Eight years after the launch of RepRap and Fab@Home, 3D printing has reached the crescendo of hype. If declining stock prices of the 3D printing “bluechips”–namely Stratasys and 3D Systems–are any indication, January 2014 was the peak of inflated expectations; the industry now heads toward the trough of disillusionment. Only progress in software can drive the industry to the plateau of productivity.

Several of the promises, or laws, of 3D printing are idyllic in nature. For example, take efficiency: “3D printers use the precise amount of material necessary to make a part and no more.” Proponents contrast this to subtractive manufacturing, where a block of material cut away and wasted. Yet many printing technologies require support material, giving you a block of material that must be cut away and wasted. Yet even this waste pales to 3D printing’s dirty little secret: prints frequently fail.

Prints fail for all kinds of reasons: high humidity, bubbles in filament, uneven powder spread, lens occlusion, lens misalignment, clogged nozzle, xy drift, bed misalignment, filament grinding, insufficient material, dull razors, curling, over/under extrusion/exposure/depostion, drooping…. Of course, parts with improper designs may also fail post-print, but that’s the whole point of rapid prototyping!

Fortunately, many of these failures can be mitigated with smart software. Many consumer printers and most industrial printers already detect when material runs low, and pause for a change in material. This is only a rudimentary beginning: in the future, printers will automatically mitigate a wide range of partial failures.

How might this look on a desktop FDM printer? After auto calibrating the bed, the printer begins to lay down the first layer. By processing optical data, a computer recognizes that the machine is under-extruding. The extrusion rate is dynamically changed, and the computer directs the printer to deposit extra material at sites affected by the under-extrusion. Later in the print, an air bubble reaches the extruder from the filament. The computer detects that filament is still moving, ruling out grinding or clogging, and slows nozzle velocity until extrusion returns.

Later, the nozzle slips a few steps in the x-direction due to a loose belt and a particularly violent jerk (sadly this printer is not using a zero jerk board like the Tiny-G.) The computer recognizes this drift and corrects it, compensating dynamically if need be. When plastic builds up around the nozzle, the head moves towards a brush on the edge of the print bed, and scrapes off the goo. Finally, near the top of the part, the printer is stringing between two columns. The computer cools the nozzle by 5 degrees and adjusts the retraction rate, and fixes the issue for subsequent layers.

Software that streams static gcode is just the beginning. Software can enable these flexible manufacturing devices to adjust print parameters on-the-fly and self-correct under-extrusion for superior near-net-shape. Put technically, rather than generating gcode per-object, software will enable computers to generate gcode per-layer or even in real-time.  The future of 3D printing software will make producing an object as easy as downloading a file. Only then can the technology match expectations.

The post What might the future of 3D Printing software look like? appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

 You can use Flex Ninja to print a flexible ninja. Yo. Dawg.

So, in a somewhat self-explanatory title, Ninja Flex is a somewhat stretchy type of filament that produces somewhat stretchy objects. Ninja Flex filament is a fun, fairly new, type of filament that has some elastic qualities. It uses similar printer settings to standard ABS filament. It performs best on direct drive extruders, and has been proven on the ever-popular “Makerbot,” a favorite of the home user. You might need to slow it down a little (30mm/s) to reduce errors in printing. Then again, what the rush, dude. Let life happen.

The level of detail is going to be pretty similar to what you receive with ABS. Also, whilst the material prints pretty well, the support structures (easily scraped away at your convenience) are going to be especially important on tall thin objects. The flexible nature of the filament makes it especially vulnerable so, unless you want a leaning tower of Pisa, make sure you include supports.

Like all filaments native to the hobby-printers, you really ought to get creative with it. For instance: you can print out those lovely little cause bracelets and rep whatever you feel like making people aware of on that particular day. I mean the possibilities are endless here. You could make one with your name on it, and become self-aware. Apparently, it is now that easy. However, we are not talking “Gumby” levels of stretchiness here. The “awareness” bracelets have enough “give” to function, but this isn’t rubber here. It’s a functional level of flex, and you must keep that in mind when you are making your designs.

