Shapearoo is a marketplace mock-up that allows architects and 3D designers to sell and manufacture their designs online. Although there are marketplaces that sell 3D models, and other services that help with 3D printing, Shapearoo provides a seamless experience of purchasing a finished 3D printed design from start to finish.
Potential customers first select which design they want to purchase, then choose any 3D print specifications they want such as color, material, or special handling options provided from the selected printing shop. In the shopping cart, all design items are unique in their quantities. The design items will have a singular or multiple print specification that correlates to the selected print shop’s material options.
The website uses dynamic routing to display each design, designer, shop, and shopping cart. Cart items are posted into a PSQL database and updated accordingly to the print details. When a user changes or deletes the current print shop selection, all print information for all designs in the cart is also cleared.
When finished, search results would display designs that mostly align with a user’s preferences, along with 3D printing shops that have the closest proximity. This will emphasize and promote the design regardless of the designer’s location, and minimize the logistical costs of producing and shipping the product.
