Cubify’s 3D New Content

Up to now Cubify’s 3D model content has been somewhat simplistic. Toys, simple personalized items and the like have been the staple of online 3D content within 3D Systems’s Cubify operation. But now they’re taking a different and far more serious direction. 

 

If you hit the Cubify site now, (dubbed “2.0” by 3D Systems), you’ll see much deeper content, specifically in the fashion and decor genres. To create all this content 3D Systems has hired a group of designers who are dedicated to producing outstanding 3D content. We spoke to one of them, Annie Shaw, pictured above. 

 

The fashions at this point are primarily accessories, such as the “pointy epaulets” worn by Shaw in this image. The designs are all capable of being produced on the new Cube entry-level 3D printer and can be made in a wide variety of colors. We understand they’re even working on dress designs that could show up in Cubify’s repositories this year. 

 

One angle we found very interesting was that the content is not exclusively directed to consumers. In the image at the top we see a 3D printed spiky heel. We understand that 3D Systems wants to offer 3D printed “components” to traditional designers who may incorporate them into their own product designs. In this case, the heel is 3D printed, but the upper can be whatever the shoe designer imagines. 

 

Content for consumers; Content for industry. We like it.

 

Via Cubify

Battle of the Mini 3D Printers

Some say the pricing of assembled 3D printers from the major manufacturers has risen, and in some cases they have, but usually accompanied with a series of new useful features. To counteract the “price barrier”, as perceived by new members of the 3D printing community, the majors have developed “mini” 3D printers. 

 

The first was 3D Systems’ Cube, first released some two years ago and now in its third generation. Last week MakerBot joined the party by releasing the tiny MakerBot Replicator Mini. 

 

But which one is the right one for you? There are a number of similarities and differences in the two devices: 

 

Features	Replicator Mini	Cube 3
VOLUME	1250cc	3851cc
PLASTIC	PLA only	PLA and ABS
CASE	Black	Black or White
LAYERS	0.200mm	0.075mm
MATERIAL	Generic PLA	Cubify only
PRICE	USD$1375	USD$999
WARRANTY	Optional	90 days
PLATFORM	Windows/Mac/Linux	Windows/Mac
EXTRUDERS	One	Two

 

While there are similarities, the key differences seem to be: 

 

• The Cube has two extruders, has higher resolution, can print ABS as well as PLA and is substantially less expensive
• The Mini uses inexpensive filament that over the long term may make it less expensive to own

 

The decision is easy only if you absolutely must have a white machine. 

Cubify’s Advanced Material Cartridges

Cubify’s new Cube 3 includes a fascinating new feature: extremely simplified material loading, made possible only through the development of a new way to handle plastic filament. 

 

The new cartridges are quite different from any generic spool you’ve seen before. They’re sealed to prevent dust and dirt from contaminating the filament (which eventually clogs up your extruder). They include a tube running from the spool housing to the attachment point, meaning your filament is enclosed during its entire journey from spool to extruder.  

 

The attachment point is much like an earphone jack. Just insert it into the Cube’s extruder and you’re done. No need for heating up to change them, either; they’re literally plug and play. 

 

But perhaps the most revolutionary feature is that the spool is powered from behind. Most extruders include a mechanism to pull the filament from a spool. The new Cube spool does the opposite: a motor turns the spool itself, pushing the filament into the extruder. This feature should result in far fewer incidents of broken filament. 

 

The cartridge is mounted on the side of the cube in a neatly shaped indentation. 

  

The plastic in the spool is chemically consistent, meaning that the Cube’s software can be pre-calibrated for excellent results. 

 

This all sounds good, but is there a catch? Yes, there is. The Cube can print ONLY from these proprietary cartridges, and they’re expensive when compared to generic filament. You can only use the colors and materials offered by Cubify, so you won’t be printing any wood filament soon, for example. 

 

This is a case of cost/benefit analysis. The new cartridge does offer significant advantages - if you’re willing to pay for it. For many consumers, the security of knowing there will be fewer troubles will be worth the extra cost. 

