Blog > Grasshopper Tips

Supercharge Your Coding Agents: Introducing ShapeDiver Agent Skills

Stop wasting tokens on AI hallucinations. ShapeDiver Agent Skills bring targeted, modular knowledge to your favorite AI coding assistants (like Cursor, Copilot, and Claude Code). By using Progressive Disclosure, it loads only the exact context you need—delivering faster, highly accurate code while keeping your token bills lean.

Stop sharing your Grasshopper files!

Sharing Grasshopper files feels fast because it avoids a “proper delivery step”. In practice, it creates the exact problems that slow projects down later: I P exposure, fragile dependencies, a UI that only the author understands, and a support burden that scales with every new stakeholder . If you are currently sending .gh files to clients, colleagues, or partners, you don’t need to rebuild your process from scratch. Y ou usually need one thing: a way to keep the definition under your control while letting others use it safely through a clean interface. That’s what ShapeDiver is for.

Getting to know… CD Peacock: When Heritage Fuels Innovation!

Learn how CD Peacock leverages Grasshopper and ShapeDiver, paired with iJewel’s jewelry-focused rendering, to transform its heritage-driven bridal collections into interactive, configurable experiences.

Getting to know… Frame Maker: Custom-fit Eyewear for On-Demand 3D Printing!

Andrés Roppa, an industrial designer working at the intersection of eyewear, 3D printing, and Grasshopper, explains how Frame Maker uses ShapeDiver and App Builder to turn parametric prototypes into accessible tools that blend craft, customization, and modern digital workflows.

The ShapeDiver Retreat 2025

ShapeDiver's team grew this year, so we took a trip to the countryside to reflect, plan, and get to know each other better.

High-Complexity 3D Configurators: Automate Manufacturing Output with ShapeDiver + Grasshopper!

Learn the difference between simple and high-complexity 3D configurators and why ShapeDiver shines with the latter.

Getting to know... CORE studio: Scaling Computational Design at Thornton Tomasetti!

An in-depth interview with CORE studio’s Eesha Jain on how Thornton Tomasetti leverages ShapeDiver to transform computational design scripts into scalable engineering tools.

App Builder 101

Learn about the process, challenges, and thought process our team followed to come up with the concept of App Builder, as directly told by our CTO.

ShapeDiver Now Supports SheepMetal Plugin!

Learn more about this plugin for designing and preparing sheet metal parts.

What We Got Wrong About ShapeDiver’s Free Plan (And How We Fixed It)

In this article, I'll discuss recent changes to our free plan and our reasons behind them.

Skip the Coding: Build Your 3D Configurator with Grasshopper + ShapeDiver!

In this article, we’ll examine two possible ways to build an online 3D configurator and how that affects its total cost of ownership.

Getting to know… OrthoSolid: 3D Printed Orthoses and Prostheses!

Learn how OrthoSolid is replacing plaster casts and labor-intensive hand-layups with a simple scan-or-measurement workflow powered by Grasshopper and ShapeDiver.

Getting to know... PENTAURA: Parametric Timber Structures!

Learn how PENTAURA combines Grasshopper, Karamba3D, and ShapeDiver to deliver customizable, sustainable timber shell structures through an accessible online platform, transforming architectural system design and fabrication across Europe.

Designers Corner: Yves Ebnöther!

Swiss industrial designer Yves Ebnöther discusses the intersection of parametric design, sustainability, and digital fabrication in furniture design. He shares insights from his "Stool around the MAK" project, highlighting how platforms like ShapeDiver enhance design adaptability and collaboration.

Revisiting… Saw & Sew: AI meets Made-To-Order Furniture!

Learn how this bespoke furniture brand is using AI to help its customers create unique fabric designs for their products.

ShapeDiver Spring '25 Update | Live Webinar

Join us on March 25th to learn about the latest features added to the ShapeDiver platform, including our new Speckle and Shopify integrations.

Inside ShapeDiver: Efficiently Rendering the Text Tag 3D Component via Instanced Meshes

A technical deep dive into how the ShapeDiver viewer now efficiently handles large amounts of 3D text. Learn more about the new approach, which is already live and ready to use!

Getting to know... WAZP: Transforming Supply Chains with 3D Printing!

Getting to know… RE:Ukraine Villages: Rebuilding Ukraine with Grasshopper!

RE:Ukraine Villages is an online constructor created by balbek bureau that simplifies the reconstruction of rural Ukrainian houses with respect for their surroundings. Learn how Grasshopper and ShapeDiver helped bring this online tool to life.

Getting to know… Vivobarefoot: The Scan-to-Production Footwear Revolution!

Pete Davis, Vivobarefoot's Computational Systems Lead, shares how the company is transforming custom-fit footwear with their new VivoBiome line by leveraging advanced tools like Grasshopper, ShapeDiver, Volumental, and Balena to push the limits of personalized shoe design.

ShapeDiver Fall '24 Update | Live Webinar

Getting to know… Beaver Structures: Redefining Parametric Timber Engineering!

Learn about this open-source plugin focused on timber engineering and how it is currently being used in universities of more than 20 countries and renowned engineering companies over the globe.

Getting to know... 1x1: German Eco-Conscious Modular Designs!

