By Terry Wohlers
An edited version was published in Rapid Prototyping Journal, Vol. 8, No. 5, 2002, Emerald. Copyright 2002 by Terry T. Wohlers
Xpress3D
of Southborough, Massachusetts (located about 40 minutes west of Boston)
provides a good example of how one can use the Internet to offer rapid
prototyping services. The company recently launched a service that
streamlines the process of getting price quotations and ordering RP parts.
The parts are made on the company’s Z406 machine from Z Corporation.
After logging onto the company’s website (xpress3d.com), you are given
the opportunity to select an STL file on your computer or network. After
finding and selecting the file, the website shows a preview of it
(spinning in a small preview area), the file name, and the model’s
dimensions. It also presents several scales such as 1:16, 1:4, and 2:3,
with each having a cost associated with it. The part I uploaded measured
13.46 x 7.24 x 2.12 inches (342 x 184 x 54 mm). Prices ranged from $70 for
a 1:16 scale model to $295 for a 2:3 scale model.
If the STL file you select contains flaws, such as holes, the flaws on the
model are shown in red and you are asked to fix the problems and resubmit
the file. Alternatively, you can choose to continue and someone from
Xpress3D will contact you if it’s impossible to print the file.
You can complete the order by picking the “Complete Order” button,
which takes you to a page where you can fill in your shipping address. If
you have ordered before, it remembers your address, so you do not need to
fill it in a second time.
The next step is to fill in your credit card details. The site uses
128-bit encryption to ensure a secure transmission. The last step is to
verify the information you entered, edit the information if necessary, and
click the “Submit Order” or “Cancel” button. I chose to submit the
order.
The following morning, I received a FedEx shipment containing the
plaster-based part. It was not hand finished, but it was infiltrated with
cyanoacrylate (also known as super glue) to give it added strength. The
shipment included four copies of a “collaboration sheet” that the
customer can use to collect comments on the model. The sheet includes
color views of the model, along with the model size, scale, volume, and
surface area.
Another nice touch was the inclusion of a “design tag” with the
shipment. The design tag is a custom plastic laminated ruler that is
scaled to match the scale of the model. The ruler includes a shaded view
of the STL model, file name, scale, size, volume, and surface area. It
also includes the date and the name and contact information of the person
that ordered the model.
If you choose to return to the site and submit files for additional
quoting and ordering, the site remembers the last STL file(s) that you
submitted. It shows a picture of each one, along with the date it was
uploaded, and gives you the chance to add the model to the quote or delete
it from the page. Models older than one week are deleted automatically.
When you first log into the site, you are asked to install a small browser
plug-in. The plug-in enables you to obtain a quote without uploading the
contents of the STL file to the xpress3d.com server. Instead, it sends
only the model’s dimensions, so quoting is very fast and proprietary
designs do not leave your computer or network. The file is uploaded only
if you choose to accept the quote. The plug-in also includes software that
rotates the model, which is a nice touch.
Overall, I was impressed with the process. The site is clean and the steps
are straightforward. The model I received the next day met my expectations
and the supplements in the box were a pleasant surprise. Xpress3D founders
Rick Chin and Kevin Campanella, formerly of SolidWorks, are doing a fine
job with the website and continue to make improvements to it. If you are
interested in having one or more Z406 models produced, xpress3d.com an
easy way to get quotes and parts.