3D printing technology has come a long way in recent years.
With this new technology, people and businesses can make genuine products and start businesses that make money.
This blog post will explore how to turn your 3D printing skills into a profitable venture.
Make Money with 3D Printing – Prerequisites.
To start and run a successful 3D printing business, you must know a few things and have the right skills.
Some of the prerequisites are.
Learning How To Use A 3D Printer
It’s a no-brainer.
When starting a business in 3D printing, you need to know how the machine works.
As your business grows, you can delegate this work, but while starting, you need to take the reins into your hands and learn how a 3D printer works.
Knowing the Licensing Laws
In 3D printing, sometimes you will sell items with other people’s designs printed on them, and other times you will use your designs.
In both cases, knowing the licensing laws is essential to avoid doing anything illegal.
Advertising
Any business needs to market its services to inform people of its services and products.
When starting a 3D printing business, you need marketing.
You can either learn it yourself or hire someone to do it.
SEO Skills
SEO skills are another beneficial skill that will rank you at the top of the search results for your business.
Whether a person is googling 3D printing services or they are searching for something like this on Etsy, you will be at the top of the search results if you do your SEO right.
You can also learn this skill yourself or get the services of an SEO expert.
Creativity
In 3D printing, ready-made designs can be used, but you must purchase them and always look for licensing laws while printing them on your products.
For this reason, it’s good to use creativity and learn to create designs you can use anywhere.
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Where To Buy A 3D Printer?
You can buy a 3D printer from online stores like Amazon or check out an electronics market nearby and get it there.
More than just buying a 3D printer is required.
You will also need other materials like PLA, nylon, epoxy resin, polycarbonate, and ABS plastic.
Price of a 3D Printer
3D printers range from essential to advanced models.
The price range will differ based on the specs each printer offers.
It can range from $200 to $10,000 or more.
You can get it at lower prices if you do some research and buy your materials from more affordable stores.
Specs of a 3D Printer
While buying a 3D Printer, you need to consider the following elements;
Speed
This is one of the most critical factors.
When you have work in bulk to get done, one thing you want from your printer is to print it as fast as possible.
So, look for a printer that can quickly print more oversized items in larger quantities.
Size of the Printer
It depends on the size of the item that you plan to deal with.
If you deal with more oversized items, you need a large printer.
It’s a good idea to overestimate your requirements so you can print more considerably than you anticipated.
Multi-coloring
Most prints are multi-colored; that is only possible with a multi-colored printer.
In multi-colored prints, the speed of the printer is also slowed down.
In that case, a speedy printer is handier.
But such a printer is also expensive, so you need to be mindful of that.
Resolution
The resolution of a 3D printer is significant.
The higher the resolution of a 3D printer, the smoother the print will be.
A high-resolution printer can create clean, precise, and intricate designs.
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Ways to Make Money with 3D Printing
There are several ways to make money with 3D printing. Some of them are listed below:
Sell 3D Printed Products Online.
You can establish a website, list your products, and sell them to make money.
You can also set up an Etsy store and sell your products there.
It’s easier to get started on Etsy and sell items there, as it’s made explicitly for selling such items.
You can also produce goods for other sellers on Etsy and charge them for your products.
Print-on-demand Service
There are a variety of items that you can custom print using 3D printing software.
People like customization in everything these days.
Search for the products that are in demand and offer services for custom printing on those items.
Here is a list of products that you can offer to custom-print;
- Home Décor items
- Key holders and key chains
- Planters
- Coasters
- Measuring Spoons
- Jewellery
- Gadget Accessories
- Bottles and Jugs
Set up a Physical Store
Starting a local store is a good idea if you live in a metropolis.
For that, you will need more significant capital and some sales staff.
At first, it might be difficult to kick off, but as you advertise your products and services in your area and use other sales tactics like discounts and freebies, people will start coming in.
Yard Sales
If you are not ready to open a local store, a yard sale is another way to sell your 3D-printed products.
You can also put up signs in your area and nearby areas to advertise your garage sale.
Craft shows and Local Markets
You can show your products at craft exhibitions and local markets; this step is specifically suitable for people who are new in this field and want to introduce themselves.
There will be a small registration fee for exhibiting your products at these craft shows, but it will eventually pay off.
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Setup A Blog On 3D Printing
A blog can bring you massive publicity and reach millions of people.
You can run a general blog on 3D printing or go for more specific niches like just for beginners or teaching how to do 3D printing, etc.
You can also advertise your blog and generate revenue from your products.
Learn how to start a blog here.
Offer An Online Course On 3D Printing.
Once you become skilled at 3D printing, you can also start teaching it to other people.
On your website, where you have listed your products, you can also offer your course that teaches how to start 3D printing.
It can be an all-in-one course, packaged into smaller selected videos, and made into multiple classes.
You can also list your courses on 3D printing on platforms like Thinkific, Teachable, etc.
Use YouTube and Tiktok for 3D Printing.
Youtube and TikTok are the most popular online places to use your hobbies and skills to make money.
You can put up content related to any field on these platforms, and people will always be interested in watching your content because these platforms are used worldwide.
On Tiktok, you can create short videos about 3D printing, show them your printing process, and advertise your store or website there.
On YouTube, you can make longer videos teaching about 3D printing and showing people your craft.
Freelance 3D Printing
Freelancing is a huge market now; almost any service can be freelanced.
In the beginning, when you don’t have much business, you can freelance your 3D printing services and make good money.
You can start freelancing on platforms like Flexjobs, Fiverr, Freelancer, PeoplePerHour, and Upwork.
To get freelance clients, you need to show a strong portfolio demonstrating your skills, and then people can trust you and buy your services.
3D Food Printing
3D food printing enables the creation of intricate food designs, and it is a growing market.
If you specialize in 3D food printing, you can create photorealistic dishes, for which there is a massive demand in the market.
How much can be made with a 3D Printing Business?
A 3D printing business is a lucrative opportunity, but it requires a lot of effort and a certain amount of investment.
If you work alone in this business, you can expect to earn up to $53,000 a year.
However, some factors affect the profitability of your company, like;
- The uniqueness of your product and
- Advertising strategy
3D Printing Stocks
The value of 3D stocks will increase significantly over the next couple of years.
It’s a big business multiplying, and when faster printers come out, this sector will make huge strides.
Some printers can now print metal products, which means that these printers can also be used in factories.
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Final Thoughts
3D printing has a promising future as this technology is improving daily.
The manufacturing cost is low in 3D printing, while the outcome is high quality.
The turnaround is also fast, which gives it an edge over other technologies.
Industries like medical, automotive, and aerospace have also started to use them.
If you are considering whether to get into 3D printing, you must know that this industry is only expanding, and you can also make your mark in it if you are willing to put in the effort.
