Lately I have created a lot of designs in Onshape and uploaded them here on Makerworld and other platforms.Often these designs also have configurable options that allow you to create an individual part.
Wouldn’t it be a wonderful cooperation between BambuLab and Onshape to connect the Onshape API to MakerWorld and thus generate individual parts in the Bambu app, slice them and then send them to your printer.
This would greatly increase the accessibility for fast and easy 3D printing and thus exactly follow Bambu Labs strategy.
I am curious to hear what you have to say about it.
I mean, most of us in the 3D printing community rely on the free version of OnShape, right? If I were at OnShape, I’d have to ask; What’s in it for us?
And considering that Bambu is a no-go in US ITAR controlled environments, I can’t really see any upside for OnShape here. It just doesn’t add up.
On top of that, OnShape has to deal with the specter of cloud security concerns on their own platform. And now, you’re suggesting they partner up with a company that’s had its own egregious cybersecurity issues? That’s a classic no-win recipe for OnShape not to mention sabotaging their own business model and also the negative halo affect of cavorting with a company like Bambu that has scoffed at cyber security concerns.
Now having said that, by coincidence, just yesterday I looked at OnShape’s API for an unrelated purpose for developing my own hook into OnShape. I can report that there is enough open API aspects of OnShape where Bambu could develop a hook into their Makerworld Platform. But again, if you were OnShape, why would you allow that? Where’s the profit?
Okay. You’re obviously making an important point, one that I was not aware of or had not considered. My original thought was that it would be somewhat of an advertisement for OnShape - marketing. I watch German 3D printing YouTube channels that promote OnShape in their videos.
Of course, you are right. For Bambu or for the MakerWorld platform and the community, the benefit would be greater than for OnShape itself. Maybe it’s just a silly daydream of mine.
With the signmaker, it seems Bambu is interested in giving average users some sort of ability to customize designs without any expertise. I could see a special model format or some kind of STL metadata, that allows specific stretching or morphing of predefined faces in predefined directions, or toggling on/off of objects according to user parameters. It would be a lot of work to set up however.
Yes, the Signmaker is a good example of what Bambu Lab aims to achieve. I also think about the interview with CEO Dr. Tao on Stefan’s YouTube channel CNCKitchen. Tao talks about his younger daughter and the challenges in 3D printing, and how to overcome them to make 3D printing more accessible.
Yes, @Olias is probably right and OnShape might not be the right partner or way, but again, perhaps it would be of interest to OnShape or another provider to attract commercial users who then market configurable designs on platforms like MakerWorld. Printables also recently launched a store for 3D designs, just without the integrated configuration I envision.
Maybe it’s just a daydream, and perhaps these are not Bambu’s goals, and maybe it’s too niche.
Let me be blunt, your idea would only draw attention to our community which I promise you that it will not end well for us. Think I am being paranoid. Look at what they did to Thomas Sanladerer, YouTube 3D printer personality. His promoting OnShape got his account cancelled. Do you really want OnShape to be looking at us? No thank you, I’d much rather see our community fly under the radar and remain unnoticed.
When PTC acquired OnShape many of us predicted the worse. PTC - the guys who brought you Pro-Engineer at $40K/seat license - are the epitome of corporate greed. So when they purchased OnShape in 2019, we all dreaded that the free version would go away - that may still happen. So far, as we hold our breath, OnShape has remained free. But for how long?
