• Who: Wesley Günter Krijntjes
• Industry: Custom Jewelry / 3D Design
• Location: Netherlands
• Challenge: Shapeways’ temporary closure disrupted a long-standing digital manufacturing workflow
• Solution: Rejoined via Thangs to restore production and plan brand relaunch
• Results: More than 25 countries served, media recognition and renewed energy to scale globally 

The designer behind the brand

“I love things that catch the eye, look unique and have never been seen before. To create this I use structures and patterns we see all around us, both natural and manmade. I love to combine patterns I see into new wearable shapes.”

‘Trigon’ necklace and earrings: Inspired by Wesley’s love for the ancient pyramids, made in Polished Silver released in 2024.

Wesley Günter Krijntjes is a Netherlands-based 3D designer and jewelry maker with a background in metal working. In 2012 Wesley wanted to make a keychain for the company he was working for. His knowledge of manufacturing with metals led him on a search for someone that could mill a mould so he could cast his own resins. On that search, he came across Shapeways… and things quickly snowballed.

Wesley explains: “When I came across Shapeways I soon started designing jewelry for my then girlfriend. Back then Shapeways was really working together with designers to set up a nice shop and build their brand. This really got me into building something bigger.”

Proven solutions worth waiting for

For more than 10 years Wesley relied on Shapeways to turn his intricate designs into wearable jewelry. From prototyping to fulfillment anywhere in the world, Shapeways worked behind the scenes to allow Wesley freedom to design and build his brand. When Shapeways was briefly unavailable, Wesley didn’t switch platforms. Instead he doubled down on launching his independent business and hoping that he’d have access to Shapeways again soon.

“I was trusting that Shapeways would eventually come back. In the roughly fourteen years I have been busy with design for 3D printing I have only once ordered from another provider,” explains Wesley. The allure of a reliable and proven partner, based locally was enough to keep Wesley committed to a return. “I just kept on designing new things and only made 3D renders preparing for the inevitable relaunch!”

‘Seed of life squared’ pendant: The seed and flower of life are sacred symbols used by humans all throughout history, the designer left out some leaves to make the design open and unique. Made in natural bronze, also from the 24 collection. 

Reinvigoration and new ambition

When Shapeways acquired the Thangs platform, Wesley was among the first to rejoin the community. The tools and platform features he relied on — as well as the proven manufacturing expertise of Shapeways — was immediately available, making for a seamless transition back to business. “For me it is a return to the more distant past that I missed, where the marketplace was the main focus. Under the previous ownership the Shapeways marketplace faded more into the background, so I really like it returning to the forefront through the acquisition of Thangs,” says Wesley. 

The combination of Thangs as a marketplace and discovery system for his designs, combined with the hard-won trust in Shapeways’ manufacturing capabilities has reinvigorated Wesley’s journey. “I loved reconnecting with Shapeways through a new channel, it gave me new energy and will set everything up this year to relaunch my jewelry brand back into its original glory!”

‘Convolute’ pendant and earrings: The Convolute pendant inspiration came from the DNA helix. Wesley shaped the helix in the shape of a teardrop visualizing the DNA we share with every drop shed. This is one of the first designs he made and is the all time best seller. First published in 2012 under the name DNA Teardrop pendant, made in Polished Silver.

Set for the future

While this reinvigoration is just starting, Wesley has already seen the value in the combination of Thangs and Shapeways. “Previously I sold successfully to more than 25 countries, with Shapeways handling the production, finishing and shipping seamlessly. The integration with Thangs is really exciting, and provides the discovery platform, collaboration space and genuine community I am looking for while maintaining a proven delivery partner handling the 3D printing, finishing, QA, shipping, and more. I am excited to focus on creating and seeing what comes next!”

The post How Wesley Krijntjes Leverages Shapeways’ On-Demand Production to Power His Jewelry Brand appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Precious metal 3D printing with materials like Sterling Silver takes design and production to the next level, allowing for smoother surfaces and options like additional polishing. Professional finishes are available to showcase intricate details. Sterling Silver for 3D printing is softer and becomes even more malleable for 3D printing designs with thinner structures, like rings.

3D Print Silver with Wax Casting

Wax casting has been in use since ancient times. Known by several different names such as Lost Wax Casting, Investment Casting, and Precision Casting, this technique requires expertise, sophisticated tools, and high-quality materials. 