Are you aware yet…how about now… 

The material is color-fast, so you don’t need to worry about the colors bleeding all about. Which is good, because there is more than enough to worry about in the world without bleeding bracelets for your causes. The material is also not supposed to be submerged in water for long periods of time. Now, it’s not actually some kind of Mogwai. It will not immediately dissolve (or go on a rampage), but submersion in water could reduce elasticity.

Cons:

can’t/shouldn’t leave it underwater

limited flexibility

slower extrusion (possible)

Pros:

elastic

decent (on par with ABS) detail

fun colors

Sources:

1. http://www.fennerdrives.com/ninjaflex3dprinting/_/3d/

2. Printed bracelet: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:159281

3. Flex ninja: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:159223

The post Fun With Filaments: Ninja Flex appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

AstroPrint / 3DaGoGo Media Contact:  Drew Taylor, CEO

Email: Drew dot Taylor at 3DaGoGo dot com

Phone: 858.621.3888

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AstroPrint™ Launches Kickstarter Campaign to Make Wireless and Remote 3D Printing a Reality

AstroPrint’s wireless platform lets 3D printer owners run, control and monitor their 3D printers wirelessly and remotely on their smartphones and tablets.

San Diego, CA, MAY 20, 2014 – AstroPrint has launched their 30-day Kickstarter [https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/306530051/astroprinttm-wireless-3d-printing-software] campaign to bring their wireless 3D printing platform to hobbyists and small businesses around the world. Created by the same team that owns and runs proven-to-print marketplace, 3DaGoGo, AstroPrint lets owners run, control and monitor their 3D printers wirelessly and remotely on their smartphones and tablets.

At the core of the AstroPrint campaign is the AstroBox, a WiFi-enabled module that connects to the 3D printer. The AstroBox communicates with a mobile device either through the Internet, or through it’s own WiFi network if an Internet connection isn’t available.

Paired with a cloud account at AstroPrint.com, 3D printer owners can slice, organize and store designs in the cloud, and then remotely send instructions to, and receive updates from, the AstroBox in real time to start a print or tweak a printing process. If a camera is installed, owners can also watch the printing process on their mobile devices.

“With AstroPrint, we mark a significant milestone in our mission to make 3D printing smarter, and more effortless,” said Drew Taylor, CEO and Founder of AstroPrint. “We really focused on the simplicity of the user interface so that those starting out will feel at home, while making it sophisticated enough to allow power users to tweak and control every advanced setting on their 3D printer.”

Founder and Chief Design Officer, Joshua White added: “The design of the user interface was particularly important to us. We spared no effort and the result is stunning- Beautiful, intuitive and functional. We also loaded in smart features such as Slicing Intelligence, a feature that recommends printer settings to get better results. In all, we are extraordinarily proud of what we have achieved.”

While the Kickstarter campaign hopes to raise $10,000 to bring the AstroBox wireless platform to consumers around the world, the AstroPrint founders have decided to make the software that runs the AstroBox open source.  This allows the AstroPrint team to work with printer manufacturers to rapidly adopt the software into new 3D printer models.

Drew continued: “In fact, we are already speaking to printer manufacturers about making AstroPrint the standard software that operates their 3D printers.  Our vision is for AstroPrint to become the software partner driving all desktop 3D printers, letting the hardware engineers focus on hardware, while we focus on software and the user experience.”

Founder and Chief Technology Officer, Daniel Arroyo went on to say, “We recognize that there are advanced users out there who may have their own Raspberry Pi, pcDuino or BeagleBone Black hardware and want to tinker around on their own. We are passionate supporters of any development in 3D printing technology and we encourage them to use the AstroPrint software on their own devices, not just on our AstroBox.”

