The UPS Store Will 3-D Print Stuff For You

mpicpp writes with news that UPS will be expanding their 3D printing services. UPS announced plans Monday to bring in-store 3-D-printing services to nearly 100 stores across the country, billing itself as the first national retailer to do so. With the UPS system, customers can submit their own designs for objects like product prototypes, engineering parts and architectural models that are then printed on a professional-quality 3-D printer made by Stratasys. Prices vary depending on the complexity of the object; an iPhone case would be about $60, while a replica femur bone would be around $325. UPS can also connect customers with outside professionals who charge an hourly rate to help produce a design file for the printer. It generally takes about four or five hours to print a simple object, with more complex items taking a day or more. The program started as a pilot at six locations last year, and UPS says those stores "saw demand for 3-D print continuing to increase across a broad spectrum of customers."

Comments

The web site sucks.

[TechyImmigrant]

I took a look at the 3D printing serves section on the UPS web site. It gives you precisely zero details on how or what to do. They claim an F.A.Q. is "What Kind of things can I 3D Print". But they don't think "What 3D file formats do you accept" is an FAQ, when it is obviously the first thing you want to know after "Is this going to bankrupt me?"

The web site is hermetically sealed. No useful information can escape.