At Shapeways, Wax Casting is accompanied by 3D printing to make patterns for building molds. Sprues are added so precious metals like Sterling Silver can flow through. Simultaneously, the wax melts and drains, and the metal structure inside the mold solidifies for easy removal. The benefits of Wax Casting include:

• The ability to make innovative products, impossible via conventional manufacturing.
• The ability to make complex shapes with built-in intricacies like interlocking parts.
• Availability of superior choices for finishing.

Use Case – Sterling Silver Bracelets

Designers experience vast opportunities for customization at Shapeways, especially in using metal additive manufacturing and Wax Casting. Shapeways customers use a variety of materials for designing jewelry, and they may perform rapid prototyping and end-use manufacturing with the same materials. Other customers may enjoy all the benefits of one material for a line of products and then move on to a precious metal like Sterling Silver when developing luxury jewelry. This was the case for longtime Shapeways designers Groen and Boothman, an industrial design duo who continue to innovate and try new 3D printing materials and technology. 

For their Elements series, Groen and Boothman turned to cast silver for the Water and Cosmic bangle bracelet series, featuring a clasp mechanism and hinge (developed into two segments for simplicity in manufacturing and assembly).

“With 3D printing, you can engineer things so precisely that you can integrate a near-invisible, complex hinge mechanism, also under an angle, with an unprecedented level of sophistication,” said Hanno Groen.

Groen and Boothman added a handcrafted, ultra-polished touch, lending to the exclusivity of the jewelry which they described as offering ‘effects in silver that sparkle and captivate like precious stones.’ Download the case study to find out more about 3D printing with silver.

Finishes and Design Guidelines for 3D Printed Sterling Silver

Shapeways Sterling Silver (92.5% silver) 3D printing material is a high quality silver alloy commonly used in jewelry and other skin-safe applications. 3D printed Silver is skin-friendly, heat-proof up to 850°C/1562°F, and offers good electrical conductivity. 

Sterling Silver finishes include:

Natural Finish

3D print Silver with light polishing for a somewhat rough surface with a matte finish.

Polished Finish

3D print Silver for a hand-polished finish, and a smooth, shiny surface.

Fine-Detail Polished Finish

Extensive polishing of 3D printed Silver extends to intricate details, resulting in a very shiny surface. Note that extra polishing will remove more material, so some details could be lost in the process.

Antique Finish

Recessed details are blackened for a unique, antique look.

Bounding Box Requirements

The bounding box is a 3D imaginary outline of a box that encloses the smallest area occupied by your model. Your model must be within the minimum and maximum bounding box sizes. If the size of the model is close to the maximum bounding box, then the printing orientation will be restricted.

• Bounding Box Minimum
  • 2.4 x 2.4 x 0.6 mm
• Bounding Box Maximum
  • 89 x 89 x 100 mm
  • 75 x 75 x 40 mm (for interlocking parts)

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your 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 3D print over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways additive manufacturing solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post 3D Printing Materials Spotlight: Sterling Silver appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Trying to define the artistic spirit is a creative exercise on its own, delving into a universal human quality. Since ancient times, artists have been drawn to making jewelry and taking risks in terms of presenting individual expression that is often meant for their own wear or to adorn the bodies of others—and sometimes sparking an enviable and successful trend—no matter the century. Some designers seek out fame and fortune with success in jewelry, while others like to keep production levels select, and low key.

Jewelers have been experimenting with materials since ancient times

Since the beginning of time, finding new and inspiring materials has been key to making jewelry, beginning with ancient bling such as shells and beads made from natural items and other accessories featuring animal parts like hooves, antlers, teeth and bones. Undoubtedly, time travelers going in either direction would have a lot to learn from each other—whether in demonstrating how to make rough-hewn designs of yesteryear or sharing the spectacular magic of a technology capable of creating an incredibly intricate object, layer by layer, from a computer file (where to start?).

Progress in materials science allows for infinite choices in design

As materials science has evolved, the choices open to designers have changed drastically. One thing remains the same though: the continued role of jewelry in nearly every culture. Without a doubt, many emotions are connected to items like rings, for example. The engagement ring—worn on the left hand—was originally thought by the Romans to connect directly to the heart. It was inevitable that many 3D designers would decide to marry, bearing 3D printed wedding rings, sharing their stories with us, and undeniably raising the bar in terms of the lengths they went to in designing jewelry and proposing.

