Amazon Opens a Store for 3D Printing Products
Amazon has created a 3D printing store, where it will offer a platform for 3D printing businesses to sell printed products, as well as their printers and filaments. Some of the companies involved include printing giant Sculpteo, 3DLT and Mixee Labs. Amazon itself won't be involved in the manufacturing.
Sculpteo CEO Clement Moreau told the Verge, "The online customer shopping experience will be redefined through 3D printing. A customer’s wants are no longer limited to what’s in stock but what they can imagine.”
Mixee Labs offers some of the most interesting printables, including a custom bobblehead of yourself and earrings sculpted after atoms. The bobbleheads are $29.99, and offer a lot of custom options. Here's one of me:
3DLT offers a number of electronics accessories, like iPhone cases. While they are interesting designs, there's quite the markup. This case from 3DLT is almost $30. In our interview with co-founder Steve Schell of 3D printing company New Matter, he mentioned that printing an iPhone case would cost only a few dollars in filament, and takes only about 45 minutes. Then again, that would mean shelling out in advance for the price of the printer and an entire roll of filament.
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Amazon's store allows for the novelty of 3D-printed objects without having to pay for all bells and whistles. And without the risk of messing up your designs.
This article was originally published at http://www.thewire.com/technology/2014/07/amazon-now-has-a-3d-printing-store/375177/
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