The AstroPrint wireless platform is compatible with nearly all desktop 3D printers on the market today, and the team is actively updating the software to make it compatible with the remaining printer models.

AstroPrint’s Kickstarter campaign will start on Tuesday May 20 and will run for 30 days. Early supporters of the campaign will receive generous rewards including early edition AstroBoxes, performance upgrades and custom etched steel cases.

###

About AstroPrint™ and 3DaGoGo, Inc

For more information, visit: http://www.astroprint.com/

Currently in the BetaSpring tech accelerator, 3DaGoGo is a CONNECT Springboard Capital Competition Winner and SmallBusinessTrends.com Top 10 Startups to Watch in 2014 honoree.  3DaGoGo is poised to disrupt the desktop 3D printing industry.

3DaGoGo, Inc develops the software that makes 3D printing simple.  This is done through two products:  AstroPrint (AstroPrint.com), a cloud based slicing and printing platform that makes 3D printers wireless, touchscreen, and more reliable, and 3DaGoGo.com, a marketplace for ‘Proven to Print’ 3D designs.

The post Press Release: AstroPrint™ Launches Kickstarter Campaign to Make Wireless and Remote 3D Printing a Reality appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

 Welcome to the world of LayWood. In the world of 3d printing there are a variety of filament options. LayWood is unique among them. This filament lets you print objects with a wood-like texture and appearance.  Containing 40% wood materials, supplemented with polymer binders, LayWood smells like trees, because it actually contains trees. (1)

This filament has some very unique qualities. The porosity or smoothness can be adjusted by messing with the materials feed settings  It’s actually possible to change the color of the resulting sculptures. Adjusting the temperature affects the color of the final printed project. You can have darker (hotter nozzle) or lighter (cooler nozzle) layers to your sculpture. (2)

Specific temperature settings can be used to get different shades/layering effect (4)

This particular filament is also not as susceptible to “warp” as many other filaments. The wood fibers give it stability in that regard. Additionally, LayWood does not require a heated bed to extrude on. The finished product can also be carved or cut. The somewhat porous surface can be painted quite easily as well. (2)

There are some issues. LayWood is more expensive that getting a chunk of tree from somewhere. Then again, that’s probably fairly obvious. LayWood filament is also somewhat fragile. It arrives in a bag, rather than a spool. Over time, the material can become somewhat brittle. This may be remedied by warming the material slightly (4).

As always, 3d printing is an additive process (as opposed to the reductive process of carving). 3d printing saves material (additive process), but is still more expensive than carving up a tree.   LayWood can also be somewhat difficult to find. It’s originally made in Germany. Ebay is one of the easiest places to find it right now. It can be presumed that, if popularity grows, it may become more widely available.

Cons :

• Price
• Sometimes brittle
• Hard to find

Pros :

• Uses recycled wood fiber
• Texture/color adjustable
• paintable
• Smells like forest
• Stable/no warping

When it comes down to it, 3d printing is not a direct substitute for wood carving. As far as filaments go, LayWood is a really cool new tool to use. It’s stable, has a unique texture, can have shifting shades, and overall has an “organic” aesthetic that makes it a very special filament to work with.

LayWood filament is one more unique and interesting facet found in the already- fascinating world of 3d printing.

1.  http://www.geek.com/news/laywood-filaments-lets-you-3d-print-with-wood-1517745/

2. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:30552/#instructions

3.  http://www.plastic2print.com/eu/3mm-laywood-filament-brown-0-25kg.html

4. http://www.tridimake.com/2012/10/shades-of-brown-with-wood-filament-via.html

5. http://www.tridimake.com/2012/10/wood-filament-becoming-brittle-after.html

The post 3d Printed Wood appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

3d printing has ushered in a whole new range of strange objects that can make your life more interesting. Where to start though? I can help. The following is a list of the Top Five 3d Designs That Can Make Your Life More Interesting and Make You Seem Awesome.

