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The UPS Store Will 3-D Print Stuff For You

Posted by samzenpus on from the quick-print dept.

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."

73 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. Competition by Tablizer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Will they print me up a FedEx truck?

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:Competition by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      Don't copy that jalopy!

    2. Re:Competition by Macrat · · Score: 3, Funny

      It will cost extra to print one that doesn't damage packages.

    3. Re:Competition by mythosaz · · Score: 2

      Will they print me up a FedEx truck?

      Yes, but what will they deliver it in?

    4. Re:Competition by reboot246 · · Score: 1

      I'd be happy if FedEx would just stop leaving my packages at the wrong address.

    5. Re:Competition by davester666 · · Score: 1

      Included for free with the goons they hire to deliver the packages.

      --
      Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
  2. So in the future ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Instead of ordering stuff from a supplier and having UPS ship it half-way across the country, they'll just make it at their nearest location and drop it off. Give it 20 years - this is the way of the future.

    --
    "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    1. Re:So in the future ... by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      until people start ordering "objectionable" items.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re:So in the future ... by mirix · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not really, injection molding is always going to be cheaper for mass produced stuff, shipping inclusive.

      Or do you think there will be a day you can 3D print a plastic chair that can support a person for $5?

      --
      Sent from my PDP-11
    3. Re:So in the future ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      No one is suggesting that this service be used to mass produce anything. If you place an order with UPS to print 70,000 lawn chairs, your order will be rejected.

    4. Re:So in the future ... by Macrat · · Score: 1

      Or do you think there will be a day you can 3D print a plastic chair that can support a person for $5?

      Do you think 3D printing will always be limited to weak materials?

    5. Re:So in the future ... by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It's already being used for items like old tail-lights, that cost too much from suppliers because of scarcity.

      As with everything, economies of scale and increases in technology will bring the per-unit cost down.

      When a body shop has the choice between ordering a whole assembly for $250, or printing up just the cracked lens that the dealer won't sell them separately for $50, they'll print to order.

      Replacement parts, where the OEM won't sell just the tiny plastic gear (you need to buy the whole fuser unit) are a good example. Switch housing got cracked? Sorry, we don't sell just that ... No, we only sell that in mininum quantities of 4. New knob? Sorry, you have to buy the whole timer.

      This will allow for a lot of "unbundling", and could result in a revival of do-it-yourself repairs. And less waste.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    6. Re:So in the future ... by khellendros1984 · · Score: 1

      I think you're missing the point. Mirix was trying to say that injection molding will always be cheaper, for mass production ($5 being roughly the cost of a mass-produced, injection-molded chair). 3D printing will never match the per-unit price of mass-producing items, but it *will* (and has already started to) make the production of small-run items and prototypes much, much cheaper.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
    7. Re:So in the future ... by Rob+Bos · · Score: 1

      Where the cost of shipping is prohibitive - the Canadian Arctic, say - mass production might not even come out ahead.

    8. Re:So in the future ... by Bengie · · Score: 2

      NASA 3D printed a part recently for an important stressed part on a rocket, it's 1/2 the mass and twice as strong and cheaper to produce. NASA said they could not recreate the part any other way prior to 3D printing, no matter how much money or skill you threw at it.

    9. Re:So in the future ... by khellendros1984 · · Score: 1

      True. In cases where mass shipment isn't also feasible, the economy of scale hits a bottleneck.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
    10. Re:So in the future ... by 50000BTU_barbecue · · Score: 1

      You mean we'll finally see the day of the nanotechnological assembler? Will we finally get to the leisure, post-scarcity society? Will we get rid of the 40 hour work week and 95% employment when most jobs are just performance art?

      --
      Mostly random stuff.
    11. Re:So in the future ... by uncqual · · Score: 1

      Yes, I believe I will see the day when I can go in, and print myself a new car, with tires and the fuel cell.

      And I believe you must be posting from the far distant future (and, apparently humans have evolved to handle very high temperatures or our current projections on the lifecycle of the Sun are very wrong).

