A new, free online service uses complex math to generate unique 3D models.
models
SP3D Expands Testing of AI-Powered 2D-to-3D Platform
THEIA converts simple 2D technical drawings into precise 3D models within minutes.
Backflip Introduces Revolutionary AI Tool for Automated CAD Modeling
I had a chat with Greg Mark about the incredible new release from his new startup, Backflip. Mark is the namesake behind a company you’ve likely heard of: Markforged. Mark and partners built that company up and cashed out a few years ago to start an entirely new company, Backflip. Backflip has been operating in… Continue reading Backflip Introduces Revolutionary AI Tool for Automated CAD Modeling
NTI Group Releases #3DBenchy into Public Domain, Ending Copyright Dispute
There is big news on the #3DBenchy situation: it now appears the licensing issue is resolved.
LuBan Expands 3D Printing Tools: More Ways to Customize and Print Large Models
It’s time to give an update on LuBan, one of the most interesting 3D print utilities.
Manyfold Secures Funding to Revolutionize Distributed 3D Model Repositories
There’s been a key development in the Manyfold project.
Creality Launches 2024 Cloud Designer Awards with $15,000 Prize Pool
Creality has launched its annual Creality Cloud Designer Awards for 2024.
Shapeways Acquires Thangs to Rebuild Missing Marketplace
Times have certainly changed: Shapeways just acquired Thangs.
3DPrinterOS and Montclair State University Partner to Detect 3D Printed Gun Parts
There’s quite an announcement from 3DPrinterOS today: they intend on automatically detecting 3D-printed gun parts.
ManyFold: A Decentralized, Open Source Platform for 3D Model Distribution
A new open source tool may eventually revolutionize how 3D models are distributed.
Lychee Launches Premium 3D Model Repository: Introducing the Lychee Library
The makers of the Lychee Slicer now have a major new product: the Lychee Library.
Epic Games Phases Out SketchFab in 2025, Launches Unified Fab Marketplace
There are big changes ahead for SketchFab.
Is iFast3D Legit? Warning Signs of Possible Scam in 3D Model Marketplace
I’m looking at a new 3D model repository, iFast3D, and have some questions.
Exploring Gambody: A Decade of Premium 3D Models for Anime, Comics, and More
One of the more unusual 3D model repositories is Gambody.
Planning to Buy a Desktop FFF 3D Printer? 10 Must-Know Facts
So you want to do FFF 3D printing? Here’s ten things you have to know.
New Text to 3D Tool Produces High Quality 3D Models in Minutes
I’ve been testing a new “Text to 3D” tool, and this one just might be the best so far.
New AI-Powered Technique Enhances 3D Scans by Accurately Filling Missing Data
Researchers have developed a powerful new method for hole-filling for incomplete 3D scans.
Effortless Custom Dice Creation with DiceMaker: A Free Generative 3D Tool
A free software tool offers generative 3D models of gaming dice.
LEAP 71 Proves Automated Rocket Engine Design: A Breakthrough in Computational Engineering
There’s been a major development for 3D printed aerospace: LEAP 71 has proven the viability of automatically designed rocket engines.
STLFLIX: Exploring the Subscription-Based 3D Model Repository
Today we’re looking at STLFLIX, a 3D model repository.
3YOURMIND Partners with US Army to Digitize Inventory for M113 Armored Vehicle Parts
3YOURMIND struck an interesting deal with the US Army.
What is the Most Popular 3D Model Repository?
After publishing “Alternatives to Thingiverse, 2024 Edition”, I wondered which printable 3D model repositories were most popular.
OpenAI Unveils GPT-4o: AI with Implications for 3D Printing Technology
OpenAI made a series of important announcements yesterday, and hidden within them was something that has implications for 3D printing.
Hands on With the Meshy.ai Text-to-3D Service
I’m looking at Meshy.ai, a new Text-to-3D service.
Hands on With Alpha3D’s AI 3D Model Generator
Alpha3D offers an AI-powered 3D model generator that works with text and images.
Introducing CADScribe: A Text-to-3D Tool for Quick 3D Parts Modeling
I’m looking at a new free online tool called “CADScribe”, which can seemingly generate 3D models.
NVIDIA Advances 3D Model Generation with Fast, Detailed LATTE3D AI System
NVIDIA announced a new 3D generative AI system, LATTE3D.
ICON Introduces Multi-Story Phoenix 3D Printer and Innovation Construction Software
ICON announced a series of new products, including a multi-story construction 3D printer.
MorphoScope’s Extensive Digital Library of 3D Natural History Models
Researchers have published an immense online library of natural history 3D models for download.