Learn how this design company focuses on creating customizable, sustainable products using locally sourced materials and parametric design tools like Grasshopper and ShapeDiver.

Getting to know… Movêu: Brazilian Furniture Made-to-Measure!

Movêu is transforming the Brazilian furniture industry by providing fully customizable, affordable furniture using advanced digital tools such as Grasshopper and ShapeDiver.

ShapeDiver & the AEC Industry: 6 Case Studies!

This article explores how ShapeDiver is helping the AEC Industry, highlighting six case studies covering modular construction, 3D printing, 4D models, production automation, and advanced online applications featuring carbon footprint calculation and structural analysis.

Introducing: App Builder | Live Webinar

During this webinar, ShapeDiver's team will introduce App Builder. This feature allows computational designers to build advanced and contextual user interfaces for online applications using only Grasshopper, eliminating the need for additional web development.

Getting to know… Type Five: The Art of Modular Innovation!

Discover how Type Five is revolutionizing residential construction with its unique site-built modular approach and technology-driven customization powered by Grasshopper and ShapeDiver, making sustainable and affordable homes a reality.

Spring '24 Update: These are the new features!

From Rhino 8 support to new advanced post-processing effects on our 3D viewer, these are the new features recently added to our platform.

Getting to know… Dampere: A French Innovation Story!

Olivia Theilliere, discusses her role in enhancing Dampere's digital strategy over four years, focusing on the company's specialization in perforated metal sheets and the transformative impact of Grasshopper and ShapeDiver on their design, production, and customer engagement processes.

Getting to know… Modern Metal: Fusing aesthetics and precision.

Learn how Annie Kantor, founder of Modern Metal, uses CraftOS and ShapeDiver to create bespoke metal panels and vent covers for architectural projects.

ShapeDiver Spring '24 Update | Live Webinar

Join us on March 5th for a webinar hosted by our Head of Product, Mathieu Huard, and our Head of Projects, Edwin Hernández. Together, they’ll showcase the latest features added to the ShapeDiver platform, including full Rhino 8 support.

Getting to know... Interstice: Democratizing 4D models!

Eric Guenther, Co-Founder and Principal of Interstice and Digital Practice Manager at FSE, delves into the innovative intersection of structural engineering and computational design, especially within the evolving Mass Timber sector. He highlights the role of tools like Rhino, Grasshopper, Python, and ShapeDiver in transforming project delivery and client collaboration in the AEC industry.

Getting to know... Gemme: 3D Printed Jewelry!

Learn how this German company uses Grasshopper, ShapeDiver and Shopify to offer high-end 3D printing jewelry online.

Getting to know... WASP: Italian 3D Printing Innovation!

Learn all about WASP, an Italian company specialized in large-scale 3D printing, including more about their latest online configurator created with Grasshopper and ShapeDiver!

ShapeDiver in Stories

An honest account of the mistakes and moments of clarity that led ShapeDiver where it is today, and set our path for the years to come.

Getting to know... DIVE: Accelerating the Adoption of Additive Manufacturing!

Adam and Alex founded DIVE, a marketing agency specialized in Additive Manufacturing. Read along and learn more about how they're helping different companies embrace the power of 3D Printing!

ShapeDiver & Rhino Compute Explained!

Explore the differences between using Rhino Compute and ShapeDiver for your online applications.

ShapeDiver X Autodesk Forma | Live Webinar

Check out the recording of our July 11th, 2023 webinar showcasing the new ShapeDiver extension (BETA) for Autodesk Forma.

Designers Corner: René Medel from framas!

In this interview, René Medel, computational and industrial designer at footwear component manufacturer framas, shares his passion for footwear design and its intersection with technology.

Getting to know... Sfered: Custom Eyewear Meets Grasshopper!

Learn how this Dutch entrepreneur created the Holy Grail of iOS apps for custom eyewear, offering over 7 billion custom fits.

Getting to know... CyBe: 3D Concrete Printing meets Grasshopper!

Learn how this Dutch technology company is taking 3D Concrete Printing to the next level with the help of Grasshopper and ShapeDiver!

The Efficiency Boost: Computational Design in AEC | Live Webinar

This live event will introduce you to the latest innovations in computational design and cloud computing for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your First Online 3D Product Configurator with ShapeDiver

You can think of ShapeDiver as the "YouTube for Grasshopper files." Just like you'd upload a video to YouTube to easily share it with a wide audience via the Internet, the same way you can upload your Grasshopper files to ShapeDiver.

Designers Corner: Dan Cole from Webb Yates Engineers!

Webb Yates Engineers is a multidisciplinary engineering practice comprising structural, civil, mechanical, electrical, and public health engineers. For this interview, we had the opportunity to talk to one of their Structural Engineers to learn more about how Grasshopper and ShapeDiver are used internally.

Augmented Reality in eCommerce: How Does It Work?

Augmented reality is being adopted by eCommerce companies to improve the customer experience. This article explains important aspects of the technology and how companies can benefit from its implementation.

Getting to know… Saw & Sew: Made-To-Order Furniture!

Learn how this Canadian entrepreneur living in the UK created a made-to-order furniture brand for the mass market using Grasshopper and ShapeDiver.