      Cars have many different materials in them and even the same materials get processed differently (with heat treating, chemical baths, etching etc). Stocking all these materials efficiently and being able to handle the different processes in on demand 3D printing seems to be a very distant dream - esp. if the result is not 30,000 parts produced on different machines that then need assembly. Imagine the complexity and cost of 3D printing the following in one facility where you "can go in and print yourself a new car":

      1. "Bag" part of an airbag
      2. "Explosive" charge to deploy the airbag
      3. The circuitry for the ECU, airbag control, et al
      4. Tires
      5. Cabin Air Filters
      6. Specialized glass for windshield/side windows/rear windows
      7. LCD panel for driver control
      8. Bearings (motor, wheel, etc)
      9. Brake pads
      10. Lubricants and fluids (brake etc).
      11. Tires
      12. Etc...

      There would have to be an amazing advances in material science and engineering way beyond 3D printing technology to make this work.

      You might be able to "design" your car's body panels and have them 3D printed along with various decorative elements, but not the core of the car from the ground up for a very long time (and, by that time it's possible/feasible, the notion of a "car" will likely be a long forgotten quaint historical reference).

      --
      Why is there an "insightful" mod and why isn't it "-1"? If I wanted insight, I wouldn't be reading /.
    12. Re:So in the future ... by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      It's already being used for items like old tail-lights, that cost too much from suppliers because of scarcity.

      As with everything, economies of scale and increases in technology will bring the per-unit cost down.

      When a body shop has the choice between ordering a whole assembly for $250, or printing up just the cracked lens that the dealer won't sell them separately for $50, they'll print to order.

      Replacement parts, where the OEM won't sell just the tiny plastic gear (you need to buy the whole fuser unit) are a good example. Switch housing got cracked? Sorry, we don't sell just that ... No, we only sell that in mininum quantities of 4. New knob? Sorry, you have to buy the whole timer.

      This will allow for a lot of "unbundling", and could result in a revival of do-it-yourself repairs. And less waste.

      No, it's not scarcity. It's low demand. The car is old, and parts are long depleted. Few people want to carry the parts because they don't move. Even if you're Alibaba or Amazon.com, having a part sit int he warehouse for years until one customer buys one costs a lot of money - most of it is in just costs used to hold it in the warehouse.

      So yeah, 3D printing is great for niche items that few people will actually ever need is an ideal use case. Because it's uneconomical to store and hold products that few people will actually buy.

      So yeah, printing a part for your pinball machine that was custom made back in 2003? Perfect use. 3D printing say a standard triangular lens cover for same? Less so because it's a standard part used in many machines and which sell in decent quantity every month.

      Yes, it's great for do-it-yourself repairs if the items are long discontinued, especially consumer items where parts are deprecated weeks after the product is manufactured. But if you're trying to buy say a set of wheel covers for your steel rims, 3D printing is unlikely to enter that discussion - it's less economical.

    13. Re:So in the future ... by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1

      Captcha: Pervert

      Well, actually, there's plenty of sex shops around where you can buy custom-molded dildos, sold by the pound of plastic or latex... (saw some in Brussels, but most likely other large cities have those too).

    14. Re: So in the future ... by LostMyBeaver · · Score: 1

      Why not?

      Modern 3d printers are dot matrix style. Slow moving heads with poor resolution dependent on head alignment. Using photosensitive polymer resins it should be possible to make a head similar to a laser printer which can remove an entire axis of motion and substantially increase performance. Add ejection of color dye as well and it's even better. Printing 3d doesn't have to be expensive as the materials become more readily available and printers become more evolved.

    15. Re:So in the future ... by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      I'm sure there will be a day when a basic chair can be printed for $5. Advances in material sciences and printers are required, but the demand is there and it doesn't seem like an insurmountable problem.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    16. Re:So in the future ... by Rei · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'd imagine NASA made that with laser sintering, which produces parts at highway robbery prices.

