ThingsAmongMany

You may remember, from a few weeks ago, our post about Ponoko, the Etsy + Threadless mashup for 3D objects. Well, it turns out that Ponoko isn’t the only crew getting into the 3D game. Yesterday I was introduced to Shapeways, a Netherlands-based company that will take your 3D design and return to you a “printed” copy. No, not a blueprint, but an actual 3D object created to your specs.

That said, Shapeways and Ponoko probably aren’t direct competitors for most projects. Where Ponoko is looking to combine an Etsy-like shopping experience with any easy-creation process for artists, Shapeways really seeks to bring 3D printing capabilities to the small-time designer who can’t afford his own. They’re perfect if you need a mockup of that new kidrobot-style vinyl toy you’ve been designing or a sculpture you want to create on a small scale.

Shapeways also has an interesting video that shows their process as well as a few of their earliest creations:

Right now the company appears to be in a beta stage. I signed up this morning; we’ll see how long it will take to get an invite and what that allows me to do. In the meantime, have a gander at their site.