50% price increase on Shapeways FUD

[bbussey]

Well, it appears that Shapeways is now aware of the demand for FUD.  The prices have jumped 50% from when I placed my first order at the beginning of last week.  I was wondering why the GMC bus was so high, and then I checked the current Ice Bunkers cost to what it was last week.  The parts are scheduled to arrive next week sometime, so I'm still waiting to see if this will be a viable option to making limited run esoteric models.  Hopefully so, but the cost for detail parts is now a factor.  Fortunately everything is make-to-order, so the only up-front investment is the model design.

The stainless steel pricing is unchanged, so that leaves a multitude of possibilities open for higher-end items that people don't mind spending cash on - specifically motive power that would require unique chassis frames, such as this:





Even if the FUD process ends up not being finely-detailed enough, mechanisms can be rendered without a problem.  Modelers will always find a way to create the desired bodyshell.  But the mechanism frames, especially for steam, always are challenging.

[Philip H]

Bryan,
Thanks for the heads up.  I placed an order two weeks ago for some FUD stuff, so I'm glad I jumped on it when I did.

On the loco shells like you showed above, do you think Shapeways pricing will still undercut other rapid prototyping options?  If the details are good enough to make masters for casting, then the resin shell guys may have a new lease on life.

[Chris333]

I thought the price went down a hair. And they started charging a $5 set up fee for FUD. Some are saying this is $5 per item, but I haven't seen it clairified anywhere yet. They sent me a UPS notice so I have parts on the way, took over a month.

[bbussey]

Bryan,
Thanks for the heads up.  I placed an order two weeks ago for some FUD stuff, so I'm glad I jumped on it when I did.

On the loco shells like you showed above, do you think Shapeways pricing will still undercut other rapid prototyping options?  If the details are good enough to make masters for casting, then the resin shell guys may have a new lease on life.

The pricing is still way under the other RP companies I have used, and the detail appears to be more fine.  Definitely the way to go for models produced at quantity is to try to design them so that they can be cast and removed from a rubber mold.  I definitely think polyurethane resin shells are the way to go, both for rolling stock models and locomotive shells.  And if you are planning a fleet of a particular model, it really doesn't matter how much the RP costs.

I thought the price went down a hair. And they started charging a $5 set up fee for FUD. Some are saying this is $5 per item, but I haven't seen it clairified anywhere yet. They sent me a UPS notice so I have parts on the way, took over a month.

I don't know Chris, but the current pricing for digital files I've posted is different than what is on the invoice I received a couple of weeks ago.  And also different that what was on the product pages originally.  Maybe it is the $5 setup fee factored in.  If so, it is being charged per each instance of each item.  So 3x of an item is costing an additional $15 if that is the case.  But the cost for the GMC TDM4507 bus I posted in the Weekend Update thread will cost $26.57 to render, which seems to me that some price adjusting is involved as well.

[sizemore]

Slightly off-topic what program are you using to design your parts?

Thanks,
The S.

[Guilford Guy]

Out of curiosity, what is the pricing on the stainless steel? That EP-4 is very spiffy.

[bbussey]

About $60 for the frame, which means you can have a unique locomotive for slightly above the MSRP of current motive power once you factor in the commercial guts (motor, gearing, trucks, etcetera) and the DCC controller of preference.

I use SolidWorks, Rhino and CorelDraw.  Depends on what's needed on a project by project basis.

[bbussey]

I was just informed that the per-piece price is 25% lower, but that they are adding a $5 setup charge per piece to encourage better use of the available footprint to render parts.  That makes sense and I have no problem with this.  However, they have a one-million triangle ceiling on STL files which puts a damper on things (think heavily riveted models).  With their limitations, heavyweight passenger cars (and heavyweight passenger car sides) become a challenge to render because Shapeways can't handle the number of triangles in such a file.  So (if this process produces fine enough detail), because of the complex nature of the models I design, I most likely won't be able to take advantage of being able to combine models into a single STL file.

I will say that they have a tool available for download that allows you to review your STL files before uploading, including counting the number of triangles, which is helpful.

[Chris333]

From what I've read you can upload a file with say 10 busses on it and only pay the fee once.

[3DTrains]

I will say that they have a tool available for download that allows you to review your STL files before uploading, including counting the number of triangles, which is helpful.

For those who use 3D Studio Max, there's a plugin that will not only count the number of faces, but also inform you on the expected price is on the finished piece. I haven't checked to see whether the plugin has been updated since the recent price change, however.

Cheers!
Marc

[delamaize]

Out of curiosity, what is the pricing on the stainless steel? That EP-4 is very spiffy.

that a EP-4 or a GN W-1?

[bbussey]

From what I've read you can upload a file with say 10 busses on it and only pay the fee once.

Unless the total file exceeds one million triangles, which I bump up against on a regular basis.

that a EP-4 or a GN W-1?

EP-4

[jmlaboda]

Oh, oh, oh... I want a couple!!!  But I would have to have the earlier boxcab as well... if they are to be properly used!!!

[bbussey]

I'm working on it, but the frame is going to be EXPENSIVE.  It costs out at $139, and it's not as if you can remove material to make it cheaper.  The body costs out at $23, but that is moot since it would be a master for polyurethane castings. 

... But I would have to have the earlier boxcab as well...

I have most of it.  I was looking at a core for the EP-3 with etched brass overlays.  The chassis is half the metal and therefore less costly at $86.



There are other parts needed for the Flatbottom as well - new pilot porches, a pair of MTL cow catchers with couplers, and brass handrails.  Both models also will require Kato's GG1 motor, gearing, power trucks, pilot trucks and pantographs, as well as a TCS CN-GP decoder.  Worth it for me to get the electrics I want, but possibly too rich for most people's blood.

[sirenwerks]

Little Joe next, Comrade?