Zortrax, the leading Polish 3D printer manufacturer and one of the leading companies worldwide in low-cost FFF 3D printing, has released its own online 3D model library. The makers of the highly appreciated M200 desktop 3D printer, is thus following in the footsteps of the other two industry leaders, MakerBot, with Thingiverse, and Ultimaker, with the Youmagine network. Much like Thingiverse and Youmagine, Zortrax’s 3D Model Library will be integrated into the company’s own Z-Suite V1.2.0 software and will work as a free tool enabling users to store all their projects in a single location and access them from any device anywhere in the world.
The inbuilt search engine will serve to considerably reduce the time needed to find the desired 3D printable element, and the option of browsing the available database by specific subject category will make it easier to find the necessary resources, when they are needed.
“The new Z-Suite version is another step in the enrichment of our ecosystem, where all the tools the user needs are in a single location,” said Zortrax COO Karolina Bołądź. “The 3D printer, production materials, and Z-Suite are now accompanied by the Model Library, which will win the hearts of users and attract specialists who want to organize and facilitate their everyday work,” she added.
The Library also enables a shared creativity approach. The models stored in the application can be commented on, added to favorites, downloaded, and edited. Users no longer have to develop all their project elements from scratch: they can take existing models, make slight modifications, use them in their own projects, and discover the opinions of other users and experts in the comments section.
“When we were developing the Library, we drew inspiration from social networks, which have completely redefined the world surrounding us,” said Rafał Tomasiak, Zortrax CEO. “The social function is an important aspect of cooperation that lets our users share inspiration and experience to improve their work. Every individual user can contribute to the development of the model database and educate others on 3D printing and its applications. People like this have helped us create a community of creative individuals working with 3D printing and guarantee a constant flow of new projects,” he concluded.
For the premiere of the Model Library, Zortrax has also organized a contest for its users, awarding an M200 printer as the first place prize. To enter, users can just log into the Model Library between September 21st and and October 12th and upload an original project tagging it with #Contest2015. The jury, composed of Zortrax engineers, will select the winner. Along wit this prize, Zortrax is giving a gift to all 3D printing fans to make its long-awaited Robotic Arm model, available for download, along with assembly and installation instructions. All you have to do to download the model, is go to the dedicated website (which will be live briefly) and enter your email address to receive the files.
While online 3D model databases are becoming commonplace, they can still offer a huge added value. This is especially true for 3D printers that aim to establish a true “one-touch” 3D printing approach. As the partnership with Dell hinted, Zortrax is today one of the companies that are best positioned to offer such a complete and easy-to-use product to the rapidly growing office supply and professional studios segment.
