Jon Cantin's toy rhino is one of 241 items in his digital inventory. It retails for $9.95, was designed in South Korea, and is made in New Zealand.
The Zen Table Lamp ($595) by Scott Morehead is another example from Ponoko's 20,000-item collection.
David ten Have is on the cover of the October, 2009 issue of Inc. magazine.
Ten Have (right) and Derek Elley, a serial entrepreneur and friend, founded Ponoko in 2007 after leaving jobs in the technology industry.
"I wanted to create beautiful objects," ten Have says, "I wanted to recreate the indescribable experience of opening that Apple box."
A designer creating an item for sale goes through two stages. First, they create a prototype, review it, and then list their finalized product for sale.
Selling a product is as easy as listing it in the Ponoko marketplace with some associated photos. Nothing is manufactured until an order is placed.
Ponoko offers a wide range of materials options, and expansion plans will introduce more intricate and difficult to machine choices.
Ten Have sets up the laser cutter at Ponoko's Wellington offices. His network will soon include 3-D printers and computer-controlled woodworking tools.
The Epershand Necklace is made from black acrylic, and sold by Isette for $24.
Lower shipping costs and on-demand manufacturing could create a far more efficient supply-chain.
Discounts are offered to loyal customers, who can pay a small subscription fee for lower laser-cutter rates. This has led to some lower product prices.
A new arrangement with ShopBot will see the Ponoko manufacturing footprint grow to more than 30 independent woodworkers in the U.S.A.
The Tota Coffee Carrier ($12) by Vanilla Design store
Nervous System's necklaces, which sell for $66 each, brought the company more than $25,000 in revenue in its first year.
Many designers will finish their Ponoko-created items with other manufactured elements, such as the wicker basket that completes this infant's rocker.
The colorful Season Leaves chain by Clark Bardsley is described as "a collection of 30 laser cut leaves that express the changing of the seasons." It sells for $20.