Getting to know... Imersian: Automating Web-Based Augmented Reality!

This Australia-based software development agency wants to make Augmented Reality more accessible and easy to use.

Getting to know... Construsoft and Optinave!

Learn how Construsoft, a leading supplier and developer of BIM software, built a powerful online tool for calculating and optimizing the design of industrial metal structures using Grasshopper and ShapeDiver.

Getting to know… Web Shaping Bay: Surfboard Shaping with Grasshopper!

Learn how this Brazilian surfer living in Portugal created an award-winning project that aims to change how surfboards get manufactured with the help of parametric design, cloud computing, and subtractive manufacturing.

Getting to know... ADDA Lab!

Meet Joan Marc and Jordi, the team behind ADDA Lab, a computer engineering agency based at 22@ Barcelona's innovation district.

Getting to know... macu4: 3D Printed Arm Prosthetics!

Learn how this Swiss startup is using Parametric Design and 3D Printing to radically transform how arm prosthetics are made.

Live Webinar: Go Beyond Grasshopper with ShapeDiver's API!

Join us in this live event and learn how our API can help you create amazing online applications by leveraging the power of web technologies and parametric design.

Getting to know... Cake Houses: Modular Wooden Houses!

Cake Houses is a Czech startup looking to disrupt how small family houses are designed and assembled. Their goal is to drastically reduce design and construction times times by using parametric design and CNC machines.

IntraLattice, Chimpanzee, Treesloth & Droid added to ShapeDiver!

ShapeDiver recently added support for 4 new Grasshopper plugins, bringing the total number of third-party plugins to 33. Learn more about how you can use them on our platform starting today by reading below.

Getting to know... WOOD-SKIN: Bespoke Wooden Panels!

In this interview, we talk with Italian company WOOD-SKIN®. They are using parametric design and digital fabrication to offer uniquely designed wooden panels to clients all over the world.

Live Webinar: Introducing The New ShapeDiver Plugin!

Join our Head of Projects, Edwin Hernández, and our Head of Marketing & Sales, Ezequiel Lopez, on this guided walkthrough of our new Grasshopper plugin and the new features we introduced with it.

Live Webinar: Introducing The New ShapeDiver 2.0 Platform!

Join our Head of Product, Mathieu Huard, and our Head of Marketing & Sales, Ezequiel Lopez, on this guided walkthrough of our new platform frontend and the new features we introduced with it. We promise you'll learn a thing or two!

Getting to know... Toggle: Reimagining Rebar Fabrication!

Today you’ll get to know Daniel Blank and Andreas Thoma from Toggle, an American firm that is reimaging rebar fabrication with the help of robots and computational design tools such as Grasshopper and ShapeDiver.

Getting to know... UGA Pastries: Exploring Flavors With Grasshopper!

Today you’ll get to know the founder of UGA Pastries, an Israel-based artisanal pastry shop run by Pastry Chef & Product Designer, Michal Lev. She uses Grasshopper and ShapeDiver to create unique online tools that let end users visualize and configure their perfect desserts. Hungry? So are we!

Getting to know... MERZ MÖBEL: Furniture (Custom) Made In Germany!

Today you’ll get to know the CEO and founder of MERZ MÖBEL, a German company that allows customers to design sideboards according to their preferences and needs with the help of additive manufacturing, traditional carpentry, Grasshopper and ShapeDiver.

Getting to know... Mass Timber Thought Leaders: Fast+Epp!

Today you’ll get to know Tobias Fast from Fast+Epp, a North American firm that is spearheading the "Mass Timber & Prefabrication" movement in North America and Europe.

Introducing: The New ShapeDiver Plugin (v1.9)!

This new version includes new import and export file formats, a new attribute system, new components, downloading and updating via Rhino's Package Manager and much more!

Introducing: The New ShapeDiver Platform!

We're very excited to announce that our new platform is now ready to by used by all ShapeDiver users! Additionally, we're introducing new features today which should enhance the way you use our platform.

Getting to know... Indimise: 3D Printed Phone Cases!

Today you’ll get to know the CEO and founder of Indimise, a German company that allows smartphone users to become the designers of their own 3D printed case with the help of Additive Manufacturing, Grasshopper and ShapeDiver.

5 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do With Grasshopper!

Did you know that Grasshopper can be used to automate the generation of production files and technical drawings? How about rasterizing images into vectors? In this post we share 5 things you probably didn't know you can do with this amazing piece of software!

Open Beta Invitation: Take A Sneak Peek At What's Coming!

Are you interested in testing out some of the new features coming to ShapeDiver in 2022? Then this post is for you! You'll find out how to join the Open Beta for our upcoming platform update, including some cool features like Augmented Reality and a new viewer API!

Modularization & Prefabrication In AEC

In this article we'll discuss how different types of manufacturing techniques could help the AEC Industry gain back productivity and efficiency. We also talk to Chris Aerts, CEO at APlusV solutions, about the current state of automation and venture capital in the industry.

Parakeet Plugin Now Supported On ShapeDiver

Parakeet3D is a collection of digital tools that expands Grasshopper's morphological repository for Patterns and Networks, allowing designers to go beyond old shapes and push the old boundaries to comply with modern design requirements. Starting today, it's now supported on ShapeDiver!

