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How do I order full-colour 3D prints from MakeShop?
How do I order full-colour 3D prints from MakeShop?

Teachers and parents can order professional quality 3D prints using Makers Empire's new print service "MakeShop".

Jon Soong avatar
Written by Jon Soong
Updated over a year ago

One of the most common questions/requests we receive from enthusiastic young designers is "How do I 3D print in colour?"

Previously full colour 3D prints have been prohibitively expensive but with improvements to 3D printing technologies and now with the introduction of MakeShop, it is possible for home and school users to have their awesome designs manufactured as professional quality, full-colour models like these!
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The process for ordering 3D prints with MakeShop varies depending on if you are a home or school user.
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How to use MakeShop at home:

MakeShop uses real money. Users under the age of 18 must seek permission and assistance from a responsible adult.

  1. Create a great design in Makers Empire 3D.


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  2. Select the Print Check tab and click the green flag (start) button. Learn more about Print Check here.


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  3. Check the Print Check feedback and adjust your design if necessary (PLEASE NOTE: this feature is still in development. Print Check will try to detect potential printing issues, but you can choose to ignore the feedback if you're confident that your design will print. If you notice any errors or have any feedback, please contact us at info@makersempire.com).
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  4. Once you are confident that your design will 3D print well, click the Buy 3D Print button.
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  5. You will be taken to the MakeShop webpage. You will see your design, the dimensions, material and the price. If you adjust the dimensions the price will update too.


    ​NOTE: If you make a design smaller at this point, it might mean some parts will be too small to print, so be careful.
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  6. When you are happy with the size and price, click the Add to cart button.
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  7. If you only want to order one print choose Show my cart or go to the Cart tab.
    If you want to order multiple prints, choose Return to app and repeat the above steps.
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  8. Once you have added all your designs to your cart, enter your Shipping Details and click the Continue to Payment button.
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  9. Check all the details of your order. If everything is okay, click the Pay Now button. If you made a mistake, click Adjust order.
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  10. Enter your credit card details and click the Pay $ button.
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  11. If your credit card details are confirmed you will receive a notification and we will send you a receipt and order number by email.

How to use MakeShop at school:

Students can not purchase MakeShop prints themselves and there are no in-app purchases. Teachers can use MakeShop to order colour prints for their students.

  1. Students create their designs in Makers Empire 3D.


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  2. The student selects the Print Check tab and clicks the green flag (start) button. Learn more about Print Check here.
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  3. The student checks the Print Check feedback and adjusts their design if necessary (PLEASE NOTE: this feature is still in development. Print Check will try to detect potential printing issues, but you can choose to ignore the feedback if you're confident that the design will print. If you notice any errors or have any feedback, please contact us at info@makersempire.com).
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  4. Once the student is confident that their design will 3D print well, they can click the Request 3D Print button.

    NOTE: If we detect any potential printability issues we will ask the student if they want to fix their design or go ahead and request a print. While in testing, Print Check might incorrectly identify some issues so there might be instances where you want to override/ignore the warning.
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  5. The student will see a notification telling them that their design has been sent to their teacher.
    The design is now locked to prevent them from making any changes that may affect the printability. If the student wants to edit their design they must unlock it by pressing the lock icon in My Designs - this will remove the design from your Print Requests queue.


    Students may only request a maximum of two designs at a time to prevent teachers from being overwhelmed with requests.
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  6. You can find the requested designs in your Teacher Dashboard > Print Manager > Print Requests.


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  7. Click the Cart icon under the design preview to send that design to MakeShop.
    You can also download a .STL or .GLB file if you want to 3D print the design yourself.


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  8. On the MakeShop page you will see the design, the dimensions, material and the price. If you adjust the dimensions or material the price will update accordingly.

    NOTE: If you make a design smaller at this point, it might mean some parts will be too small to print, so be careful.
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  9. When you are happy with the size and price, click the Add to cart button.
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  10. If you only want to order one print choose Show my cart or go to the Cart tab.
    If you want to order multiple prints, choose Order more designs and repeat steps 7 - 9.
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  11. Once you have added all your designs to your cart, enter your Shipping Details and click the Continue to Payment button.


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  12. Check all the details of your order. If everything is okay, click the Pay Now button. If you made a mistake, click Adjust order.


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  13. Enter your credit card details and click the Pay $ button.


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  14. If your credit card details are confirmed you will receive a notification and we will send you a receipt and order number by email.

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