Thingiverse

src: www.sharingame.org

Thingiverse is a website dedicated to the sharing of user-created digital design files. Providing primarily open source hardware designs licensed under the GNU General Public License or Creative Commons licenses, users choose the type of user license they wish to attach to the designs they share. 3D printers, laser cutters, milling machines and many other technologies can be used to physically create the files shared by the users on Thingiverse.

Thingiverse is widely used in the DIY technology and Maker communities, by the RepRap Project, and by 3D Printer and MakerBot operators. Numerous technical projects use Thingiverse as a repository for shared innovation and dissemination of source materials to the public. Many of the objects are for the purpose of repair.

Video Thingiverse

History

Thingiverse was started in November 2008 by Zach Smith as a companion site to MakerBot Industries, a DIY 3D printer kit making company.

Thingiverse received an Honorable Mention in the Digital Communities category of the 2010 ARS Electronica | Prix Ars Electronica international competition for cyber-arts.

There were 25,000 designs uploaded to Thingiverse as of November 2012 and more than 100,000 in June 2013. The 400,000th Thing was published on the 19 July 2014.

Maps Thingiverse

Administration

The site is owned by MakerBot Industries and run by one of its founders, Bre Pettis in Brooklyn, New York.

Thingiverse terms of use include the agreement that users don't include content that "contributes to the creation of weapons, illegal materials or is otherwise objectionable".

src: edshelf.com

Open source hardware

Where many open source hardware projects are focused on project-specific materials, Thingiverse provides a common ground from which derivatives and mashups can form.

Thingiverse contains many improvements and modifications that are generated by the community that surrounds open source hardware. There are numerous files to open-source improve, upgrade and modify RepRap and Contraptor 3D printers.