3-D Printing for the Masses

Found on Technology Review on Thursday, 31 July 2008
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A new online service aims to bring customized manufacturing to the masses by allowing consumers to submit digital designs of products that are then printed, using 3-D printers, and shipped back.

Users submit their design in digital form, after which Shapeways's software checks it over to ensure that it can be made. Shapeways then passes the design to its production line of polymer printers, delivering the tangible object within 10 days of ordering, with prices typically between $50 and $150.

The prices don't sound bad at all. Considering that you sometimes pay even more for a modelkit makes this service very interesting.