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Looking for information on 3D printing company Shapeways? We‘ve accumulated the most important facts in this company profile.

11 Facts on Shapeways

1. Full Name

Shapeways B.V.

2. Company Information

Standing as another long-established and well-known brand in the 3D printing ecosystem worldwide, Shapeways is a Dutch-founded, New York-based 3D printing marketplace and service start-up aimed at consumer creation for 3D printing. Users design and upload 3D printable files via their web-based platform, and the company prints and delivers the objects for them or other users.

3. Company History

Shapeways was founded in 2007 as a way to embrace the potential of 3D printing via an accessible, online platform. As a leading marketplace for its user community, its history of major investment and support from a number of Netherland-based and international corporations illustrates its forward-thinking approach to additive manufacture.

Headquartered in New York with offices in Eindhoven and Seattle, Shapeways’ reach supports the creation of thousands of 3D printed objects around the world. Users submit 3D design files to be professionally printed by the company: a solution especially for desktop/FDM users looking for a more professional print job, finish or material. The ability to sell objects via the platform has made for the development of numerous successful individuals and businesses looking to engage in the world of 3D printing – making Shapeways itself very much responsible for the proliferation of the technology in a mainstream, consumer context particularly.

4. Products

Rather than delivering a hardware product or 3D printer, Shapeways acts partly as a bureau for 3D printing. As a result, it’s most important products lie in the methods by which the service provider facilitates the technology – categorised on their site by the following three concepts:

Make

Rapid prototyping and additive manufacture itself stand as an essential part of the company’s offerings.

Not only can users expect an extremely high-quality print, but via the platform, hiring a designer is also an option to realise creative ideas or otherwise. Another important to point to note is that Shapeways’ material options for 3D print are outstanding: from Nylon to Sterling Silver and Ceramics.

Shop

The fact that Shapeways even offer a giftcard option only stands to illustrate its popularity on a consumer level. The Marketplace gallery offers a number of products and 3D printed items, and the Gift Guide feature makes things easy for any individual to engage with the technology.

Sell

Users have the option to open a Shapeways shop, showcasing an individual gallery of 3D printed creations produced (or available for production) by that particular user. What’s more is that the company handles the financial transaction and customer service – making things simple and convenient.