Shapeways has gone bust

[crueby]

Hey all,

For those that might have used them in the past (or were about to), the online 3D printing service Shapeways has gone bankrupt this past week!

Their website shows nothing unless you dig on their online forum, but it looks like it wont let you check out a new order, so at least it stops that from being in limbo. Quite a few articles online about it, they were apparently having problems and to paraphrase one of the rocket companies, the company has achieved a rapid disassembly!\

Thanks to the other forum member who gave me a heads up!

Chris

[cnr6400]

  That's a shame, they were a good resource. wonder if some other firm will buy the machines and other assets and have a shot at it? Of course the interwebs end of a 3D print to order firm, the ads, quoting, orders, and shipping is an even bigger part of that type of business than the printing equipment. To do well they would need some skilled people in those departments, aside from the machines and operators, to be successful. I checked my wallet, but I don't think $12.38 will be quite enough...

[Kim]

That's sad.  Seemed like such a great business too...

Interestingly, I did a little Googling and came up with this article:

https://www.tctmagazine.com/additive-manufacturing-3d-printing-news/latest-additive-manufacturing-3d-printing-news/shapeways-ceases-operations-and-files-for-bankruptcy/

Just below the short article about the bankruptcy, there is a post from what seems to be a plant manager from Shapeways which seems to imply that they are looking to start up the business on their own.  So hopefully something good will come out the other end of all this?

Kim

[Jasonb]

I think there are quite a few other companies offering similar online services these days so maybe they were not set up for competition.

Couple of people over on HMEM have got quite good results with metal prints from https://www.pcbway.com/rapid-prototyping/ who will also print in plastics, CNC machine, cut and fold etc

I tried uploading a couple of aero type crankcases and prices seemed quite reasonable.

[Vixen]

I have always used Sculpteo in preference  to Shapeways. I'm a very satisfied customer

Mike

[crueby]

That's sad.  Seemed like such a great business too...

Interestingly, I did a little Googling and came up with this article:

https://www.tctmagazine.com/additive-manufacturing-3d-printing-news/latest-additive-manufacturing-3d-printing-news/shapeways-ceases-operations-and-files-for-bankruptcy/

Just below the short article about the bankruptcy, there is a post from what seems to be a plant manager from Shapeways which seems to imply that they are looking to start up the business on their own.  So hopefully something good will come out the other end of all this?

Kim

I hope they can restart it - quite a surprise when they stopped!

[crueby]

I think there are quite a few other companies offering similar online services these days so maybe they were not set up for competition.

Couple of people over on HMEM have got quite good results with metal prints from https://www.pcbway.com/rapid-prototyping/ who will also print in plastics, CNC machine, cut and fold etc

I tried uploading a couple of aero type crankcases and prices seemed quite reasonable.

There are a few places like that one, think they started out as PCB board makers, got into CNC and printing later on. The PcbWay place and jlc3dp.com where the two I narrowed it down to when I was looking for womeone to print my Ruston excavator bucket in stainless steel, wound up going with jlc3dp based on final price, looked like equivalent services. One thing I havent seen at too many is printing in brass, most seem to be steels and aluminum.

[crueby]

I have always used Sculptio in preference  to Shapeways. I'm a very satisfied customer

Mike

'sculpteo.com' ?

[Vixen]

'sculpteo.com' ?

Yes Chris, that's the one. The do brass and bronze as lost wax castings. Binder jet printing in steel bronze, as well as metal filament printing and laser sintered printing and much more.

Mike

[crueby]

'sculpteo.com' ?

Yes Chris, that's the one. The do brass and bronze as lost wax castings. Binder jet printing in steel bronze, as well as metal filament printing and laser sintered printing and much more.

Mike

Thanks!!