Unity Community 3D Printing Service -- Something you'd like to see?

[CBosselmann]

I’m certainly not the only one excited by the coverage of CES 2014.
Toyota has almost completed a 300 mile range hydrogen cell car, LG had a 77-inch flexible 4K OLED… that flexes and the Steam-Boxes are out to mention but a few.

One thing that really stood out to me though was a very serious 3D printer. The MakerBot Replicator Z18.
This thing’s a monster. It produces items up to 2592 inch³ objects. Fast.

This got me thinking… With all the amazing content flooding out of this forum physically 3D conceptual art could be an excellent asset for developers. To see your creation “in the flesh” is a very valuable experience, I know from experience.

The bright idea was this: A KickStarter funds the purchase and shipping of the MakerBot Z18 (this fund would hopefully be supported by Unity users). Then I (or anyone else interested in providing the service) sets it up so your studio shoot us a .fbx along with a return shipping fee and a few days later your life-size model arrives in the mail. The Z18 supports objects up to the size of a wearable helmet so go crazy.

Why this over any commercial 3D printing company?
Well, from one developer to another things are handled in a open and honest manner (not auto-reply emails). Objects are boxed up and sent personally ensuring correct use of soft and hard foams. Why? Because most 3D printing companies have a disclaimer on their site which says: “We will not be responsible for damage caused during transit”. You can expect no such nonsense for these shenanigans. Only well packaged and priority shipped models.

Business model:
The return shipping fee would be transacted via PayPal or Direct Debit. There will be no “Blanket shipping fees” such as Amazon or eBay charge. The exact sum will be discerned using a shipping/cost calculator.
How do we make our money? Well thats simple and innocent. When your model arrives in the post and you’ve looked it up and down, its 100% up to you how much you want to give us. If its not as great as you were expecting then nobody is forcing you to pay a penny.
On the other hand if its truly great stuff (as i’m sure it will be) then please, flick us a tenner or whatever you’d like to pay.

Other 'lil things.
I can provide an online 24/7 stream of your 3D model being created. In real time.
I can sort out a shipping tracker, so you know where it is.
Hand-painting a model can be difficult and time-consuming. While I paint on canvas often enough the time involved to paint your 3D model would be fairly substantial. Perhaps I will provide such a service for additional (fixed) cost although I wouldn’t expect it to be more than $50 USD or so.

Below is an example of what 3D printed models can look like. Very detailed and non of the definition in the original 3D render is lost.

So what do you think? Something you could make use of? Please let me know.

[Yoska]

I’m in once I can print cheese hamburgers!

No, I’m actually pretty excited about this technology. You never know, perhaps in a decade a 3D printer will be an everyday household item (and professionally possible medical applications of it are quite interesting).

[CBosselmann]

@Yoska

I’m in once I can print cheese hamburgers!

No, I’m actually pretty excited about this technology. You never know, perhaps in a decade a 3D printer will be an everyday household item (and professionally possible medical applications of it are quite interesting).

Done. Except you burger will be made of sugar crystals

[AndrewGrayGames]

This is cool technology, but quite frankly, the technology is too immature to reliably do much with.

[CBosselmann]

@AndrewGrayGames

This is cool technology, but quite frankly, the technology is too immature to reliably do much with.

http://store.makerbot.com/replicator-z18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlu1-jbbR7A

I’ll be talking to someone who was at CES 2014 and checked out the Z18 on Skype today. I’ll let you know how it went.
We’re not talking a flimsy “$99.95” home printer here rather an industry-grade device complete with compartment heating and 100 micron layer resolution. Thats weta workshop stuff.

However yes, all 3D printers have their hiccups. Generally these high-end ones are fine unless you’re looking at a fibre -thin design or ultra-strong components.

[Ghoxt]

I’m tempted to buy one in 1st Qtr 2014. Going through all the major manufacturers as there’s so many options.

[CBosselmann]

@Ghoxt

I’m tempted to buy one in 1st Qtr 2014. Going through all the major manufacturers as there’s so many options.