Paws and Printers: The 3D Revolution in Pet Care, “Swag” and Accessories
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi take a look at how 3D printing can be used for pets and pet products.
Prusa Research’s Design Contest Reveals Potential for 3D Printed Spare Parts
Prusa Research just concluded a design contest and there’s a surprising outcome.
British Museum to 3D Scan Entire Collection
The British Museum announced an incredible project: they are digitizing their entire collection.
AI Startup Exposed: The Use of Humans in 3D Model Generation
A report on 404 Media reveals an AI startup was secretly using humans to generate 3D models.
Cubee’s Innovative Twist: Introducing the First ‘Record Label’ for 3D Designers
I’m reading an unusual press release from Cubee where they announce the first “Record Label” for 3D Designers.
Hands On with CSM’s Image to 3D Service
Today we’re looking at CSM’s AI image to 3D service.
3D Printing in the Years Ahead: A Glimpse into the AI-Powered Future of Desktop Printers
Last week I forecasted what a typical desktop FFF 3D printer of 2026 might look like. This week let’s go further ahead.
The Future of 3D Model Repositories: Shifting Markets and Potential Changes
After Prusa Research’s announcement of a Printables monetization feature earlier this week, I had some thoughts about the future of 3D model repositories.
What’s Next for YouMagine After UltiMaker Merger?
What has become of YouMagine?
CookieCAD: Generate 3D Models for Cookie Cutters Instantly
There’s an incredibly useful online 3D utility you need to know about: CookieCAD.
A New DnD Character Creator Service With a Surprise
A new service to generate printable DnD figurines has a unique pricing structure.
DreamFusion: AI-Generated 3D Models Reaches Research Stage
A new paper describes how AI tools can be used to generate printable 3D models with only a text prompt.
SnapEDA’s Syndication Network Liberates Millions of 3D Models
SnapEDA announced a new Syndication Network that releases “millions” of 3D models.
3DFindIt Shows How To Find 3D Models
A 3D model lookup site has quite a variety of search methods.
Honda’s 3D Model Takedown is Annoying, But Not Surprising
Printables has been forced to de-list dozens of 3D models referencing “Honda”.
Question of the Week: How To Get 3D Models For Printing?
This week’s question is about obtaining or making 3D models for printing.
MakeWithTech Launches Thingiverse Customizer
A third-party customizer service can handle Thingiverse 3D models.
New Method of Splitting 3D Models To Fit on Smaller 3D Printers
A paper released last month describes an efficient method for splitting 3D models, enabling 3D printing of large objects on smaller machines.
3D Printing Implications of Sesame’s Street’s Education Initiatives
Charles R. Goulding and Arianna Coger look at how a children’s TV show pivot could make good use of 3D printing technology.
Prusa’s New Rewards and Badging System: Wither Thingiverse?
Prusa Research announced unique reward and badging systems for their PrusaPrinters site, and there are some very interesting implications.
3D Printing Tactile UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Researchers have developed a process for 3D printing tactile replicas of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and associated objects.
SnapEDA Provides Millions Of CAD Models For Electronics
DesignSpark and SnapEDA launched a new service for downloading 3D models of electronic components.
Meshlab 2021.05’s Enhancements
The latest version of Meshlab improves several processing features, and it remains one of the essential open source tools for 3D mesh modelers.
Why Does Wiesemann 1893 Offer Free 3D Printed Tool Holders?
A tool manufacturer has leveraged 3D printing to make their product more attractive to buyers.
Polygona: A New 3D Model Customizer”
A new 3D model customization tool called “Polygana” seems to be under development.
Hands On With Thangs’ Augmented Reality
Thangs introduced an amazing new feature: augmented reality.
3D Printing And NFTs: Part 1, The Problem
Could NFTs — Non Fungible Tokens — resolve key issues in 3D printing? What problems would they solve?
The Epic Creativity Solving The Prusa MMU2S Buffer Crisis
A great deal of incredibly imaginative work has been done by the community to replace the sometimes-problematic Prusa MMU2S Buffer.
Thangs Just Got A Little Better
3D model repository Thangs added some useful new features.
Boem, A New 3D Model Store
I haven’t seen an example of this type of online 3D model store appear for some time.
PCL Construction Discovers New 3D Printing Use Case
I’ve learned of an amazing form of 3D printing usage that I suspect many construction companies don’t yet know.
Thangs is the Hot, New Thang for 3D Model Search and Share
A new meta search engine for 3D models is available: Thangs.
Where You Can Find Certified COVID-19 3D Models
The US FDA has been engaged with other parties to assist in the use of community 3D printing resources to confront the COVID-19 crisis.
An Unusual Method To Capture Global Scenes In 3D
A software hack allows export of 3D data from Google Maps for use in other 3D modeling programs.
