Dec.20, 2013
In the year end, Shapeways did a roundup of their accomplishments in the rapidly evolving 3D Printing world. To date, the company has 3D Printed 2.2 million products. Every month nearly 100,000 new products are uploaded to Shapeways' marketplace and it has also now 13,500 online shops, with a growth of 75% from 2012.
2013 has had a measurable impact on the direction of and players in the industry. Check out below a snapshot of Shapeways' 2013 Year in Review Top Trends:
1) Rise of the Garage Entrepreneur - 3D printing democratized production, opening up access for more people than ever to be creative and turn their designs into businesses
- As of 2013, over 50% of Shapeways Shop Owners taught themselves how to 3D model
- Product uploads increased from 40k/month in 2012 to nearly 100k/month in 2013
- There was a 240% increase in uploads via Shapeways API in 2013, meaning more businesses were built for Shapeways this year than in years past
- Shop Owners range from teenage hobbyists who design ornaments and rings to artists who learned to model 3D jewelry to professional engineers with 25+ years modeling experience who design chess sets
2) Anyone Can Be a Creator - This year more than ever, 3D printing allowed anyone to take an idea and turn it into reality
- 2x growth in the number of new people creating products on Shapeways
- 3D modeling skills were needed less and less with growth in businesses and apps that enable consumers to customize their own products
3) 3D Printing Breaks the Tech Barrier – 3D printing got closer to the mainstream
- 2013 saw the introduction of consumer 3D printing in precious metals like sterling silver, gold, brass, and bronze
- Interest was seen across a very wide range of categories on Shapeways: with the most purchases in miniatures, parts & gadgets, jewelry, art, home and games & toys
- Fashion is changing quickly, with collaborations with brands/designers (ex. Victoria's Secret & Swarovski/Bradley Rothenberg, Dita Von Teese/Michael Schmidt, Niemen Marcus/Bathsheba and Bow&Drape) pushing design boundaries and industry standards
4) The Next Global Manufacturing Shift - 3D printing is borderless
- Shapeways received orders from 113 countries and visits from people in 226 countries
- Countries that printed the most with Shapeways in 2013 were the US, UK, Germany, Netherlands, and Canada
- Shapeways saw some of the highest (triple digit) growth of orders from places as far away as China, Taiwan, Luxemburg, and Tunisia
Posted in 3D Printing Applications
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