Good to hear, its a growing industry. Although the units are quite expensive at the moment, or at least the ones worth having are. Thats why I wanted to start this service, for very cheap and easy high-quality models without having to go out and pump $6999 into something you might not use as much as you thought you might. If this service goes to plan you can have great (and large) models on your desk within a week for prices you decide apon.

[wccrawford1]

I’m not sure about your “we’ll pay for everything, and you just pay us what you want” model here. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. I hope not, for your sake.

As a wannabe artist, this sounds like an awesome arrangement, though. Hopefully by the time you have the equipment, I’ll have something worth printing. But at my pace, that’s more of a wish than anything.

Good luck on this, and I hope it works out for you.

[chrisso]

I’m due to receive a few small 3D printed trinkets from Shapeways today, and I’ve got to compliment their service so far. However, if you want to print larger models through them it can get pricey. While their equipment and methods differ from those in the service you’re proposing, I imagine costs of material and time justify the large prices of using 3D printing services in general. So I wonder how well your business model would work out for someone running this service.

That aside, this a very attractive proposal and I’d surely consider using a service like this the next time I want something printed.

[CBosselmann]

@wccrawford1

I’m not sure about your “we’ll pay for everything, and you just pay us what you want” model here. Sounds like a recipe for disaster. I hope not, for your sake.

As a wannabe artist, this sounds like an awesome arrangement, though. Hopefully by the time you have the equipment, I’ll have something worth printing. But at my pace, that’s more of a wish than anything.

Good luck on this, and I hope it works out for you.

Thanks a lot Wccrawford,
Any support means the world

To address the BM “grey area” have you ever heard of “trust cafes”? The reasonably big in NZ and the UK I believe. The idea is you go in, have a coffee and a muffin then as you walk out theres an honesty box. You just plop in however much you want to fay for your breakfast.
I believe the concept started off as an study by some international university and the surprising this is, it works. Well!

People feel guilty if they mope out having paint nothing so the general amount is roughly 2-2.5 times the usual cost of those items.
Now i’m not saying this translates directly into the internet (its a jungle here) but by keeping it within this community I believe it could work out.
Of course there’s always going to be the odd weirdo who wont pay for anything but I believe the more personal nature of this service will adequately replicate that social “pressure” felt to not be a absolute mug when it comes to a virtual honesty box.

The one issue to get around is how do I separate the genuine developers for the prats who come here for “free 3D prints”.
I believe that by simply looking at their post count and join date I can make an estimate. Is a new user requires the service I will talk to them over Skype or email to verify the existence of their project. One or two will slip past me but i’m confident that the rest of this community is respectable enough to make generous decisions.

[CBosselmann]

@chrisso

I’m due to receive a few small 3D printed trinkets from Shapeways today, and I’ve got to compliment their service so far. However, if you want to print larger models through them it can get pricey. While their equipment and methods differ from those in the service you’re proposing, I imagine costs of material and time justify the large prices of using 3D printing services in general. So I wonder how well your business model would work out for someone running this service.

That aside, this a very attractive proposal and I’d surely consider using a service like this the next time I want something printed.

Thanks again,
Yes, this model is based on research relating to size/price ratios as well as transit damage responsibility. I know few printers will cover the costs (although some will), I also know that for a 2592 inch³ model it can cost upwards of $300 USD (dependant of the material.

The Z18 uses very high quality spool plastic with a rainbow of colour including transparent and glow-in-the-dark materials.
You can use third party plastics but the quality is not great. I will be using the highest quality materials available.

[iKonrad]

@Yoska

I’m in once I can print cheese hamburgers!

No, I’m actually pretty excited about this technology. You never know, perhaps in a decade a 3D printer will be an everyday household item (and professionally possible medical applications of it are quite interesting).

Very unlikely. In opposite to the standard printer, 3D printer is not a device used every day. (yet).
Anyway, it’s a great device and I’d love to play around with it.

