There’s barely a place on the planet that is untouched by 3D printing these days, with even the most remote areas in consideration as innovators work on one 3D prototype after another to promote self-sustainability in developing regions. While areas like New York City and London top the list for the greatest amounts of activity going on (per networks like 3D Hubs), Amsterdam continues to climb their way closer to the top.
Certainly a tech savvy and progressive group as a whole, innovators in the Netherlands have been busy with projects such as new concrete 3D printers for the construction industry, forays into orthopedic devices, and 3D printed prostheses.
Now, a new startup is venturing into the fold and heading straight to the forefront of the industry in the Netherlands. Printr is getting ready to shape the technology of tomorrow with their Formide operating system, thanks to a total recent funding of €750,000 (approximately $820,000 USD) from several seasoned investors and entrepreneurs.
Seed funding will be used to:
- Add resources to their team
- Scale their product further
- Support more 3D printing manufacturers
Operating with the mission that they’d like to see everyone have 3D printing accessible to them, Printr has created an entire 3D printing ecosystem with Formide. This new platform is a comprehensive system that allows users to find, configure and print their 3D models. According to Printr, Formide will be available with the next generation of 3D printers, offering a total package for 3D printing from A to Z.
“Printing 3D models is still quite challenging. This is partially because of the complex settings of the printers,” said Douwe Bart Mulder, founder and CEO of Printr. “Sometimes there can be as many as 60 individual parameters that have to be set per model. With our new platform, Formide, we remove those barriers and make 3D printing accessible to everyone.”
The Element
After allowing for beta testing with over 250 users, the Formide platform is entering its next phase which will include shipping the Element, which is a streaming device for 3D files that comes in the shape of an elegant mineral, and connects to your 3D printer via USB. It offers:
- Plug and play platform
- WiFi connection
- Camera support
- Automatic upgrades
“The Element is the missing point in the communication with your 3D printer,” states the team. “Only 3 steps and you are there–the 3D printing nirvana.”
So that the often frustrating process of finding suitable 3D models is streamlines well, Printr is partnering with 3DShap.es, which is a user friendly search engine for 3D printable files and content. The process is as easy as choosing a preferred model on the Formide platform, customizing it with the use of a ‘configurator,’ and then the file can be streamed directly to their 3D printer.
Founded by Douwe Bart Mulder, CEO, Cecile van der Waal, COO, Chris ter Beke, CTO, the Printr team currently has 14 members on their team. With this interesting new ecosystem coming to Dutch innovators, 3D printing should be made even more accessible, affordable, and inviting. Printr will officially launch in December.