      That said, I think you're being a bit overly pessimistic. 3d printing is rapid prototyping. Rapid prototyping is not mass production, but it's an incredibly useful thing in its own right. And some things are only ever needed in low volumes, mass production will never apply to them. Most consumers only think of consumer goods, but it's industry for which 3d printing can really shine. For consumers, it's really only useful for custom goods - not "white plastic chair", but "snow globe containing scuptures of my family" or "earrings based on my particular rare nerdy hobby" or whatnot. It could potentially be useful for small spare parts, too, if manufacturers would start keeping a universal a database - sometimes tracking down spare parts can be almost impossible (for example, you live in a non-serviced area, or the company goes out of business) or the delays insufferable.

      I also think that it's possible to have a smooth continuum between 3d printing services and bulk manufacturing services. Picture a system where you design your part, whether for personal use or commercial sale. Each time you buy one, it's 3d printed. But you also have the option to prepay to tool for higher production volumes, on the same site. Maybe you have to wait for quotes, maybe the site automatically assesses tooling costs, times, and unit costs for you... whatever the case may be. The higher the volumes you pay to tool for, the lower the cost per unit you can get. And of course such a system could automatically recognize when others are already producing the same parts for something and use an existing production line, or where an existing line could be easily modified to produce your part, or could suggest modifications to your part to make use of an existing line... there's a wide range of possibilities. The service could, without the user having to pay for it, tool up to produce a part that many people are ordering in small quantities (paying back the upfront cost via the lower production cost, then slowly reducing the purchase price). Assembly services could be likewise made available to users. But the short of it is 3d printers could be part of a continuum of manufacturing possibilities made simple for users behind companies that deal with the actual contracting out for production, in exchange for a couple percent cut of the profit. The user is simply made aware of the possibilities and picks the ones that best suit them - whether it's "I want this custom bracelet" or "I want one of these bike gears... good, that works well, now make me 10.000 of them".

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
    17. Re: So in the future ... by Anne+Thwacks · · Score: 1

      That is roughly how the Stratisys (named in the article) works.

      --
      Sent from my ASR33 using ASCII
    18. Re:So in the future ... by Rei · · Score: 1

      It's not just places like the Canadian arctic. Here in Iceland, if I want to import anything, after shipping and import taxes, I have to wait several weeks and pay usually over double the purchase price. 3d printing most definitely has its uses, if it can get mainstreamed.

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
    19. Re:So in the future ... by Rei · · Score: 1

      The question becomes, how to get manufacturer buy in?

      For starters, I think we need a certification mark for products, at the very least, to indicate that their parts are 3d printable (see above). But beyond that, I'm not really sure how to get manufacturer buy-in.

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
    20. Re:So in the future ... by Rei · · Score: 1

      Problem will be printing small things, atomic scale assembly, not just squirting some plastic parts

      And yet you want to 3d print a fuel cell for a car? How do you plan to 3d print a PEM?

      At least 3d printing a battery might be plausible if you have a 3d printer that can take an extremely wide range of materials (not a li-ion battery, though, you run into the same sort of membrane problems.. I really doubt there's any technology that will allow you to just jet down a membrane material and have it allow through your specific desired ions, at a sufficient flow rate, without leaks)

      And where on earth are you getting that printed titanium parts are cheaper than non-printed? Have you ever priced titanium printing? iMaterialise, for example, offers it. A 2x2x4 cm bounding box with a mere 1 gram of titanium (picture how little that is that is compared to a plane) costs a staggering $124. Titanium laser sintering printers are slow energy hogs that cost a king's ransom and even titanium powder itself is absurdly priced compared to bulk titanium. And no, the stats aren't better, they're slightly worse for the exact same shaped part. Maybe you can make a more optimally shaped part and that'll allow you to get better performance, but in terms of raw material properties, it's unimpressive.

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
    21. Re:So in the future ... by Rei · · Score: 1

      While I agree with you, I think it's important not to overgeneralize today's methods of 3d printing with being the only methods possible.

