Isn’t it amazing how with the Internet, everything is just available online? The research that you had to do before, by going from one shop to the other can now be done, by typing a little bit on your smartphone. One of those very amazing services that are available online is 3D printing.
In this article, we will let you know some of the best service providers of 3D printing NYC. The very examples of parts that can be 3D printed are some of your phone covers, laptop stands, keys, and lots more.
The best aspect of 3D printing anything is customization. You go to a store and if you are thinking of buying a gift for someone, you would want it to be unique, wouldn’t you?
But there are high chances when you buy from a store that the person whom you are gifting it to, finds out about where you’ve got it from. Whereas if you have 3D printed the same thing, there are very less chances that the person would find out.
Because you have not actually bought it from any store, instead what you have done is, bought it online. And some other facts that just add on is, every 3D printed object is created out of a 3D design file.
So, you can choose a unique design file and hence design a product which only you have in the world and nobody else does.
Before seeing the companies which specialize in 3D printing NYC, let’s see what it really means in general and where can you get the design file from, and some of the websites that can give you basic designs for free.
How Does 3D Printing Work?
3D printing or one way of additive manufacturing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of the 3D printed object or functional prototype is achieved using additive processes.
In an additive process, the object that is to be created is created by laying down successive layers of material until the final object is completely created.
On careful observation, each of these layers that are laid down for creating the object can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the eventual object.
Because this process of manufacturing starts from scratch, unlike the traditional manufacturing methods, which need some raw material from which we go on removing the surplus, it is called the opposite of subtractive manufacturing.
3D printing is a technology that enables you to produce complex shapes by using less material than traditional manufacturing methods do.
Three main steps in 3D printing
One: The first step in 3D printing is the preparation that you need to do before starting the actual printing. Before doing this, you need to be completely clear in the mind about the object that you wish to create.
Because you will have to design a 3D file of the object you want to print. Now there are a number of ways for doing this, the most common one is to create the file using CAD software, this can be done with a 3D scanner or simply downloaded from an online marketplace.
In this article, after this explanation ends, we will provide you with some of the reference websites from which you can download either free or paid 3D design files. The second step comes after you have prepared the 3D design file.
Two: The actual printing process starts with giving out options to you like choosing the type of material that will best achieve the specific properties required for your object.
The raw materials that you can choose for 3D printing your part or functional prototype are very broad. The list includes plastics, ceramics, resins, metals, sand, textiles, biomaterials, glass, food, and even lunar dust! Almost all of these materials also allow for plenty of finishing options.
So, if you have an impression of the precise design result that you intend to achieve, you can surely go ahead with this method. After the selection of material is done, you have to select the type of finish.
That’s it. You are done, and you can start with the 3D printing process in any 3D printer you wish to. Here something to also keep in mind is, there are 3D printing technologies.
And every 3D printing technology has one or the other printing mechanism and also they result in one or the other type of finish. So, you can choose the 3D printer accordingly.
Three: The third part is really the finishing process. And it is often called the step that requires specific skills and materials. Because when the object is first printed, often it cannot be directly used or delivered until it has been treated with some of the other post-processing processes like sanding, lacquering, or painting to complete it as intended.
Your choice for the material will determine which printing methods are most suitable. After doing the post-processing, you can really put it out there. And do not think that post-processing is really a formality sort of thing, that if, not done, doesn’t really make a huge difference.
It does make a difference. And especially some 3D printing processes make use of support structures. So, once you are done with printing, you need to get rid of the support structures. That is some reason why you also need this third step to be completed.
Where Can you Download an STL File?
Like we said at the start of this article we are going to take from the explanation of 3D printing to the websites from which you can get 3D design files for a free or paid amount and then explore some of the best service providers of 3D printing NYC. We have now reached the second part of the article.
Thingiverse
This website has the single biggest content repository for 3D printer models on the internet. Thingiverse holds a record for being the website that offers more than 2.8 million STL files.
Which is way more than any other website in this domain. Thingiverse as a website is operated by MakerBot Industries, which also manufactures the Replicator and the Method series of 3D printers.
Cults
Cults is a fast-growing community and the 3D printer file marketplace which is based in France. On this website, the makers can share or sell their STL files.