Scan-A-Claus? In New York City?

3D Systems' Cubify division announced a unique service: Scan-A-Claus, just in time for the holiday season. It's a 21st Century take on a 20th Century tradition: a picture with Santa Claus. 

 

Some readers may recall from their youth the sometimes awkward moments sitting on a strange Santa's knee waiting for a professional photographer to capture an image for posterity. 

 

This is much the same, except that it's not an image being captured - instead you are 3D scanned with Santa. Engineers will be using their new "Sense" handheld scanner to produce the 3D scans, which of course, will then be 3D printed. 

 

The event takes place in New York City tomorrow (yes TOMORROW ONLY) at Cubo, a 3D printing and Toy store at 512 East 12th St., from 11AM to 6PM ET. You'll need to register for a specific time slot to get your scan done, which take place every five minutes. More information is available at the link below. 

 

We think this is a very interesting experiment; transforming an old tradition into a new one. Will it catch on? Will we see Santas surrounded by scanners across the land in late Decembers to come? 

 

Via Cubify

What 3D Printers Will Be Announced at CES 2014?

Last year at CES 2013 in Las Vegas we saw the start of a pattern: two significant personal 3D printers we announced. Both MakerBot and 3D Systems showed off new flagship devices. As they have not released any new machines since then, we suspect they both plan big announcements. 

 

But what could they be? With only one month to go until CES, it's time for speculation. 

 

MakerBot’s announcement in 2013 was the Replicator 2X, still their most expensive machine. We expect them to announce a new machine that focuses on reliability, perhaps with new extruding technology. We may also see the first incorporations of Stratasys technologies, now that MakerBot is owned by Stratasys. Such features could strongly distinguish MakerBot's offering from other filament-based personal 3D printers. 

 

Meanwhile, the other industry giant, 3D Systems is also set to announce new products. We expect to see more advanced versions of their introductory Cube 3D printer as well as an improved CubeX prosumer offering. 

 

We also speculate that 3D systems just might announce a personal 3D printer that uses resin-based technology, similar to the Formlabs machine. Such a product could leverage 3D Systems’ significant expertise and long experience in this area - and their patents could ensure their product is unique, much as Stratasys is now leveraging their FDM patents to strengthen MakerBot. 

 

On the other hand, we could be totally wrong. In any case, we'll see what happens in January. 

Cubes In Harrods!

3D Systems' Cubify division has made another notable retail move, this time sealing a deal with Harrods of London to display the Cube personal 3D printer at their flagship store in Knightsbridge. 

  

Cubify has been rapidly expanding their network of resellers recently, but to be at Harrods is a big accomplishment. Harrods is a very high-end retail store catering to wealthy international clients who sometimes travel across the world to shop at the Knightsbridge department store. 

 

The Cube will now be seen in person by wealthy individuals from many countries - and in some cases it might be the only 3D printer they've ever seen. It's a great move by 3D Systems to gain profile for their 3D printer. 

 

Via Cubify

Walmart Selling Cube 3D Printers - in Brazil

We know Staples sells Cubify's entry-level personal 3D printer, the Cube, at an undetermined number of physical outlets in the USA. But now we learn Walmart also sells the Cube - but not in the USA; they're available in Brazil. 

 

The Cube is priced at R$5,758 (USD$2,478), quite a bit more than the standard US price of USD1,299. We know US products are typically priced a bit higher when exported to other countries, but this is quite a markup. Perhaps it's a typical markup in Brazil for electronics; we're not certain. Perhaps Brazilian readers could enlighten us?

 

Regardless, this is a very interesting move. It could mean that 3D Systems is testing a relationship with Walmart in preparation for a much larger, US or even global launch. 

 

Expect to see a lot more Cubes very soon. 

 

Via Walmart Brazil

Cubify's New Handheld Scanner

Cubify announced the "Sense 3D Scanner" in a surprise announcement. The 3D printer manufacturer has thus far produced only 3D printers, making the Sense a completely new product line. 