It is the rare individual who doesn’t enjoy jewelry in some shape or form, or in giving a pair of earrings, a necklace, or a charm as a gift. Feelings usually do play a huge part in the process as designers are inspired to make something like necklaces or bracelets and then keep them for themselves—or bestow them on others as gifts—to be treasured for decades.

Shapeways offers a wide variety of materials and finishes

When it comes to choosing materials, jewelry makers must be discerning in terms of what will work best for their designs in terms of strength, flexibility, durability, and finish. Currently, Shapeways offers the following materials for jewelry designers:

• Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] – a strong yet flexible material, Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic] is used for a wide range of industrial projects. 3D printed with selective laser sintering (SLS) technology, this material is available with natural matte and polished finishes, as well as a special premium finish for a high-end look and feel.
• Bronze – a copper-tin alloy made up of 10% tin and 90% copper, this material is often used for jewelry with a vintage appearance, featuring a deep red color, marbling, and silver highlights. Bronze jewelry at Shapeways is made through wax casting, and is suitable for bracelets, earrings, and cufflinks—all available in natural matte or polished finishes.
• Brass – An alloy made up of 15% zinc, 5% tin and 80% copper, brass is popular for jewelry designs like pendants and tie bars requiring intricate detail in manufacturing. Made through wax casting, brass jewelry from Shapeways is professional looking and available with a natural matte finish or a shiny polish.

•  Gold – As another premium metal from Shapeways, both 14-carat and 18-carat gold are available in yellow, white, and rose. Produced via wax casting, intricate designs can be made with gold from Shapeways, featuring a professional look and finish for bracelets, tie bars, and earrings.
• Platinum – one of the highest quality materials available, platinum is a white metal used for high-end men and women’s jewelry like cufflinks, tie bars, rings, bracelets, and necklace pendants. While this is a more expensive material, platinum results in highly detailed, professional looking jewelry made from wax casting.
• Silver – a high-quality alloy used to make cufflinks, tie bars, rings, bracelets, and pendants, silver tends to be more malleable—as well as highly popular in the jewelry industry. Used with wax casting, Shapeways offers silver jewelry with the following finishes: natural, polished, fine-detail polished, and antique (often used for the steampunk look).

On-demand 3D printing and huge opportunities for customization benefit jewelers

With so many different types of materials and 3D printing technology to choose from, designers experience vast opportunity for customization. With on-demand printing, small volumes can be made from a 3D file—and in many cases, jewelers can design one-of-a-kind personalized pieces. Jewelry plays a variety of cultural roles too, from class rings, and wedding rings, to many different types of items that are handed down through generations all over the world.

Designers enjoy great access to technical support and customer service

Once you upload your model to Shapeways—and in fact, upload up to 20 models at once if you wish—you can look forward to a quick analysis of your design for printability and material options. If you would like the option to speak to a 3D printing expert to discuss scaling your jewelry business with additive manufacturing services from Shapeways, you can contact the team by filling out the form here.

The ability to receive instant quotes for 3D printing at Shapeways is a huge bonus—especially for new businesses keeping a close eye on where their money is going. For incredibly innovative designers like Sascha at Kova by Sascha, the ability to upload and receive quotes online was not only super efficient but also eye-opening. In comparing manufacturing expenses, the New York designer discovered that working with Shapeways through the Long Island City, NY factory was less expensive than having her work produced in China.

“Working directly with a 3D printing factory like Shapeways allows us to have peace of mind, there’s no stressing over the moving parts of traditional production,” explained Sascha further.

Technology like SLS 3D printing means unprecedented freedom in design

Sacha decided to start designing decorative crowns after a venture out into the alternative world of the Burning Man experience. She continues to make headpieces for enthusiastic festival-goers, but also for brides and other stylish 3D printing fans. Also using Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic], Sascha enjoys the spectacular design freedom afforded by SLS technology.

Without the need for supports, jewelry designers (and so many others engaged in industrial 3D printing) are able to make complex geometries perhaps not ever possible before at all, and especially not with conventional technology. This is due to the powder-based technology of SLS, and its greatest benefit in no requirements for supports. The added powder surrounding the part during printing acts as an indirect support mechanism that is wiped away easily after printing—leaving a stable part that does not require post-processing, or present the potential for damage during removal of supports.

