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Start Planning For the Holidays With Our Material Cutoff Calendar

Whether you’re a business looking to stock up before the holidays or you’re just looking to 3D print personalized gifts for your loved ones this year, we want to make sure you get everything you need on time. At Shapeways, it’s always our goal to make the 3D printing process as efficient as possible for our users. So, to help you organize your holiday planning, we’ve put together a handy guide highlighting all the different deadlines for placing orders to be shipped by December 23.

There are different factors that go into our cutoff dates, including material, the size of your print, and shipping speed. A large Versatile Plastic print may have a different lead time than a Steel print, so you’ll want to cross check our calendar to see the cutoffs.

Make sure to upload your models and check our material cutoff calendar to keep your holiday planning organized and stress-free. Please note that delivery dates are based on estimates from our shipping carriers, and are not guaranteed. Due to the high volume of packages shipped during the holidays, we suggest you order as early as possible.

The post Start Planning For the Holidays With Our Material Cutoff Calendar appeared first on Shapeways Magazine.

How 3D Printing Jigs and Fixtures Transforms Manufacturing Part II – All About Fixtures

Fixtures are essential for custom manufacturers. Fixtures hold the workpiece in place so it does not move during a step in manufacturing. Some shapes are easy to hold such as a rectangular block. For example, the part can be simply held in a vice. For shapes with various curves and angles, it can be difficult to hold them sturdy using standard tools. Fixtures solve this problem by clamping onto parts while matching the part’s geometry like a glove.

Jig or Fixture?

Fixtures may sometimes be called jigs, but they are not the same thing. Jigs guide the motion of tools and they are usually used in manual operations such as drilling holes. Fixtures are very sturdy and will accurately hold the workpiece at the correct angle, but fixtures do not guide tools. Fixtures are more often used with automated manufacturing methods. For more information on Jigs, check out our article about jigs.

All about Fixtures

Fixtures make inserting and removing parts much easier. They are typically designed in an intuitive way that reduces the risk of human error. Fixtures can be re-used for large production runs, or created specifically for a small number of custom parts.

Fixtures must be mounted to a sturdy surface before they can be used effectively. Some fixtures are designed to fit onto a standard bench vice, others attach to standard mounting boards like T-slot tables or hole grids. Fixtures are rigidly bolted or mounted onto shop equipment.

Traditionally, custom fixtures are made manually. The design is planned out, then work material is cut, milled, and drilled into shape. This process requires costly materials, expensive equipment, skilled machinists, and a considerable amount of labor. It may also require purchasing new tooling for unique shapes.

Benefits of 3D Printed Fixtures

3D printing is a viable alternative when it comes to creating custom fixtures. It is more cost-effective to 3D print a custom fixture than it is to machine one in-house. With 3D printing, a fixture only needs to be designed using CAD software and sent out to a 3D printing service such as www.shapeways.com After a few days, it’ll get printed, shipped and delivered, ready to use.

3D printed fixtures are made from strong and lightweight plastics such as nylon. Nylon is tough and durable. Fixtures made from nylon will last for many production cycles. As a plastic, it is not as dense as metal, so large fixtures will be lightweight in comparison. Nylon is softer than most rigid materials, and this is good because the fixture will not scratch or damage the part’s surface. The softer material aids in providing a more uniform clamping pressure. Under high clamping loads, the nylon can deform to the shape of the part, saving both from being damaged.

Here are a few examples of innovative fixtures that have been designed specifically for 3D printing.

1”x1” Board Fixture

This fixture is mounted onto a 1”x1” mounting grid board or mounting table. It can be used to hold your working piece in place to either be cut, drilled or assembled. The working piece is clamped by the fixture as screws are tightened, holding it securely. This fixture can also be used as a cylinder holder for cutting pipes and tubes.

Material: Multi Jet Fusion Plastic – Gray PA12 (nylon 12)

Bench Vice Jaw Adapter Fixture

This fixture is an accessory for a bench vice that when attached, can hold a wide arrangement of objects. This is done by inserting magnets (not included) into the provided spots on the back of the fixture and then placing the fixture onto the jaws of a bench vice.

