Patent ID: 8515826

Claim:
A customer-driven method for designing and producing a three-dimensional object, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a selection of a base three-dimensional object from a customer device in communication with a central device; displaying on the customer device a base three-dimensional model derived from base-three dimensional data wherein the base three-dimensional model corresponds directly to the base three-dimensional object; receiving at least one custom modification to the base three-dimensional model from the customer device, modifying the base three-dimensional data to form modified three- dimensional data, and preparing a modified three-dimensional model corresponding to a modified three-dimensional object determined by the base three-dimensional object as modified by said at least one custom modification; displaying the modified three-dimensional model on the customer device, wherein the modified three-dimensional model corresponds directly to the modified three-dimensional object; receiving confirmation to produce the modified three-dimensional object from the customer device; determining a respective capacity, a quality rating, and a location of a plurality of manufacturers; selecting at least one of the manufacturers for receipt of the modified three-dimensional image model based on the respective capacity, the quality rating, and the location of said at least one of the manufacturers; and transmitting the modified three-dimensional data directly from the central device to the at least one respective manufacturer device associated with said at least one of the manufacturers selected for automatic production of the modified three-dimensional object, using and corresponding directly to the modified three-dimensional data.