07/12/2024
Hey … at least it was cheap.
We are saddened — but not surprised — to hear that 3D printing behemoth Shapeways has gone bankrupt. For over 10 years, we’ve heard clients tell us they could get parts done “cheaper” by having them printed “somewhere” (i.e. overseas) and shipped express. This business model always was antithetical to what we stand for here at Voxel Magic. We deliver hyper-local, personalized client service (yes, phone calls!) embodied in our slogan … Fast & Friendly.
But Shapeways was always cheaper. Or was it? After factoring in errors, plus shipping time and cost, many Shapeways customers would come back to us, asking … can you help me get this part done right? And fast! And we would.
Even the best 3D printing and scanning equipment performs poorly if run by a low-cost, disconnected workforce focused on quantity, not quality. Ironically, the most frequent complaint we would hear from Shapeways customers was the long lead times. The Shapeways printing farm, though impressively vast, always seemed busy with other people's jobs first, which led to frustrating delays. The high cost of a low price, indeed!
At Voxel Magic, our print farm is small, but optimized. And by insisting on quality first, we can actually print faster. For example, we have sometimes stopped print jobs in mid-course upon discovering a flaw, called our client to suggest a quick fix, implemented the change, and restarted the print job at no extra charge. That means the client gets the part right on the first try. We can absorb a tiny loss for the sake of a perfect print … because happy customers are repeat customers.
Looking ahead, there is a need in the market for low-cost, high-volume, contract manufacturing using the marvels of 3D printing. In fact, we partner with the better shops in that space. But clients require service, not just parts in the mail.
From what we can tell in the trade press, the Shapeways bankruptcy appears to be a classic story of a good idea (big, interconnected print farms) ruined by private equity in the usual playbook: completely unsustainable growth expectations to support unrealistic valuations. Although we do not lament the disappearance of this competitor, our hearts do go out to all the staff, vendors, suppliers, creators and service providers who will suffer losses, while those most responsible in this bankruptcy emerge unscathed.
