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Staples Announces In-Store 3D Printing Service
- hansy 14y agoThis is a brilliant move by Staples. - Get people through their doors (to ultimately browse and purchase stuff) - Associate 3D printing with the Staples brand so that when personal units hit the market, people will "know" where to buy them
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- nickpinkston 14y agoWhat's neat is that the MCOR printer uses A4 printer paper & PVA (Elmer's Glue) - so it's cheap and very-human safe (even more than the FDM type).
- replicatorblog 14y agoI think this is a Dunder-Mifflin move though. "3-D printers are great. We sell paper! Success" I love the MCOR concept, their models are just such a bizarre fit in the market. All the drawbacks of paper, all the cost of 3-D printing. Have you had good success with them?
- jivatmanx 14y agoDisagree, this is a service and Staples already offers paper printing and other services. Kinko's might be a better fit though, as they're more well known for them.
- nickpinkston 14y agoThey're not in wide circulation. People were wondering if they were vaporware actually - but I've only see parts once, and they were pretty good. People still use the old Helisys machines that there's corporate servicer of them: http://www.cubictechnologies.com/Helisys.htm http://www.cubictechnologies.com/Helisys.htm
- randomdata 14y agoI'm not real familiar with Mcor's technology, but they claim the results are like wood, which seems like it would be good enough for a lot of the use-cases people are using PLA and the like for. But more than that, sometimes you just want to bring your 2D printed page to life for presentations and things of that nature. Paper-printed 3D models would be perfect for that. Given Staples' primary audience, I would assume this it he market they are really going after.
- ShawnBird 14y agoEspecially for things that you kind of need to touch. If you are designing something physical it could be a cheap alternative to whatever the current mockup methods are.
- startupfounder 14y agoDoes anyone have an idea of what their cost structure will be and time frame for coming to the USA? Are there any other business that offer a service like this in the US?
- sawyer 14y agoMinor nitpick with the title - the 3D printing will not be done in store (yet), it will be done offsite and shipped for pick up in store.
- rmason 14y agoIf you want to rapidly iterate on a design this simply isn't going to work. Waiting a day between versions greatly limits the usefulness of this service.
- mmcdan 14y agoIt's all about perspective. 1day turnaround is very slow for software but extremely fast for hardware. In the harware world, high-quality parts turnaround in 1 day is revolutionary.
- anigbrowl 14y agoIf you need to rapidly iterate that badly, then you're probably going to buy a 3d printer for your business. Not everyone requires this.
- rorrr 14y agoThis makes little sense. Ordering a 3D model online is easier, they ship it to your door (and it's probably cheaper).
- hrabago 14y agoHowever this does make the service that much more visible. I'm not sure that 3D printing is that well known yet. Also, dealing with a B&M establishment provides some with additional assurances that they may not have with an online-only business.
- mmcdan 14y agoI would argue the exact opposite. Online printing turnaround time is slower, costs more(for printing in batches), and is inconvenient when UPS/Fedex keep leaving "sorry we missed you" notices because you're at work.
- rmrfrmrf 14y agoSeems like that would be a waste of paper/natural resources.
- jordanthoms 14y agoPaper is a renewable resource.
- nathan_long 14y agoYep. If you're a paper company, the cheapest way to get wood pulp is to grow and harvest your own forests. Replanting is how you stay in business.
- jlgreco 14y agoTo add to that, it is also incredibly recyclable. Any waste paper this process creates is undoubtedly recycled.
- brianbreslin 14y agoDepends on the glue used how recyclable these things are
- jlgreco 14y agoWell true. I was thinking about the unglued paper that is cut away from these during the creation process though.
- gregschlom 14y ago"Mcor 3D printers employ water-based adhesive – no toxic fumes, lasers, airborne powder or toxic resins – enabling the machine to easily co-exist in an office or classroom." http://www.mcortechnologies.com/mcor-technologies-announces-availability-of-the-iris-the-worlds-first-true-colour-3d-printer/ http://www.mcortechnologies.com/mcor-technologies-announces-...
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- johnmurch 14y agoThis is a great step imho. I wish other large box stores would step up to the plate aka BestBuy. BestBuy should be reaching out to successful Kickstarter projects and start selling them in stores. e.g. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flomio/flojack-nfc-for-ipad-and-iphone http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/flomio/flojack-nfc-for-i... or http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rgb-led http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thingm/blink1-the-usb-rg... or even http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pimoroni/picade-the-arcade-cabinet-kit-for-your-raspberry-p http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pimoroni/picade-the-arca... As for Staples other services - they still need to make it "easy". Focus on deals for startups like creating notepads, stamps, etc. monthly subscription and/or better design/offers. SXSW deals, etc. Stuff they already do but don't market as aggressive. Just my $0.02
- ChuckMcM 14y agoThis is a fascinating announcement on two levels, the first is that these guys believe there is enough of a market to support the service, and two that the printers themselves are nominally turning cellulose back into wood carvings. Has anyone seen a demo print from these guys? Something you could hold? I'm curious about three things: 1) relative density, 2) durability over time, 3) relative strengths in compression and tension.
- bradleysmith 14y agoI have some demo units sitting on my desk; one 'brake caliper' type bracket we received can be tossed 15ft. in the air without structural damage, and hardly a dent. to answer your questions: 1)The parts feel equally dense to an Objet polyjet print, more dense and rigid then most SLA process parts I've seen. On par w/ ABS from a FDM, but definitely less brittle. One thing worth mentioning is the part does have "twist" as in, the layers will move the slightest bit allowing you to effectively twist a part. Think phonebook. 2)I've broken one part (a chainlink) now, from two layers spreading apart. This was after me and several people I know had loaded it up w/ 20-30lbs force, twisting and pulling on the chainlink. 3)If I put the same load on a VeroWhitePlus Objet chainlink, I would have broken it quicker. I cannot speak to many other technologies, but I know that much is true.