        For example, I've often speculated a lot about the prospect of using thermal spraying as a printing method. That is, you have any sort of powder or other fine material, fed into a chamber with the Venturi effect. Therein a custom mix of air and fuel is injected at specifically chosen partial pressures. Consequently, depending on what material you're using, you can choose the impact speed and temperature of the particles, anywhere from "cold" to thousands of degrees and anywhere from less than 1 meter per second up to a thousand or more. The size of the nozzle determines flow rate, so you could swap between different print heads for bulk vs. fine detail. You're essentially unlimited in what materials you can use. You could, for example, print isotropic fiberglass composites by alternately spraying fine chopped fibers and a resin. You could even do so by spraying simple quartz sand at high enough temperatures, fast moving molten sand in the air forms fiberglass. Your resin could be a thermoset powder heated during travel, an epoxy that reacts after being mixed on impact, or a wide variety of other possibilities. High velocity spraying of metal powders produces metal structures stronger than simple casting. You could spray at low velocity chemicals for the filling of things like capacitors or resistors. Thermal spraying is often as it stands used to apply durable clear coatings to materials to protect them, so clearly transparency is no problem. And any printer built around the principle of launching varied small particles at high speeds could polish, sandblast, coat, engrave, paint, or do whatever other surface treatments you wanted. It could build scaffoldings and then obliterate them afterwards. And on and on down the line.

      It still wouldn't let you do fine detail, though (if anything you'd struggle to get as high detail as with conventional 3d printers). For detail work you'd have to add in a lithography setup. Some types of feed inputs would require refrigeration to remain as dusts. And of course some things would still be easiest assembled with literal assembly, aka, a robotic arm or two would be quite useful. So we're getting more and more complicated here.

      Do I think such a thing is right around the corner? Of course not. Could my conception turn out to not work well at all as a 3d printer? Quite possibly - as far as I know, nobody's ever tried. But I'm just pointing out, when talking about future tech, you shouldn't evaluate it based on how today's tech works.

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
    22. Re:So in the future ... by gurps_npc · · Score: 1

      It's for replacement parts. You don't pay $50 for a new watergun that retails for $30. You buy a new $5 trigger for your broken super soaker.

      --
      excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
    23. Re: So in the future ... by Rei · · Score: 1

      You know, I was just thinking, wouldn't it be possible to make a rapid 3d *moulder*, for those bulk parts that you don't require as much precision on (aka, chair)? Picture a stretchable half-mould surface, on a large bed (maybe 50x100cm for a home edition, larger for a workshop) with a grid of little pistons on it that can change it's shape (nothing too high res, maybe one every square centimeter). Picture a second half-mould positioned just opposite, such that the two elements can close off off a 3d space. Such a system could virtually instantly form whatever shape you want, spray the inside with release agent, pipe in a thermoplastic or thermoset resin or wax (for lost wax casting) or confectionary or whatnot, let it set / cure it, and then open up. The pistons could then reshape to ready for whatever shape you want next. If such a moulder would you mess with the two halves individually after they've formed their shapes, you could use it as a composite layup, too. Disposable liners for the mould could be used if sticking / damaging the adjustable mould surface would be a problem.

      Wouldn't that be getting awfully close to the potential that mass manufacture currently has? Casting as many times as you want and only having to wait for the product to set? Sure, you'd be limited to relatively simple geometries, but if you need anything more complex, that's what regular 3d printing is for. Hollow shapes could be handled in a two-stage process, first printing out the inner, releasing it, securing it in place, respraying both it and the mould with release agent, then printing out the desired part. I'd think a well-designed moulder could handle that without human intervention.

      Hmm, come to think of it, it might even be possible to make a direct metal casting moulder. I know there are high temperature flexible fabrics that can withstand the temperature of most molten metals (various ceramic fiber ones), although I'm not sure whether there are any with sufficient flex for such a role. Oh, hey, carbon fiber and graphite felt are used as a flexible insulating material , that'd probably do the trick.

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
    24. Re:So in the future ... by Rei · · Score: 1

      Really, shipping bulk raw materials is equivalent to shipping finished goods, in your world? Finished goods are usually predominantly waste space, are full of packaging, have to be handled gingerly, and need to be distributed to individuals in different locations. Raw materials are packed together as densely as possible, little to no packaging, can be thrown around, and go straight to just a couple manufacturers. And when import taxes come into play, it's even more extreme, since those are generally based on the price of what you're importing.