3 Reasons Why Your Grasshopper Definitions Should Be Clean & Documented

Have you ever found yourself struggling to understand your own Grasshopper definitions? This is a very common problem as these type of files can quickly become messy and difficult to understand. In this tutorial we'll share 3 reasons why it's important to keep your definitions clean and documented.

Can Cloud Applications Help Solve Fragmentation In The AEC Industry? | Pt. 2

This two-part article explores how cloud applications can help solve fragmentation within the architecture, engineering & construction (AEC) industry, which has been growing at an exponential rate over past years as new technologies emerge and old ones are replaced due to obsolescence or increased costs of operations.

Can Cloud Applications Help Solve Fragmentation In The AEC Industry? | Pt. 1

This two-part article explores how cloud applications can help solve fragmentation within the architecture, engineering & construction (AEC) industry, which has been growing at an exponential rate over past years as new technologies emerge and old ones are replaced due to obsolescence or increased costs of operations.

Mass Customization, the Next Big Trend in eCommerce

Mass customization is a process that tailors products to an individual level, which allows for personalization and eliminates large inventory costs. It allows customers to have access to products they would never be able to find anywhere else, while at the same time saving businesses money on unsold inventory and production costs. In this article we dive in depth into what the practice is, what the benefits of adopting mass customization are, and how businesses can implement it into their operations.

Four Ideas For Customizing Everyday Products with 3D Printing (& Grasshopper)!

In this video tutorial, we explore four different ideas that take advantage of the power of 3D Printing and Parametric Design to customize everyday objects!

Getting to know... Distributed Manufacturing!

Distributed Manufacturing is the production of goods at the point or near to the point of consumption by end users. In this article, we’ll explore what it is, its benefits and how any company can adopt it for its own business strategy.

Top 5 Things I Learned While Creating A Lamborghini Configurator!

In this article, automotive designer Michele Farina shares 5 things he learned while designing a Lamborghini configurator that helped him push the boundaries of what Grasshopper and ShapeDiver can do.

Unconventional Ways You Can Use Grasshopper As A Prototyping Tool

5 Things To AVOID When Uploading Grasshopper Models To ShapeDiver!

In this post we review 5 of the most common mistakes new ShapeDiver users make when uploading their first Grasshopper models to our platform. Are you already avoiding all of them?

Getting to know... Computational Design!

Computational Design is being widely adopted in many fields, from the Automotive industry to AEC and Apparel. In this article, we will discuss what Computational Design is, who it is for and what can be done with it.

Getting to know...YŪ by YOU Jewelry!

Today we interview Julius, Max, and Paul, the minds behind YŪ by YOU, an innovative German jewelry brand that uses computational design to turn any name into a unique wearable jewelry piece!

RoomSurveyor Plugin Now Supported On ShapeDiver

RoomSurveyor implements iterative triangulation algorithms to assist users in surveying rooms, either orthogonal or non-orthogonal, and automating the drawing of the as-is survey. This guest post, written by developer Filipe Brandão, explores what the plugin can do, how it works, and what problem led to its creation.

Getting to know… Tarpaulin Configurators with Planen Planen!

Join us as we interview the team behind the Planen Planen online configurator. Christian Stegmaier, Simon Vorhammer, and Amlis Botsch share the story behind this application revolutionizing the purchasing and manufacturing process of trailer tarpaulins by combining a web 3D configurator and CNC machines.

Redefining mechanical interfaces with design configurators – The 3D Insert story

Digital manufacturing technologies such as 3D printing led to a paradigm change in the production industry. Within this post, we discuss how even purely mechanical features, such as screwed interfaces, can be digitally extended with ShapeDiver and 3D Insert.

Getting to know…PHYSEE Technologies!

Today we interview Rahul Grover. He is a Smart Facade Engineer at Physee Technologies, a Dutch technology company that’s engineering coating, solar, and sensor solutions for the global energy transition. Their goal is to change the perspective on how current materials are used and implemented in the construction industry, as well as challenging the system innovation behind them.

Plugin updates for Clipper, Heteroptera, LunchBox, and OpenNest.

Getting to know... Custom light designs with Shapelamp!

>>Getting to know…<< is the place where ShapeDiver introduces game-changers in the field of Parametric Design. During our blog series, we’ll let great brands do the talking and present their projects, so sit back and enjoy!

Win A Scholarship For DesignMorphine’s Master’s Degree!

Whether you're already graduated or about to graduate from college, getting a master's degree is always an option you might consider to get ahead with your career and improve your current skill set. If you've ever thought about or are actively considering taking a master's degree in the Computational Design field, then we may have good news for you.

ShapeDiver Now Supports Rhino 7!

A few weeks ago, McNeel released the long-awaited version 7 of Rhino. You would be forgiven for missing the news, since McNeel decided to go for a silent release with virtually no marketing planned around it. As a consequence, we at ShapeDiver were taken by surprise, like everyone else! We had long planned to coordinate the launch of our own Rhino 7 cloud system with its official commercial release. And we do not like to disappoint…

Grasshopper plugins Heteroptera, Caterpillar, Fattener and jSwan join the ShapeDiver platform!