Explore prototyping opportunities too

Materials like Fine Detail Plastic are also available through Shapeways for jewelry prototyping, used with material jetting. With the ability to create detailed prototypes, designers across the board are able to evaluate jewelry and other parts before investing in final production. Changes can be made as quickly as it takes to edit a 3D file, offering another type of freedom as designers and engineers are not forced to wait long periods of time before putting their hands on a new iteration or new generation of a product.

3D designers use Shapeways for their jewelry business

Wearable Cityscape owner enjoys a great life thanks to 3D design

Manufacturing from Shapeways, and integration with e-commerce sites like Shopify and Etsy, have made life pretty darned grand for jewelry makers like Ola Shekhtman, owner of Wearable Cityscapes.

Favoring materials like polished silver, gold, and platinum, Shekhtman is able to travel the world making her 3D designs inspired after cities. She has sold over 6,000 of her various rings and is also able to enjoy her free time while Shapeways takes care of the manufacturing details:

“…To make 1000 rings by hand I would spend nearly 100 years. Shapeways can produce this amount in 2-3 weeks,” said Shekhtman. “Using 3D modeling I can make a city once and it is available to order in any quantity, forever, which frees me up for new designs.”

“It is my first passive income. All I need to do is upload models, photos of real products from different views, and detailed descriptions to help potential customers make a purchase.”

Investing in a 3D printer, along with accompanying software, a variety materials, and any required ventilation systems can be extremely expensive. While many designers today do design from the desktop (and often for prototyping), working with an experienced manufacturing partner can be extremely satisfying. The designer is freed up to do what they do best, while Shapeways continues on in printing over 20 million parts for over one million customers worldwide.

The digital age has brought incredibly positive change to the world. 3D designers like Ola Shekhtman exemplify what it is like to be free to live overseas, free to create popular rings with 3D software, and free in terms of time as Shapeways handles production.

Like Shekhtman, growing numbers of businesses rely on Shapeways to manufacture large numbers of 3D printed parts, varying in technology and materials depending on the project. Many designers have already been working with Shapeways for years, and over time have evolved in growth with the company—honing design skills and knowledge of production, as well as experimenting with a wide variety of different types of materials, finishes, and detailed structures.

Dutch designers 3D print bracelets, each as unique as a fingerprint

In 3D printing the Creatures bracelet series Dutch designers Groen & Boothman decided on selective laser sintering (SLS) technology with Nylon 12 [Versatile Plastic]. Their wish was to stay far away from the concept of disposable jewelry, instead making high-end products with strength and durability to stand the test of time. The work of the Dutch designing duo is particularly interesting too as they have woven in a handcrafted element with their 3D printed cuff bracelets, accenting them with beautiful leather on the interior, along with a gold-plated stud bearing the design firm’s logo.

The designers are also extremely happy about access to materials and technology that allow them to customize products intensely. Each of their bracelets are “as unique as a fingerprint.” Eschewing any type of mass production, Groen & Boothman use their artistic and industrial design skills to bring both elegance and emotion to their designs.

While Groen & Boothman have had good communication with Shapeways for years, they point out that one of the greatest benefits in working together is the ability to be designing at any time of day or night, and enjoy the ability to upload models quickly.

Learn more about building your 3D printed jewelry business

Jewelry makers are inspired by nature, other people, fashion, and often compelled to express their own emotions in design, but the discovery of new mediums and powerful tools like 3D printing can be the catalyst for blowing the lid off traditional techniques and elevating artistic expression and satisfaction like never before.

Shapeways makes world-class 3D printing more accessible to everyone through automation, innovation and digitization. Our purpose-built software, wide selection of materials and technologies, and global supply chain lower manufacturing barriers and speed delivery of quality products. Shapeways offers over 10 different technologies for manufacturing, and 90 different materials and finishes. Find out more about powering your own jewelry business through Shapeways here.

The post Build Your Business with 3D Printing Jewelry Materials from Shapeways appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Now, with 4 years of 3D design experience under his belt, Rojas is utilizing the state-of-the-art 3D printing services offered by Shapeways to create a new, ultramodern collection which marries organic forms, shapes and elements with cutting-edge technologies to create unique, evocative pieces of wearable art.

The New Collection

In his new collection, Rojas utilizes strategic void space in his designs to create sculptural “containers of emotion” within each piece. To Rojas, a piece of jewelry’s true value lies in the emotion it is imbued with, both by the creator during the design process, and by the wearer when it becomes a part of their life story. According to Rojas, when a jewel is gifted, it then takes on an emotion, which becomes a memory, and is rendered an intrinsic part of the jewel.

