“The holy grail of watchmaking,” he has written, ”is to seamlessly mesh engineering and art.”

Karel may be close to reaching that lofty goal, thanks to his passion for old mechanical processes and new manufacturing methods. We recently had a chance to sit down with the watchmaker to discuss 3D prototyping, radical transparency, and haute horlogerie.

How did you get interested in horology?
My interest in watchmaking stems from trying to understand the functionality of old mechanisms and how electronics have simplified them and made many of them obsolete. For example, as a kid I was fascinated that older car engines could move people around without on-board computers or electronic systems.

Watchmaking has gone under serious changes since the quartz crisis of the 1970s. Today you can buy a quartz watch on Amazon for $5 and it will keep far better time than any high-end mechanical watch ever could.

The desire for mechanical timepieces is not so much accuracy as the level of craftsmanship and engineering that goes into them. Think of a watch as a tiny mechanical sculpture you can wear.

How are you using Shapeways and 3D printing in your prototyping process? 
Shapeways and the world of accessible 3D printing has played a huge role in the development of this timepiece, especially in reducing R&D costs. Prototyping is one of the most costly and time-consuming aspects of creating a watch, thus 3D printing assists twofold. First, it allows me to get micron-level parts made at a tenth of the cost of traditional manufacturing. This allows me to test complex mechanisms without needing a serious investment.

“Think of a watch as a tiny mechanical sculpture you can wear.”

Furthermore, Shapeways has allowed me to receive parts in record time and far surpasses turnaround times from other companies. If I wanted to order CNC parts, I would first send a manufacturer the part and dimensioned drawings, wait a couple days to receive a quote, purchase it over the phone, and receive the parts two weeks later. Not only was it more time-consuming but it was far more cost-intensive.

Shapeways makes it about as easy as it can get to prototype parts without the need to buy and tune a printer myself to get consistent parts. I simply upload my parts and then select from a wide array of materials (in my case I use Frosted Extreme Detail Plastic due to its level of micron precision) and get them at my doorstep in a week or two. It allows me to fine tune and prototype designs quickly to get them where I need them to be. If I had to make all 25 prototypes using traditional manufacturing, it would have taken much longer — and would have been too cost-intensive to pursue.

“Shapeways makes it about as easy as it can get to prototype parts without the need to buy and tune a printer myself to get consistent parts.”

Are there any reasons watchmakers should stick with the methods they’re used to? 
The only main advantage of traditional manufacturing is that with 3D printers you are not able to specify tolerances for certain features such as the fitment between two parts. This, however, is already being resolved, as precision of 3D printers continue to increase to the point where you can build tolerances directly into the part. 3D printing will play a huge part in the future of prototyping and manufacturing as precision and selection of materials continues to increase.

You’ve been sharing your prototypes on Instagram. What advantages are you seeing to this open process?
By sharing the project on Instagram, I am able to document the process of creating a watch from initial sketch to final production. This process is seldom seen, as there is a lot of smoke and mirrors in the industry allowing companies to charge unjustified markups without customers understanding the true value of the watch.

“I wanted to create a community between watch enthusiasts and the watchmaker to exchange ideas and get input on the project.”

By documenting the process I hope that I can hold more companies accountable and that potential collectors can see all the work and process that went into the project so they can make a more informed assessment of the value they are getting. Publicly documenting on social media has also been great for spitballing ideas and allowing other watch enthusiasts to get involved in the development process. I wanted to create a community between watch enthusiasts and the watchmaker to exchange ideas and get input on the project.

Will the finished watches have any 3D printed parts? 
Yes, the final production piece will have 3D printed components to pay tribute to the development process and the future of prototyping in the watchmaking industry. Since it is a higher-end piece, I will not be using plastic on the final production, but some components will be made out of DMLS steel, aluminum, and titanium.

You embarked on this project while still a college student in mechanical engineering. Has Project 1 been competition for your studies? A complement? Did you work on it in any of your classes? 
Being a full-time student certainly took time away from the project. It also allowed me to learn a litany of useful tools and calculations to improve the project. Although I rarely got to work on the project for classes, I did learn a lot that could be applied. Various calculus courses allowed me to determine a proper cam path curvature for the linear minute mechanism, and manufacturing and assembly courses allowed me to devise stress analysis tests to ensure reliability. I also learned how to simplify parts for manufacturability and ease of assembly, thus reducing overall costs.

The bulk of 3D printing was self-taught through trial and error, although Shapeways has helped me learn a lot about the design constraints of certain materials.

“The world of watchmaking may not be for everyone, but I believe it is the perfect platform to showcase all the advantages 3D printing has to offer for prototyping and manufacturing even the smallest and most intricate of components.”

Who is this watch for?
This timepiece is aimed at haute horlogerie watch collectors who are interested in the future of watchmaking. The industry is dominated by well-established brands that use classical methods of machining, prototyping, and advertising. I wanted to bring something new to the table. Although the design is not for everyone, collectors and enthusiasts alike will admire the fresh take on this older art form.

Why does the world need another mechanical watch?
The world of watchmaking may not be for everyone, but I believe it is the perfect platform to showcase all the advantages 3D printing has to offer for prototyping and manufacturing even the smallest and most intricate of components.

Learn more about Barrelhand Timepieces by visiting their website or Instagram.

The post The Art of Time: Prototyping the Future of Watchmaking appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Here, Shelley tells us about her daily podcast rotation when she’s making your products, and her own functional ceramic artwork.

Where is your hometown?
Born in NYC (almost in a taxicab) and raised in Flushing, Queens.

How long have you been with Shapeways?
Just celebrated one year last week!