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
    25. Re:So in the future ... by Falos · · Score: 1

      Or the thing trees actually bear: Fruit.

  3. Remind me to start a company... by PaulBu · · Score: 1

    Remind me to start a company specialising in generating 3D CAD models of custom dildos! :)

    By the way, have they figured out how to print softer, rubber-like materials yet? I have an idea of a sister company too...

    Paul B.

    1. Re:Remind me to start a company... by captjc · · Score: 1

      I know it was a joke, but yes, there is a filament called Ninjaflex that is both soft and flexible and will print on most types of ABS filament printers. I probably wouldn't recommend it for sex toys but it does make a good material for bracelets and such.

      --
      Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
    2. Re:Remind me to start a company... by POPE+Mad+Mitch · · Score: 1

      The range of filament materials is growing rapidly, everything from stone and wood to various kinds of flexible and stretchable rubber like materials. One of the better known ones is NinjaFlex, but their suitability for "medical" use is a bit more limited

    3. Re:Remind me to start a company... by Rei · · Score: 1

      iMaterialize has a material called "Rubber-like", which is a plastic called TPU 92A-1.

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
  4. $60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn't. by FlyHelicopters · · Score: 3

    Actually, $60 for a iPhone case sounds expensive today, and perhaps it is compared to mass manufactured cases, but for a 3D printed case from a retail store, that sounds quite cheap to me.

    The price will come down over time, this has to get out there and people try it out, when more stores get it, the price will of course come down with volume (look how cheap printers have become, compared to 20 years ago).

    The big one will be Walmart. I've heard that Walmart has considered putting in a large 3D printer in the back of their stores to be able to provide custom products and expand their offerings, without having to actually carry more stuff.

    Not just for 1-off 3D items that people design, because frankly most people will suck at that. Just like having a printer doesn't make you an author, having a 3D printer doesn't make you a designer.

    But what if they had a catalog you could browse with 100,000 items in 100 different categories, and you could then put your personal touch on them by picking color, or a logo, etc...

    It won't happen in a year, but I'll be in 20 years we'll take this for granted.

  5. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Any university or public library in Halifax will 3D print for $1/hr. An iPhone case would be like $4 at most.

    This is gouging. I mean, I built a carbon fiber / steel 3D printer for under $400!

  6. The web site sucks. by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 3, Informative

    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.

    --
    I should use this sig to advertise my book ISBN-13 : 978-1501515132.
  7. Staples by Lando · · Score: 3, Interesting

    What happened to Staples plan to put out 3d printers in it's locations?

    --
    /* TODO: Spawn child process, interest child in technology, have child write a new sig */
  8. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by Mal-2 · · Score: 1

    Fortunately, most commercial 3D printers available now are spinoffs of open source hardware. It's almost as if the developers noticed the shitty state of the inkjet printer market or something.

    --
    How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
  9. this is opposite of economy of scale by raymorris · · Score: 1, Interesting

    > As with everything, economies of scale and increases in technology will bring the per-unit cost down

    "Economies of scale" refers to the various reasons that it's cheaper to do something 10,000 times, assembly line fashion, rather than one piece at a time. In other words, the exact OPPOSITE of what's being talked about here.

    It may be useful where , due to the inefficiency of handling an order for one 20 cent knob, the manufacturer doesn't sell parts directly to consumers. The knob that costs 20 cents at scale (on Alibaba) will cost $5 to print. Alibaba operates at scale, and though. 3D printing is for when you're willing to give up economy (pay more per unit) because you're NOT operating at scale.

    Advancements in 3D printing technology and competition should reduce costs somewhat. However, costs have already fallen by an order of magnitude or more. It's likely that they cannot be reduced another order of magnitude. The one economy of scale available is keeping the printing machines busy to amortize their cost across many prints, but Shapeway's printers are already busy. Now we can only save shipping costs by having a local machine busy.

