Sep.21, 2013
Houston-based 3D Printing Company Kraftwurx unveiled today at World Maker Faire New York their Digital Factory program which allows anyone to start a 3D printing-based business on their own domain and sell their design without significant investment.
The company has an interesting model: via their new Digital Factory program, designers are connected to a network of over 125 printing bureaus from all around the world which offers 85 different materials to be printed.
Designers can upload and print their own models using Kraftwurx's 3D printing service network. They can also publish designs on Kraftwurx's site and sell them online, and Kraftwurx handles 3D printing and the shipping. Members can also use Kraftwurx's "crowdsourcing" initiative and hire Krafters to model things for them within the site.
Within the platform, designers can set up their own web store on their own domains, selling their own products without the hassle of managing production runs or carrying inventory.
Kraftwurx's CEO, Chris Norman, has been working on his dream to build a "fully automated system that allows consumers to build their own products through the Internet and see the result of their orders in real time" since 2001. And in August this year Kraftwurx received patent for 'Made-to-order direct digital manufacturing enterprise'.
"Our business model uses independent 3D printing facilities located around the world to produce parts locally because they have excess capacity and experience with printers. We put money into people's pockets in local communities by supporting local 3D printing," says Norman.
The basic package costs $99 per month, and Kraftwurx charges up to 3% transaction fees depending on the Digital Factory 3D printing account plan that you choose. Find more information here on Kraftwürx.
Posted in 3D Printing Services
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Chris Norman is a troll. He puts up press releases, talks to the press, and takes 12 years to launch a Web platform that doesn't function. Seriously, I can name several companies that have launched and become successful while Chris spews out quotes about how "it was his idea first" and looks hurt when other parties actually execute (see his threats to sue Shapeways, i.Materialise, Ponoko et all, the companies that are actually innovating and creating value) . My conclusion is that he plans to litigate successful companies, and will become a patent troll. Seriously, just click around on Kraftwurx or check the forums and you can tell that this is an unprofessional business by the excessive typos, TM marks everywhere, software bugs, and a design community that is primarily astroturfed Kraftwurx employees. Not sure who his investors are, but you can conclude that they are not tech savvy: in Houston, they're almost certainly "dumb" oil money.
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