 

It's a handheld 3D scanner capable of rapidly capturing 3D shapes. We examined the specifications for the device and noted the following: 

 

• The scan volume ranges from 20cm to 300cm-sided cubic volumes. It seems that the resolution is dependent on the volume selected; in other words, there's a fixed number of "pixels" that are spread over the scan volume, up to 400,000 triangles
• The scan unit itself is made by Primesense, the same folks who produce the scanner inside Microsoft's Kinect device. It's laser-based, but don't worry - it's classified as "eye-safe"
• File output is either STL or PLY (which contains color textures, meaning you can capture color scans with the Sense). These are universal formats, meaning you are free to use them with non-Cubify 3D printers or other software packages
• The scanner is matched to proprietary software that comes with the Sense. It's keyed, so that you must "activate" your scanner to have it work with the software 
• The software converts the raw scan data into a 3D model, fills the inevitable scan holes and performs basic editing, making it capable of producing a printable 3D model

 

The Sense is priced at USD$399 and is available now. Note that this price is fantastically less than MakerBot's Digitizer, which is priced at USD$1550. We'll have to wait for samples to see the difference in scan quality. 

 

However, the Sense is handheld and you can use it to scan objects much larger than you could place on MakerBot's turntable device. 

 

We haven't yet seen the Sense in action, but it is likely sufficient for most users. If it uses the same hardware as the Kinect, the scans are probably insufficient for professional use. But the Sense will solve a major problem for Cubify and other 3D printer manufacturers: how to find great 3D models for printing. With the Sense you just make them yourself; no need for 3D modeling software. 

 

Via Cubify

Skip the Draft; Cubify Gets You Into the NBA Now

Cubify announced another terrific addition to their "3DMe" service, which puts your face on different 3D printed figurines. The awkwardly named but legally correct "3DMe™ Sports featuring NBA® app!" accepts as input a couple of facial images and applies them to a selection of basketball figurine poses. 

 

The NBA part comes in when you select the NBA team your figurine will join - and your own jersey number. The service automatically puts it all together with a circular base that includes the team's logo and an optional message. 

 

The price? A pretty reasonable USD$69.99 per figurine.

 

We're wondering when they'll add NHL hockey. 

 

Via Cubify

Cubify's Software Pricing Breakthrough: Cubify Design

In a rather underplayed announcement, Cubify announced new software yesterday that deserves much more splash. Cubify Design could significantly change how people use their personal 3D printers. 

 

Cubify Design is a low-priced 3D modeling tool, but it's quite different from other free or inexpensive modeling tools. The key feature is that Cubify Design can create assemblies. 

 

What's an assembly? It's a collection of separate parts that are intended to fit together. With Cubify Design you will be able to design objects that have multiple parts; print the parts separately and then physically assemble them into your functional object. Pins and holes will fit precisely. 

 

But there's a lot more to this assembly business. Parts can not only just "fit" together, they can MOVE. You can, for example, design a rotating component, or one that slides. Not only will the software help you design a slider that perfectly fits into a slot, it will also detect whether it will hit anything when it slides! Moving objects have collision detection. 

 

Assemblies can be exported as a series of STL files that you could then 3D print on your favorite 3D printer - even in metal if you use a 3D print service. You can also export your assemblies in the standard industry 3D assembly file formats IGES, STEP and SAT, as well as the 2D formats DXF, DWG and PDF. 

 

 

With this tool you can easily design complex objects that offer much more function than anything you could make with comparably priced 3D modeling software. 

 

There's more. Cubify Design is priced at only USD$199, well within the reach of almost any 3D printer owner - yet the features it offers are typically available only on very high priced commercial 3D design software like SolidWorks, which is ten or more times as expensive. Check the video below to see how it works. 

 

 

There are two downers we must report, however. First, the software is available only for Windows. It continues to surprise us how Cubify's software ignores the Mac and Linux markets, as these markets include a significant number of creative people that might use a 3D printer. And many make do, somehow, in spite of Windows-only software. 

