facility.

One of our core values at Shapeways is fun.  We take pleasure in transforming the skill and imagination of creative individuals into tangible products.  I would like to start with a general discussion around manufacturing challenges and strategies we use to improve our processes.

Some of the challenges facing Shapeways and other 3D manufacturers for the consumer market is the lack of benchmark data.  While Business to Business 3D printing has been going on for years, the consumer market is less established.  There are enough similarities to make decisions on printers, materials, and some processes.  The challenge is around the high product mix, post production, and the speed at which products must be delivered on a large scale.

Our community is an exciting and diverse collection of designers and consumers who make and buy really cool products.  As a result the products we produce seldom resemble a traditional manufacturing mix.  Creating an efficient and steady manufacturing flow or movement of material requires capacity planning that examines product mix, build times, and available post production resources.  Of the three, the more challenging aspect is post production.  Post production includes break out of the product, sorting, polishing, dyeing, quality check, and distribution.  Bottle necks or constraints in the post production process can occur with machines, material, or people.  To mitigate the potential impact we constantly review these areas and implement process improvements or add more capacity.  We also cross train our team members so they can flex up and down the manufacturing line.

This is an exciting time to manufacture in the 3D printing industry.  Shapeways is rewriting the book on manufacturing with the ultra-high mix, print on demand environment where quality, price, and delivery are being redefined.  Our community is pushing us to improve and we listen to your feedback by continually improving our processes.  If you have any questions about our materials like the white strong and flexible nylon, full colored sand stone or frosted detail; processes like polishing, dyeing, sorting; or our equipment like our printers   – please don’t hesitate to ask.  I look forward to hearing from you and answering your questions.

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