Also, sharks.

Top Five 3d Designs That Can Make Your Life More Interesting and Make You Seem Awesome*

*WARNING: Contains sharks.

#5 Weighted Companion Dice

When Companion Dice loves you, you will never be lonely.

Every man dies. Every man dies alone. But man (non-gendered literary usage here) need not live alone. That, my friend, is a choice. Make the right choice. Get a companion.

Behold: the Companion Dice. Thanks to the wonderful world of 3d printing, oddly-specific designs are now available to you. This lovely design is 12mm of not living alone. It can sit on your desk and make every moment of the work day just a little more okay. The Companion Dice is here for you. The companion dice will listen. The companion dice will never leave.

Life can be difficult. Choices are confusing. The Weighted Companion Dice can make that easier.  Just number those choice from one to six, and let the dice decide. No matter what you choose, the Companion Dice will love you anyway. As long as you obey it.

Obey the Companion Dice.*

*The writer of this article does not necessarily endorse making life decisions based on the Companion Dice. If it doesn’t work out so well, that’s on you buddy.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/918759/12mm-weighted-companion-cube-die.html?li=productGroup&materialId=6

Be afraid…

#4 Dalek

Have you ever wanted to build your own robot army and conquer a small kingdom? The answer is yes. If you disagree, I’m going to sit here and pity you. Can you here that…shhh… That was the sound of me pitying you.

Now you can be the master and overlord of your very own Dalek Army. Hear them now, a million tiny voices saying “Exterminate!” This intricate design must be assembled by the buyer.  That’s right. This design comes with free fun. You are a maker of things and a builder of worlds.  Empower yourself.

Get this little Dalek dude and display him in clear sight of your coworkers. Remind them that you are not to be trifled with.  Buy as many as you want. Go mad with power.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/247325/28mm-dalek-trooper-sprue.html?li=productGroup&materialId=60

It saw you first.

#3 Ninja Ghost

 We all need a little light in our lives sometimes.  This little ghost can help you fix that with style. If it can be done, it can be done with style.

The Ninja Ghost is designed to be placed over an iPhone engaged in flashlight mode. The material is sturdy and flexible and diffuses light. If you get a darker color, you get less light, but it will look totally awesome at a party.

The Ninja Ghost can be used to make any room just a little less spooky. It’s a friendly fellow to help you drift off to sleep. Also, you could sneak it into someone’s room and leave it there. When they wake-up, it will be all like “Boo!” Not that I endorse or encourage this behavior. I’m just saying…

Engage stealth mode. Get the Ninja Ghost.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/864101/lightclip-ninja-ghost-iphone-5-5s.html?li=productGroup&materialId=6

Om. Nom. Metal.

#2 Shark Bottle Opener

Have you ever wanted to instantly inspire fear in the people around you? Do you want people to immediately know that you are pretty much a total Boss? Don’t lie. The answer is yes. The Shark Bottle Opener can help you.

Nothing says “don’t mess with me” like opening your drink with A SHARK. This design has the right combination of stylistic whimsy and the awe-inspiring jaws of a blood-thirsty carnivore.

Now you can get this Shark Bottle Opener made from different materials. I personally recommend stainless steel. It’s clearly the most hardcore. Also, there is a hole so you can wear it around your neck. Shark Bling. Boom.

Nothing says “all hail your new overlord” like shark bling capable of opening bottles with its fierce, shiny, jaws.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/1224688/shark-bottle-opener.html?li=productGroup&materialId=23

Sad Keanu is a man, not a piano key.

#1 Sad Keanu

This is the best thing ever. I will fight anyone who disagrees with me. Just kidding. I won’t.  For some reason, I don’t think Sad Keanu would want it that way. I believe Sad Keanu wants us to be excellent to each other.

Sad Keanu is a detailed sculpture with color. As you run your fingers over the slightly-course finish of the surface you become free to contemplate all the sadness of the world that fills us with pain and wonder. Sad Keanu understands.