 

The second issue is that Cubify Design cannot import STL or OBJ files. This means that if you happen to have an existing cool design component built in another tool, you cannot add it to an assembly in Cubify Design. Thus, you are limited to whatever you can make within Cubify Design itself, unless you somehow have access to a pricey software package that can export as STEP, IGES or SAT formats for later import into Cubify Design - but if you had one of those packages, you wouldn't be using Cubify Design, would you?

 

Nevertheless, we feel this release is a significant breakthrough for personal 3D printing. Now, for the first time, people at home can not only print functional objects, but they can design them, too. 

 

Via Cubify

Cubify's Bloody Halloween

Cubify has added a new app to generate 3D models just in time for Halloween: 3DMe Horror! 

 

Previously Cubify has offered to place your own head on top of far nicer bodies such as Star Trek characters, but now you can obtain a 3D printed, full color figurine of yourself as a Zombie, or the "Chainsaw Guy". 

 

It's a great idea and we think it should have legs. But what's really interesting is how this particular theme affects the interface. While you obviously must upload images of your face for 3D processing, choose a character, gender, height and weight, this time you must also choose what kind of bloodstain you'd like. 

 

You can choose "No Blood" or any of several different spatter patterns. "Blood 1" is shown above. 

 

All yours in time for Halloween for USD$69. 

 

Via Cubify

Exclusive: Inside the CubeX Factory

Hidden in the sleepy coastal town of Clevedon, UK, lies the secret factory that produces 3D Systems' CubeX 3D printer. We recently toured the factory to find out how these popular machines are created. 

 

Aside from a modest research and development unit, the entire facility is dedicated to production of CubeX's. It is indeed a factory; we observed trucks delivering components at one end of the building, while other trucks (or "Lorries", as they say in the UK) collected boxed finished units at the other end for shipment to points around the globe.  

 

The process of assembly is straightforward, but precisely coordinated along the multi-stage production line. The first stage involves connecting basic metal components together to form the machine's frame.

 

The frame travels along the production line where all the subcomponents are progressively attached.

 

Some complex subcomponents, such as the extruder, are pre-assembled by separate, dedicated teams to speed up the process. 

 

While most of the machine's components are delivered from distant factories, the metal components in the CubeX are actually manufactured right next door. A conveniently adjacent metal shop produces all the rods and other metal structures, simplifying the supply chain significantly. We're told the metal shop's proximity is also very handy when new prototypes are developed. 

 

Once a unit has been completely assembled, work has not finished. Each machine then moves to a test area where it undergoes rigorous testing and calibration. Specific test prints   ensure each machine works correctly. If not, the machine is diagnosed, repaired and recalibrated until it passes certification tests. 

 

Machines then move to Quality Control, where the machine is cleaned, inventoried and checked one last time. The final stage, of course, is packing and shipping. 

 

We were impressed with the efficiency of the CubeX factory; it is well organized and has appropriate assembly line process optimizations. We had a strong sense that the managers were constantly evaluating the assembly process to introduce improvements when identified. But the true test of any factory is the resulting products, which in this case are high-quality CubeXs. 

 

Cubify's Next Generation

You might recall Cubify's 3DMe app that puts your head on a custom 3D printed Star Trek figurine? The next generation of the app now includes Star Trek: The Next Generation models. 

 

You can now select ST:TNG uniforms in either blue, gold or red. (We would strongly advise not selecting red, because, you know…)

 

The app uses images of your face and plants them accurately on predesigned models, which are available in several poses and genders. Well, two genders. 

 

Available now for USD$69 and an image of yourself.  

 

We're wondering if Sir Patrick Stewart would consider making one of these?

 

Via Cubify

The Cube Spotted At Staples

For the very first time, a personal 3D printer has been seen on display in a major retail chain. 3D Systems made a deal with Staples to resell the Cube some months ago, but until now the Cube has only been seen in Staples' online store. Now it's actually there in person, for real, no kidding. 

