3D printing offers so much potential in different fields of interest. To give you an idea about its potential, it has been used even in the medical field to lessen the cost of prosthetic limbs for amputees. In addition to this, 3D printing can also create spare parts of different equipment without having to spend a good amount of money.
However, 3D printing is still relatively new to a lot of people. In fact, there are a lot of individuals out there who bought their own personal printer only to be sitting idle in their home. The good news is that it can be a great opportunity for you to make some serious money.
What makes 3D printers a great thing is the fact that it allows its users control over their creation. They can get produce complex designs while bringing the cost down.
How to Make Money with a 3D Printer?
So how exactly can you make money with a 3D printer at this point? Here are some of the most common ways that you can do in order to make your 3D printer a booming business that can bring some serious money to your bank account. Get an affordable 3D printers and get started with your business.
1. Commercial Service
QIDI TECH 3D Printer
One of the easiest ways on how you can generate money using a 3D printer is by offering 3D printing commercial service. There are a lot of businesses that are willing to pay for a 3D printed item but don’t have the actual printer that they can work with.
Now, if you are a savvy designer yourself, then it is also a good idea to even offer design services at the same time.
So who can be your client if you are going to offer commercial 3D printing service? You can contact a local engineering company that is in need of someone who can print their prototype designs. Of course, the good thing about it is that you may not even need to do the necessary designs. You just have to wait for the potential client to send you a message so that you can do the printing for them.
The good thing about 3D printers is that it has the ability to create complex prints while also decreasing the overall cost of prototype production. And of course, everything is automated when you make use of a 3D printer which means that it can reduce the possibility of mistake.
2. Sell Items You Created
3D Printer, Kingroon DIY Aluminum Resume Printer
If you can come up with interesting designs that can be catered to a particular market, then you can also make use of your 3D printer in order to sell some crafts and designs. Now, once you have the models ready, you can sell them using Shapeways and other similar websites. The good thing about Shapeways is that you don’t have to make your designs prior to having a customer. It is basically a print-on-demand scenario that allows you to get your items without any problem.
Etsy, eBay, and Shopify are other platforms that you may want to check if you are looking to sell the designs that you made.
But of course, you want to be able to advertise your products. Be sure to make use of social media from Facebook to Instagram in order to reach the most number of potential customers.
You have to also be highly versatile in learning CAD tools. You can start with free ones such as Trimble Sketchup or TinkerCAD. There are also a lot of great tutorials that you can take advantage of online.
3. Teach 3D Printing Classes
Sindoh 3D Printer for the Classroom & Teachers
Another effective method to earn serious money from your 3D printer is by conducting classes. Before you decide though that you are going to teach a class, you need to know exactly how everything works. You want to be highly versatile in using the 3D printer and even in designing.
You can offer your classes to people within your area or you can even opt to have your very own YouTube channel. You can even monetize the channel once you have a sufficient number of views and subscribers.
Things to Consider When Starting Your 3D Printing Business
There are some things that you will have to ask yourself though if you are looking to make use of your 3D printer to earn some money. For one, you need to select the right printer for the job. You need to take a look at the cost, versatility, and even its user-friendly features.
You will also need to spend some time to master the printer. You will need to know the intricacies of the printer that you have in your home or in your office. Extrusion temperature, layer height, and travel speed are just some things that can have an effect on your designs. You also have to take a closer look at the feedstock in order to optimize the material that you are using.
You will even have to take a closer look at the software that you are using. What most people don’t know is that different software can affect your output. And for this reason, a lot of 3D printers come with its very own software.
Once that you are already confident in your skills and once you already know your printer well, then it is the time that you get into the mix and offer your services and offer 3D printing service or even sell your items to your market.
You also want to have an operational process in order to ensure that you are going to meet the demands of your clients. You even want to find a way how to efficiently ship the items that you have finished.
Final Words
Though 3D printing can be a serious business, you also have to realize that it requires a good amount of capital especially if you are planning to offer your 3D printing service professionally. If you are serious about making money out of our 3D printer, you want to ensure that you are going to market your services and your products well. Not only should you rely on social media for promotion of your services, you also need to have your own website. Here, it becomes easier for your market to make their orders.