Please don’t put Sad Keanu near your Dalek Army. It isn’t right and you know that. He’s sad enough. Don’t remind him that 3d printing has given you the endless power to assemble a chorus of tiny voices saying “Exterminate. Exterminate. Exterminate!”

Place Sad Keanu near the Ninja Ghost. Maybe the light will cheer him up.

http://www.shapeways.com/model/403961/an-itty-bitty-sad-keanu.html?li=category-tech-headerimg

The post Top Five 3d Designs to Make Life Fun appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

Recently there has been a new wave of 3D printing that is transitioning into the fashion industry. There had been a lot of talk and work around 3D printed shoes. A few designers have taken a shot at it and 3D Systems used 3D printed shoes to make shoes look more appealing to their audience. However one designer named Bryan Oknyansky, took his idea of 3D printed shoes and made it a reality.

Oknyansky launched his new 3D line on his website, “Shoes by Bryan”, which offers 3D printed high heeled ladies shoes. The real innovation is that the website allows people to easily modify and personalize their shoes to their liking and have them 3D printed to fit perfectly. His shoes attracted a lot of attention at last November’s 3D Print Show in London and now Bryan is trying to get to the mainstream.

His first step in getting his name into the fashion industry, was to participate in the “MUUSE x VOGUE Talents YOUNG VISION AWARD Accessories 2014 contest”. His line included 3D printed shoes, with a versatile new set made out of metal. He applied his  “Heavy Metal Series” into the “MUUSE x VOGUE Talents YOUNG VISION AWARD Accessories 2014 contest”, which he won the first round and has moved on to Round 2. In the final stage of this contest, Vogue Senior Fashion Editor and Vogue Talents Editor, Sara Maino selects the winner. 

3D printing is definitely evolving from the first time it has started, from what materials producers are using, to what they are making. Shoes are for certain one of the items that will help set the pace for 3D printing’s establishment into popular culture. Needless to say Bryan’s victory, or at least his advancement in a contest promoted by a magazine as influential in the fashion industry as Vogue, will help the entire 3D printing industry and community gain visibility and new fans.

The post Metal 3D Printed Shoes in the Fashion World appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         

Media Contact:

Drew Taylor, CEO

858.621.3888

press@3DaGoGo.com

February 5, 2014 (San Diego, CA) – 3Dagogo, an online marketplace for proven-to-print 3D designs, has won CONNECT’s world-renowned Springboard Capital Competition and earned the distinction of becoming a CONNECT Portfolio Company. Competing against hundreds of highly qualified California-based technology companies, 3Dagogo was selected a winner by CONNECT’s panel of distinguished judges for its disruptive innovation and potential for profitable business growth.

The CONNECT Springboard Capital Competition award follows recent accolades for 3Dagogo including being named a Top 10 Startup to Watch in 2014 by Smallbusinesstrends.com, the leading source of information and news about small businesses. In January, 3Dagogo forged a partnership with MIT through their system of 120 FabLab™ locations. 3Dagogo has also been invited to showcase their company at SXSW Create, the prestigious maker and hacker event held during the 2014 SXSW Interactive Festival.

“CONNECT’s Springboard Capital Competition winners are poised to successfully raise capital in 2014,” said Ruprecht von Buttlar, Vice President of Business Creation and Development for CONNECT. “These innovative entrepreneurs and companies have built products and services that offer attractive investment opportunities for investors or potential partners.”

According to Juniper Research, over 10 million designs for 3D printers were downloaded in 2013 and consumer demand for 3D printers has doubled for the second year running. Sadly, seventy percent of all downloaded 3D designs fail to print correctly due to design flaws. Until 3Dagogo, there has been little to no curation, testing, or validation to determine which designs will produce proper prints and which will fail. Every 3Dagogo design is proven to print, based on the company’s proprietary quality evaluation process.