[AndrewGrayGames]

@CBosselmann

http://store.makerbot.com/replicator-z18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xlu1-jbbR7A

I’ll be talking to someone who was at CES 2014 and checked out the Z18 on Skype today. I’ll let you know how it went.
We’re not talking a flimsy “$99.95” home printer here rather an industry-grade device complete with compartment heating and 100 micron layer resolution. Thats weta workshop stuff.

The workshop stuff uses a Direct Metal Laser Sintering process to take a metal powder and melt it into shape. This is what NASA recently used in a proof-of-concept test to 3D print a fuel injection plate for a rocket motor. We’re talking about Plastics Extrusion, which is a fundamentally different technology with different mechanics and problems. The two do not equate.

@CBosselmann

However yes, all 3D printers have their hiccups. Generally these high-end ones are fine unless you’re looking at a fibre -thin design or ultra-strong components.

All that proves is you didn’t read the article I linked up there. You really should. If you did, you’d know that the $300 printer significantly outperformed the MakerBot Replicator, which was 10x the smaller printer’s price point; the $2,200 printer simply died after its first successful print, due to a serious mechanical failure, and it only got worse from there.

I’m not saying the idea isn’t a good one, but to have a reliable, cost-efficient service that Joe Schmoe can take advantage of, I think you want to consider waiting until more of the problems inherent in home plastics extrusion printing are solved. But, that’s just my advice.

EDIT: Home plastics extrusion printing. The commericial stuff is well-developed by now.

[CBosselmann]

@iKonrad

Very unlikely. In opposite to the standard printer, 3D printer is not a device used every day. (yet).
Anyway, it’s a great device and I’d love to play around with it.

We’ll we shall see. Already they are capable of printing food (using edible crystals) and a slightly dangerous young man has invented a way to print firearms.

Anyway, just to quickly skim back to the point: Would you donate a few dollars towards the purchase and use of such a service? Remember the actual unit is far beyond the acceptable investment limit for something with a pay-what-you-want-to BM.
Cheers

[iKonrad]

@CBosselmann

Anyway, just to quickly skim back to the point: Would you donate a few dollars towards the purchase and use of such a service? Remember the actual unit is far beyond the acceptable investment limit for something with a pay-what-you-want-to BM.
Cheers

I bet there are many people who would be interested in such service. But in order to get quality responses from the audience you should at least specify what (approximately) would be the price and what could we get for it. Remember that you’re asking your question to (mostly) indie community, where the most important factor is price.

[CBosselmann]

@AndrewGrayGames

The workshop stuff uses a Direct Metal Laser Sintering process to take a metal powder and melt it into shape. This is what NASA recently used in a proof-of-concept test to 3D print a fuel injection plate for a rocket motor. We’re talking about Plastics Extrusion, which is a fundamentally different technology with different mechanics and problems. The two do not equate.

All that proves is you didn’t read the article I linked up there. You really should. If you did, you’d know that the $300 printer significantly outperformed the MakerBot Replicator, which was 10x the smaller printer’s price point; the $2,200 printer simply died after its first successful print, due to a serious mechanical failure, and it only got worse from there.

I’m not saying the idea isn’t a good one, but to have a reliable, cost-efficient service that Joe Schmoe can take advantage of, I think you want to consider waiting until more of the problems inherent in plastics extrusion printing are solved. But, that’s just my advice.

Thanks for the comment,
I admit I did not fully read the article, only the header and footer but my points still stand. A “budget” plastic-fantastic 3D printer may out-preform a $3,000 device in a “base feature” which in this case is printing out 3D models in the price/performance department. However when you add build quality, functionality, additional features and material durability any higher priced object far outperforms the budget ones. Thats not to mention of course that when building a large model (which most budget printers cannot do) the plastic cools at different rates meaning the object is far more likely to fall apart or have creases on the surface.

The vital functionality for providing high-quality models simply isn’t there with cheap printers.
Also MakerBot provides a warrantee to avoid component death which lasts the product’s lifetime.

[CBosselmann]

@iKonrad

I bet there are many people who would be interested in such service. But in order to get quality responses from the audience you should at least specify what (approximately) would be the price and what could we get for it. Remember that you’re asking your question to (mostly) indie community, where the most important factor is price.