Cults have 160,000-plus 3D printer models which are usually high in quality and there is an equally impressive presentation in a big draw.
Here you as a user can follow your favorite designers by seeing and liking their 3D design files. You can even get instant updates when a new creation of theirs is posted.
They offer curated collections too, these are based on popular big-name brands like IKEA hacks, Lego parts, GoPro, or drone accessories. A very nice and subtle way of reaching out to a bigger audience than just a specific one, used by Cults is Language.
Cults supports English, French, and Spanish languages. Something that Cults gives like no other website is hiring a designer through the website directly.
Pinshape
The website claims itself as a 3D marketplace that connects makers and designers. As a user, you can find plenty of free STL files to download on Pinshape, there are more than 67,000 designs.
Something that Pinshape also functions as, is a platform to buy and sell premium 3D printer models. Pinshape is the place if you’re looking for free STL files for toys and games, miniatures, jewelry and fashion, home appliances, gadgets, people and creatures, and art.
Top Service Providers of 3D Printing NYC
We come to the third part and the last one before the conclusion wherein we have curated websites that are in the NYC locality. These websites claim to provide 3D printing services to you. So, you can go on to them and discover new stuff which you probably haven’t anywhere else.
3D NYC Lab
There are four tabs that strikeout to you when you land on the homepage of this website, apart from the tall buildings and Statues of Liberty show models that you can see besides NYC 3D Printing Service, custom 3D printing projects, high-quality professional results and begin your 3D printing project in red.
3D NYC Lab claims itself to be a part of Voxel Magic. The latter one is a multi-disciplinary digital design and fabrication studio in New York, New York.
Whilst the former one is a group of designers and technologists that loves to create. They work with a wide range of digital fabrication methods and machinery for creating a unique process for every project that they undertake.
The website’s clients range from large companies and creative professionals to entrepreneurs and dedicated hobbyists.
The website’s services range from industrial design to fabrication and production and it doesn’t matter whether the job is large or small, their goal is to help you take your project from concept to reality.
Kwambio
Kwambio is a service provider of 3D Printing NYC which focuses on ceramics. There is a whole industry that specializes in ceramic 3D printing and Kwambio just adds on more beauty to that domain.
The company’s materials and techniques claim to change an established ceramic industry. Kwambio’s manufacturing process has pushed aside the boundaries that laid between design and reality.
It is because of Kwambio that the creation of objects is possible exactly as you intend them to be.
A little attraction of the homepage of this website is, this will probably be the first that you will visit to see the tabs not presented horizontally, but vertically. And will take some time to digest the fact.
Shapeways
This Company is located in three places, two of which are in the USA and one is in the Netherlands.
Shapeways enables product creation at scale by using an innovative technology platform and by leveraging a global network of cutting-edge digital manufacturing and material partners.
Shapeways claims itself to be a proven leader in advanced additive manufacturing solutions. Founded in 2007, Shapeways is a headquartered service provider of 3D printing NYC.
Shapeways claims itself to having created products for more than a million businesses and audaciously claims its journey in the starting phase.
MakeLab
Makelab is a service provider of 3D printing NYC, it helps creative firms with their physical prototyping needs.
They work with any business, be it large or small, in developing hardware and physical products for speeding up their product development cycles.
Makelab claims how its services save its customer time, money, frustration, and resources. This they do by providing a reliable service that doesn’t feel like the work has been outsourced.
Although the technical complexities of these services are left to them so that you and your product development teams can focus on the fun part- creating and iterating.
As soon as you land on the homepage of this website, there is a beautiful animated video that’s played in the background wherein they want to say that they are now, OPEN. And they invite you to Come In.
The Conclusion
So, overall for information related to the service provider of 3D printing in general, you need to know that all you need is an idea to start. You don’t even need to know the complete mechanism of 3D printing technology.
You can get the design file online, you can get the 3D designer online and after you have both of these, you can upload that to get a complete object 3D printed online.
The websites that are mentioned in the end are the best service providers of 3D printing NYC. Do check out their websites and contact them to get your requirement fulfilled.
All you need is a design file to get an instant quote from any of the websites. And now you know that getting a design file is not that difficult, you can get that too online.
The flexibility that you get in 3D printing manufacturing technology is something that you don’t get to see with any other manufacturing technology.