    1. Re:this is opposite of economy of scale by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      Actually, it IS about economies of scale, even thought the scale is smaller. The more 3d printers are manufactured, the lower the cost and the more features (bang for the buck) that scaling out any product brings.

      The same for the end user. To use the patio chair example, if it costs me 3 times as much to print out a replacement chair as the single unit cost at the store, I'll still opt for printing if the store will only sell me in lots of 6. Right now, it will cost 100 times as much, but that's going to drop - a LOT.

      We're seeing a lot of this "minimum quantity" stuff in retail, so there will be a demand for cheap 3d printing, and there will be businesses that, because they are doing it all day, will have their own economies for handling 100s of one-offs in a routine fashion. It will be no different than ordering a sub with your choice of toppings.

      Now think of automotive manufacturers who no longer have to stock (literally) tons of dead inventory. Once the stock runs out, they can fulfill their legal obligation keep spares for many parts just by being able to print on demand right at the dealership. They save on warehousing, capital, insurance ... it'll be a no-brainer for plenty of cheap plastic parts.

      Hey, look at the bright side ... the people complaining about all that cheap Chinese plastic stuff will be able to make it right at home.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    2. Re:this is opposite of economy of scale by blue+trane · · Score: 1

      Have them print up a 3D printer for you, then after the purchase your only costs are material and energy, which could easily be less than even the scale costs + profit + shipping of a factory producer.

      Conclusion: China's cheap labor advantage will become irrelevant. Manufacturing becomes decentralized and local, jobs decrease, leisure time increases, and (with a basic income) we are closer to utopia.

    3. Re:this is opposite of economy of scale by raymorris · · Score: 1

      > The more 3d printers are manufactured, the lower the cost and the more features (bang for the buck) that scaling out any product brings.

      A 3D printer in a retail setting, where it's kept fairly busy, will use a few thousand dollars worth of filament and electricity every month. A retail location needs to charge the same amount again to cover labor costs (a $9.50 employee costs $20/hour with taxes, healthcare, workers comp, etc.) Then roughly the same amount again for rent of the floor space, signage, permits, roi, etc. So the store needs to sell about $10,000 in prints per month for the machine to earn it's keep.

      Whether the printer cost $5000 or $3000 to purchase has very little impact on the final cost to the consumer.

    4. Re:this is opposite of economy of scale by BarbaraHudson · · Score: 1

      In other words, the costs are in line with a running a regular copy shop in a strip mall. Sounds good to me.

      --
      "Transparent" is a shit show that trades on every stereotype going. A man in drag is NOT a transsexual.
    5. Re:this is opposite of economy of scale by RabidReindeer · · Score: 1

      I had a dishwasher, a brand that touted itself for quality. The door latch kept breaking. The part was only $5, but shipping was $15, so I ordered them in quantity.

      6 months later, they were all broken.

      With a 3-d printer. I could have made them on demand, and saved shipping costs and the part was small enough, it might have even printed for $5.

      Better yet, knowing the weak spots in the latch, I probably could have re-designed the latch with proper reinforcement at the failure point.

    6. Re:this is opposite of economy of scale by RabidReindeer · · Score: 1

      China's cheap labor advantage has aleady been becoming irrelevant. The workers have been demanding raises, robots cost about the same whichever country you're located in, 3D printing is just another nail in the coffin.

      The "basic income" part is what's becoming problematic.

    7. Re:this is opposite of economy of scale by Rei · · Score: 1

      At least you could get the spare part. I have an electrolux refrigerator in Iceland which I bought used; one of the food compartment lids broke a week ago. Electrolux doesn't have a service center in Iceland and none of the other ones overseas will export to me, they said "just find someone local who sells electrolux refrigerators and order through them", except that none of the local retailers have been willing to.

      And at least it's an Electrolux. What if it was a company that had gone out of business?

      I want to see a certification label that manufacturers can put on their goods that certifies that replacement parts are printable and their models are in a free open database. Perhaps with multiple levels of certification - "Bronze" certifies that at least some parts are printable, "Silver" certifies that at least 60% of all parts are printable, "Gold" certifies that at least 90% of all parts are printable, and platinum certifies that 100% of parts are printable. That doesn't mean "printable cheaply" or "that a particular printing service will be able to do it" or that it's "no assembly required". Just simply that "it's conceivable that you could print it and make use of it, you have the necessary models available to you".