Material: SLS – PA11 (nylon 11)

Door Lock Installation Fixture

This is a fixture used to assist in the installation of a doorknob or lever. It provides accurate alignment between the working parts of a doorknob or lever. This is done by finding the centerline of your door edge, aligning the two smaller holes with the centerline and securing the fixture to the door with screws temporarily at those points. Once that is done, you can now use the recommended hole saw and the fixture as a guide to drill the remaining holes out where you would be left with perfectly aligned holes to install a doorknob or lever.

Material: Versatile Plastic – White Processed

Cut Down Your Production Costs

If you would like to learn more about how 3D printing can help your business save money and reduce manufacturing costs, get in contact with Shapeways using our Sign up form.

The post How 3D Printing Jigs and Fixtures Transforms Manufacturing Part II – All About Fixtures appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

How 3D Printing Jigs and Fixtures Transforms Manufacturing

In the industrial world, 3D printed jigs and fixtures are truly unsung heroes. Both jigs and fixtures are types of tools that are used to control the operation of another instrument. However, a fixture sets itself apart in that it’s mainly used to hold another tool or device in place during the manufacturing process.

As a manufacturer, in any industry, you rely on essential components like jigs and fixtures to get the job done. The difference is that these days, more and more manufacturers are realizing massive productivity increases and lowered costs by 3D printing these essential manufacturing aids.

In this series of articles, we will layout the benefits of using additive manufacturing to produce Jigs & Fixtures. The first part will focus on Jigs. To find out more about how you can harness the potential of 3D printing jigs and fixtures to increase productivity and reduce costs, read on.

Jigs 101

Jigs are custom-made tools that hold in place and control the motion of other devices or parts in the manufacturing process. Unlike a fixture, a jig lets manufacturers expedite the assembly or construction of a product by allowing for greater interchangeability and repeatability.

It should come as no surprise, then, that jigs are a staple in virtually all mass-production systems in the developed world. However, small and medium-sized firms traditionally haven’t been able to create custom-made jigs until the arrival of 3D printing technologies.

Why 3D Print Jigs and Fixtures?

Most companies cannot afford to splurge on traditionally manufactured jigs and fixtures to add to their assembly lines or build processes. Thanks to the advent of additive manufacturing, productivity-enhancing tools such as jigs, fixtures, and grips can now be produced at a fraction of the cost of their traditionally made counterparts.

Producing jigs and fixtures via 3D printing is a highly cost-effective means of speeding up your assembly times and reducing labor costs. Plus, on-demand jig and fixture production eliminates upfront inventory requirements. Instead, digital inventory allows for seamless updates and revisions to keep your equipment working the way it should.

Other benefits of 3D printed jigs and fixtures include weight reduction (via high-strength plastic construction), ergonomic superiority (via customizable item contouring and shaping) and reducing overall complexity during the manufacturing process.

Here are examples of jigs that you can 3D print today:

Router Corner Jig

Built with black versatile plastic, a SLS nylon 12, this woodworking tool is designed to create precise cuts around angular corners during woodworking. A workshop essential, this 3D-printed tool allows users to make consistent cuts around edges when using a Router tool.

Cutting corners has never been easier thanks to this corner jig, which holds to the corner of your working piece to guide cuts at an exact and consistent radius.

Rotary Tool Drill Bit Sharpener Jig

Constructed with multi-jet fusion plastic, smooth black nylon 12, this rotary drill bit sharpener tool is the DIYers dream. This jig sharpens dull drill bits to their original condition by crafting a new cutting edge on the side of the tool. The process is simple: the jig attaches to a rotary tool and a grinding disc.
Then, the drill bit is inserted into the jig at the correct angle. The jig, in conjunction with the abrasive disc, proceeds to grind the drill bit to the user’s preferred degree of sharpness in seconds.

Center Point Finder Jig

This time-saving jig tool streamlines your assembly processes by allowing you to locate the midpoint of objects with varying levels of thickness. Made of durable red versatile plastic, a SLS nylon 12, the Center Point Finder Jig works according to a simple process: the jig is placed on top of an object that the user wants to measure, then the jig is twisted until the pegs cannot move any further. Then, the indicator in the center of the jig signifies where the midpoint of the object is.

Ready to Save Money for Your Company?

