Sad day for the modeling world that Shapeways is no longer an option to purchase Z scale models. Just placed a small order in June, which I received. If I would of known what was coming down, I would have purchased a very large order for future modeling projects. Hopefully someone will pickup this nitch market of 3D printing!
What's really sad is that 17 years of innovations are all wiped clean. No more brass locomotive shells, all those glorious detail parts erased as though they never existed. It's a good thing for me, that I seen them, so I got them when I could, for today they are gone... POOF! As the saying goes... If you want to make a million dollars in model railroading, you have to start with two million dollars. Who's next, MTL? I think I am going to stock up on MTL trucks and couplers just in case.
Is this bankruptcy in the form of a complete shutdown of their business? Or will they be attempting to reorganize?
That is a really sad news! But isn´t it possible for the different producers, like Whalt and others, to do their own business? I wished I had orderd some brass boxcar shells and the NP Mikado shell which Robert Ray is using.
I would like to believe that manufacturers such as MTL will not be impacted in the same manner as Shapeways. I believe this has more brought to be via the proliferation of individuals buying their own printers. (Not all of us will buy printers. Where I reside, I cannot have one.) Costs of such units have dropped, and their capabilities have increased, along with quality of the items they can create. My hope is these individuals will be willing to produce a few of the items the rest of us need.
I do think in part Shapeways closing is due to how the consumer 3D printing market has changed. While consumer printers aren't getting much cheaper, they are becoming much more capable. More libraries and maker spaces are getting 3D printers. Public awareness of consumer 3D printing is increasing. I'm not sure a business model like theirs, where designers upload files and customers order prints, would be sustainable if these trends continue. I ordered a few things from Shapeways, but the prices were too high for me to want to order all that much. The cost was high when I uploaded a design to get a print of it. That's one of the main reasons why I bought my own printer.
Bankruptcy doesn’t always mean the end of a business, maybe just it’s reorganization or restructuring. Time will tell.
That is unfortunate. I saw a post on Facebook where Miniprints.com is looking to expand the product line. I wonder if he will do custom or purchase your file work to be apart of his line.
Hate to hear of this news I bought a few items from Shapeways (SW). One flat car I bought, they had to do 3 times to get it right. But it is a source, nevertheless that is not available elsewhere. Damn! So. There are folks here on TB, that uploaded files to SW. Do they loose all that work for the prints? I hope not. Geese
I think we will all miss their brass printing service. I saw one person on there who had made brass replacement frames for an AZL GP-38 paired with a high detail plastic body to make a new engine, I think it was a U-Boat. Things like that, and TheZMakers offerings won’t be so easy to make. Unfortunately for Shapeways, relatively affordable consumer grade printers can do most of the other services they offer. If they happen to keep operating, someone should tell their new management team to put the marketplace search box back on the main page. They made it hard to find things they sell, and then wonder why they don’t have enough business.
Where there is confusion and chaos, there is an opportunity to make $$$! #1-Who will step up to the Plate? #2-Who will contact the Walt's and ZMaker's of Shapeways to enquire about their 3D files? #3-Who's willing to do "What's Right" to continue encouraging people to model in Z?
I just had a Bambu Lab A1 FDM printer delivered last Saturday so I can do my own printing. Resin is better for Z scale, but that is more of a process, and I just wanted something I could learn how to model in 3D, and do test prints on. I think Mr. Collins is correct in that marketplaces like thingverse, makerworld, makeronline, thangs, cults3d, etc., that allow you to upload or download things that anyone can print on their own printer are going to take over most of that market. So if you want to encourage Z, just design and upload things to those markets, like Mr Collins has. Anyways, I’m still waiting on my filament order so I can actually test the printer out with something besides the benchy boat.
Good point about brass printing. Maybe someone who already does this can purchase that portion of Shapeways.
My purchases from Shapeways pretty much dried up when the U.K voted for Brexit. The factory was in Eindhoven in Holland and their Quality control was excellent in both Brass, FUD and SBF But.. after the U.K left the European Union every order was subject to Import duty and value added tax. the prices became a major obstacle Hopefully the website stays up until the major players I deal with, Ivan Industries, CMAC, Stonysmith,Walt, Steffens Zbahn etc can work out what we are to do next. the Brass foundry can't just get mothballed, Can it? Kev
The good news is that there are private 3D printing guys out there that we can tap into and take this opportunity to use our kitbashing and scratch building skills.