The dynamic forms and fundamental structures which comprise each piece of this collection echo the essential building blocks of our universe, and indeed, through this collection Rojas is recreating and refining his own creative universe, with a series of offerings which hold space for the emotions of those who would use his pieces to celebrate and commemorate life.

Why Rojas Uses 3D Printing

Using 3D printing as a means of production offers many benefits to Rojas, including the opportunity to create realistic visual renderings of ideas quickly and effectively, before producing the designs in more precious and costly materials. As a designer and project manager who offers customized design services to clients from all over the world to help them realize their creative visions, this is very helpful to ensure structural quality and customer satisfaction. With 3D printing as their production method, Rojas and his clients also have the freedom to create jewelry from more novel materials, such as splintered black steel and laser-welded polymers.

“For the creative, it is a tool that multiplies the development options, making possible designs and production of pieces that before were technically impossible, or that they required an impossible investment of time,” explains Rojas. “I think there is a new way to enjoy jewelry, more personal and free, and that’s why I’m using the new technologies of 3D design and printing, applying all my knowledge of the trade and my creative freedom to offer original, fresh and very current [pieces].”

*Updated March 15, 2019.

The post Jorge Rojas’ New Jewelry Collection is Meant To Be Gifted appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Spring & Wonder

The new destination for customizable jewelry, Spring & Wonder lets you select the shape, size, message, and material of a whole range of high-quality pieces, from necklaces to rings and earrings.  

Ciphering

This app creates a ring with a sentimental surprise – built into the physical form of each ring is an encoded number of your choosing, which is only revealed when you shine light or look through it at the right angle.

Twine

Twine interlocks two names of your choosing into a chic necklace pendant, connecting loved ones forever.

Cookie Caster

Buying a present for the baker in your life? Make standard cookies a thing of the past with Cookie Caster, the app that allows you to draw and 3D print your own unique cookie cutter.

Our creators apps are for everyone, helping new as well as experienced 3D designers create their own perfect piece in a breeze. So skip the holiday rush this year and use Shapeways to create timeless gifts that show your loved ones exactly how well you know them.

The post Design and Customize the Perfect Presents with Our Creator Apps appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

For the uninitiated, it may sound hard to design a ring, but it’s more time intensive than difficult. It took four months start to finish. More time than shopping for a ring, sure, but the result was something completely personal and it cost at least 50% less than if I’d bought it retail from a major name brand, even with the design and jeweler fees and the multiple prototypes. This is how I did it.

Find an Experienced 3D Designer with Shapeways

I didn’t design the ring by myself. I knew I needed an experienced 3D designer, someone who had created settings before. Scott Denton, came highly recommended. I liked his aesthetic, that he’s based in New York, and is super chill. He made the process easy.

Be clear about the design you want

Jen made the design process easy too. She had a Pinterest board filled with engagement rings she liked. All I had to do was look through them to start compiling design themes; she liked clean simple styles, and also ones with antique engraved elements.

But I didn’t just want the ring to be beautiful, I wanted it to be functional, something comfortable that fit her lifestyle. She’s a dentist and constantly taking gloves on and off all day, so the setting couldn’t be big or too high. And her hands are small–a 3 ring size–so the design needed to be proportional.

Discuss Your Design With a Reputable Jeweler

While Scott or I could have attempted to set the stone ourselves, given the importance and cost of this ring, I wanted a professional to ensure the setting would last. Through personal recommendations, I found an experienced jeweler. He and I discussed the kind of ring I had in mind, and he gave a lot of great feedback on the kind of stone and setting I’d need. I recommend finding a professional for this and having a long conversation both to ensure they have the skills needed and that you’re designing your ring with the best setting in mind.

Buy a Stone

After considering my design and the conversations I had the jeweler, I settled on a stone size based on looking at diamonds in New York City’s diamond district. It’s pretty tricky to get a sense of how proportions will work by looking at pictures and renders so it’s helpful to take a look in person if you can, even if it’s a regular jewelry shop. I ended up buying the diamond wholesale in New York City but if there isn’t a wholesaler near you, there are some good online options, like Blue Nile.

