NAZARETH, Pa. - A new family-run business wants to elevate your imagination and let your creativity take shape in Northampton County.
Sutcliffe Designs 3D Print Factory, offering 3D printing parties, classes, workshops and more, will hold a grand opening 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2, at 65 S. Broad St. in Nazareth.
The event will feature demonstrations, a ribbon-cutting ceremony with local dignitaries, and complimentary coffee and doughnuts from Nazareth area businesses, owner Ryan Sutcliffe said.
Sutcliffe, of Bushkill Township, has been 3D printing for about five years.
His first hands-on experience came in 2019, when he stumbled upon a 3D printer at the Memorial Library of Nazareth & Vicinity while checking out books for summer reading with his son.
“I was talking to the librarian on duty who was pretty knowledgeable about [3D printing], and it just really interested me,” Sutcliffe said.
“So, I started researching at home, popped on Amazon to see what a printer costs and just put one on the wish list thinking, ‘One day, maybe.’ Well, my wife ended up surprising me on my birthday with it. That was in fall 2019, and then when COVID hit in early 2020, I’m in the house with this brand-new toy, and I was really able to focus my time and energy on it. It just took off from there.”
Sutcliffe started using the 3D printer to make planters for his wife, whose interest in houseplants blossomed during the pandemic.
He’s made the pots in unique shapes – like cacti, skulls and even characters from video games.
“As she posted them on social media, her friends and plant groups wanted them also,” Sutcliffe said.
“So, I started shipping them out, meeting people at the door or leaving them on the porch for pick-up. It continued to grow from there – from Etsy to in-person events.”
For the past three years, Sutcliffe Designs has also been a fixture at the Nazareth Farmers Market, selling items such as pots, toys, wine bottle holders and decorative animals and other pieces.
The business’ new brick-and-mortar location held a soft opening on July 19, and Sutcliffe is continuing to operate the Nazareth Farmers Market stand on Saturdays with help from his wife.
“We’ve been getting a lot of great feedback,” Sutcliffe said.
“This is our third season at the market, and we definitely have repeat customers who stop by every week. They’re always excited to shop and see what’s new. So, I feel like that excitement will translate well to a physical space, where people can still buy those printed toys and other items, but they can also make custom pieces themselves.”
Sutcliffe Designs 3D Print Factory features four work stations, with three 3D printers each.
The facility can host birthday parties, as well as other events such as jewelry parties and BYOB paint-a-print parties for bachelor/bachelorette parties, employee team building events and other occasions.
A basic party, $300, accommodates up to 10 guests and includes 90 minutes of party time.
Every guest has use of their own 3D printer to make a print of their choosing to take home, and the party also includes hands-on time with 3D-printed toys and games, along with time for food, cake and other refreshments.
Popular creations include various fidget and spinning toys as well as helicopter flying toys.
Add-ons, including a $15 3D-printed dragon or similar-sized toy for each guest, are also available.
“For the parties, I explain what 3D printing is, how it works and also some safety precautions,” Sutcliffe said.
“I have tablets preloaded with models that guests use to pick what they want to make. After they enjoy their refreshments, they’ll come back out and their prints will be finished. It’s a little souvenir that they made and that they get to take home.”
The 3D printing process starts when an individual takes their desired model and loads it into software, called a slicer, which “does just that,” Sutcliffe said.
“It slices the model into layers and translates the shape of those layers into code that tells the printer how to move,” Sutcliffe explained.
“As it moves, there’s a filament – looks kind of like weed wacker string – that feeds into a hot end, melting the plastic and drawing those shapes layer by layer. I always say, ‘It’s like stacking pancakes of different shapes on top of each other.’”
Sutcliffe Designs also can accommodate custom requests from individuals looking to create unique pieces, with specific designs and colors.
The facility is “perfect for people who may not want to invest in a 3-D printer, but still want to try it out and get creative,” Sutcliffe said.
“At Sutcliffe Designs 3D Print Factory, our mission is to ignite creativity, empower innovation, and foster learning through the world of 3D printing,” a message on the business’ website reads. “We are more than just a print service; we are a hub for exploration and education, catering to enthusiasts of all ages.”
For all of its creations, the business uses polylactic acid, also known as PLA, which is a bioplastic derived from renewable and biodegradable sources such as corn starch and sugar cane.
“It’s not petroleum-based like most plastics,” Sutcliffe said. “It’s more environmentally friendly and commercially compostable.”
For the latest updates on Sutcliffe Designs, follow the business’ pages on Facebook and Instagram. Info: 908-894-9642; sd3dprintfactory.com.
