3d Printing Services

Darren Wright

Administrator
Staff member
Messages
20,089
Location
Springfield, Missouri
Well, since Brent called me out on my other thread, might as well talk about this. I've got a project I'm working on for a watch band. I decided to try out some 3d printing using a service called Shapeways. You draw up your item using a 3d program or in my case...Sketchup, and export it out to one of the accepted files (.dae or Collada). You upload the 3d file and they do some tolerance checks against the different materials they work with and if they pass, they give you an instant price for 3d printing your item.

Mine is a watch band adapter for my Samsung Gear Fit, which comes with a plastic watch band. I haven't found an option to use a regular watch band for it. I got my first prototype back this past weekend. I had to do a little "fitting" of it and some additional drilling/tapping for screws, but turned out exactly as I wanted.

band3.jpg

Before doing any modifications I did some measurements with the digital calipers, all measurements except one was dead on to the drawing I submitted to them, I drew it a little over-sized as I wasn't sure if there would be variance in the final piece.

What I requested was in the black flexible/strong plastic version. What I found was that it's printed in white and then coated with the requested finish, so only a thin layer of black was on the piece(s)

2015-02-28 20.51.53.jpg 2015-02-28 20.52.00.jpg 2015-02-28 20.53.10.jpg 2015-02-28 21.01.30.jpg

I'm resubmitting the piece and will make them available for purchase as long as the revised version comes out as planned.



Not only can they print in plastic, but also in stainless steel, to .05mm tolerance. So if anyone has a part they can't seem to find or has an idea to try, give Shapeways a look.

Cost is really reasonable, I have two parts to my band, they were $3 each. They would cost me $10 each if I did them in stainless for example.
 
Last edited:
As an owner of the Gear fit, I'm pretty much a captive market and will order it as soon as it becomes available.
 
Absolutely amazing. How long did it take them to turn around your design?

It quoted 14 days, Seems like it went to production right away, but then sat there until the last couple of days. They are produced in New York, so you can figure shipping via USPS (or UPS, depending on size of your order).
 
Top