We remain committed to make ShapeDiver a very open and flexible platform, even for our Free users. For this reason, we’ve given a higher priority to the process of adding support for useful third-party plugins.

Why can’t ShapeDiver support all Grasshopper third-party plugins?

Our goal at ShapeDiver is to make this platform as open and compatible with 3rd party plugins as possible. Nonetheless, sometimes some plugins are just not made to be used in an online environment. In this article, we explain the overall requirements for any plugin to be supported on our system.

Desktop vs Cloud Computation Time Explained!

Getting to know… Spatial Systems by Estructuras Arqué!

Did you know...? This pioneering company is a proud holder of CE certificate in EXC4 – Execution Class 4 which is the top level European certification both in Structural Manufacturing and Structural Sizing awarded by Lloyd's Register.

ShapeDiver Now Supports Grasshopper Vectorization Plugin ‘Rooster’

Rooster is a plugin useful for extracting curves from images; a process commonly known as Vectorization of an image.

ShapeDiver Secures Investment From Thornton Tomasetti, Merges With Swarm

The ShapeDiver team is excited to announce that we have merged with Swarm, a Grasshopper-based app store for the design community developed by the CORE Studio team at Thornton Tomasetti.

Improving Construction With Additive Manufacturing

In this article we explore four of the major challenges that are delaying the adoption of Additive Manufacturing within the AEC industry: Technology, Costs, Regulations and Interest.

Karamba3D Now Supported On ShapeDiver

After years of growing presence in the product design, furniture and jewellery industries, supporting Karamba3D is a major step we are taking towards new tools and new workflows for parametric engineering in the AEC industry. If you’re interested in learning more about this, keep reading along

How To Export PDF Files From Grasshopper

PDF files can be very useful in plenty of different situations. But, being able to automatically generate them and export them can make them an invaluable tool for your business. In this article we explain how you can achieve this by using a special component included in our Grasshopper plugin!

On Local Resilience During COVID-19 Times

Communities around the world have responded swiftly to the COVID-19 crisis with a mission to save lives and thereby, several digital solutions have been rapidly identified as useful for our current health necessities. In fact, we have seen that local manufacturing can offer a viable short-term solution for many products and components, even beyond the medical supply chain. In this article we will be looking at how online collaboration in the form of co-design and co-creation is here to help.

Parametric Design For Cloud Applications | Advanced Grasshopper Workshop

Originally, we were planning on doing this event as an in-person workshop directly at McNeel's HQs in sunny Barcelona, Spain... but apparently 2020 had other plans for the rest of us! After giving it a bit of thought, we decided that the show must go on so we pivoted to an online webinar which hopefully helps us maximize the reach of the content we want to share with everyone interested!

Introducing: ShapeDiver Video Tutorials!

Take a guided tour with our new ShapeDiver video tutorials. In these videos, we take things slow and explain step by step the how and why of every ShapeDiver functionality. Check out the first of many episodes down below and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss any new episodes!

Grasshopper Data Trees Explained! | Pt. 2

Hi, my name is Edwin and I’m a Grasshopper Expert at ShapeDiver. In this 2-part tutorial I will show you the role data trees play inside a Grasshopper model and how it directly translates into faster computation times and other benefits.

Grasshopper Data Trees Explained! | Pt. 1

Hi, my name is Edwin and I'm a Grasshopper Expert at ShapeDiver. In this 2-part tutorial I will show you the role data trees play inside a Grasshopper model and how it directly translates into faster computation times and other benefits.

Platform Update: Copy Model Settings & Re-upload GH files!

The latest ShapeDiver platform update makes it easier to update existing models by copying and loading existing scene settings into a new model.

Getting to know… General Lattice!

This is a guest post written by Nicholas Florek, CEO of Computational Design and Digital Fabrication company General Lattice based in Chicago, Illinois. They offer digital production solutions to companies that are looking to manufacture product concepts specifically designed for additive manufacturing.

Compute In The Cloud With ShapeDiver!

We are happy to release the ShapeDiver Model View API. This new feature will allow our users to use the full potential of the ShapeDiver cloud computing infrastructure. Read everything you need to know below!

What’s The Designer’s Role In 2020 And Beyond?

For the 2nd time, ShapeDiver is collaborating with ABT in order to provide a platform where their employees can upload different original designs made with Grasshopper and inspired by this Christmas period.

What’s The Designer’s Role In 2020 And Beyond?

This is a guest post written by Victor Alonso da Silva, CEO of Interior Design startup BLECAUTE. He's previously been featured in our blog and in this occasion he will share some thoughts on Computational Design and how him and his partner, Pedro Favaretto, got started.

ShapeDiver Plugin | Release Notes November 2019

More export types, IFC support and a full glTF exporter for Rhino! All of these and more are available in the new version of the ShapeDiver plugin.

3D Printing Robots At Maker Faire 2019 in Italy!

This is a guest post written by Annapaola Vacanti, who's previously been featured in our blog with her work done at frameopensource.org

Model No. Furniture – 3D Printed Furniture Explained!

