www.3ders.org

Oct 8, 2015 | By Alec

For those of you who are sometimes jealously looking at industrial 3D printers, some fantastic news has just been released by 3D Hubs. They are launching a brand new service called 3D Hubs HD in 37 cities spread out over six continents, which will become the largest network of industrial-grade 3D printers in the world and give users access to industrial-grade 3D printing options.

3D Hubs is, as all of you will undoubtedly know, a gigantic network of 3D printers available to users throughout the world and it is hard to imagine a 3D printing community without it. As they revealed last month, 3D Hubs currently boasts an amazing 21,000 3D printers in their network, meaning they are responsible for a significant portion of all 3D prints commercially made in the world.

Some examples from this new 3D Hubs HD service, all 3D printed in Strong and Flexible Nylon

However, virtually of all those 3D prints are made of either PLA or ABS, but with this fantastic new service we will no longer have to limit ourselves to those options. Finally, industrial-grade 3D printing options will be a viable option as well. ‘At 3D Hubs, we've learned how inaccessible industrial-grade 3D printing can be – including long lead times, hard-to-reach support teams and high shipping costs. With the launch of 3D Hubs HD, we’re solving this by making it easy for designers to connect with industrial-grade 3D printers in their area,’ the 3D Hubs team explains.

As part of this new service, a number of hubs in their network will be awarded the ‘3D Hubs HD’ badge, signifying that they have access to industrial grade 3D printers. Currently, 37 cities throughout the world feature hubs eligible for this badge. The hubs involved include industry leaders such as i.materialise, Sculpteo and NRI. And the idea is that the service will be just as easy to use as a regular hub service. ‘Through unlocking this tier of industrial-grade materials, we are now able to offer an end-to-end solution to our customers both large and small’ says 3D Hubs co-founder Brian Garret. ‘By combining affordable desktop production with high-end industrial-grade services, the full spectrum of 3D printing is now becoming accessible.’

So what exactly makes a 3D Hubs HD? Well, according to the new 3D Hubs HD webpage, this badge ensures that all 3D prints are made on professional 3D printers to ensure optimal quality, while at least 80% of reviews give a full 5-star rating. Communication and delivery speeds are also required to be optimal. Unfortunately, the only currently available material is Strong and Flexible Nylon. ‘This highly-functional material is popular for both Product Designers and Architects and is 3D printed through the Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) additive manufacturing process,’ 3D Hubs say. More HD materials and locations are expected to be unveiled within the following months.

And to kick off this exciting new service, 3D Hubs has announced that all users can now try 3D printing in Nylon with a 30% discount throughout October 2015. They will also be offering a series of design workshops in in several locations to get designers of all skill levels acquainted with nylon design. The first of these events will be held in London on 28 October: 3D Printing for Designers and Architects.

 

 

Posted in 3D Printing Services

 

 

 

 

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