“This award confirms that 3Daogogo will trigger explosive growth in the consumer 3D printing industry,” said Drew Taylor, President of 3Dagogo. “We’re honored to be a CONNECT Springboard Capital Competition Winner and excited for the dynamic opportunities provided by CONNECT to grow our company.”

As a CONNECT Springboard Capital Competition winner, 3Dagogo will be one of eight companies featured at CONNECT’s April 2014 Sixth Annual Rock Stars of Innovation Summit, a premier showcase attended by over 500 technology and investment leaders.

3Dagogo seeks to raise around $1.7M in a series of investment rounds to promote product development, awareness and sales.

About 3DaGoGo

3DaGoGo (www.3dagogo.com), an online marketplace of “proven to print” 3D designs, connects consumers with 3D designs that work with their printer, materials, and skill level – the perfect print every time. A CONNECT Springboard Capital Competition Winner and SmallBusinessTrends.com Top 10 Startups to Watch in 2014 honoree, 3DaGoGo is poised to disrupt the consumer 3D printing industry.

About CONNECT

CONNECT is a regional program that catalyzes the creation of innovative technology and life sciences products in San Diego County by creating an environment in which inventors and entrepreneurs have access to the resources they need for success. Since 1985, CONNECT has assisted in the formation and development of more than 3,000 companies and is now widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful organizations linking inventors and entrepreneurs with the resources they need for commercialization of innovative products. As a result, the program has been modeled in more than 50 regions around the world – most recently in New York City, Bogotá, Colombia and Saudi Arabia. To learn more about CONNECT, please visit our website at connect.org or call858.964.1300. Also, follow us on Twitter @CONNECTinSD or on Facebook at facebook.com/CONNECTinSD.

The post 3DaGoGo Wins CONNECT San Diego Springboard Capital Competition appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

3DaGoGo Media Contact:

Drew Taylor, CEO

Email: press@3Dagogo.com

Phone: 858.621.3888

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New 3DaGoGo ‘Communities’ Feature Encourages Designers to Network, Engage and Create Communal Storefronts

FabLab San Diego first to launch a ‘Communities’ Page on 3DaGoGo to showcase and sell their innovative proven-to-print designs.

San Diego, CA, Feb 3, 2014 – 3D printing website, 3DaGoGo, has launched their new ‘Communities’ feature to help the growing number of 3D printing designers network, engage, and create communal storefronts for their designs. With over 59.2 million 3D printer design downloads estimated for 2014, 3D printing has not only amassed tremendous consumer interest, but also triggered a considerable number of professional and career 3D printing designers to emerge onto the scene.

The highlight of the ‘Communities’ feature on 3DaGoGo is the communal storefront. Any designer, or group of designers, can create a ‘Communities’ page and decide on the membership profile. They will then be able to upload and manage a communal storefront where all the members’ designs are showcased in one location. This communal storefront will automatically populate from the designs in each of the members’ storefronts. Other features such as the ability to select which designs to showcase, highlight featured designs, and set up forums are in the process of being developed and will be added later this year.

Co-Founder and CEO Drew Taylor reflected: “In late 2013, we were approached by Fab Lab San Diego to create a networking and community platform for their designers”

Fab Lab San Diego is part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Global Fab Lab Network, and connects laboratories and production facilities around the world to “help actualize ideas by turning concepts into physical forms through design and fabrication”.

“Since 2012, The Global FabLab Network has been exploring the opportunity to create a platform for each FabLab location to showcase their designs and collaborate with each other, and we finally found the perfect technology partner in 3DaGoGo,” said Katie Rast, Director at Fab Lab San Diego. “What started as a project for us has now turned into a platform that all 3D designer teams around the world can use.”