There has never been a better time to invest in jigs, fixtures, grips, and other tools that can save your company time and money when manufacturing. Typically, a jig or fixture would be sent away to be produced by a trained machinist for days at a time.

Today, 3D printing has cut down production times and created a more affordable alternative for manufacturers in need of custom-made assembly tools.

Interested in learning more about how 3D printing can impact your business by increasing productivity and lowering production costs? Get in touch today to learn how Shapeways, the leading end-to-end 3D printing fulfillment platform, is helping millions of companies leverage 3D printing to scale their businesses.

The post How 3D Printing Jigs and Fixtures Transforms Manufacturing appeared first on 3DPrint.com | The Voice of 3D Printing / Additive Manufacturing.

Introducing Three Tough SLA Plastic Materials

Shapeways is excited to announce the launch of three new SLA Plastic materials that provide extreme durability, high resolution and detail as well as a smooth surface.

One of the first 3D printing technologies developed, Stereolithography (SLA) has been widely used for creating models, prototypes and patterns. To produce parts using SLA systems, a laser selectively cures liquid resin in a resin bath above it, moving up layer by layer until the part is complete. Using large format SLA technology, you will be able to produce much larger parts than other resin-based technologies while achieving similar fantastic surface quality.

Our SLA Plastic launch includes the following three acrylate-based materials:

Accura® 60

This clear plastic produces rigid and durable parts with similar properties to molded Polycarbonate (PC). It has the ability for fine details making it apt for tough, functional prototypes, lighting components, medical instruments and fluid flow and visualization models.

Accura® Xtreme™

A material with similar physical properties to polypropylene and ABS, Accura® Xtreme is an ultra-tough grey plastic with outstanding durability, accuracy, moisture and thermal resistance and the ability for great detail. It is ideal for snap fit assemblies, enclosures for consumer and electronic products, master patterns for vacuum casting, and general purpose prototyping.

Accura® Xtreme™ 200

This white plastic is the toughest SLA material available and can replace CNC-machined polypropylene and ABS articles. It is perfect for projects that must withstand extreme, harsh conditions making it ideal for challenging functional assemblies. It can be applied to similar projects as Accura Xtreme as well projects that demand the highest durability like automotive parts, drill/tap applications, assemblies with self-tapping screws, enclosures for consumer electronic components, general purpose prototyping, and master silicone molding.

All three of these SLA materials produce rigid, robust parts that resist breakage and are durable enough to create functional parts as well as provide excellent detail and accuracy. SLA Plastics are printed on large format 3D printers which is great for creating more sizable parts for visual prototypes, short-run production and mass customization including specific applications such as:

Master patterns for vacuum casting
Shell investment casting patterns for metal casting
Complex assemblies
Wind tunnel models
Rapid production of flow test rigs
Mass customization production (orthodontic, dental)
Custom assembly jigs and fixtures

These materials have a larger build volume than standard SLA technology, which means your projects will have less limitations. We are excited to see what you create!

The post Introducing Three Tough SLA Plastic Materials appeared first on Shapeways Magazine.

Fast Things 2: The Desire Engine

With 3D printing we have the ability to very quickly make products from ideas. In a series of articles centered on the idea of Fast Things, I want to point out that the ramifications of being able to make on-trend on time may go a bit deeper than people may realize. So far when people have been trying to make on-trend items they are usually jewelry items that have been produced in a timely manner.

Teams of people worldwide jump on the latest iPhone specifications and quickly design new cases for the latest models on Shapeways and i.materialise. If a particular trend manifests itself on one of those platforms then with a number of days tens or hundreds of copies and variants can be made through the power of CAD and 3D modeling. If purple turtles playing volleyball was a thing then a 3D printed product would probably be the first physical product available subsequently. Responsiveness to fads and trends can convey significant advantages to businesses.

With 3D printed left shark a 3D printing user was sued for making a shark based on a costume worn by a dancer in a Katy Perry show.

If you’re first in the water and quickest to market than you may in some cases have won already. With today’s fragmented media landscape and hype-connectedness, the trend could be long gone by the time your competitors’ product has arrived. Especially in fashion and design goods but also in toys speed is a key factor to success. But, 3D printing in manufacturing can go much further than this. By producing on demand without stock you can deploy your capital more efficiently as well as use your internal resources better. You can also make money quicker and stop before you buy a million fidget spinners that no one wants. By using 3D printing in manufacturing you are derisking yourself and removing yourself from delay and supply chain hiccups (to a certain extent).