When one thinks of the Furniture Industry, a picture comes to mind of the typical tables or chairs made of different types of wood, with fairly standard shapes and nothing out of the ordinary. In an industry as old as human kind, everything that needed to be invented has been invented, right? Wrong. Meet Model No. and their team of co-founders who are actually making every possible effort to disrupt this 30,000 year old industry.

Why I Switched From SketchFab To ShapeDiver To Create Product Configurators

Hi, my name is Edwin Hernández. I’m a Grasshopper expert at ShapeDiver. In this blog post I will tell you why I switched from SketchFab in order to create product configurators for my clients.

ShapeDiver 3D Viewer | Release Notes September 2019

The latest ShapeDiver release shines a new light on your models... literally! Read more about the new lighting settings, as well as other features, updates and bug fixes that we released this month.

Product Configurators Explained!

In the past few years, product configurators have become a fundamental piece of the e-commerce ecosystem. From Nike shoes to IKEA kitchens, local businesses and multinational companies alike have faced the growing needs of consumers in terms of personalization. As a consequence, configurators have not only become more frequent, but also more sophisticated.

Parametric Dreams [Ep. 9] – Blecaute: Lighting Furniture Studio Made In Brazil!

Parametric Dreams is a space where early entrepreneurs and students can share their stories and projects involving Parametric Design and Shapediver. Every world-renowned designer had a beginning and we believe every dream deserves to be shared!

ShapeDiver Now Supports Pufferfish Plugin

Besides their often poisonous skin, the main defense mechanism of Pufferfish is their ability to inflate into a much bigger, almost spherical shape. This spectacular transformation inspired Michael Pryor to name his plugin, which is available on ShapeDiver starting today.

How To… Create A Parametric Bench in Grasshopper!

You've asked, we've answered. We are starting a new blog series where we'll explore the hows and whys of product configurators made with Grasshopper and ShapeDiver!

Parametric Dreams [Ep. 8] – Meet Aspiring Car Designer Michele Farina

Parametric Dreams is a new space we’ve opened specifically for early entrepreneurs and students to share their stories and projects involving Parametric Design. Every world-renowned designer was once a student and we believe every student dream deserves to be heard!

Parametric Dreams [Ep. 7] – ShapeDiver Supports Research And Innovation!

At ShapeDiver, we are always happy to hand out licenses and a helping hand to any student or research fellow who wish to use ShapeDiver for their work. As a result, several publications have involved ShapeDiver in our three years of existence. In some of them, the platform even plays a significant role. We present here an overview of some of these eclectic works and discuss the shared design principles that connect them together.

ShapeDiver Now Supports Kangaroo 2 Plugin

One of the most exciting additions to Grasshopper 1.0 is the inclusion of the Kangaroo plugin as a set of native Grasshopper components. By popular demand, we are happy to bring Kangaroo 2 to ShapeDiver today! Read more below about this powerful plugin, and importantly about the precautions to take when using Kangaroo with ShapeDiver.

Designers Corner [Ep. 8] – Marco Traverso

Designers Corner is the place where Parametric Designers talk about their work. There is a story behind every model, and who better to tell the story than the designers themselves? In today's episode we had a chance to talk to Italian computational designer Marco Traverso.

3D Printing Stone And Concrete… Explained!

Concr3de was founded in 2016 with the aim of providing a way to produce sustainable and unique forms of architecture, construction, design and manufacturing, using inkjet 3D printing technology. In this blog post, Matteo Baldassari (co-founder) shares his Mass Customization vision and how, thanks to ShapeDiver, it is one step closer to reality.

The Role Of Sliders In Product Configurators

How many times have you interacted with a slider today? You probably have no clue, and I wouldn’t blame you. After all, it’s the nature of good design to become transparent to users. Today, I wanted to take a more mindful look at those small but fundamental pieces of our digital life. How did sliders come to be? What is their role in modern user interfaces and, especially, how can they enhance - or hurt - product configurators?

Parametric Dreams [Ep.6] – Maria Sfeir: Best Product Design Award 2019!

Parametric Dreams is a new space we’ve opened specifically for early entrepreneurs and students to share their stories and projects involving Parametric Design. Every world-renowned designer was once a student and we believe every student dream deserves to be heard!

Behind ShapeDiver: How We Scale Grasshopper For Cloud Applications!

Hi, I am Alex, CTO and co-founder of ShapeDiver. In this blog post I will provide you with some insights into the core of ShapeDiver: How we got started and how we managed to scale Grasshopper for cloud applications.

ShapeDiver Now Supports Nesting Plugin OpenNest

OpenNest is a Grasshopper plugin with tools for unrolling, packing and of course nesting curves directly inside your definitions. With OpenNest, enhance your configurators with price computation, bills of materials and stronger links with your manufacturing process.

Optimizing Grasshopper Definitions Explained!

Grasshopper offers hundreds of solutions for any kind of geometrical problem you can think of. Some of them can save us tons of frustration and time when programming our definitions. However, these time savers can be our worst enemy when it comes to processing efficiency.

Solving A Common WebGL Issue: Transparency

Hi, my name is Michael Oppitz and I’m a 3D Render Specialist at ShapeDiver. In this blog post, I want to talk about a typical problem that most applications using WebGL face at some point: transparency issues. I’ll present a specific challenge we had and the solution we came up with that works for us in most cases.

