There are a lot of new and creative technologies that can be used for a variety of purposes because they can do a lot of things because technology has improved significantly in recent years.
You can create a wide variety of 3D objects from scratch thanks to 3D printing. The extent to which 3D printing can accomplish amazing things depends on the kind of printer you use and how skilled you are at creating 3D designs.
It is essential to comprehend that purchasing a 3D printer can be extremely costly, even if you are skilled at creating 3D models.
Many individuals can’t stand to purchase 3D printers and the materials expected to utilize them. This is on the grounds that they are extravagant. Shapeways is a way for another person to assist with fixing this issue. How does Shapeways work?
Shapeways is a business that helps people print and create 3D designs. And Shapeways will print your design at their facilities if you upload it online. Plus, Shapeways will deliver your design to the address you provided after you have created it.
Shapeways makes it workable for individuals who don’t have 3D printers to make their own 3D plans. It’s simple: you can do 3D printing regardless of whether you have a 3D printer.
If you only need to print something once or can’t afford a 3D printer, this can be helpful.
Shapeways could make and give out 10 million 3D things in 2019. Their clients were individuals who expected to print things for the everyday scheduled errands. Shapeways is a popular choice for 3D printing due to its low price and high efficiency.
It is preferable to purchasing their own 3D printers, even for production companies. So, Shapeways is where individuals can transform their thoughts into genuine articles utilizing 3D printing. It is well-liked by inventors and artists.
Despite offering a variety of materials and finishes, customers have noticed that the company’s 3D printing service costs more than other options on the market. Lets go through the Shapeways in detail with all aspects. Stay tuned with us!
Background
Shapeways started in 2007 as an online place where people could easily use 3D printing. This platform is really good and has gotten a lot of money from different companies in the Netherlands and worldwide. They want to make things with 3D printing in a new and creative way.
Shapeways has an office in New York and two other branches in Eindhoven and Seattle. They help people make 3D-printed things all over the world.
The company lets people send their 3D designs for printing. This is a good choice for people who want a better print on their desktop or FDM printer with better material and finish. Shapeways made 3D printing more famous by letting people and companies sell their things on their websites. This helped many businesses succeed.
So What Exactly Do Shapeways Do?
Shapeways help people print things instead of making and selling them. They don’t give you a 3D printer, but they help you use one. So, the service provider’s main focus is on how they use technology to help, and they share three main ideas about it on their website.
Make
The company offers quick ways to make models and uses a process called additive manufacturing. These things are important parts of what the company sells.
Users can get really good prints and hire a designer to make their ideas real. Shapeways has many materials to choose from for 3D printing, like Nylon , Sterling Silver, and Ceramics. These materials are really good.
Shop
Many people like to use gift cards at Shapeways, which is why they offer them as an option. The Marketplace gallery sells different things and things that are made with a 3D printer. They have a special tool called the Gift Guide to make it easy for people to see the cool stuff they sell.
Sell
You can show your 3D printed things in a store you make on Shapeways. The things can either be made or ready to be made. Additionally, the company handles money matters and helps customers, making things easy and convenient.
What Makes Shapeways Different?
Shapeways is a company from Holland that’s now in New York. They’re very popular in the 3D printing world. They have a place where people can make 3D things and sell them.
People make and exchange 3D designs online using the company’s system. The business then makes and delivers those designs to customers or other individuals.
So, This is a big company that trades all over the world. They have a place where people can buy and sell 3D printed things, and they also provide services for 3D printing. Shapeways help people make 3D designs that they can print.
Other people can also print the designs if they like. There are lots of things to use for printing, like plastic, valuable metals, and steel. There are more than 55 choices altogether. The old safe ceramics for food are not used anymore. Porcelain materials have replaced them.
Till now, Shapeways finished making and selling more than 20 million things. And it make it different fro the res companies i the world.
Why is 3D Printing via Shapeways So Expensive?
Make your own design to see how much it costs if you want to learn more about Shapeways. The fact that Shapeways charges a hefty sum for their printing services is one obvious fact.
It might appear to be a bad idea to print a lot of things using Shapeways because it might cost more than buying your own 3D printer. A nine inches huge bowl on Shapeways can cost nearly $500, which is large chunk of change. Why is Shapeways’ 3D printing so expensive?
To comprehend the reason why printing with Shapeways costs a great deal, we really want to realize that a wide range of costs are involved.
Typically, printing at home with a 3D printer only costs a small amount. This includes a few things, like how much the 3D printing machine costs, how much it costs to buy the materials, and how much electricity costs.
Most people only consider these costs when they think of 3D printing. Beyond what was previously mentioned, Shapeways printing costs more.
There are additional costs to consider in addition to the usual costs for materials and electricity that Shapeways includes in the price of your 3D model. Most likely, the materials are the least expensive cost.