Generative products are now in the fun with fractals mode but could become more real world data driven.

To me, these elements already would give one distinct business advantages. There is one other idea that could be very significant since it is so little understood, and this is the idea of the desire engine. Google knows what we’re all searching for: what songs we want to listen to, what bands we want to find out more about, what products we want to buy. What if you could find out what products everyone in the world wants? But, not only find out what they like to look at or buy online, but what they want for real. What if you could analyze what shapes, colors, forms, names and designs people find attractive? What if you could then use that data to hone in on the particular forms for the particular things versus the particular types of people would like. And what if you could then use that data to automatically design the right shapes for the right people and make them available on the day. This is the idea of The Desire Engine.

Accurate facial analysis to fit the custom made glasses is already happening.

You could do the experimental set up in various different ways. One method would be: as a storefront of a glasses store you would have 50 screens. On each screen, you would display renderings of 50 different models of sunglasses. The model, color and background would change continually. You’d measure when people would enter your store asking for which glasses and see which shape converts. You’d measure which people ended up buying which shape, with which material, at which price point. Then you’d be able to calculate what the optimal price and shape would be for your profitability. Maybe some shapes would cause people to walk in the door while others converted more. Maybe you’d find out that a purple background gives higher interest but lower conversion.

Heres what you wanted.

You could do this online and offline and test continually. You may find that people in Switzerland prefer more demure glasses which Milanese like high contrast colors (but only in June, on sunny days). Every day you’d collect data to perfect which glasses design would work for whom. And you’d only have to make the designs that people order. The more data you’d get the better your renderings and algorithms would become. At one point you’d be able to for one place and one product for one customer predict the perfect glasses for them. And won’t it be handy if I’m only shown the versions already optimized in real time to fit my face as I pass by the store? This is The Desire Engine, a brute force hack of what people want before they even know it. With The Desire Engine, you will able to predict what will do well, on the day for a particular person. I think that The Desire Engine as a concept is very powerful and points to methods of being able to, in a much more financially efficient way, put products on the market.

Interview Greg Kress: Shapeways launches Etsy E-commerce Integration for 3D printing services

Shapeways, a New York-headquartered 3D printing marketplace, has partnered with e-commerce website Etsy to provide shop owners with a direct channel to manage orders from Shapeways. Etsy has hosted many small businesses who are also Shapeways customers seeking to reach a wider audience with their products. As a result of feedback from both communities, the Etsy E-commerce Integration […]

Shapeways Launches E-Commerce Integration with Etsy for Shop Owners of 3D Printed Products

If you’re looking to buy someone a unique gift, many people know that global marketplace Etsy is the best place to go. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Brooklyn, the e-commerce site connects millions of buyers and sellers around the world through its mission to keep commerce human. Small business owners on Etsy definitely enjoy being their own bosses, but sometimes all of the work can pile up – who’s got time to design and create when you’re busy taking care of paperwork all the time?

Luckily, there’s a solution for Etsy shop owners who specialize in 3D printed products – today, Shapeways announced the launch of its new Etsy E-commerce Integration, which will make the lives of these small business owners just a little easier.

“Our mission in launching the Etsy E-commerce Integration is to create a seamless experience for the entrepreneurs using Shapeways. Small business owners are already juggling multiple hats, and we are excited to help make Etsy Shop Owners’ lives easier by enabling them to seamlessly grow their businesses and helping current Shapeways’ customers not currently on the platform expand their customer base by offering a new place for them to sell their designs,” said Greg Kress, CEO of Shapeways.

Shapeways is the world’s top manufacturer of 3D printed goods for small- and mid-sized businesses, with over 1 million creators and more than 10 million 3D printed products. Offering over 40 3D printing materials and finishes, Shapeways has offices in both the Netherlands and New York, and the platform provides services from the partners with its global supply chain network, along with its own factories.

The new partnership between these two online marketplaces will offer a seamless integration for Etsy shop owners to manage their orders and fulfillment right from Shapeways, at no charge for current or new customers of both sites. The platform is easy to set up: an API plug-in creates a channel for direct ordering and shipping from Shapeways, which negates all of the bothersome administrative steps and gives designers more time to focus on creating their work.