- ChuckMcM 14y agoAwesome, so it sounds reasonably credible for a number of tasks. The twist is an interesting 'feature' in terms of using it structurally. Depending on feature size a killer app with 'true color' is to create a prototype consumer device at scale with the appearance of the actual device. That can certainly inform things like pocket usability, grip flexibility, finger kinematics, etc. The demo video made it also look like it would be awesome for architectural visualization (buildings) and city planning.
- qq66 14y agoThis is the way that 3D printing will take off before in-home 3D printing -- instead of having to get a small part or prototype shipped 2,000 miles, you'll drive 5 miles to your nearest Staples.
- manaskarekar 14y agoJust like desktop publishing.
- randomdata 14y agoIt sounds like it is still shipped 2,000 miles. You just receive it at your local Staples instead of your mailbox. Though I'm inclined to agree that the next step will be in-house 3D printing businesses.
- jtchang 14y agoWow. Staples would be the last place I'd guess disruption coming from for the 3d printing industry. Now when can I download a pirated schematic of an iphone and send it off to staples to get a fully working product.
- nileshtrivedi 14y agoI was curious about the price of MCOR IRIS printer mentioned and found this: The Mcor IRIS can be ordered today through Mcor’s worldwide reseller network for December delivery at €11,300 (£10,200 or $15,866 USD), the manufacturer’s suggested retail price per year for the three- year Free D plan. The unique Free D plan includes machine use, free materials and service, and reflects Mcor’s commitment to unfettered innovation – encouraging access to and use of powerful 3D printing technology. Instead of discouraging use through expensive consumables, the company rewards use with a flat price. http://www.mcortechnologies.com/mcor-technologies-announces-availability-of-the-iris-the-worlds-first-true-colour-3d-printer/ http://www.mcortechnologies.com/mcor-technologies-announces-...
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- jcfrei 14y agointeresting to see that what apperently matters most to prospective 3d printing users is the availability of a large color palette. I'm sure staples did extensive research and I believe future 3d printers will not spread into every household until the pieces can be colored in every way imaginable (even if it's just a last step surface paint).
- thenomad 14y agoFull-colour is huge. Not for practical stuff, but for anything decorative, it's massive. For example, MMORPG players wanting to print their characters will cheerfully provide a six-figure market on their own, I'd think!
- bdickason 14y agoAgreed. If someone can nail full color printing that feels like injection molded plastic, it will be huge.
- klinquist 14y agoI wonder if they would allow me to 3D print something they already sell in the store - for a cheaper price.
- NegativeK 14y agoI guarantee they'll have "no printing things that fall under IP law" policies. Besides that, what objects in a Staples store could you 3d print with paper? I can't imagine any of their products (that isn't trivially cheap) being simple enough.
- Evbn 14y agoFurniture. Not cheaper, though.
- noonespecial 14y agoHow well it works, or even how well it competes with other online offerings isn't important. The most important thing about this development is that there's going to be a sign in the store advertising this service. Regular people asking "What is this '3d printing' thing" is a huge step towards mainstreaming it.
- anigbrowl 14y agoStaples Easy 3D will launch in the Netherlands and Belgium This partly because Mcor, the printer manufacturer, is European, but I suspect also because there's more demand in Europe thanks to the ubiquity of fast cheap broadband. It disturbs me that the US is falling behind in the digital infrastructure stakes.
- MichaelGG 14y agoAre 3D printer files amazingly huge or something? Why would broadband matter so much?
- anigbrowl 14y agoNo, but I think for casual users print providers will want to host 3d models in a browser app.
- replicatorblog 14y agoI wouldn't read much into it. When HP started selling Stratasys 3-D printers it got the same reaction as this. They were also only sold in a couple European countries. It had nothing to do with broadband and everything to do with a VP from Europe thinking it would be a good idea. The experiment fizzled out after poor results.
- biturd 14y agoI wonder how long this company has been around and how visible they are. From days ago Iris used to be the name in pre-press digital proofing. Before you went to press, you better get an Iris or a ChromaPress to be certain everything was ok. Even now, their printers are pretty heavily saturated within google image search. If not the sane company, I'm smelling a name change or a trademark issue. https://www.google.com/search?q=iris+printer&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=u&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=dO23ULDkLcTniwLJ3IFY&ved=0CDgQsAQ&biw=320&bih=416#p=0 https://www.google.com/search?q=iris+printer&hl=en&c...
- TSR830-10Q 14y agoRandom comment: Great to see this, Mcor technologies started in a little village in Ireland (the next village over from me). I called them once and asked if they had a bureau service. They put me directly on to one of the founders who was really friendly and knowledgeable (we started chatting about C++, OpenGL & slicing algorithms). I tried to get some of my best graduates (I lecture on OpenGL) to apply for their C++ jobs but most of my graduates have a Dublin/City-only view of the world and I never could convince them to interview for it.
- andyjohnson0 14y agoThis made me think of William Gibson's book Idoru [1]. A entertainment celebrity AI takes advantage of a worldwide convenience stores' installation of nanotech object printers to enter the physical world by creating thousands of bodies running its personality. Written in 1996. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idoru http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idoru