We are excited for 2013 to be the Year of 3D Printing.

5. UP! 3D Printer from China: Viable Competitor to US 3D Printer Makers

4. 3D Modeling and Design for 3D Printing: Tinkercad, Sketchup and 123D

3. Why Google Sold SketchUp and What It Means for 3D Printing

2. Why 3D Printing Will Be More Fun Than LEGO: Minecraft Video

1. 3D Printing Stocks are Hot: Top Public Companies Up 180% Over 6 Months

Cloud-based architecture 3D printing service 3D Model-To-Print announced availability of its service in North America after 3 years of development.

3D Model-To-Print (3DMTP USA and 3DMTP LTD) today announces the industry’s first affordable cloud-based service available in North America (www.3DMTPusa.com). Released after three years of development and rigorous testing, 3DMTP’s revolutionary, cloud-based patented technology prepares models to be 3D printed by automatically converting commonly-used architectural software files into 3D printable models, all without the need for costly and time-consuming manual preparation.

3D printing is used in architecture for a more effective and efficient design cycle, and improved visualization between the architect and their audience. The challenge of 3D printing for architects and designers has been the complexity, time, and cost required to prepare 3D design files for printing. With 3DMTP, architects and designers can see a return on investment in about one hour, compared to the traditional manual process.

“The solution that 3DMTP provides is one that has long been needed for our architectural customers,” states Kevin Carr, General Manager of Imaging Division of Mastergraphics — a a 3DMTP USA user, 3D print network member, and both an Autodesk and 3D Systems reseller with locations in Wisconsin, Chicago and Minneapolis. ”Not only does it save hours–even days–in the process of preparing 3D architectural design for 3D printing, it also significantly reduces the cost to prepare the designs, making  3D printing a more usable and affordable option for those wanting to make models of their architectural designs.”

How It’s Done
3DMTP is dedicated to making 3D scaled models printable and available to every architect, developer, and designer at a reasonable price. The innovation is based on cutting-edge algorithms which study the geometric structure of the model, then identify and automatically fix problems that would have prevented it from successfully printing.

“We are committed to providing a state of the art experience that will simplify and enable seamless execution of 3D architectural scale model creation,” comments Ilan Sidi, CTO of 3DMTP and the pioneer of the technology.  

How to Get Started
First, log in to the 3DMTP Portal. Once you are ready to turn your design into a 3D printable model, upload your design file and set your parameters: scale, profile, and desired 3D printer. 3DMTP automatically processes the file without any additional operator interface. 3DMTP also fixes holes between polygons and facets, repairs reverse surfaces, changes the thickness of walls to minimum print tolerance for the selected printer, fixes non-volumetric geometry (making objects “watertight”), and fixes many other problems of degenerated geometry that otherwise would prevent the model from printing successfully.

Become a Member of the 3D Print Network
3DMTP USA is now cultivating a 3D print network in the US and Canada, comprised of 3D printer dealers, BIM/CAD dealers, and 3D print providers such as architectural model shops and reprographics service bureaus.

“We are creating this professional network to help support the anticipated demand for printing 3D architectural models, due to the reduced time and cost to ready AEC models. This increased demand will be a direct result of the introduction of the 3D Model-to-Print™ automated technology into the North American markets,” explains Phil Magenheim, Director of 3DMTP USA.

Those interested in learning more about converting their 3D architectural designs into printable 3D models, or those interested in learning more about becoming a member for the 3DMTP print network member, should visit 3DMTPusa.com or contact 3DMTP USA by emailing info@3DMTPusa.com or by calling 301-637-5900.  

About 3DMTP
3D Model-To-Print (3DMTP) develops and offers a unique, innovative, patented cloud-based processing service and studio software that can make every architectural 3D CAD, BIM, or SketchUp design a scaled printable model. 3DMTP is a privately owned and funded venture founded by a group of software entrepreneurs and architects who identified a novel and cost-effective solution for automatizing and optimizing the creation of 3D architectural scale models using 3D printing technologies.

Via 3dmtpusa.com.

3D printed architecture photo by post-apocalyptic research institute used under Creative Commons license.

Here are the top 10 most popular stories On 3D Printing brought you in June 2012.

10. The Dutch combine 3D printing and textiles.

9. A review of 3D modeling software Tinkercad, SketchUp, and 123D.

8. People are wondering why Google sold 3D modeling business SketchUp.

7. Still popular: the Motley Fool reviews the 3D printing industry.

6. We exclusively covered 3D Systems’ Cubify at Google I/O 3D printing in San Francisco.

5. UP! 3D printer from China is a viable competitor to MakerBot and other.

4. You can be a superhero; your face 3D printed on a superhero action figure.

3. Facebook investor Peter Thiel backs 3D printing entrepreneur.

2.  Why 3D printing will be more fun than LEGO thanks to Minecraft.

1. 3D printing stock are hot and up over 180%! So was this article.

Thanks for reading in June!

Peter Thiel photo by thekenyeung used under Creative Commons license.

Kai Backman, co-founder and CEO of Helsinki-based Tinkercad, was interviewed by Wired magazine last week. Tinkercad allows mainstream consumers to design 3D models in their web browser for free, competing with traditional professional software costing thousands of dollars. Below are some excerpts from the interview.

What inspired you to create Tinkercad?

Tinkercad was born from a very personal frustration. In 2009, I started researching the new emerging 3-D printing technology and eventually bought my first printer by the end of the year. The device was assembled with great fanfare and my children eagerly looked forward to printed toys while my wife expected jewelry or at least some useful household items. Much to their disappointment it turned out that actually designing anything for printing was extremely hard with the software available. I would spend the evening learning one CAD system after another, only to get very little traction and forgetting most of what I learned before the next session.

In mid-2010 it had become clear the problem was more and more acute for a lot of people, so I quit my job at Google, Mikko my co-founder quit his job, and we started the company. We are still on the same road, our vision is to make 3-D design in general, and the design of physical items in particular, accessible to hundreds of millions of people.

On the Tinkercad Comunity

We let users choose how they want to publish their things and a lot of them use a Creative Commons license. This means the tinkercad.com site has a rapidly growing repository of interesting 3-D designs and an equally rapidly growing base of users.

Asked what Kai’s favorite 3D design is in the community, he pointed us to an historic train station on the Harlem line called Brewster Station.

Below is a video walkthrough of Tinkercad that showcases how it is feature rich despite the fact that it runs in a browser.

Read the full interview at Wired.

Tinker Towne photo by kafkan used under Creative Commons license.

Here are the top 10 most popular stories On 3D Printing brought you in May 2012.

10. 3D Systems acquired FreshFiber for 3D printed electronics accessories.

9. We wrote an editorial analyzing the space of 3D printing creators and consumers.

8. We reviewed SketchUp, Tinkercad, and 123D modeling software.

7. The fashion runway was 3D printed in Belgium.

6. The Motley Fool weighed in on public 3D printing manufacturers.

5. We featured companies exhibiting at Maker Faire Bay Area 2012.

4. Why Google sold SketchUp and what it means for 3D printing.

3. A 3D printing vending machine surfaced at Virginia Tech.

2. This New House: constructing and printing WikiHouse.

1. We featured Brad Feld as a premiere venture capitalist looking at 3D printing investments.

Thanks for reading in May!