If you don't own a printer, you'll need a print service to have models made for you. Even if you do own a printer, you may need a model printed in a material you don't have access to. There are a couple of different business models that print services use.
The following services allow designers to order high quality models as well as sell designs to the public. The printing and customer service is fulfilled by the print service. Designers are paid if someone purchases their model.
- Shapeways at http://www.shapeways.com/ usually has the best prices and awesome customer service. It has offices in New York and the Netherlands.
- i.materialise at http://i.materialise.com/ has an excellent selection of materials, good SketchUp support, fast priority service, and cool contests. It is based in Belgium.
- Sculpteo at http://www.sculpteo.com/en/ can print SketchUp files, offers fast printing times, and has innovative tools for designers. It is based in France.
- Kraftwurx at http://www.kraftwurx.com/ has a huge variety of materials available, by far the largest selection—platinum and many more. It is based in Texas, USA, with printing hubs around the world.
The following websites act as a platform allowing anyone to list their printer and accept and fulfill printing jobs. You can usually find a local printer using one of these services. Most printer listings are for small desktop printers, but there are also many small businesses with industrial printers and engineering staff on hand to provide personalized help.
- MakeXYZ (http://makexyz.com/)
- 3DHubs (http://www.3dhubs.com/)