Iterate Your Design

I spelled out my design ideas for Scott, sharing a few of Jen’s pins, and I also got him the exact dimensions of the diamond I’d bought along with her ring size. He came back with a rough sketch and we iterated the design from there, swapping sketches till we landed on the right design and it could be built out as a 3D file.

Prototype Your Ring

We prototyped it first in Fine Detail Plastic (FDP), one of Shapeways’ plastics, and realized the ring was too thin. The engravings also weren’t coming out as planned, even though they’d look great in the renderings. We thickened and beveled everything then printed in FDP again. Happy with that version, we tested it out in silver before doing the final print in platinum and having the jeweler set the stone.

PROPOSE!!

The whole proposal was a surprise, including the ring, my renting out and decorating a lounge, inviting Jen’s close friends and family, and taking her there under the guise of our going to a friend’s Memorial Day BBQ. I was pretty sure the ring would be a good fit, but wasn’t 100% sure, and it wasn’t like I could return it, so was naturally nervous. But the fit was perfect, and she loved it! She talked about it nonstop and even ran up to strangers to show them how it was 3D printed. Oh, and she said yes, but you knew that already.

CREATE YOUR OWN

*updated by Liz Livi on 6/15/18

The post How I Created The Perfect Engagement Ring appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

“The reason I recently started making jewelry is actually the freedom it gives. Because the sole purpose of a piece of jewelry is that it must be beautiful and inspiring.”

We’ve noticed that product designers in particular thrive on a few things: artistic freedom, an efficient means of moving from concept to object, and finished products of the best quality. 3D printing has given Stockholm-based designer and product developer Gustav Rosén all three — along with the flexibility to branch out and find new ways to express his love of his craft. But his process begins, of course, with inspiration.

“I am a fan of Eileen Gray. She was a pioneer of the Modernism movement in architecture and also designed a lot of beautiful objects. Danish furniture brand Woud recently launched a hook that I designed and named after her as an homage. And I actually first 3D printed the hook at Shapeways,” Rosén told us.

Eileen Hooks for Woud

Though he’s best known as a furniture and lighting designer for brands like Woud, Maze, and K-FAB, 3D printing has allowed Rosén to have a second life as a jewelry designer. His eponymous line, available exclusively at Shapeways, was born from past explorations. He had a “library of shapes left over” from furniture designs, until, “I realized that I could try to make jewelry of them, with the help of Shapeways.” Shapeways might have been the way to get there, but he told us, “the reason I recently started making jewelry is actually the freedom it gives. Because the sole purpose of a piece of jewelry is that it must be beautiful and inspiring.”

The Ringmärkt

While his work as a furniture designer was inspired by Eileen Gray, he’s approached jewelry design a little differently. When it comes to this new creative expression, “I would probably say that I was influenced by everything, except maybe other jewelry,” he remembers. After printing some of his beautiful, minimalist rings and pendants as gifts for his wife (stylist and photographer Ida Rosén), her reaction to the designs convinced Rosén to open a shop.

The Zig Zag pendant

Beyond his fully 3D printed jewelry, Rosén’s lighting and furniture is generally produced using traditional manufacturing. But 3D printing is a vital part of the design process. “It’s a great tool both for showing the essence, shape, and overall impression of a concept, but also to test technically complex components in a cost-effective way,” he finds.

Rosén has created 3D printed models of almost every product that’s been put into production, usually on a small scale. The designer recommends choosing a single scale and sticking to it — for practical and fun reasons: “I almost always use the same scale of 1:6 for furniture items that I scale down. It’s fun to have a small set of items of the same scale next to each other, like in a dollhouse.”

The Muskö lighting series for K-FAB

Not all of his furniture designs are printed in tiny dollhouse scale, though. “Many times, I also make full-scale prototypes, because at Shapeways you can print really big geometries,” Rosén said. These strong 3D printed prototypes help him get to a final product much faster than traditionally made versions: “I’ve used 3D prints to quickly and at low cost test features and geometries of different versions of components. Once the component has been verified via the 3D model, you can safely order using conventional methods.”

“3D printing has been a powerful tool on many levels in my works as a designer and engineer. A printed model is a great way to see if an idea is as beautiful and functional in reality. And of course, it is a great way to convey the vision of a product to clients,” he added. You can see the results of this process in his Pythagorus Bracket System, designed for Maze Interior:

We always want to understand why designers use Shapeways 3D printing vs. other companies or methods. For Rosén, it’s all about quality prints — and materials: “I have tested other 3D printing companies and also printed in my studio. But for me quality is crucial. I know the results will be good because Shapeways specializes in this area and always delivers good products. In addition, it saves a lot of time to hand over the printing process, rather than doing it at home. And at Shapeways a lot of different materials are available.”