      --
      Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
    8. Re:this is opposite of economy of scale by RabidReindeer · · Score: 1

      Obviously, it has been classified as a Munition by the US Government, and therefore parts are interdicted.

      Oh wait, HQ in Sweden? Hmmm. The Assange Effect strikes again!

      I understand your signature now. Ye yorn hath been too long exiled from English as well!

  10. The first!!! by Osgeld · · Score: 2

    after staples

    http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre...

    how about you focus less on 3d printing and not taking a week to deliver a package 2 states away when the post office doe it in 3 days for half the price, cause then I might actually USE UPS at some point

    1. Re:The first!!! by greggman · · Score: 1

      Office Depot did this as well

      http://news.officedepot.com/press-release/products-and-services-news/office-depot-expands-store-3d-printing-customer-experience

  11. Low on details by rminsk · · Score: 1

    What model 3D printer are they using? What is the printing volume? What materials can you use? Single color or multi color?

  12. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by Osgeld · · Score: 2

    correction

    most crappy hot glue gun commercial model is based off of open source, most good quality 3D printers are not

  13. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by mythosaz · · Score: 1

    Did I miss the great 2-D printing lock-down that happened in 2014 where they all have a ton of restrictions and don't take generic ink?

  14. Re:I keep hearing about all these outlets by captjc · · Score: 1

    I'm sorry that you feel that way. As an Engineer who has experience with 3D CAD modeling, I love my printer. If I can design it, I can print it. I can understand that this is an extremely niche market right now and I don't expect everyone to want to run out and blow a grand or two on a personal printer, however that doesn't mean that the whole technology should be painted as irrelevant.

    I don't expect these to be in every home in the next 20 years, but I can see them in more than a few garages. Just as most people don't need woodworking and metalworking tools there still plenty of hobbyists with table saws and welding gear in their garage. However, I think the real promise is going to be companies with high-end (think multi-million dollar printers able to print everything from ceramics to metals to plastics) catering to cheap one off or personalized knickknacks. It is already happening with outfits like Shapeways and as prices keep falling it will eventually become competitive with more traditional forms of manufacturing for low volume items.

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    Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
  15. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by thogard · · Score: 1

    Work recently spent about $5k for cube and it isn't printing any better than the 4 other 3d printers I've used 3 of them costs less than $1000.

  16. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by Osgeld · · Score: 1

    its still a hot melt glue gun on a xy bed go look at podwer systems, composite resin systems and SLA

    for instance

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  17. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by blackraven14250 · · Score: 2

    "Your is totally terrible, look at this one" - links to a $40,000 printer.

  18. Re:$60 for an iPhone case IS expensive by CauseBy · · Score: 1

    Yeah I also thought that was expensive. For comparison, I consider the Otter Box to be a great case, it's the one I use (on my S4), it's certainly more functional and higher quality than a printed one would be. The Otter Box comes in different levels and the most expensive one is a bit less than $60. I paid $40 for my consumer-level case.

    I don't think that means they can't find a market for it, just that I'm probably not that market.

  19. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by Osgeld · · Score: 2

    think you missed the point, when I said good quality ones I didnt mean a toy you buy off of amazon.com

  20. Just like staples? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Staples announced they would be providing this service here in the Netherlands in all their shops.

    It turns out that they are printing in some sort of "full color" paper. Nice to make a 3D model of a head in natural colors, but not appropriate to make moving parts for technical projects. And it was difficult to get the "design rules". And when I finally got those, there were rules like "no cavities".

  21. Femur, you say? by istartedi · · Score: 1

    a replica femur bone would be around $325

    Do a full skeleton. Most expensive Halloween lawn decoration ever? I guess my decision to simply imagine whipping up a convincing skeleton from junk I have lying around the yard and house was correct. LOL, I never follow through on any of those ideas. Last year I literally wrote "Boo" on a piece of cardboard and stuck it in a window near the door. That was my Halloween decoration. I'm that lazy and cheap when it comes to those things.