In order to survive, businesses must generate sufficient revenue. Shapeways adds to the total cost of making your 3D model the costs of paying employees and fixing things.
Shapeways manufactures items in three locations using specialized machinery. They have skilled individuals who can make your model using machines.
What they said about themselves, “Shapeways must generate sufficient revenue from 3D printing to pay for their facilities and tools.
Additionally, we must ensure that we take care of the facilities to ensure that everything runs smoothly. Shapeways needs to have machines that make your 3D design and take care of them”.
Keep in mind that Shapeways is a business that is looking to make money. Supporters and investors in Shapeways need to see a return on their investments if the company is to survive.
You can understand why it costs so much if you combine all of those elements into a single 3D model and display it on Shapeways. If you print a lot of 3D models, using Shapeways may not be good for you in the future. Getting your own 3D printer can be an easy and straightforward solution.
If you’re working on a specific project, Shapeways is a good option for those who only need to print occasionally. Despite its price, Shapeways is very useful. Rather than spending a lot of money on a 3D printer that you might not use very often, choose this option.
- Using digital technology, we are able to produce prototype items and components very quickly.
- A novel and unique method of doing things has been developed.
- You can track down various things to purchase.
- Product outsourcing is when a company hires other companies to do their work for them.
- Quick time to finish something.
Why People Choose Shapeways 3D Printing Over Injecton Molding
- While injection molding requires tools to produce the final product, 3D printing can produce objects without the use of tools.
- Injection molding produces the entire object in a very short amount of time, 3D printing adds layers to a piece one at a time.
- The part that is injected into the molding machine remains stationary, while the part that is printed in the 3D printer moves in three different directions in accordance with computer instructions. 3D printing can undoubtedly commit errors.
- 3D printing is good for making things in different shapes, but sometimes you need to add extra support for parts that stick out, injection molding has limitations.
- 3D printing makes things one small step at a time, such as building a house. injection molding is more like filling an ice tray with water.
- Capacity to utilize numerous materials together, including various kinds of plastic and varieties.
- Because of the exceptionally significant burdens utilized during the cycle, we can make and configuration muddled shapes.
- Rapid production with an emphasis on output and efficiency.
- Because they use a lot of machines, the Moo company spends less on employees.
- Getting ready things similarly again and again, so they are consistently of good quality.
- Our product is made in a natural way with as little waste as possible. The handle is remade from any ground-up plastic that is left over.
- At the point when things are made, they don’t require a lot of work after they’re made on the grounds that they look very completed as of now.
Pros & Cons: Are Shapeways Parts Worth It?
Shapeways is a 3D printing service that lets designers create things with different materials and finishes. The service has advantages but also has some bad parts that clients need to consider. It could be useful to think about the good and bad things about Shapeways parts before deciding if they are worth it.
Pros
High-Quality Products
Shapeways charges more money because their products are really good. The company uses advanced 3D printing technology to make very accurate and detailed copies of the original plan.
They hire experts to check their products carefully before sending them to customers. If you pay close attention to every small detail, you can be sure that each thing is really good.
Products Versatility
Also, Shapeways offers many ways to make your product look better. They can smooth it out, add a special coating, or give it color. The customer can choose from different colors, finishes, and textures. These qualities make the product better and more special, so they cost more.
Products Complexity
The more complex the design, the more money it will cost to 3D print. The more complex and detailed the design is, the more expensive it is to print. 3D printing uses a lot of materials, and it takes longer to make complicated things than simple ones.
That’s why it takes longer to make detailed 3D-printed models. To do well in your job, you need to work hard and be dedicated.
The Clarity in Design & Prints
Shapeways makes things with machines that print in 3D. These machines are really good and can make really detailed things with great accuracy. This process makes an almost exact copy of your design. It is good for complex designs that need to be copied very accurately.
Vast Materials Choice
Shapeways has a lot of different materials to choose from, like plastic, metal, wax, and porcelain. This makes their service very flexible. You can choose the best thing to use to make your ideas look good.
Customization
Shapeways lets customers customize their parts by giving them different options for colors, textures, and looks. This feature allows for more personalization and flexibility in the final result.
Budget Friendly
Shapeways proposes cost-effective rates to print their components, considering the intricacy of the blueprint and the preferred substance.
In addition, customers can take advantage of cost-reducing vouchers and avail a discounted price when making a bulk payment, amplifying the appeal of the service.
Easy to use
By using Shapeways, beginners can easily buy their things thanks to the hassle-free and easy-to-use printing method.
Cons
1. Taken a toll: Shapeways parts can be costly, and the in general fetched can change depending on the complexity of the plan and the fabric utilized. Consider other printing administrations or buying the pre-manufactured item instep.
