Design Sharing Platforms

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We refer to online platforms where users share designs of physical objects (hardware). There is a growing number of them and some encourage free hardware, while others help users keep their work non-free and exchange them for money. Some offer various CAD and/or CAM software capabilities or connect users with printing or machining facilities. Some platforms are controlled by one or more companies while others are governed as a commons. These aspects enhance or limit the users' freedoms. In this page we seek to help users choose the platform that aligns best with ethical values and maximises user freedom. Therefore we build a list of the current platforms and indicate their main aspects.

Variables

  • Name
  • URL
  • Slogan
  • Ownership: private, commons
  • Business model: membership, freemium services,
  • Platform software: Name & URL
  • Platform software license
  • Technical features:
    • Allowed CAD formats: STL, Gcode, ...
    • online rendering
    • social: enables users to become friends/followers/contacts: yes/no
    • social: allow users to create groups/teams: yes/no
    • version history: yes/no
  • Encourages sharing:
    • Default license:
    • Most used license:
    • Donate to contributors
  • added value:
    • machining services: 3D print, lasercut, CNC, ...
    • marketplace
  • Comments

Platforms

Online platforms for sharing designs
Name Slogan Ownership Bus. model Software Software license Technical features Encourage sharing Added value Comments
formats rendering version history friending other features default license most used license donations to users reputation features machining service market place
Ohanda 4x Freedoms = Unlimited & Unconditional Informal Community Voluntary/Donations Unknown - HTML no no no no "4 Freedoms" - no producer page no no trademark protection
Shapeways Shop Design Sell Company: Shapeways BV Charges for 3D printing Unknown Proprietary STL, OBJ, X3D, DAE, Collada or VRML97/2 (WRL)[1] no follow no sharing proprietary - Twitter, FB Many materials Users can have their shop Not focused at sharing designs but selling products
Thingiverse Digital Designs for Physical Objects MakerBot Industries, LLC Sell MakerBot printers Unknown Unknown stl, obj, thing, scad, amf, dae, 3ds, x3d, blend, ply, dxf, ai, svg, cdr, ps, eps, epsi, sch, brd yes no follow collections, customizer, apps, API CC BY-SA no user profile, likes, made one, watch, remix - - Shout out QR tag
Openbuilds Dream it - Build it - Share it OpenBuilds Part Store Margins on parts sales Unknown Unknown SketchUp, gCode, STL, dwg, obj, jpg, doc, , etc No No follow forums CC BY no Ratings, likes, views, user profile Share a part OpenBuilds Store incl FairShare program
Ponoko Get Your Product Ideas Custom Made By Our Designers & Robots. Ponoko Ltd Charges for lasercutting and 3D printing Unknown Unknown EPS, SVG, STL, DAE, VRML97 no no no user shop/showroom/contact CC BY no user profile, comments yes yes
Youmagine Ponoko
Open Hardware Repository
Threeding

To be added: