Real business with a 3D printer

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

In general, a 3D printer is a very interesting thing and quite expensive. Recently, this device has gathered a lot of fans, and this is not surprising: a 3D printer allows you to "print" both small souvenirs and large, huge objects that are used in industry. In view of this, a variety of the most unexpected ideas have appeared on how to start a business with a 3D printer. To some extent, the technology of creating objects in a 3D printer resembles the principle of operation of conventional printers:

- a picture is created using scanning or a computer program;

- the picture is output to the printer;

- printing in progress.

What is the main difference between a 3D printer

The main difference between a 3D printer is that it creates a three-dimensional image by scanning an object. The picture goes either to the computer or directly to the printer. The process starts at the command of the operator3D printing, and now a three-dimensional object is being created. The question may arise as to what kind of material is used in the creation. Usually it is plastic or other consumable material that the printer refills.

It was this unique ability of the printer to create new things that sparked the new ideas that made the 3D printer business possible. Let's take a closer look at them. A little later.

Consumables

Creative business, 3D printer. Where to begin? You should start with the components.

The material that is taken as the basis is determined by the future object.

ABS plastic. This material is very elastic, has a high degree of strength. The plastic itself is available in powder form or as filaments. During printing, it enters the printer's extruder, where it is melted and then sent to a compartment ready for printing 3D parts. Its main drawback is that it can quickly collapse under the influence of sunlight.

Polycaprlactone is a material with a low melting point. Able to harden quickly.

LDPE is a very versatile yet inexpensive material.

Entrepreneurs + 3D printer=19th century business

Guess what material is used for printing in these printers? The most common foods. Increasingly, they are talking about cases where… human organs are created using a 3D printer! Human or animal stem cells are taken as a "paint".

Expensive software is the backbone of a 3D printer. It is it that allows you to control the process of creating a three-dimensional image of an object. To perform printout control for simple 3D printer models, you can use the Google CketchUp program. This program is free.

Entrepreneurs quickly realized the full potential of this technology. One of the first opportunities to realize a business with a 3D printer was the production of toys. How did this become possible? Today it is not a secret: a scanned image was made, which was taken as the basis for "printing out" small copies of pets. A similar business using a 3D printer opens up just space for creativity and unlimited income.

A curious application of 3D printing has been found in the tourism industry: tourists are offered their own (!) 3D images, made against the backdrop of various world attractions. Quite a real business with a 3D printer!

The most daring entrepreneurs have introduced 3D printing into the production of small household and sanitary items. There are known cases of 3D printing in the field of dentistry. And why did they need it? Very simple - creating dentures that fit almost perfectly into the patient's mouth.

The boy was raised a brush

In the media some time ago, a case was widely reported when a schoolboy was created a brush so that he could work with both hands. It is noteworthy that the price of such a prosthesis according to classic altechnology was tens of thousands of US dollars!

These and many other examples have opened up a huge potential in the application of a 3D printer, especially in entrepreneurship.

Working principle

There is a variety among most 3D printers, although the principle of operation itself remains common: the material is layered, and as a result, a finished copy of the scanned object. In general, almost any object can be recreated on a 3D printer. Purely theoretical. The endless possibilities for doing business in this super-promising area are clear.

What parameters should be considered when choosing a home 3D printer? Indeed, when buying a smartphone or laptop, we often know what to look for when choosing. But when buying a 3D printer, few people know such selection criteria. This part of the article will help you become competent in this matter.

Selection Criteria 1: Price

On the World Wide Web, you can find ads with a price of about 300 US dollars. On the territory of the CIS, the situation is somewhat different - here you need to be ready to "fork out" for an amount equal, for example, to the cost of 2-3 heaped smartphones. According to a representative of the Russian research and production group, the cost of a 3D printer in our country is at least 45,000 rubles. According to him, at a lower cost of the printer, problems can be expected, because the price is clearly reduced to the detriment of the work of some components.printer.

Expert warns that so far only a few foreign companies have representative offices in Russia. Therefore, service or technical support should not be expected. There are pleasant exceptions, for example, 3dphome, which is the official representative of the UP brand. The most budget option that they are ready to offer costs 40 thousand rubles.

In addition, the cost of consumables should also be considered. Spools of plastic thread will cost 2,000 rubles for a cartridge weighing one kilogram.

Selection criterion 2: type of plastic

ABS plastic is used to print household items. This material is of petroleum origin. Alternatively, PLA plastic is used, which can be based on sugar cane or corn. It is worth noting that plastic cups are made from PLA plastic, from which we drink water on a hot day. In addition, this material is very environmentally friendly. That is, a toy made from it will not pose a threat to the baby: he can sleep with her in an embrace and even lick her if he wants.

It should be added that ABS plastic also does not pose a threat to human he alth. Moreover, it is more durable than PLA plastic. Of course, when choosing a 3D printer, it is advisable to choose a model that supports both plastic technologies.

Selection Criteria 3: Multicolor

Inexpensive home models are not able to create an object that shimmers with multi-colored paints. And the problem lies precisely in the fact that it is impossible to tint plastic during the printing process. Maximum,what can be done is to combine colors. How is the combination achieved? If you equip the device with several print heads. This is very reminiscent of the "Soviet" colored ballpoint pen, where there were several refills with their own color.

In general, multicolor 3D printers are very complex. The speed of their work is noticeably slow, printing is expensive. Therefore, while it is better to choose printers that print in one color. You can color it later, using a colored spray can.

Selection Criteria 4: Print Resolution

Print resolution remains the most important parameter. This criterion is characterized by the minimum possible thickness of the plastic layer, which is involved in the formation of the object. As already noted, the printer creates an object on the principle of layering. The layers are very thin and therefore remain invisible to the eye. In view of this, the received items look very convincing!

3D printers for home use create layers that are 50 microns thick (the cheapest models are 250 microns), although it has been observed that 100 microns is enough to create an object in good resolution. The size of the diameter of the printing nozzle is very important: smaller means printing will be more accurate.

Of course, all of this has a special meaning when you need delicate objects, where the detailing is done very finely. Are you printing a toy with eyes, a nose and a small mouth? Good resolution is required here. But if you need something like a bowl for a dog and another item of utensils, then thick layers are enough here. In addition, then you will save even moretime, because the printing time will be less. And the material will also need less.

Selection Criteria 5: Print Surface

Size is important here: if you want to “print” a small object, then a 12 cm long surface will be enough. For “larger” objects, of course, a printer with a larger area is required. Although we should not forget that even from small individual parts you can eventually assemble a big thing - there would be a desire and good glue for plastic.

3D Printer Business Ideas: 2 Curious Niches

As noted earlier, the most nimble entrepreneurs are already exploiting the possibilities of an outlandish device with might and main. Let's look at two niches where we managed to start a business with a 3D printer.

Niche 1. A service to create an exact 3D mini-copy of a client. That's the doll!

This example considers a 3D printer and scanner business. The client is scanned by a special scanner, and the resulting model is sent to a 3D printer. You can make something like a plastic man-fighter, with the difference that it will very much resemble a scanned client. This print takes a few minutes. Of course, the client is in a pleasant shock. In Japan, by the way, there are already similar 3D photobooks, where such client fighters are made. Before printing, the model can be edited - using, for example, "Photoshop" you can dress it in any historical clothing!

Niche 2. Businessmen in the US are 3D printing popular video game superheroes. Business is interesting. The resulting model is sold for $100 at a cost of $50. Profit! Alternatively, you can "print" the heroes of famous films.