On-Demand 3D Printing Service Opens at UPS Hub

3D Printing & Imaging Maker News
On-Demand 3D Printing Service Opens at UPS Hub

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On Monday a new cloud-based, on-demand 3D printing company, called CloudDDM (Direct Digital Manufacturing), announced itself and its plan to open a facility in partnership with UPS.

CloudDDM will allow customers to use a browser-based design program to create parts, prototypes, even complete products that can then be printed in ABS, Polycarbonate (PC), Polycarbonate-ABS (PC-ABS), and ULTEM 1010, with several color options available. They even offer different post-processing services to add various finishes to your prints. I was unable to find anything about print resolution or cost details.

This announcement comes on the heels of UPS announcing last year that it would be offering 3D printing services in some of its retail locations. The CloudDDM facility will be located at UPS’ worldwide hub in Louisville, Kentucky.

The fully-automated CloudDDM factory will initially house 100 3D printers and require only three employees to run it (working in 1-person, 8-hour shifts). CloudDDM hopes to eventually expand to 1,000 printers. One of the advantages of placing the facility at the UPS hub is instant access to the company’s distribution infrastructure. When you place an order, if your print takes less than 4 hours, and the job is submitted by 6pm PT, you can have your components by the next day!

It will be really interesting to see where this goes and how small businesses utilize this service. Kudos to UPS for leveraging their core competencies in forging this strategic alliance with CloudDDM.

[Via 3DPrint.com]

7 thoughts on “On-Demand 3D Printing Service Opens at UPS Hub

  1. Michael Stephens says:

    Cute.. but OMG expensive.

  2. Wing Poon says:

    Just signed up on their website …. good luck with that! I submitted a print (14 cubic-cm material volume) I just make at my local UPS store on their Stratasys FDM last weekend. The shop made the part for me in ABS in 6 hours, on a weekend, for $50. CloudDDM just quoted me $129 for the same part a 5 (business) day turn.

    1. ofuel says:

      BUT on the other hand their machines are super shiny and yellow and cost a cool billion dollars to setup. They have to make some money now… cause investors don’t care what the market wants to pay… they just want their money back.

      Why am I thinking about SOLYNDRA right now?

  3. swarm10 says:

    More Right things of makezine
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    1. Michael Andersen says:

      Your co-woker´s mom is a slut! Doing all these webcam sessions, covering herself in feces form various kinds of farm animals…

  4. Ralph Schaffner says:

    Yes, their pricing is way over the top. I just had my local UPS store quote me $92 to print a small part. I then provided the same model file to matterhackers and they printed and shipped the same part to me for $18.

  5. 3D says:

    Try NextLine, they have really good prices. http://www.nextlinemfg.com/

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Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

View more articles by Gareth Branwyn

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