The Lyktstolpe table lamp for K-FAB

We’re always finding new ways in which 3D printing can support the design process. What will it help you create?

3D print your work

The post The Second Life of Product Designer Gustav Rosén appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Here’s a quick guide to some of the most amazing materials you can design and 3D print with right now.

Frosted Detail Plastic

If you’re looking for the most accurate 3D printing material, one of the best options is frosted detail plastic. We use a multi-jet process, printing and curing each layer one at a time to create high-definition designs that are perfect for model trains, miniature figures, and other small objects.

Frosted detail plastic comes in Ultra and Extreme Detail options—the latter is best for incredibly detailed features like engravings. Both versions of the material can also be painted over easily for a splash of color.

HP Nylon Plastic

We use a top of the line HP Jet Fusion 3D 4200 to print strong and functional objects out of nylon plastic. It’s perfect for phone cases, camera mounts, and drone parts, but it’s also smooth enough to make jewelry, toys, and home decor.

Nylon plastic is also cheap to print, and comes in black or gray. If you’re designing with it, keep in mind that stiff, thicker objects are less likely to warp. Smaller details will also show up more clearly in black.

Aluminum

This is the only metal material other than steel that we can directly print (rather than 3D printing wax and creating a mold). Aluminum’s strength makes it an ideal choice for mechanical and other load bearing parts.  Additionally, Aluminum is perfect for bike accessories and other products that will be exposed to the environment due its high corrosion resistance. It’s not cheap to print, but it’s still not as expensive as other metal materials like gold.

If you’re designing in aluminum, remember that sharp edges on your object could get rounded down. The material also isn’t accurate enough for complex interacting parts like screws and nuts, though it does support interlocking parts.

Full Color Sandstone

If you want a multi-colored object, Sandstone is the way to go. It’s a fantastic full-color 3D printing material and it’s pretty cheap too, making it the perfect choice for figurines and lifelike models.

Shapeways special printing process for Sandstone involves creating one layer of color at a time.The finished product will look amazing on your desk or up on a shelf, though it’s too brittle to be handled on a regular basis.

Gold and Platinum

Finally, we come to precious metals. Yes, you can create gold objects with Shapeways in either 14 karat (gold, rose gold, or white gold) or an extra vibrant 18k gold option. For truly special objects, you can also choose to 3D print in platinum.

The process involves 3D printing a wax model which is used to create a plaster mold.  The plaster mold is used to pour and cast the material, and it works for platinum too. It’s perfect for creating small rings, earrings and other jewelry. Of course, gold and platinum don’t come cheap, but if you’re looking to create an extra special piece of jewelry, this is a great way to do it.

Try it Now

The post 6 Incredible Materials You Can 3D Print in Now appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Prototyping for Steel

When designing for 3D printed steel, strong and flexible nylon plastic is a good prototyping material** to give you an idea of the general size and detail of the final print.

**HOWEVER: If you’re looking to fit test the design, print directly in steel as this material can shrink or expand during production. The shrinkage will stay consistent with the same design printed multiple times, but if you are greatly changing the design of the model, the shrinkage and expansion can vary within a ± 5% of any dimension (and one layer thickness of 0.1mm).

Prototyping for Jewelry

If your jewelry design has a lot of fine detail, you will want to prototype the design in frosted ultra detail plastic for high resolution and accuracy. This material is the closest parallel to the way your final printed design will look in our cast metals (all of our precious and precious plated metals). Keep in mind that because this material is not polished in the same way that a cast metal will be, some of the details may be slightly less pronounced after the polishing process on your final product. You can learn more about prototyping for jewelry here.

If your jewelry design doesn’t have a lot of detail, prototype your design in strong and flexible nylon plastic. This material will give you the general size and level of detail necessary for designs lacking a ton of detail. And, if you love your nylon plastic prototype, the material is strong enough (along with our HP nylon plastic) to work beautifully for final jewelry pieces.

