Shapeways/Innovo
Shapeways Brass Material
The new material is perfect for jewellery
Shapeways is like a runaway train at the moment, there is no stopping it and it’s going to knock down anyone who gets in its way.
Not satisfied with the vast array of materials they already have on offer they’ve announced two more materials that will prick the ears of their designer and jeweller communities. Due to popular demand after their Gold-Plated Brass they’ve removed the gold plated part of that and are offering both polished and un-polished, or as they’re calling it raw brass.
Shapeways say that the Raw Brass material is perfect for “creating antique-looking items, functional parts, jewellery prototypes, and it works really well for you to polish or finish yourselves. This is our latest material for people making functional parts, or who want to post-process material.”
Shapeways have also launched a brand new exhibition in conjunction with the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York. The exhibit, Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital brings together over 120 designs and is dedicated to exploring the impact of computer-assisted methods of production on contemporary art, architecture, and design.
Shapeways, is partnering with MAD for the exhibition and will host 'OUT OF HAND/HANDS ON,' an educational and interactive space on the Museum's second floor where visitors will be able to experience 3D design and printing first-hand.
Opening in conjunction with the exhibition on October 16th and running through April 2014, the 'OUT OF HAND/HANDS ON' space will include a series of interactive 3D apps for visitors to create their own 3D models, on site 3D scanning, and 3D printing in a range of materials. Shapeways' 'Designers in Residence' working in the gallery will also be available to demonstrate 3D modeling techniques and tools used to create objects like those in the exhibition.
Interactive 3D apps will deepen audiences' understanding of the 3D design process and make it easy for those with limited 3D design skills to create or modify a 3D model. MAD visitors can choose from a selection of existing 3D models, including sculptural forms, fine jewellery, among other designs, to print in materials ranging from plastics and ceramics to jewellery grade metals such as sterling silver.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to be 3D scanned and 3D printed into mini figurines by an in-house high-resolution 3D printer in any of the 30 materials currently available on Shapeways.com. The figurines will be available for purchase on Shapeways' website.
Shapeways 'Designers in Residence' creating designs for 3D printing in the 'OUT OF HAND/HANDS ON' interactive space will be available to discuss their use of digital fabrication with exhibition visitors. Designers in Residence reflect the range of creators represented in the exhibition and include artists, architects, industrial designers and programmers who use 3D printing in their practice.
Shapeways will also be collaborating with the Museum of Arts and Design on a series of lectures and master classes, ranging from basic overviews of 3D printing to targeted classes for artists, designers, and architects to gain a deeper understanding of how they can engage with 3D printing. For more information on classes and timing visit MAD's website. Additional classes will be added on a regular basis.