FabLab San Diego is the first group to launch a ‘Communities’ page on 3DaGoGo, and is currently showcasing some of their most innovative proven-to-print designs for 3D home printing. (https://3Dagogo.com/fablabsd)

Drew added: “3DaGoGo is currently visited by over 2,500 unique visitors a month, and we have about 100 designers that are consistently uploading and selling their proven-to-print 3D designs. We expect those numbers to rise significantly with our upcoming exposure at South By Southwest 2014 (SXSW), and the launch of ‘Communities’ as it complements the very unique niche we have carved in the 3D printing design market.”

“Despite all the new features we are pushing out, such as ‘Storefronts’ launched late last year and now with ‘Communities’, we continue to remain true to our founding ethos of only accepting and featuring proven-to-print designs on 3DaGoGo – that is at the heart of who we are,” concluded Drew.

All talented 3D print designers are welcome to register at 3DaGoGo and to set up a ‘Communities’ page or a personal ‘Storefronts’ page.

###

About 3DaGoGo

3DaGoGo (www.3dagogo.com), an online marketplace of “proven to print” 3D designs, connects consumers with 3D designs that work with their printer, materials, and skill level – the perfect print every time. A CONNECT Springboard Capital Competition Winner and SmallBusinessTrends.com Top 10 Startups to Watch in 2014 honoree, 3DaGoGo is poised to disrupt the consumer 3D printing industry.

The post New 3Dagogo ‘Communities’ Feature Encourages Designers to Network, Engage and Create Communal Storefronts appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

3Dagogo Media Contact:

Drew Taylor, CEO, Cofounder

Email: Drew.Taylor@3Dagogo.com

Phone: 858.621.3888 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Individual customizable stores to offer 3D designers greater control, visibility and reward for their proven-to-print designs.

San Diego, CA, NOV 22, 2013 – 3Dagogo.com, a California start-up in the proven-to-print 3D printing marketplace, is offering a flat payout rate of 70% to designers who sell their designs on their newly launched 3DaGoGo Storefronts. With almost half of all 3D print attempts today failing mainly due to design flaws, 3Dagogo stands out from the crowd as a website that only features designs that have been proven-to-print.

Designers who are approved to set up shop on 3Dagogo Storefronts get to retain 70% of all sales, more than double some websites’ payout to their 3D designers. 3Dagogo designers do not pay for hosting, payment or distribution, but get a customizable storefront, as well as access to a suite of administration tools that lets them view their sales and visitor stats, store design options and payouts.

“Storefronts gives outstanding designers a platform to display their work and take ownership of their own brand,” said Drew Taylor, CEO and Co-Founder of 3Dagogo. “We want to work with designers who care about the quality of their designs and our platform reflects our commitment to respect these professionals.”

Since the launch of 3Dagogo in October of this year, the expressively selective 3D printing design website has since recruited more than 50 professional designers to join their community, and attracts more than 3,000 unique visitors every month.

Drew added: “3D printer owners are clearly willing to pay a premium for designs that they know will not waste precious time and filament, and that is very good news for reputable designers, especially those who run a personalized professional storefront on 3Dagogo.”

For designers such as Co-Founder Joshua White, who runs his own storefront – JNWDesigns (https://www.3dagogo.com/jnwdesigns), it represents an exciting start to building a reputable brand that reflects exceptional creativity, guaranteed quality and hopefully, a loyal following to his work.

All talented 3D designers are welcomed to register for Storefronts at https://www.3dagogo.com/invites/request and all qualifying designs can be entered into the November edition of 3Dagogo’s Design Contest https://www.3dagogo.com/contests for a chance to win filament rolls, t-shirts and the grand prize of a Makerbot 3D scanner.

About 3DaGoGo

3DaGoGo (www.3dagogo.com), an online marketplace of “proven to print” 3D designs, connects consumers with 3D designs that work with their printer, materials, and skill level – the perfect print every time. A CONNECT Springboard Capital Competition Winner and SmallBusinessTrends.com Top 10 Startups to Watch in 2014 honoree, 3DaGoGo is poised to disrupt the consumer 3D printing industry.