Let Shapeways Be Your Partner For Every Step of Production

From design to prototyping to large-scale manufacturing, our team is here to help you along every step of your project.

create your own

The post How To Save Money While Prototyping appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

How do you capture a texture? As a kid you would grab a crayon and a white sheet of paper to reveal and replicate the surface. Today, you would probably snap a photo and fill your Instagram with the unique surface textures or patterns. But hold up, we live in the future and can create a real-life, wearable design out of those patterns and textures.

With photogrammetry you can scan your favorite item or texture and turn it into a ring. Accurately replicating a surface texture can be difficult to do through traditional 3D sculpting. Using 3D scanning, you can precisely capture the texture with ease.

In this guest tutorial, Bernat Cuni of Cunicode has tested and created a step-by-step instructional on how you can create your own textured ring. Using Autodesk Recap and an iPhone, Cuni was able to replicate the bark from a pine tree in the French Pyrenees.

With new applications, creating objects using photogrammetry has become easy and inexpensive. For those unfamiliar with the term, Photogrammetry is the process of stitching together multiple images from a real-world environment or object to then form a high-quality 3D model, map, measurement, or drawing. In our case, we will be using the technology to create a 3D model.

Before we begin the tutorial, let’s go over what you will need in order to create your textured ring.

1. Digital Camera 
   • You can use your phone, no need to go out and purchase an expensive camera.
2. Photogrammetry software 
   • Free: 3DF Zephir: Windows
   • Paid: Autodesk ReCap Photo: Windows
   • Paid: Agisoft Photoscan: Windows, Mac, Linux
   • RealityCapture: Windows
   • Open Source:Regard 3D: Windows, Mac
3. MeshLab & Meshmixer
   • Open source and free software for processing and editing 3D meshes. Works on Windows and Mac.
4. 3D Modeling Software
   • You can select your favorite modeling software to edit the ring to your specifications.

We’ll show you how to create this ring, which you can then print in any of Shapeways’ metals

Step 1: Select Your Texture or Object

In order to begin, select the object, texture, or pattern you would like replicate and use to create your ring. Bernat has selected a tree within the French Pyrenees.

It is best to avoid shiny or transparent objects as they are difficult to capture.

Step 2: Take Images of Your Texture or Object

To begin you will need a set of photos of the object to process them into a valid 3D model.

Using a digital camera (your phone will work), take images of the object. Make sure to get all angles of the object from the same or close to the same distance. Bernat went around the object 3 times (one at eye-level, one looking up, and one looking down) in order to ensure that every angle was captured. In total, Bernat took 56 photos at 2049 × 1537 pixels. You do not need this exact amount but it is helpful to understand that the more photos you have, the more data you have to work with.

Note: It is important to have consistent lighting conditions while you are shooting your object. If you are outside, it is best to shoot the images on a cloudy day to avoid shadows. If you are inside, bright lighting is necessary to receive the clearest photos with the most data. Do not edit the photos, as they should contain the EXIF data for better processing (lens used, shutter speed, etc).

Step 3: Upload and Process Photos

Upload your photos to the photogrammetry software you selected above. Bernat used Autodesk’s RecapPhoto and processed the 56 tree images he took. For the photogrammetry software you selected, follow its instructions on processing and stitching your photos. This can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the settings and photos you have chosen.

Step 4:  Clean Up & Cut Mesh

The mesh that was then revealed was larger than necessary and contained more data than for the object he was looking to create, including nearby trees and buildings. Bernat went ahead and cleaned the mesh using MeshLab. He selected the bark and tree he wanted to keep for his design and deleted the rest of the scan data.

The bark was now isolated and could be cut and brought to scale. You can then download the file from MeshLab and import the design into MeshMixer. From there use the PlaneCut tool to trim the mesh to the desired thickness. 

Step 5: Create a Mesh Solid

This can be done with another modeling software of your choice. Bernat used Rhino to turn the surface into a solid, using the Mesh command. Once the design has been turned into a solid, you can then edit the design to create a ring. Cut a hole from the center of the solid and fillet the interior edges.

Step 9: Upload to Shapeways

Once you have scaled the design to your appropriate ring size, you can upload directly to Shapeways. You can upload multiple sizes to sell in your shop or print just for yourself.

You’re ready to print!

Watch Bernat’s explanation of the design process through his video below:

For more inspiration from Bernat Cuni, check out his MoonRing. where he created an accurate texture of the moon using scanning data.

Inspired? Print your design

The post Tutorial Tuesday 53: Create a Textured Unisex Ring With a Phone and Photogrammetry appeared first on Shapeways Blog.