    --
    For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
  22. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by blackraven14250 · · Score: 1

    I think you missed the point. The OP said his job paid $5,000 and he's used 4 other printers, 3 of which cost under $1,000. A $40,000 printer is absolutely irrelevant to the thread,

  23. Re:Add 3D scanner service to offer 3D copies by Rei · · Score: 1

    For this to be more than just a gimmick, UPS needs to offer a 3D scanning service as well.

    Which is why I really hope to see Project Tango in the future connect direct with 3d printing.

    Scan your scene with your phone, click to print, pick the article in question out of the scene (with simple cutting tools and smart select), assign a material to it (with the app doing its best to choose defaults), possibly apply some filters (welding broken pieces together, for example) or stretch it a bit in different directions to meet your needs if you choose, pick your printing service, pick any other details such as surface treatments and the like, and it gets uploaded, you get billed, and your print arrives in the mail when it's ready.

    --
    Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
  24. Re:Competitive pricing? Depends... by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

    Oh, sure, you can get a whole skeleton for under a grand, but you get a generic skeleton.

    What if you wanted a custom skeleton? A skeleton with a particular deformity? Or maybe a non-earth skeleton? Compared to the cost of having a skeleton custom carved/molded, this would be cheap.

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  25. Re:Competitive pricing? Depends... by Rei · · Score: 1

    Come to think of it, this has to be a godsend for Hollywood. They've got the budgets, and you can use the same model for both CG special effects and printing for camera work (whether we're talking about printing for miniatures, animatronics, prosthetics, molds for prosthetics, gadgets or other small objects, etc). No need to have both your 3d artist and a physical artist create the same thing.

    --
    Fox: "I think we should call it... your grave!" Cast: "Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal!"
  26. 3d scanners + 3d printers will wreak havoc by jsepeta · · Score: 1

    Just wait until you can trade 3d designs of Warhammer 40k armies and print them out assembled for a lower cost than buying them in stores. Having the ability to print D&D & pathfinder miniatures for pennies worth of plastic instead of $4-$30 retail cost will be nice. Reaper Bones may not have as long a lifespan as their lead and pewter predecessors.

    --
    Remember kids, if you're not paying for the service, YOU ARE THE PRODUCT THAT IS BEING SOLD.
  27. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by Osgeld · · Score: 1

    sigh, selective reading

    Originally it was said all most printers are based on open source, I stated no not high quality commercial ones, so point out a commercial grade printer VS a copycat open source one is TOTALLY FUCKING RELEVANT

    just cause you want to jump in with your snotty ass attitude in the middle of a discussion does not mean you have all the information

  28. Re:$60 for an iPhone case sounds high, but it isn' by mythosaz · · Score: 1

    ...and have still been easily refillable and replaceable with generics well before 2014.

  29. Re:3d copiers!! by internerdj · · Score: 1

    I got an ad from Walmart/Sam's Club yesterday saying they could scan my kids' faces in store and make a custom action figure with their faces on it at select stores as part of a pilot program.

  30. Re:I keep hearing about all these outlets by Rakarra · · Score: 1

    While I don't see the need for a 3-d printer for myself, right now, I'd love to be able to walk into a place, scan a broken part, and have them print a new plastic one.

    On my outdoor shed, there's a plastic proprietary piece of plastic that holds the door off the ground and lets it slide. The plastic broke, and I have no chance of just being able to get a replacement part. I wouldn't even know where to begin to look! But if I had access to a 3-d printer, I could glue the part back together, scan it, and get a new, stronger one printed out.

  31. For all the nay/.ers by tesla_reincarnated · · Score: 1

    The equipment they use is stratasys--the biggest and most reputable 3d printer company out there. They have pretty quick turn arounds (same day, provided no queue and depending on job printing time). The price is competitive (they are printing a model for me for $23, when the closest competitor had a $250 minimum). The file I sent was STL format, that's pretty much the standard for most 3d printing companies.