JSON Objects Explained!

We recently shared a JSON Objects video tutorial over at our YouTube channel! If you prefer video content to written one, make sure to check part 1 below.

Designers Corner [Ep. 7] – Eva Blšáková & Lidia Ratoi

Designers Corner is the place where Parametric Designers talk about their work. There is a story behind every model, and who better to tell the story than the designers themselves?

ShapeDiver In 2019: What We’re Building For You!

Hi! My name is Mathias and I'm CEO at ShapeDiver. Coming out of an exciting, productive and successful year of 2018, I’d like to take the opportunity and update all of you on what’s been happening behind the scenes over the last months here at ShapeDiver, and about the updates and new features you can expect in the new year.

Designers Corner [Ep. 6] – Marie Boltenstern

Marie is Managing Director and Head of Design at Boltenstern. Holding a Masters in Emergent Technologies from the Architectural Association in London, as well as a Diploma in Architecture from Berlin University of Technology.

Meshes vs B-Reps Explained!

Hi, my name is Edwin. I'm a Grasshopper expert at ShapeDiver and in this blog post I will show the difference between standard meshes and b-reps and how this can impact the performance and rendering of your Grasshopper definitions on ShapeDiver. Let's get going!

Grasshopper Plugin [v1.5]: Introducing Image Tools!

Hi, I'm Mathieu, co-founder and Head of Product at ShapeDiver. In this blog post, I'll present the latest update to our Grasshopper plugin, focused on tools for the creation, import, export and manipulation of images inside Grasshopper.

ShapeDiver Case Studies [Ep.1] – Modifile’s CNC Strategy

What happens when the right technology meets the right entrepreneurs? In this series we'll showcase the very best of ShapeDiver user cases. From Furniture and Jewelry, to Fashion and Architecture, learn how these visionaries are using our online parametric technology to offer something out of the ordinary.

Texture Mapping Explained!

Learn how to enhance the online rendering of your 3D models in Grasshopper by properly applying texture mapping.

From Sketch To Prototype Using Rhino & Grasshopper!

All artists have a unique creative process that they follow every time they design something new. Wanting to know more about this, last month we met with our good friends from Modifile.com and asked them if they could share their creative process with us. Here is how they do it.

ShapeDiver Now Supports Rhino 6 & Rhino For Mac!

We're happy to announce that starting TODAY you can finally upload definitions created with Rhino 6! This is easily the most requested feature we've received in the past months, so we're more than happy to finally deliver on this. Read below to find out a bit more about our system's new capabilities!

Grasshopper & ShapeDiver Help Create 3D Printed Prosthetics For Kids!

Some weeks ago we traveled to Madrid, Spain to meet the team behind Autofabricantes and MediaLab Prado. These guys are working on some exciting projects involving all types of 3D printing and parametric design, but the one that really caught our attention was SuperGiz.

Getting To Know… MediaLab Prado’s FabLab In Madrid!

>>Getting to know...<< is the place where ShapeDiver introduces game changers in the field of Parametric Design. During our blog series we'll let great brands and projects do the talking and present their work, so sit back and enjoy!

Parametric Dreams [ Ep. 4] – Jacob Blitzer: A 6-Week Parametric Jewelry Experiment!

Jacob Blitzer is an American computational designer that, as many reading this blog, fell in love with Parametric Design years ago. He decided to do something about it so he started his Coronate Project, an experiment involving a parametric rings and his will to sell them whatever it took!

Parametric Dreams [Ep. 5] – Gabriel Ganzarolli: Parametric Prosthesis Made In Brazil!

Parametric Dreams [Ep. 3] – Modifile: An Italian CNC Startup!

Parametric Dreams is a new space we've opened specifically for early entrepreneurs and students to share their stories and projects involving Parametric Design. Every world-renowned designer was once a student and we believe every student dream deserves to be heard!

Parametric Dreams [Ep. 2] – DreamBOOST: Scholarships For Design Students

Digital Fucina’s Corner [Ep.5] – ONEOFF… At A Time!

We've opened up a space for Digital Fucina's founder, Fabrizio de Paolis, a professional 3D modeler and Grasshopper specialist. In the following months he'll be posting several ideas on what Mass Customization means to him and his project Digital Fucina.

Our Tattoo Configurator (v2.0) Is Back!

ShapeDiver Now Supports Python Scripting!

Digital Fucina’s Corner [Ep. 4] – It Takes The Right Dress…

We’ve opened up a space for Digital Fucina‘s founder, Fabrizio de Paolis, a professional 3D modeler and Grasshopper specialist. In the following months he’ll be posting several ideas on what Mass Customization means to him and his project Digital Fucina.

Designers Corner [Ep. 5] – Arthur Mamou-Mani

Designers Corner is the place where Parametric Designers talk about their work. There is a story behind every model, and who better to tell the story than the designer himself?

Parametric Dreams [Ep. 1] – Democratizing Eyewear Design!

Parametric Dreams is a new space we've opened specifically for early entrepreneurs and students to share their stories and projects involving Parametric Design. Every world-renowned designer was once a student and we believe every student dream deserves to be heard! For our first episode we interviewed Annapaola Vacanti. She's a student from Italy who needed a platform to present her latest idea: Parametric Eyewear.

