3D Printers Make Great Toys

3D printing is on everyone’s lips!  Especially because of all its potential.  One of which is making toys.  This is the most common use for the 3D printer and ToyFabb has decided to make 3D toys more accessible for everyone.  They have announced their new online shop where buyers can purchase 3D printable toy files.  ToyFabb.com, initiated by Jochen Hanselmann and Alex Schmid, was started in Switzerland but has expanded to include any buyer who can speak English and German.

The team at ToyFabb stated: ”3D printed toys will change the way how toys are created, used and distributed.”  First of all, a free account can be registered by any designer wishing to make toys.  Next, they can publish then sell their own models to customers.

How do designers copyright their work?  Toy designers decide the buying option for their customers.  Buyers can receive the STL file of the design or the G-Code can be streamed securely to their 3D printer once.  Anyone can buy 3D toy designs in order to make them with their own 3D Printers OR you can get them printed using services like Shapeways, i.Materialise or Sculpteo.

The toy industry is really hard to break into, especially for designers.  The market is monopolised by big companies who don’t really give small businesses a chance to thrive.  Co-Founder Jochen Hanselmann stated: “We wanted to build a platform for all the designers who are widely ignored by the industry with their exceptional creations. We think that there is a huge potential out there. And 3D printing is the ideal technology to free up this potential.”

With that in mind, ToyFabb also made public, a contest for both hobby designers as well as professionals.  They will be looking for 3D printable designs that will be shown to the world.  Anyone can enter and winners will receive $100 US.  The contest closes 30th September, 2014.

So, have you ever dreamed of creating your own toys?  Perhaps you have amazing ideas but not the money to put it into action.  This would be an excellent opportunity.

[Image via on3dprinting]

SOURCE: http://www.3ders.org/articles/20140526-toyfabb-a-secure-3d-printing-marketplace-for-3d-printable-toy-files.html