There’s an incredibly useful online 3D utility you need to know about: CookieCAD.
models
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.
The Secret Plan for 3D Metal Printing Everything
There seems to be a secret plan by EOS and 3YOURMIND to 3D print a great deal more items than is done today.
A 3D Model Repair Tool? Trying Out CUR3D
We’ve just done a quick test of a new 3D model repair tool, CUR3D Maker Edition.
Look Out, Thingiverse (and others), Poly Just Arrived
Google announced what will likely become an enormous 3D model repository.
MasterpieceVR Allows Four Users to Collaborate & 3D Model Simultaneously
Creating a 3D model in VR isn’t as revolutionary as it once was.
The STL.garden
A new project can keep you up to date on the latest publicly available 3D models.
Noted 3D Designer Turns Paid Designs Into Free Downloads
Israeli 3D designer Asher Nahmias, aka Dizingof, has unexpectedly marked many incredible designs as free downloads.
Profound Implication of That 3D Face Reconstruction Service
I realized something utterly fascinating about the 3D Face Reconstruction project we wrote on this week.
Analyzed: Remixing 3D Models on Thingiverse
Thingiverse was perhaps the first repository of 3D models dedicated to 3D printing and making. Now we know a lot more about it.
A Mammoth Change at MakePrintable
We haven’t written about MakePrintable for a while, but today is a good today to do so.
Authentise Provides a new “Geometric Search”
3D print workflow provider Authentise announced something they call “geometric search”, and it’s quite interesting.
3D Orchard to Assist Open Source Hardware Design
I’m trying out a new online service that hopes to enable makers to work together on open source hardware projects.
3YOURMIND to Automatically Find 3D Printable Parts
In what could be a very powerful partnership, 3D model analysis firm 3YOURMIND is working with EOS to identify printable parts.
Cloud-Based Design Analysis: Frustum’s Generate
Optimizing mechanical designs is a complex process and now there’s another option for doing so.
Robo Selling STL File “Print Packs” at Staples?
A very interesting report at Hackaday describes a very unusual product from Robo (formerly Robo 3D).
PatternSpace: More Than Just a 3D Repository
There are countless small services offering access to 3D models these days, but a look at PatternSpace revealed a bit more than expected.
A Combination of Tools to Fix BAD STL 3D Print Files
Have you ever had a “bad” STL file? I certainly have. Fixing them is often a tricky business.
The Frequency of 3D Content Violations is Astonishing
Earlier we wrote a story on LayerTrove, a new Scotland-based startup that happens to be selling unlicensed 3D content. But how often does this occur? It turns out to be astonishingly frequent.
LayerTrove Releases Easy-To-Print 3D Models, But Faces Big Risks
LayerTrove is a Scotland-based 3D model store who have just launched a 3D models series that may bring them troubles in the future.
BMW Group Sues Turbosquid for Selling 3D Models of Their Car Designs
If you’ve ever stood in the shower wondering if you could be sued because you made a certain 3D model of a certain brand of car, wonder no more.
Autodesk Announces Design Graph, Punches Shape Search in Solar Plexus
You know when you cried into that bucket of bolts because you couldn’t find the matching hardware? Those were sad, rough times.
What’s Up With Skriware?
Skriware launched late last year with a reasonably successful Kickstarter campaign, but where are they now?
Need a Vertebrate, a Tortoise, Antlers Or an Edible Dormouse 3D Model?
3D model repository service Threeding has announced a new partnership that’s resulted in a large number of animal anatomy 3D models.
How Can We Solve the 3D Model Search Problem?
There’s an insidious problem growing in the 3D model marketplaces: search. And it sucks.
Beyond Thingiverse, My Ten Favorite 3D Model Repositories
Everyone knows Thingiverse, it’s the largest printable 3D model repository around. But what are some other ones to consider?
3DShook’s Unusual 3D Model Discovery Tools
It’s a very tough business these days running a printable 3D model shop, but 3DShook seems to be experimenting with a variety of different shopping methods to overcome the challenges.
Wevolver Is A Different Kind Of Repository
There are countless web-based 3D model repositories, but none are quite like Wevolver, who focus on actually doing practical something with your 3D prints.
It’s No Longer Possible To Launch A Printable 3D Model Sharing Site
Based on how the 3D print industry has evolved, it is now our opinion that it’s next to impossible to successfully launch a 3D model sharing site.
Kwambio Launches (Again?)
We received a note from Kwambio who apparently have launched a new 3D model/print service.
There Are More Software Engineers Than Hardware At AIO Robotics, And It Shows
The AIO Robotics ZEUS desktop 3D printer seems to have far greater software powers than other devices.
The iPad Pro Attracts a 3D Modeling System: Shapr3D
We’ve seen the appearance of a couple of finger-based iPad applications, but now there’s one specifically designed for the iPad Pro and its Apple Pencil.
Syncky Sells Many 3D Printed Products
Korea-based Syncky is not a 3D model repository, but instead a site where you can order many different 3D printed products.
Generate 3D Printable Rings – And Your Voice, Too!
We’re checking out a new tool to generate custom-designed 3D models of rings and another to “solidify” your voice!
La Poste’s Big Step Into 3D Printing
France’s postal service, La Poste just set up a comprehensive 3D model repository to power their network of 3D printers.
Yobi3D Makes Searching For 3D Models A Lot More Fun
We found a terrific meta-site for sourcing publicly available 3D models: Yobi3D.
Autodesk Memento Now Available for OS X
If you haven’t tried Autodesk Memento for optical 3D processing, you might want to, especially now that it’s available for both Windows and OS X.
The Voronator Wants You
Voronization is a tricky process to transform your 3D model into a very complex structure – but now there’s a simple way to do it: The Voronator!
Formsfield’s Unusual 3D Designer Recruitment Strategy
3D model repository Formsfield has taken an unusual step to recruit designers for their product shelves: they’re guaranteeing payments!
A 3D Model Sharing Site With An Electrical Connection
We’re checking out Sharestation 3D, a site dedicated to 3D printed electronics projects.