Getting to know… +LAB and +ABILITY

In this edition we'll get to know a 3D printing lab inside the Politecnico di Milano that is working hand in hand with patients suffering from different rheumatic diseases and how Parametric Design has helped them create tools that allow these patients to have a better quality of life.

Digital Fucina’s Corner [Ep. 3] – One Ring To Rule Them All

We've opened up a space for Digital Fucina's founder, Fabrizio de Paolis, a professional 3D modeler and Grasshopper specialist. In the following months he'll be posting several ideas on what Mass Customization means to him and his project Digital Fucina.

Digital Fucina’s Corner [Ep. 2] – Turn On The Light

We've opened up a space for Digital Fucina's founder, Fabrizio de Paolis, a professional 3D modeler and Grasshopper specialist. In the following months he'll be posting several ideas on what Mass Customization means to him and his project Digital Fucina.

Designers Corner [Ep. 4] – Pavlina Vardoulaki

For this fourth episode, we interviewed Pavlina Vardoulaki. She's Co-Founder and Creative Director at DesignMorphine (we did an introduction of them a few weeks back, so if you haven't checked that out we suggest you do that as well to complement this read).

MCPC 2017: Key Insights From The Mass Customization Summit

Getting to know… DesignMorphine: Creative Hub

Getting to know…<< is the place where ShapeDiver introduces game changers in the field of Parametric Design. During our blog series we’ll let great brands do the talking and present their projects, so sit back and enjoy!

Digital Fucina’s Corner [Ep.1]

We've opened up a space for Digital Fucina's founder, Fabrizio de Paolis, a professional 3D modeler and Grasshopper specialist. In the following months he'll be posting several ideas on what Mass Customization means to him and his project Digital Fucina.

Getting to know… ControlMAD: Advanced Design Center

>>Getting to know...<< is the place where ShapeDiver introduces game changers in the field of Parametric Design. During our blog series we'll let great brands do the talking and present their projects, so sit back and enjoy!

Designers Corner [Ep. 3] – Javier M. Gaxiola

Designers Corner is the place where ShapeDiver designers talk about their work. There is a story behind every model, and who better to tell the story than the designer himself?

The Quest For Customization In A World Of Economies Of Scale

There are two types of people in this world: those who notice car rims, and those who don't. I used to be the latter, until I started noticing them... then I just couldn't stop.

Introducing: The Shapeways Bridge

We are excited to introduce the “ShapeDiver – Shapeways Bridge”: an integration of the world-famous 3D printing marketplace into our platform. In a few clicks, users will be able to configure 3D models on a ShapeDiver viewer, either directly on our website or while embedded in any other, and seamlessly order the finished product as 3D-printed objects via Shapeways. This is a bridge between your parametric designs and the whole world.

A New Approach To A Thousand-Year Old Practice

Few topics in human history have such deep, meaningful roots as tattoos. For this reason I decided to give it a fresh approach! Join me while we explore the possibility of complementing this thousand-year old practice with modern technology!

FabTools: From Design To Production

FabTools is a Grasshopper plugin proposing a set of tools for fabrication purposes. FabTools is meant to improve your fabrication workflow, from design to production.

Peacock: Generative Jewelry Made Easy

The “X” Variable

There’s a belief that good design, especially in 3D, can only be achieved after months (or years) of constant practice. That anyone wanting to showcase their talent needs to go through a specific training and have (buy) the latest equipment and software. I believe that in 2017 this is not the case anymore, at least partially.

Marketing Basics for Product Configurators

A 3D product configurator is a great upgrade for an eCommerce platform, but to make sure it generates more customer conversions, there are some marketing questions that need to be addressed early. Here are a few tips to make sure your configurator is used in the optimal way.

Online 3D Configurators: 6 Use Cases

For the past twenty years, eCommerce has been an incredible tool for companies to scale the sales of their standard products. Net retail eCommerce sales have reached $2 trillions in 2016, a number that is expected to double by 2020 [1]. However, only recently have some companies started disrupting the traditional retail industry by addressing individual customers' needs through their eCommerce platform.

Designers Corner [Ep.2] – Daniel Abalde

Designers Corner is the place where ShapeDiver designers talk about their work. There is a story behind every model, and who better to tell the story than the designer himself? Our second episode introduces Dani Abalde, a jewelry designer working with bio-inspired algorithms.

Designers Corner [Ep.1] – Elissa Ross

Designers Corner is the place where ShapeDiver designers talk about their work. There is a story behind every model, and who better to tell the story than the designer herself? Introducing the series is Elissa Ross, a mathematician fascinated by the tight relationship between science and art.

The Secret Life Of Parameters

There are different schools of thought when it comes to defining parametric design. By schools of thought, I mean ferocious armies fighting to death on a desolate battlefield. At this point, the only safe move in attempting a definition would be to go for the most conceptual one. Fortunately, it might also be a good vantage point for developing a healthy discussion on the topic.

What is Shapediver?

ShapeDiver is a web service for publishing parametric 3D data. It is run by ShapeDiver GmbH, a limited liability company registered in Vienna, Austria.