Shapeways:
Although I wasn’t able to attend class this week, I was able to read more about Shapeways online and connect with my peers to learn more about the amazing things Lauren and the rest of the Shapeways team are working on! Shapeways is a New York based 3D printing marketplace and service company that provides users the ability to design and upload 3D printable files. It was interesting to see how easy the marketplace platform was to utilize. To 3D print an object, users simply have to upload files to their site and then select what materials to use. From there, users pay and input their address and then Shapeways will ship the product right to the customer. Shapeways can make products out a wide variety of material ranging from plastic to stainless steel.
The layout of Shapeways is very structured and easy to follow. In addition to offering customers the ability to 3D print products, Shapeways also offers material sample kits. They range from color & finish to kits with metals at a price range from $19.99 (color & finish) to $79.99 (Metals).
Prototyping/Final Project Work:
My team and I are in the midst of prototyping our project. Some of the team is focused on conducting desktop research to identify what features are desirable to drivers in regards to a customizable steering wheel attachment. Currently, I am working to parametrize the potential model we are looking to create. I am modeling it after what is done on thingverse. I have been experimenting with OpenSCAD software to code printable designs for a steering wheel attachment. Learning the software is taking some time, but it is an extremely powerful and useful tool. Our team is focusing on creating a flexible design and this will be one of the main deliverables of our final project.
Jason,
Having also missed one class this year, it has helped me realize the large amount of resources available online. There is nothing standing in our way of furthering our own educations. Kudos to you for learning the new code for your final project. I am facing new challenges working on my final project as well.
Jason, even though you weren’t in class it seems like you still got a good idea of how cool Shapeways is and the exciting things they are doing at their company. I am also excited to see how your project turns out. I think your product could be something highly beneficial to many people!