Turbosquid’s Kraken Levels Up 3D Asset Management
Turbosquid’s Kraken 3D Asset Management system provides new ways to manage 3D models online.
Book of the Week: Close-Range Photogrammetry and 3D Imaging
This week’s selection is “Close-Range Photogrammetry and 3D Imaging” by Thomas Luhmann, Stuart Robson, Stephen Kyle and Jan Boehm.
An Interesting 3D Printed Lithophane Service
LithophaneMaker is a fascinating free service that allows you to generate all imaginable types of 3D printed lithophane models.
The Smithsonian’s 3D Printable Library
It turns out the Smithsonian has a relatively large (for museums) library of downloadable 3D models for 3D printing. We’re trying one now.
Crazy Idea: AI-Based 3D Model Generation For Consumers
A new AI-based system can generate incredibly realistic human faces. What if the same technology was turned towards 3D printing?
A New Site For Educational 3D Print Projects
STEMFIE is a new venture designed to offer 3D printable components to children to help them learn mechanics in the 21st century.
Toy Rescue To Save Toys, Money and The Environment With 3D Printing
Toy Rescue is a new initiative that proposes to supply 3D models of commonly broken toy parts to the public for 3D printing.
A Photogrammetry Survey For You
A researcher wants to know more about how you use photogrammetry, and you can fill out his survey to help a research project.
How Are 3D Prints Used For Design?
What is Design Feedback with 3D Printing? It is a technique used by architects to solve highly complex building construction designs.
What To Do With Thingiverse?
Thingiverse is the largest printable 3D model repository on the planet, but it doesn’t seem to be progressing. We know why.
Things Are Increasingly Shaking Up At MyMiniFactory
What plans does the new CEO of MyMiniFactory have? We don’t know and a puzzling post on their blog doesn’t really clear things up at all.
Creating Multi-Color 3D Prints From Mono-Color 3D Models
Having trouble separating a 3D model into pieces for color 3D printing? Now a new tool, SimplyColor3D, allows easy segmentation for Prusa MMU2S or Palette2 .
Book of the Week: 3D Printing for Model Engineers
This week’s selection is “3D Printing for Model Engineers: A Practical Guide” by Neil Wyatt.
Testing 3Dfind.it
Today I am testing a new 3D model search service, 3Dfind.it.
3D Print Learning Series: Design Tips
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on additional 3D print design tips.
Book of the Week: Model-Making for Set Designers
This week’s selection is “The Handbook of Model-making for Set Designers” by Colin Winslow.
Implications of Prusa’s New 3D Model Repository
I’m thinking a lot about Prusa’s new 3D model repository, and wondering what it might mean.
The Incredible New Services From Prusa
A new and potentially game-changing 3D model repository has appeared: PrusaPrinters.
Searching For 3D Models Is Still Painful
Ever since the appearance of personal 3D printing, there’s been an awful problem: searching for 3D models.
Much More On The World Of Tanks Thingiverse Incident
We recently published a story on an incident that caused many 3D models on Thingiverse to be removed. Now, we know a lot more.
Significant Purge of Thingiverse This Week
Thingiverse has dropped a number of 3D models from its repository, according to multiple reports.
IKEA’s Consumer 3D Model Repository
If you hadn’t noticed, IKEA has a small 3D model repository available to the public.
New Reverse Engineering CAD Technique Could Pose Issues
Researchers at MIT have developed a practical method of reverse engineering 3D models.
Knuckle Down: Four Approaches to Getting 3D Model Data In Hand
At an abstract level, every new project is composed of three elements:
3D Model Repository Cults Hits Milestone
Long time 3D model repository Cults has reached several significant milestones.
Frustum Releases GENERATE for Windows
3D software maker Frustum released a Windows version of their powerful GENERATE tool.
What is LEO Lane and How Does It Allow Digital Inventory?
I’m looking at an ancillary additive manufacturing service that secures intellectual property.
See3D Helps the Visually Impaired “See” Through 3D-Printed Models
Some things are difficult to explain without a visual aid, but that’s not an option for people who are blind.
MyMiniFactory Opens 3D Model Store
London-based MyMiniFactory opened their online 3D model store last month.
Book of the Week: Polygon Mesh Processing
This week’s selection is “Polygon Mesh Processing” by Mario Botsch, Leif Kobbelt, Mark Pauly, Pierre Alliez, and Bruno Levy.
Folded 3D Designs are the Next Thing?
FoldStar provides a very unusual 3D model generation system.
Insights Into the Minds of 3D Printing Consumers
A recent post from Pinshape provides some interesting insights into the thinking patterns of those who buy 3D models online.