The manufacturing industry has been re-vitalized by the invention of 3D printing. It has allowed a fair amount of innovation to rise above the competition with the constant flow of new products hitting the marketplace since it’s debut. And those opportunities will continue to grow moving forward.
As technology develops further and 3D printing becomes more versatile, the potential to make money will grow as well.
3D printing offers many distinct advantages that will afford you an opportunity to make money. Here are the avenues where you can make money with 3D printer:
Commercial 3D Printing is Quite Profitable
No question, the biggest cash cow in 3D printing is the commercial industry. The majority of these clients are businesses or entrepreneurs who do not have the capacity to print their own products. Often, these items are in high demand that requires a second shipment after the initial order has been printed.
Let’s not forget that 3D printing is a service that provides quick turnaround time on an original order. 3D printing operators have great insight into taking a design and making a finished product that stands out from the competition. If the item becomes quite popular, then your expertise as a 3D printer will make the rounds by word of mouth.
Suddenly, you gain a reputation as a reliable outside source who can complete a rush order at a moment’s notice. Once this is accomplished, you will make money with 3D printer because you can serve commercial businesses in a number of different ways.
Design & Construction Firms are Vested Partners With 3D Printers
Another industry that has been a vested partner with 3D print operators since the beginning has been design & construction firms. Often, a 3D printed prototype of the design will be the “featured star” in an upcoming presentation. The finished prototype helps clients to conceptually see the end product better in a visual setting. This type of technology is very much in demand by architectural, engineering or construction firms.
However, you may need to do a little self-advertising to this industry by showing them the advantages of using 3D printing in their business. The concept will help them to decrease time and cost in producing a prototype on their own. Plus, a 3D printed prototype reduces the possibility of a mistake occurring during the production process. Often, that miscue can provide a false representation of the original design. Finally, a 3D printed prototype helps to showcase a design from many different angles.
The auto industry is another market that has come into the fold as 3D printing clients. The prototype helps auto designers to make immediate changes to their designs instead of waiting for a model to be built. A traditional model may take a few weeks before it’s completion. And if there are changes that need to be made to the design, then you may need to add a month to the project’s end date. If massive changes are needed, then production could be delayed up to a year. Thus, 3D printing is the best option in terms of gaining speed and production value.
Also, the designers love the technology because it allows them to test possible new features without the risk of losing valuable production time. The advancement of 3D printing has allowed the auto industry to stay on track with a new car’s release date. And the technology allows them to cut costs in producing the final product on their assembly line, but not inside the showroom.
Jewelry and Holiday Ornaments Have Become a Hot Commodity
Jewelry and holiday ornaments have become a big ticket item in the 3D printing industry. Often, these items will become sought after trinkets in the marketplace by different target groups. Private collectors will pay top dollar for a glamorous ring, medallion or watch.
The key to getting a professional grade finished on jewelry or a holiday ornament is having an extreme high resolution. 3D printer operators believe this is gained by using photopolymer wax, which creates a quality mold each time. Soon thereafter, molten metal is poured into the mold to create the finished product.
The same process holds true for creating holiday ornaments from scratch. Some believe the market for holiday ornaments is niche-related as 3D print creations have to hit the market by late October or early November. The potential could be another big ticket item, but you must catch the market at the right time.
The process incorporates several different materials into one ornament. This enables you to mix and match a number of different materials, textures and colors into the final end product. Often, the quality of the finished holiday ornament will gain more eyes on your 3D printing business as well. However, stay away from a poor design because a poor piece of jewelry or holiday ornament could hurt the reputation of the business. Still, you can make money with 3D printer during the holiday season.
3D printing gains the best economical value in the manufacturing of jewelry and holiday ornaments. A normal production process is far more expensive, while 3D printing needs only one machine and one technician to complete the task.
Obviously, the skill level must be high to gain such a quality product. But if you can show some expertise in the area of 3D printing, then your businesses’ popularity will grow in no time. And your earnings potential can become quite high if you can make a name for yourself in the jewelry and holiday ornament marketplace.
The Future of 3D Printing
At first, many thought 3D printing would a fad that fizzles out pretty quickly before our eyes. However, those individuals couldn’t see the importance of this new technology, especially in the area of providing goods to those needy customers. A few great business innovators quickly understood how 3D printing offers speed to the process, which is essential to meeting a pending deadline.
This new technology allows for a concept to be fully develop before the final design needs to be printed out by a 3D printer. To become a quality 3D printer operator, you will need to be a fast thinker with some goo design creativity skills. If you meet these qualifications, then you have the potential needed to make money with 3D printer.
The unknown factor is how much profit can be made in the process. Investors are still skeptical if this business model will ever become a mainstream service. If you have the time, patience and money to start a new business, then a 3D printing store is the best option today. But, the success of the business is left up to you.
First off, there is very little competition in the marketplace. 3D printing can produce any design as long as it’s within a build volume. This should give you plenty of time to showcase your brand to potential customers. Eventually, you must show the skills of being a competent 3D printing operator to be successfully in the industry.
The Earnings Potential of 3D Printing
The business of making money with 3D printer has never been more prosperous. Many of the above firms have chosen to use 3D printing prototypes over traditional scale models. Over time, more businesses and industries will out-source certain portions of their printing demands to reliable 3D print operators. They’re all looking for a service provider who can fulfill an order request even if there are last minute changes to the original design.
No question, the marketplace can provide consistent work that will last throughout the year. Clients are looking for an end product that provides a more realistic look of the original design, but at the fraction of the cost. Often, the process isn’t simple, but the end results remain the same.