How long have you been 3D printing?
Not long. It’s been sporadic since taking a 101 class in college. Shapeways makes it easier since we have awesome Skillshare sessions on 3D modeling.

What is your favorite 3D printed object ever?
Oh dear. If I must choose, since there are so many different objects out there, it would be the Nervous System 3D printed dresses!

If you could 3D print something in any material, currently possible or not, what would you pick and why?
Body parts. There are so many people on organ waiting lists. And what if I lose my hands in a freak accident? I can just print a pair and attach them just as new.

How do you spend your time when you’re not bringing our community’s 3D printed vision to life?
I’m an ice-cream connoisseur and spend my weekends searching for NYC’s most delicious flavors. Also, I am a ceramic artist and make functional porcelainware at my studio in Greenpoint.

What’s the most exciting thing you’ve learned about 3D printing in your time at Shapeways?
My mind was blown when I learned that Frosted Extreme Detail plastic can print in 16 micron-layers. That’s 0.0016 centimeters! I give myself a minute during our manufacturing process to marvel at the intricate details of some of the models.

What’s on your work playlist?
I listen to Rick and Morty to tide me over until they release Season 3 this summer.

I am also unabashedly in love with prehistoric creatures and educate myself by listening to dinosaur podcasts.

If you started your own Shapeways shop, what would you sell?
Delightfully quirky jewelry and some ceramic Voronoi vases.

In a perfect world, what is the trajectory of 3D printing?
Accessible and affordable 3D printed medicine, food, and organs for people who are in need.

Give us some words to live by.
Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. Especially when that time will pass you by anyway.

Do you have any questions for Shelley or the other 3D printing engineers? Let us know in the comments and we will deliver!

The post Meet the Shapies: Shelley Park appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

3D printing in FUD involves a process called Multijet Modeling, in which ultraviolet light is used to cure layer upon layer of liquid plastic. Once the final layer has set and the 3D printer stops, the translucent pieces are heated, washed to remove wax supports, inspected for quality, and hand-dried.

Frosted Extreme Detail (FXD), which has layers almost twice as fine as FUD, follows a similar process.

When designers can produce details on the scale of a human hair without the constraints of traditional casting processes, they can create amazing things.

“I always start with the smallest details, designing them at the minimum threshold, then bulking up the surrounding details so the piece stays in proportion,” Kacie Hultgren, who sells furniture for dollhouses and architectural models at her Shapeways shop Pretty Small Things, says.

One of Pretty Small Things’ 1:48 Queen Anne Chairs

Many customers will paint their FUD pieces. See this post for tips and tricks for painting your own.

To prepare for painting his pieces, Antonio Regidor, who sells miniature spaceships and other sci-fi models at 308 Bits, uses isopropyl alcohol or acetone — “But watch out!” he says. “These products can dissolve/melt FUD so the parts must have a short bath —seconds — and rinse with water immediately.“ Then he sands them before painting.

A painted scale model from Lenni’s Modelshop

Kacie prefers dish soap and warm water to prepare for painting. “If there is excess wax left on the piece, I put them on a sunny window sill with a paper towel underneath to catch the melted wax,” she says. She prefers Testors acrylic model paints.

Plenty of FUD pieces remain unfinished. Their delicate beauty, however, can be challenging to capture in a photograph. Here’s Kacie’s approach:

I like to use a dark, rich colored background. Then I try to set up the best lighting situation I can. Sometimes I’ve used a low cost LED ring light over the lens of my camera or phone. Other times I can get away with ambient light. Most importantly, I shine a flashlight from the top. Flashlights with adjustable intensity work best. I often use parchment or tissue paper over the lens to diffuse the light. The light from above highlights the details in the FUD that can otherwise get lost in a photo and brightens the material so it’s clearly distinguished from the background.

What have you made in FUD? Share your projects in the comments below for a chance to be featured on the blog.

The post Materials Explainer: 3D Printing in Frosted Ultra Detail (FUD) appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Destination Moon by Max Grueter

Today we are excited to announce our newest material, Frosted Extreme Detail! It uses the same resin and printer as our popular material Frosted Ultra Detail (FUD), but it’s almost twice as detailed! Frosted Extreme Detail, or FXD for short, 3D prints using 16 micron layers (vs FUD’s 29 micron layers). This means 3D prints that have unprecedented detail and surface finish, sharper edges, less stepping, and stronger walls and wires. It’s perfect for the most demanding miniatures, figurines, and molds and masters for casting.

Aside from a smaller max bounding box, design guidelines are the exact same as FUD, so many of your existing FUD designs are printable and you can get started designing amazing new things right away! Pricing for this material is $5.00 startup and $5.99 per CC. The difference in price compared to FUD is that the thinner layers take longer to print and use more material.

HOn30 PBR 25 Ton Climax #1694 v1

Example of painted Frosted Extreme Detail, a finish many designers like to do themselves after receiving the prints. Mini Panton Chair by kspence3D Prints by Heroforge

Also an important reminder for those using our acrylic family. As Frosted Detail customers have known for a few weeks, we’re retiring our Frosted Detail material on April 29th. This material prints fully enclosed in support material, which then needs to be cleaned away. The process is wasteful, expensive, and the difficulties in production and cleaning causes late and broken parts. We’ve tried hard hard to improve this process, but it does not meet our high standards and are focused on developing better alternatives for you.

4/27 Update: After the transition, designs that you’ve printed in FD will still be accessible on your My Models page, and can be printed in FUD or FXD as long as it meets bounding box requirements. If you have any questions, particularly issues around the bounding box for multi part models, please contact us at service@shapeways.com.

The post Announcing Frosted Extreme Detail (or FXD), our highest resolution 3D printed plastic ever appeared first on Shapeways Blog.