Shapeways: 3D printing in glass, Blender renderer files released

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Two cool news items from 3D Printing community Shapeways: you can now print your designs in glass (which is an industry first), and they’ve released their Blender renderer files under a Creative Commons license.

I reported about the new Blender-based rendering system earlier. The current default scene is very simple: a plain white, slightly reflective floor. If you think you can do better, you can participate in a contest to design a new scene: the winner gets a $150 printing voucher.

To participate, just grab the files (see link below), and design a new scene in Blender 2.49(!). You can do pretty much anything you like, but you have to leave the camera’s position and orientation intact. Also keep the rendering time reasonable as they currently render hundreds if not thousands of models a day.

Good luck!

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    • tidbit

      Pretty cool glass. You should get a wood material.

    • http://www.anicator.com Christiaan (AniCator)

      Gotta love Shapeways! If I can just get to finish one of the characters I’m working on. I’d love to see it printed in 3D.

    • Thomas

      Is it possible to print clear glass?

    • joeri67

      This is super cool. All “impossible” vases will now be possible.

    • http://www.anicator.com Christiaan (AniCator)

      I don’t think they will be able to print clear glass objects yet because they print it all, layer by layer. Glass requires incredibly high temperatures to be deformable. When printing layer by layer you can as far as I know never create a clear glass piece of art.
      I’m not sure though.

    • http://www.blendernation.com Bart

      AniCator is right – currently they cannot print clear glass.

    • Lars

      Is this glass usable for chemical applications (like high temperature, strong chemicals and quick temperature difference)? Clear glass would be better…

    • tidbit

      Lars: http://www.shapeways.com/topics/udesign/materials/milky_white_matte_glass/properties_panel_glass.gif
      this can answer the temperature question, not sure about the others.

    • Thomas

      Clear glass would be as useful as most other materials put together.

    • Keith Sogge

      Lars, the glass products are porous, so even if it is impervious to chemicals, they couldn’t hold them. (I’m bummed I can’t create a cool drinking glass this way.)