Ola Shektman, Creator and Designer of the Etsy shop Cityscapes Rings, said, “Etsy is one of the easiest ways to open a small business and offers an incredibly large market of ready to buy customers. Before the Etsy E-commerce Integration, it took 5-6 minutes to place an order for my Etsy customers. This integration is magic, orders are placed automatically so I can spend more of my time working on new ideas and designs.”

Shapeways’ customers enjoy using the Etsy platform as a way to showcase their products for a larger audience of consumers, and with today’s news, the creation, selling, and shipping of 3D printed items on Etsy will be much easier. This new integration, which was created after listening to feedback from community members, will give Etsy shop owners the ability to easily sync their products, 3D printed by Shapeways, to their shop. In turn, they can then automatically push their orders right to Shapeways, and then ship them directly out to their customers. In addition, the integration offers multiple delivery choices, so that shop owners can easily customize their options.

Finally, this new partnership will allow Shapeways community members who don’t already have an Etsy shop set up the chance to create one, which will help increase their visibility and allow potential customers to easily find them and purchase their 3D printed products.

Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

Expand Your Business With Our All-New Etsy Integration

We’ve heard your feedback and are thrilled to announce an all-new platform partnership with Etsy. With the launch of our Etsy E-commerce Integration, there’s now a seamless way for Etsy shop owners to manage their orders and fulfillment directly from Shapeways. This partnership also gives the members of our community who may not be current Etsy users an opportunity to set up their own shop and expand their customer base.

Etsy and Shapeways share a similar passion for supporting small business owners and making entrepreneurialism accessible and straightforward. Through this integration, selling and shipping your very own 3D printed product is easier than ever before. Etsy shop owners can now automatically push their orders to Shapeways and then ship directly to customers or their own locations. With multiple options available, users can truly customize delivery to fit their businesses’ needs.

We can’t wait to see how this new e-commerce integration helps you eliminate the inconvenient administrative steps that often bog down a small business’ journey and devote more energy to creation and your customers. Get started now by setting up your free Etsy E-commerce Integration on the Shapeways E-commerce Integration page.

The post Expand Your Business With Our All-New Etsy Integration appeared first on Shapeways Magazine.

Shapeways offers EOS PA11 for 3D printed prosthesis

Shapeways, a 3D printing marketplace and service bureau, has added Nylon PA11 to its materials portfolio to enable the creation of 3D printed orthotics and prosthetics. As a result of an ongoing partnership with leading 3D printer OEM EOS, Shapeways’ offering of Nylon PA11 has been undertaken to increase 3D printing’s accessibility for medical professionals. “Expanding our reach to […]

New Material Launch: EOS Biobased Polymer PA11

Shapeways is proud to offer a market-ready solution for orthosis and prosthesis needs to all designers and businesses in the Shapeways community. Thanks to the partnership between Shapeways and industrial 3D printing tech giant, EOS, the nylon material PA11 will be made available to all Shapeways customers as of March 30, 2019. PA11 is a biobased polymer naturally sourced from castor oil and is known for its strength, ductility, and impact-resistant properties. With this launch, Shapeways designers will be able to collaborate with the medical industry to create customized medical enhancements using 3D printing technology.

PA11’s elastic and tensile properties are also ideal for use in aerospace, automotive, and other high-impact applications, making Selective Laser Sintered PA11 one of the fastest growing markets for additive manufacturing. Ideal applications for PA11 include:

Orthosis and Prosthesis
Robotics
Surgical Planning & Tooling
Drones
Electronics Housing
Consumer Products

About PA11:

PA11 is a biocompatible nylon material that is optimal for use in exterior medical applications such as customized orthotic braces and prosthetics. It is tensile, durable, and impact-resistant with a high elongation at break point. PA11 will be offered in a natural white finish that can be easily dyed to any color. Contact our sales team for a quote and ask about our color options.

Learn how industry leaders are utilizing EOS PA 11, and get in touch with our sales team to discover how your product or business can benefit from this new material.

The post New Material Launch: EOS Biobased Polymer PA11 appeared first on Shapeways Magazine.