Well, well, well. Tech Soft 3D, the developer of the HOOPS family of CAD data translation, 3D PDF, visualization, and toolkits for web, desktop, and mobile, has just announced “significant investment” from global, technology-focused investment firm Battery Ventures. This represents their first bit of funding since the Oregon-based company’s founding in 1996. Tech Soft 3D…
Recently I’ve seen moves by several 3D printer manufacturers to position their equipment for use in specific industries, and this is a strong trend. Let me explain my thinking here: years ago, when the initial 3D printing patents expired, a large number of 3D printing startups appeared. Most tended to offer very basic equipment with…
I’m looking at how a 3D print company provided colorful 3D prints for sale using commercial designs. We’ve all seen this many times, where a popular character from the movies, TV, games or other mass media has been somehow reproduced in 3D form and placed on sale. The question is whether this is done legally. …
Mondays might not be your favorite day of the week, but the good news is that we’re all in this together ladies and gentlemen. As purveyors of prime Grade A web content, the SolidSmack crew has done some of the heavy-lifting to make sure you get your Mondays started on the right track. Welcome to The…
I’m reading a brief analysis by Gartner’s Pete Basiliere on how 3D printing could affect business models. Business models, of course, are critical devices for the successful operation of a business. They define how money is spent and collected based on the creation and distribution of value to clients. Companies without business models are not…
Your product design is ready, your prototype works and you want to hit the store shelves as soon as possible. But how? Manufacturing looks easy on “How it’s made”, whether it’s a Ferrari FF or Jawbreakers, everything sold to consumers has been manufactured to some degree. While things run smoothly in established factories across the…
The first SOLIDWORKS World was in 1998. Tack on 20 years, a new dress shirt, clipping your toenails 87 times and all those bags of chips you shouldn’t have eaten and suddenly, it’s 2018. There are a few days to go and, whether it’s your first, fifth, or twentieth time to go to SOLIDWORKS World,…
When 3D printing arrived, the public waited to see how it would change the world. While no major changes can be noted yet, as the cost of 3D printing drops and it slowly enters the mainstream market, businesses revolving around the technology are beginning to appear. By blurring the line between producers and consumers, and…
When it comes to side projects, hours become days, days become weeks, and weeks can often become months or years. But what if getting a minimum viable product created could happen on a Saturday…assuming you aren’t building a flying car? Many successful entrepreneurs have been touting the benefits of the 1-Day MVP—a one-day, all-out sprint…
Even though Google’s Pixel 2 release is a wee 364 days from its predecessor (it’s rumored to hit shelves this October 19), the company has done its best to include as many add-ons as it can with its new phone. Of all the new upgrades and features, the instant language translation has caught our imaginations the…
With Mercedes-Benz announcing last year that it is now selling 3D printed spare parts for its cargo trucks, 3D printing is gaining momentum as a commercial strategy for large-scale manufacturers. But what does 3D printing mean for non-enterprise businesses and entrepreneurs? Can 3D printing really offer ordinary people the chance to change their lives? As the technology…
Promoting a 3D printing company is more challenging today than ever before due to the huge number of companies in the space. What techniques can a company use to get their message to the 3D printing public? I’ve got seven approaches for you to consider: INFLUENTIAL MARKETING IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT, BUT IT HAS…
Running any form of business that revolves around manufacturing can be challenging – especially for small businesses with limited resources and bandwidth. While a well-organized team and sufficient capital investment are a great starting point, challenges ranging from project management and client relations to asset management and billing can be just as tough to wrangle…
Let’s start with the basics: you have an awesome job. You get to use cool tools to create awesome stuff. You may very well have the job that you wanted as a kid – a job that kids today still desire (but don’t let kids do your job, that would be irresponsible). Not many people…
Reinventing the Wheel: Part 1, Part 2 In this article, I tackle a question that many have, which is: who has what IP and who is behind these wheels? The differences between FlyKly and Superpedestrian help to illustrate what I consider to be the formula necessary for sustained innovation. The question I pose to you…
If you’re like me, you’ve been a bit uneasy and perhaps bitter that you didn’t get the foam projectile device you wanted so badly for Christmas. Wipe those tears, because it’s a new year and there’s something even cooler you’ll want to get your hands on. Phil Sluder of Triaxial Design has all the boys…