SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — 3d printing as small business?

Re: 3d printing as small business?

null@example.com (SupplyGuy) — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 23:06:33 +0000

We want one so my daughter can make jewelry that she wants to sell at school and to hippie shops.

Re: 3d printing as small business?

null@example.com (Harvest-tech) — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 22:02:53 +0000

You might try looking for a 3D printing service company to start your business off, like Harvest Tech; we prototype and 3D print parts for companies to do market & design research or for end-use/commercial parts. Depending on the services/products you want to provide, you can find a market with 3D printing. We cater to a lot of clients from different industries, even some niche projects. For example we 3D print some artwork for a local artist here in Texas. As mentioned above, 3D printing is a new field, so there are plenty of niche interests that could become a golden ticket for someone. If you're interested here's a link to our blog where you'll find some helpful guides on design tips for 3D printing, how to create a CAD and other useful topics. http://www.harvest-tech.com/news/

Re: 3d printing as small business?

null@example.com (IanJohnson) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 23:07:30 +0000

Without being a large, well funded printing service, the best chance for making money with printed items is niche, long tail products. It would be things that are either not available commercially, or expensive to buy because the small market causes the high production cost to get spread over fewer sales. The challenge is that if it isn't a hobby or interest you already have, the most potential will be in niches you never heard of.

People who want to make money in internet marketing are always searching for niche subjects or interests where there isn't already a lot of competition so they can create information products targeted to those niches. Look up some of the techniques they use for discovering niches they never heard of, with an eye for areas that might lend themselves to physical, printed products rather than information products. Just don't go buying any $600 niche marketing courses, there is enough free stuff out there to give you some ideas.

The author of Adventures in 3D Printing has been doing something similar, you might get some ideas from the book. There is a free PDF at Youmagine - https://www.youmagine.com/designs/adven … -pdf-ebook

3d printing as small business?

null@example.com (johnjack) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:22:33 +0000

Articles keep popping up on the internet that you can get your money spent on your 3d printer by selling your 3d prints and maybe even start a small business.
I don't own a 3d printer yet, but i have been researching this field and i see while the fun as a hobby is satisfying enough, i dont see how you could sell anything you 3d printed for profit.

Does anyone here sell his 3d prints for profit? What would that be?

Because lets look at an example from one of those articles:
Iphone cases. While there are some flexible filaments, how can even the highest resolution of modern 3d printers produce a case which looks aesthetically good? They have lines all over them and jagged edges.