3D printing is most certainly not the latest advancement in technology, but it still makes our hearts flutter at the thought of printing objects on demand. Need a decorative piece to give your desk a little character? 3D-print it! Can’t find the right size screw for a fixture? 3D-print it! Want to – you get the gist. Armed with a Computer Engineering degree from KU and a deep rooted “interest in recycling and making stuff,” Abdullah Alhussainan founded 3DPme for all your 3D printing needs. But being a part of the Maker Community – which takes the DIY culture into the digital age with the help of technology – is what keeps Abdullah motived. “Building the Maker Community in Kuwait is one of the important things that 3DPme, and many others like FabLab, Manifesto13, ART* and 7erafy, are working on,” Adbullah explained. We got the chance to sit with him to learn more about what he does and what fueled his interest.

Originally an Android developer Abdullah – the co-founder of Kuwait Prayer Times app (one of the most used apps in Kuwait) – grew fascinated with the field of 3D printing back in 2014. “I had just resigned from my job and started looking around to start a business. I saw 3D printing and thought ‘let’s give it a try’,” he explained. The name came to him on his couch while staring up at the ceiling – “Suddenly, I thought 3D Print… 3D Printing… 3DP… Me?! ‘Me’ could be in, well, me and it could be Middle East! Cool! And that’s how I got the name 3DPme.” But 3DPme doesn’t just print stuff for you – they can also rent out their 3D printers with weekly, monthly and yearly packages, and have new and used 3D printers for sale. We learn more about the process with founder Abdullah Alhussainan.
I have an idea! How can I get it 3D-printed?
If you have an idea or a sketch, you share it with us and once we fully understand your idea we connect you with a 3D designer. Once the 3D design is ready, the printing process begins. This process differs from one client to the other, as it depends on the job and client’s requirements. We don’t have an in-house designer, so we either outsource the 3D design to freelancers in Kuwait, or we use CadCrowd.com – which is a website to find CAD designers. But if a client doesn’t want a specific design, we let them choose a free one from any of the community websites available online, such as Thingiverse.com and Youmagine.com. We found that this approach reduces the clients’ costs. That’s the beauty of the Maker Community – we’re connected to a network of designers both locally and internationally that can realize a client’s vision.
How often do you host educational workshops and who can attend? What is their purpose?
We have a workshop or two every month. Some workshops are for children and others are for adults and they’re open to everyone, even absolute beginners. The objective behind the workshops are to show people how to use a 3D printer and how it can benefit them. We always start by asking each attendee what is their background is and what their goals are to show them examples related to their fields of interest. To reach a bigger and more diverse segment, we host our workshops in collaboration with other businesses such as Manifesto13, ART* and The Print Room.

How do you see people benefiting from 3D printing?
The amazing thing about 3D printing is that it’s a tool that each person can use differently. Students are using 3D printing to create their projects. Small businesses are using 3D printing to make molds for chocolates, candles and soaps. Designers are making furniture and prototypes of their products. Architecture firms are printing miniature buildings to show their clients. Car enthusiasts and garage owners are printing spare parts and add-ons for cars. We even experimented with food 3D printing and printed with Nutella. Food 3D printing is a field on its own and restaurants can benefit from it. For it to work, you basically convert your food item into a paste, then fill a syringe with this paste and go ahead and print any shape with the food!

You can buy/rent a printer, or simply print your designs in 3D by checking out 3DPme’s website www.threedp.me. Alternatively, you can WhatsApp them on 9962 2030 and follow them on Instagram @3dpme and Twitter @threedpme for more information.