The post 3DaGoGo Storefronts Allow Designers to Create Their Own 3D Printable Brand appeared first on 3DaGoGo Blog.

Are men really using 3D printers more than women?

It’s no surprise that the current home 3D printer ecosystem is dominated by men.  Our survey shows that 89.5% of current users are male!  That’s huge…  Hobbyist and engineers dominate the current 3D printing landscape, and hobbyist and engineers are mostly men.  However, we should expect this landscape to be changing very quickly.  In 2014, as we move away from a hobbyist market and into a consumer market, women will become major users of 3DP!  At that time, designers will break away from making mostly gadgets and prototypes and focus on more practical items and fun things around the house.  Just check out Brit and Co. for some ideas, or look through 3Dagogo’s Home section for even more ideas.   OMG, someone is using 3D printing for something other than gadgets, prototypes, and unwearable fashion!  Who knew???

Are 3D printers only for teenagers or retired engineers to play with?

68% of 3D printer users are in the 19-35 y/o range.  With another 20% falling in the 36-55 age range.  Truly this is not an industry dominated only by retired engineers tinkering in dark worksheds, but rather by a young tech savvy group of enthusiasts that see 3D printing technology as a major game changer in manufacturing.  So, at the moment, most people that want to use a 3D printer will buy one.  They do not have much access to printers otherwise.

Where are people using 3D printers?

We were a bit surprised at this next one…  78% of surveyed 3D printer users have access to one at home!  We were also surprised to see how few currently have access to one at a University.  Of college age users, only 25% are using one at a university.  Of users under the age of 18, only 9% used a 3D printer at school.  There are numerous programs in effect to put 3DP’s in schools, so hopefully we’ll see this jump up dramatically by the end of 2014.

Which home 3D printer models are consumers using?

In relation to printer ownership, Makerbots unsurprisingly take the lead at 19% marketshare.  As info, this matches almost exactly with other research that suggests Makerbot has a 20-22% marketshare.  It’s also no surprise that the Reprap community is REPresentin’!  (Woot Woot!)  20% of users are using Repraps.  Of course, we expect that number to drop dramatically in the next 1-2 years as 3D printing use increases in the non-tech savvy markets.  Let’s face it, Repraps are awesome!  However, they are not going to be purchased by Soccer Moms and non-technical families to use around the house.  These consumers will only purchase plug-n-play machines.

After Makerbot, there is not a very clear second place competitor for plug-n-play machines.  It’s a fragmented market, but we see Printrbot and Solidoodle very strong at 9% each (tied for second place).  We believe this shows the disparity in the purchasing habits of consumers.  People are either hobbyists/engineers who wish to buy a high end home printer like a Makerbot, or they wish to spend as little as possible and buy the most inexpensive model they can.  There is not as much momentum for the middle priced models.  Advice for 3D printer manufacturers:  Make cheap printers, make expensive printers, or make a printer that can do something others cannot (multiple materials, print queues, etc.)  Making a middle of the road printer just won’t stand out in this evolving market.

What material type is most used for home 3D printers?

It’s not surprising that PLA and ABS are neck and neck with about 56% of respondents frequently using PLA and 59% using ABS.

Nylon came in third, but with only 9%.  We are very excited about newer materials like Laywood, but these are definitely not yet popular.

Lots of people claim that Resin based printers will take over.  Well….  Not yet.  Of our respondents only 6.5% are currently using resin.

The big points to take away from this article:

• 3D printer users are currently overwhelmingly male (no surprise), but keep your eyes out for this gap to narrow dramatically in the next 2-3 years.
• Consumer grade 3D printers are indeed being used in the home!  Don’t believe the hype that they are only being used in offices and schools.
• Consumers are purchasing high end or low end (price wise) home 3D printers more than middle range printers.  They are mostly either buying Makerbots, or inexpensive printers.

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