 

It's not clear exactly which Staples outlets have the Cube on display, as 3D Systems says: 

 

The Cube 3D printer has hit retail shelves at select Staples stores throughout the country. Select locations of Staples stores are offering consumers the opportunity to purchase a 3D printer for their at home use.

 

Does this mean you'll see it at your Staples? Probably not yet, but we suspect you'll see them there before too long. 

 

Via Cubify

It's Time To Inventory Cubify's Apps

Over the past year Cubify has periodically released web apps for you to create customized designs. Some of the apps permit download of STL files for printing on your home 3D printer, and we suspect Cubify is hoping you'll do it on your Cube 3D printer, even though the STL models could print on other printers, too. Other apps render much more complex, color objects that you can send to Cubify's print service for production on commercial-level equipment. 

 

But at this point there are so many apps doing so many things we thought we'd better prepare a list for you. 

 

First, apps that provide downloadable STL for personal 3D printing: 

 

Cubify Draw: an iOS app permitting children to finger-draw a shape that is transformed into a simple 3D object. 

 

Party Glasses: a selection of funky glasses, best printed in the wildest color possible.

 

Cubify Love Notes: Valentine-ish notes in 3D form, obviously only printable in red plastic. 

 

Cubify Pics: Upload a high-contrast picture and have it transformed into a slightly-3D shape, suitable for printing. 

 

Cubify Rings: A wide selection of customizable ring components can be mixed together to get what you want: your own Super Bowl ring, perhaps. 

 

Cubify Bracelets: Customized bracelets, one of the easiest and most effective 3D prints possible on low-end personal machines. 

 

Cubify Earrings: Mix and match components and design features to create amazing earrings. 

 

Cubify Tags: Customized dog tags, usable on actual dogs. 

 

Alien Invaders: Spaceships! That's all we need to say. 

 

Defenders: Create a customized 3D 1950's style rocketship. 

 

Regalizer: Children-sized crowns of all shapes. 

 

Cubify also offers the ability to create much more complex customized objects, but because they're in color, they must be printed on Cubify's own color-capable 3D printers. 

 

Star Trek 3DMe: Send in photos of your face and have yourself 3D printed as an actual Star Trek figurine. Just don't pick the Red Shirt, because, well, you know.

 

3DMe: Send in photos of your face and have them shaped onto a wide variety of 3D figurines in various common, interesting or downright strange figurines. 

 

FreshFiber iPad Mini App: Create a custom iPad Mini case using adornments you choose from a large selection.  

 

FreshFiber Sculpture Cases: The smartphone designs are unique for you because they are designed from an image you upload. 

 

Cubify Bugdroids: Create your own colorful droid using a huge selection of options. 

 

Cubify Robot Nation: Mix and match robot parts to create a unique robot of your own design.  

 

Will these be all that's offered by Cubify. We think not. In fact, the possibilities for this type of object creation are literally limitless. Watch for more from Cubify. 

 

Via Cubify

Cubify Releases "Draw"

Yet another easy-to-use Cubify app has been released: Draw. It's actually an iOS app where you can simply "draw" a shape with your finger. 

 

The shape drawn is a 2D trace, but the Draw app expands its thickness and extrudes it into a solid shape. You're permitted to either email the corresponding STL file or you can upload it to your Cubify account for further processing, including sending it to 3D Systems' massive 3D print services. Check out this video to see how it works: 

 

 

While the app is terrifically easy to use, there are some constraints: only one continuous finger trace is permitted. If you draw something and then start a second trace, the first trace disappears. Make sure you draw the entire shape in one go. Aside from the shape itself, you can adjust the width of the shape and its extruded thickness. No other adjustments are possible. 

 

The app works and is designed for novices (mostly children) to create stuff to print on their Cube 3D printer. It's perhaps the simplest possible 3D design app and therefore it doesn't do very much for you - but it does work and will definitely create stuff to print. 

 

We're wondering what will be the next Cubify app? 

 

Via Cubify