UPS Store offers 3D printing at 100 locations
Oct 21, 2014
Want to have a prototype fabricated, or a custom part made for you, or a model mocked up with 3D printing? UPS, more widely known for their usual parcel pickup and delivery services than their small business services, now also offers 3D printing services at select UPS Store locations across the US.
The emergence of affordable 3D printers is enabling a whole new era of prototyping and fabrication, and allowing those armed with a 3D CAD file to create a custom or one-of-a-kind plastic item quickly and easily. 3D printers for the home or small business are quickly becoming not only easier to use, but cheaper to own and operate, and makers across the world are putting them to work on a variety of tasks that would otherwise require extensive setup and tooling costs. But before you go out and purchase one for yourself, you may want to explore the 3D printing options now available at UPS Stores.
The UPS Store 3D printing services program uses the Stratasys uPrint SE Plus model, a professional grade printer said to be able to "accurately and reliably produce complex engineering parts, prototypes, and one of a kind objects." These 3D printers use ABSplus thermoplastic to fabricate the items, which are limited to objects smaller than 8" x 8" x 6" (203 x 203 x 152 mm).
"There are significant differences between home 3D printers and professional 3D printers. Many of the challenging and time consuming steps used to prepare a simpler printer are fully automated on the uPrint SE Plus, leading to added precision and reliability, higher print quality and a success rate that is unmatched by a home printer." - Daniel Remba, small business technology leader at The UPS Store
Source: treehugger.com