2. Constrained Estimate: There may be restrictions within the estimate of the parts that can be printed with Shapeways, making it unacceptable for large-sized ventures.
3. Shipping Time: Shapeways does not have an assisted shipping option, so customers may have to wait for a while to get their arrange.
4. Quality Control: In spite of the fact that there’s a broad audit handle, there are still cases where mistakes and defects happen in printed parts.
5. Learning bend: Shapeways can require plan information and involvement, which may be challenging for fledglings.
Should I Manufacture Parts With Shapeways?
Making a good product depends on having a good design, using the best 3D printing, and using the right equipment. Shapeways helps people make things they designed in 3D easier by automatically checking if it can be 3D printed when they upload it to their website.
The team that helps users with their applications can answer questions about printing difficult designs. They can also help with big orders that need 3D printing.
We can assist with any inquiries you may have about design, 3D printing materials, and the procedures that bring your models to fruition. Deciding if you want to make parts with Shapeways is a personal decision that needs thinking about some things.
Try Shapeways if you want really good prints that show all the little details and come in different materials and finishes. The advantage provides many choices for printing and finishing, which can help make your designs into reality.
If you want to make many parts without spending too much money, look for other ways. Even though their prices are reasonable, you need to think about whether these prices fit with your company’s financial goals.
You need to learn more about 3D printing or design to avoid facing technical problems when ordering your prints. Before you decide, think about the good and bad things about working with Shapeways based on your specific needs. Take some time to research and consider.
Who Are Shapeways Competitors?
Shapeways is not the only company that provides 3D printing services. The company has many other competitors in the industry, and they all promote unique things about their products. Some other companies that offer the benefits of 3D printing include Xometry, Fictiv, Hubs, Protolabs, and Kemal.
Be careful when choosing a company to buy things from. Look at the good and bad things about each company, like how famous they are, what they make out of, how much it costs, how long it takes to ship, and how helpful they are to customers.
By doing this, you can find the best company to buy things from.
Shapeways VS Fictiv
Shapeways and Fictiv are two different companies that do similar things. Fictiv is a company that can help with 3D printing. They can do many things, like CNC, 3D printing, and molding. Fictiv is cheaper than Shapeways for 3D printing big projects.
This makes it good for customers who need to make a lot of parts. Also, Fictiv is faster at shipping than Shapeways. They often take less time to complete orders.
Shapeways has more options for materials and finishes when making prints, which means you can choose from a wider variety of designs.
Shapeways VS Hubs
Hubs is a company that helps people with 3D printing. They can print things like parts, models, and molds really clearly. Centers might be cheaper than Shapeways for small and medium-sized projects.
But, Shapeways has more types of materials and finishes compared to others. If you want quick and easy 3D printing, go to Hubs. But if you want something more customized and complex, check out Shapeways.
Shapeways VS Xometry
Xometry is a company that can help with 3D printing. They also offer CNC machining and injection molding services. Compared to Shapeways, Xometry is more expensive, but they deliver faster.
Orders are usually fulfilled within a few days. However, Shapeways has more options for materials, finishes, and customization that could appeal to customers with unique or complex designs.
Shapeways VS Protolabs
Protolabs provides 3D printing services for big and medium-sized manufacturing orders. This company is like Shapeways but with more choices of materials and coverings.
Customers can make many different things. Protolabs might cost more than Shapeways, which could be a problem for those with less money to spend. Protolabs is faster but less flexible than Shapeways. This means Shapeways as well as Protolab can make higher-quality final products.
Shapeways VS Kemal
Kemal is a company that uses 3D printing to make big and strong things quickly. They are experts at it and can make many things for businesses at once. Kemal is better than Shapeways because they have really good machines and printers for making many things simultaneously.
This is helpful for people who make a lot of things. Kemal has good quality items, but there are fewer options to consider beyond Shapeways. Their prices work well for those with small manufacturing projects or who don’t have much money to continue.
And it is well-suited for budget-friendly businesses. If you are new to bussiness then you should check the Kemal’s services.
Why Choose Kemal for Your Next Project
We provide good quality test products, quick tool making, and a wide number of manufacturing services to support your development of new items.
Our team of engineers works with you to bring your product ideas to life using techniques like vacuum casting, CNC machining, plastic injection molding, and different finishing services.
Kemal is happy to offer personalized services that are tailored to your specific needs. We help you all the way from creating a new product to making a lot of them.
FAQs
Conclusion
To sum up, working with Shapeways has good and bad aspects like any advantage. If you want good prints that you can make unique by choosing from many fabrics, then it might be worth spending money on working with Shapeways.
Shapeways may not be the best option for everyone because of its limitations in size, cost, and customization options. It’s important to consider the good and bad things carefully before deciding if Shapeways is right for you.
