Switch to Fulfilled by 3D Hubs announcement

3Dsolidfactory · 2018-09-12T15:32:29.190Z

Yeah, this is a really good idea!
If there was only a way to harness the price calculation routines of Simplify 3D…

markembling · 2018-09-12T15:35:55.017Z

Or if 3D Hubs bequeathed a solution to us as suggested on Twitter. Frankly I think it’s unlikely but I’d happily take a version of their algorithm from a couple of years back gifted to the open source community. It would take the sting out a bit for sure.

digitalirony · 2018-09-12T15:43:18.580Z

Does it actually have to slice? I mean the 3dhubs one doesn’t. Or at least doesn’t allow for producing gcode. I suppose it has to slice somewhat to calculate price tho. But it would only need to be very simple(or perhaps go all the way with it, to make your offering that much better).

digitalirony · 2018-09-12T15:47:35.503Z

Well, Speed would depend on quite a lot of variables. I don’t think that would be accurate unless the ‘hub’ can input their print speeds, acceleration etc.

digitalirony · 2018-09-12T15:52:29.023Z

Also, I think the current model of cost per volume of plastic isn’t ideal. It doesn’t take into account time spent printing etc.

If there was someway to maybe make octoprint plugin that keeps track of time of a print, then connect that to user account/hub. Then could charge by time spent on the print, and not just volume.
Also with a raspberry pi camera hooked up, could provide a stop motion video of the customers object being built.

digitalirony · 2018-09-12T15:56:51.987Z

I think letting the hubs input time spent could lead to dishonesty. And customers may not trust that either. I think if there was some sort of time tracking tool it would be much better, and more accurate. Also would allow for gathering actual data that could in turn be used for something.

digitalirony · 2018-09-12T16:04:56.344Z

Well. I was thinking maybe you have the slicer calculate volume, and make a charge based on that. And let customers know that there will be additional charge at the end for time. And that once they put in their CC, they will be charged time at the end. And maybe give some sort of estimate.

Then only allow customers to dispute, or request refund for part. But they agreed to pay a rate for time at the beginning and are given an estimate then to. Just like any sort of hourly contact work.

tero_koyhajoki · 2018-09-12T16:07:00.928Z

Hi
I also want to join in this discussion after hearing this ridiculous news from hub.

calculating volume would work (calculate volume and estimate it to be with infill of 30% example or 40%) it would be doable I believe. (oh and this volume slicing can be done with python at least)

cobnut · 2018-09-12T16:28:06.041Z

Folks, at the risk of being shouted down, I do think that if you continue to use this thread to only discuss your own plans for building another platform, 3DHubs would be within their rights to delete/lock it. Given that the thread was provided specifically to talk about the 3DHubs change after complaints of threads being deleted, it’d be kinda silly to get it restricted because of your own actions.

Personally, if you are thinking of building your own Hub, then this thread would be a useful place to talk about/consider why 3DHubs are making these changes. Putting aside accusations, it’s entirely possible that what 3DHubs have learned from trying to operate as a local/small Hub provision service could be very important learning if you’re thinking of starting down that route.

Richard_Beck · 2018-09-12T17:10:12.652Z

I wonder what would happen if a friend made several orders to you this month that you responded instantly and filled them. That could get you to the qualifying scores.

I am convinced there are Hubs that did just this thing in the past to get their numbers up with easy prints and low balled rates. Just saying this IMHO. I think the response time grade was silly. Some small businesses and even large ones do not respond to orders at night and on weekends.

the3DMill · 2018-09-12T17:10:24.591Z

I just think it is a strange and unfair way to close a service for people that have a 26min response time and let hubs with a 25min response time the possibility to continue the hub. For the customer it is no difference and a hub with a slightly longer response time might be much more popular and successful than a hub with a short response time

Sean1279 · 2018-09-12T17:11:34.908Z

Totally agree. Their metrics made no sense to me. I was annoyed by the poor communications from the company.

I thought they were already pretty greedy with the fee structure. 1.7 million parts in 5 years doesn’t seem like much to me.

And you were an ambassador and they still cut you out?

Sean1279 · 2018-09-12T17:15:24.233Z

Not one of the customers I had cared at all about response times.

Richard_Beck · 2018-09-12T17:17:12.397Z

My guess is they have the Netfabb engine integrated into their system.

cobnut · 2018-09-12T17:30:18.611Z

To be fair, if you manage when your hub is online, 25 minutes is a really easy target. Mine is currently 6 minutes & I think the worst it’s been is 11 minutes

Just turn your hub of when you know you can’t respond. Ok, you might miss some potential orders, but if you’re not able to respond, you’re eating into your production time as well.

I’ve actually had quite a few “urgent” orders where the customer has said response time was a factor in their choice of hub.

3DVR · 2018-09-12T17:39:19.874Z

Make no mistake this was by force not intention and the title is vague enough to get buried in a sea of other posts in no time. Great job whoever is back there handling the fallout, should get a raise for sure there will be plenty of cash floating around from the new model lol.

wirlybird · 2018-09-12T18:03:08.438Z

I agree. I understand the point in responding in a timely manor but I think this is one that shouldn’t be such a hard fast rule.

pandaproto · 2018-09-12T18:04:18.784Z

I have no delusions that this was created as anything more than a purgatory to contain all discussion on this topic. That being said, the support team could have continued closing and un-listing threads, but they have allowed us an opportunity to continue using their forums. I would hope the community can use this as a chance to rationally discuss the changes being made and their effects.

pandaproto · 2018-09-12T18:06:03.962Z

@Odense3DPrint, thank you for setting this up! My hope is to keep this thread more centered on the 3DHubs platform and the upcoming changes, but would certainly love to continue the discussion on viable outside alternatives.

wirlybird · 2018-09-12T18:11:42.898Z

Half of my stuff has come in between 11 PM and 3 AM. All of my orders have been local pick up so if I turn off the hub at night I am forcing local people to potentially have to pay for shipping with a hub they don’t want to use in the first place.
I think being forced to choose to miss jobs simply because a customer wants to place an order in the middle of the night rather than respond during reasonable hours is ridiculous.
That is not a good service model.
How many on line businesses tell you “orders after XXX time will be processed tomorrow”?
It is not unreasonable to respond to over night/off hours orders in a timely fashion the next day.