Thingiverse Features 3D Hubs “Get This Printed” Button To Allow Thingiverse Users to Order 3D Prints Directly Via 3D Hubs

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — April 21, 2015 — MakerBot’s Thingiverse.com and 3D Hubs are excited to announce a new partnership to bring 3D printing to those who don’t own or have access to a 3D printer. This new partnership connects Thingiverse, the world’s largest 3D design community, to  3D Hubs, the world’s largest 3D printing network with over 15,000 printer locations worldwide. For the first time, Thingiverse users have the option to send desired 3D designs directly to print via 3D Hubs.

In this first stage of the launch, selected Thingiverse designers have added a “Get This Printed” button to their designs. This allows users to directly 3D print the object at the nearest 3D Hubs location with an average delivery time of less than two days. The selected designers now also have the option to ask for a suggested tip for their design. Once purchasers are in the 3D Hubs checkout process, they have the option to tip the Thingiverse designer that created the file. This is the first time Thingiverse 3D designers can financially benefit from their designs.

While Thingiverse is a free 3D printing community for showcasing designs, MakerBot believes this is a great way to recognize and support the Thingiverse designers and have their designs 3D printed locally via a 3D Hubs printer location owner.

MakerBot’s Thingiverse.com website is the largest global 3D design destination for viewing, sharing, downloading and 3D printing 3D files and has more than 700,000 downloadable 3D designs. 3D Hubs is the world’s fastest growing network of 3D printers and has over 15,000 3D Hubs printers worldwide, enabling 1 billion people to 3D print within 10 miles of their home. MakerBot and 3D Hubs believe that this partnership will help make 3D printing more accessible and increase the global adoption of the technology.

“Working with 3D Hubs is a natural next step as we continue to grow our MakerBot 3D Ecosystem,” noted Joey Neal, chief experience officer with MakerBot. “At MakerBot, we are continuing to look for ways to get 3D printing into the hands of more people. 3D Hubs has built an incredible network to fulfill 3D prints locally, which we see as a natural fit for integration into the Thingiverse community.”

“This collaboration marks an important step in striving to make 3D printing universally accessible,” said Bram de Zwart, CEO and co-founder of 3D Hubs. “By connecting our global 3D printer network to the world's largest 3D print design community, we enable people to 3D print almost anything, anywhere in the world. This is truly about bringing together creativity and production power.”

Eight Thingiverse designers are participating in the first phase of the Thingiverse 3D Hubs partnership. During phase two, more will be added. The participating designers are also some of the most popular Thingiverse designers and include:

Arian Croft (aka Dutchmogel) – Designer and creator of Pocket-Tactics and co-founder of Ill Gotten Games. Arian Croft is a prolific and popular 3D designer with more than 272 3D designs on Thingiverse.

Bold Machines – The Innovation Workshop at Stratasys that was created and founded by MakerBot co-founder Bre Pettis. Bold Machines partners with innovators to explore new approaches to industrial and personal applications and fabrication through 3D printing. Bold Machines is currently working on creating characters for a feature film developed from compelling 3D-modeled characters.

Isaac Budmen – Designer of serendipitous sculptures, marvelous mechanisms and atypical architecture. Author of The Book on 3D Printing.

Laura Taalman (aka mathgrrl) – A self-proclaimed math geek and defender of the universe, Laura Taalman is also a professor, mathematician, blogger and hacktastic 3D design/maker who embarked on 3D printing a different math shape for every day of the year last year.

Nervous System – A unique design studio that works at intersecting science art and technology through 3D design and an assortment of jewelry, art and housewares.

3DKitbash – A toy industry professional with a history of award-winning and noteworthy innovations that cater to Fortune 500 companies.

Simplus Design – Beautiful 3D printed housewares designed by Simplus Design founders Sebastian Misiurek and Arianna Lebed.

Walter Hsiao – Walter is a prolific 3D designer that specializes in 3D printable usable parts and accessories for everyday living.

To learn more about the MakerBot Thingiverse and 3D Hubs partnership, visit 3DHubs.com.

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