Supermarket Offers 3D Printing Services
Asda, a subsidiary of the American retail company Walmart and the UK’s second largest chain by market share, is offering 3D printing services. The prices of this new 3D printing service start at £40, Dailymail reported. Asda is conducting a trial of the service in its York store from 15 October and the company says it plans to roll out the service nationwide afterwards.
Using a portable 3D scanner (like the Artec Eva) an Asda employee moves around the subject to make the blueprints for 3D-printed mini figurines. Models can be scaled to whatever size the customer wants, and these designs are then sent to a 3D printing factory that creates lifelike figures made of high-quality ceramic. Figures can be made in colour, white or covered in a bronze-style coating.
In a statement, Asda said: ‘Evolving well beyond simply filling frames with photographs of friends and family, 3D printed ‘mini me’ figures will add a whole new dimension to shoppers’ mantelpieces. ‘The lifelike models are also expected to be popular as personalised wedding cake toppers, and you could even have a model of your family pet.’
Read more: http://www.3ders.org/articles/20131009-asda-is-first-uk-supermarket-to-create-3d-printed-mini-me-figures.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2450908/3D-printing-coming-supermarket-near-Asda-UK-store-create-detailed-miniature-versions-family.html