Okay thats fair enough. To answer the question I’ll describe the experience i’m having right now.

In NZ law wooden crates must be quarantined for a minimum of 3 weeks before national transit. This applies only to imports. So we can safely assume that similar regulations apply to wooden crates coming into other countries.
I explain this because ideally, each model will be shipped in a wooden crate with polystyrene lining and shredded non-acidic paper. however its now looking like I will need sterilised wood which is considerably harder to find.

Thats the kind of quality shipping i’m aiming for. It should give you an idea of how much effort is put into each model.
That doesn’t cover the price part of your question though.

If for instance I were to receive an order for a 10 inch tall figurine I would select optimal materials (or one you choose for you model) and start the machine.
You can watch it being made online via interior camera. 4-5 hours later i’d box it up and send it away via priority mail. Once having written a personal leaflet to explain the models weaknesses and strengths by hand. This verifies that it was all done by hand.

For this level of effort I would say around $50-90USD might be a fair amount.
Cheers

[CBosselmann]

Okay, so another update on the situation. After a few Skype calls I concluded that this could work well with the Z18 when it’s released.
Initial Funds would of course come from KickStarter.com for the printing unit and “starting spools”. Selling points here would go something like this:

Disclaimer: Crowdfund not yet active!!

“Casual Supporter”

$5 - Email thank-you letter

$10 - 25% off first model, email

$50 - 1x free 3D model, email

“Indie Developer”

$100 - 1x free 3D model (incl shipping and handeling), 50% off next 5 models (shipping and handeling), email

$200 - 2x free 3D model (incl shipping and handeling), 20% off all models, email

$500 - 5x free 3D model (incl shipping and handeling) with premium wooden/metal crates for each, 20% off all models, personal thank you.

“Studio Bundles”

$1000 - 20x free 3D model (incl shipping and handeling) with all premium crates, 50% off all models, priority waiting list jump, personal
thank you.

$10,000 - Unlimited 3D models for no cost at all, all shipped in premium crates by air, personal Skype conferences whenever needed
regarding models or other enquires/requests, advertise your project free on the website, priority waiting list jump and of course a
personal thank you.

Boxing issues:
Sterilised wood is very expensive, so I may move away from it to reinforced cardboard (lined with polystyrene and shredded paper).
It’ll still be very sturdy (i’ll test that) and much less weighty (reducing the price you pay for shipping).
Note that the “Studio Bundle” categories (and some “Indie Dev”) come with wooden or metal crates. Each crate will be branded with your name (or internet handle) so its completely re-usable for any number of fun things. You can send it back to me for reuse (only for your models) and the crate will be taken good care of. I’ll also bolt on a metal plaque with our return address so theres no chance of it going missing in transit. If it’s wood i’ll make sure the edges and interior are lined with steel so theres further protection from the dangers of transport.

Branding:
How does “The Ducks Diamond Standard 3D Prints” sound? Heres a logo I whipped up a little while ago (yes I’ve been very busy today!)

This will be stamped to each box.

Guarantees:
You only pay what you want to (not incl. shipping fees which are paid during order process)
If its broken or damaged in any way during transit. I refund your shipping costs or ask if you would like a new one.
Each model is made with only the best materials, using the best machines and hand sanded/trimmed to perfection.
Best customer service possible for a one-man-team. 24/7 support and enquires.
Your model arrives as soon as your selected shipping method will allow. No mucking about on my end.

---

What do you think guys? Will you get behind this Unity Community service?

[TheRaider]

whatever you do, take the 10K unlimited models off. This could end very badly for you.

[CBosselmann]

@TheRaider

whatever you do, take the 10K unlimited models off. This could end very badly for you.

I very much doubt any small studio/single person can afford that, also remember that I have no initial losses to break even on.
I see where you’re coming from though, maybe i’ll pop a limit on how many models they can order per year.
Also T&C’s mention that no models are to be sold on without prior permission. This will stop opportunists.