You can also use 3D printing to get a prototype you can show to potential investors or at trade shows. If the products sell well, and you are confident you will make money from selling them, you can invest more and place a larger order. Instead of ordering a huge amount of stock from a manufacturer, you can place a smaller order of 10-100 items with a 3D print on demand provider. 3D printing is great for that - simply order one of each version.ģD printing is also a good idea if you want to “test the waters” and see how well a product will sell. You might also want to create several versions of a single product and see which one works the best. Then, when you are satisfied with how it works, you can place an order with the manufacturer for a larger quantity. You can simply use 3D printing on demand to order and receive your prototype. It allows you to test out a prototype and see how it works and functions in real life without committing to a deal with a manufacturer just yet. Instead, you can order a 3D printed product on demand and send it to your customer (or even have the printing company send it to your customer directly).Īlternatively, if you are a small business owner or eCommerce seller and want to create and sell a new product, 3D printing can come in handy. That can be too much for entrepreneurs looking to start a business from home. While the cheapest printers can cost just a few hundred dollars, the better printers - which you will need for more complicated products - can cost thousands of dollars. You need a 3D printer to sell 3D printed products - but what if you don’t own one of those printers?ģD printers can be pretty expensive.
Why Would You Need 3D Printing On Demand? In addition to small items, like toys, 3D printing is used to create complex tools, prototypes, and even auto parts. Yes - you can create food with additive printing.ģD printing allows manufacturers to create products at a fraction of the cost of traditional manufacturing methods. In addition, you need to buy materials for the printer as well - plastic is the most common material used, but metals, food, and other materials may be used as well. People can now buy commercial 3D printers to use at home, but it still is not cheap. However, recently, it has become more widespread and accessible to more people.
The digital file or model will need to be sliced into many layers, so the printer can then add each layer, one at a time, on top of each other.ģD printing is not new it was developed back in the 1980s. That is the opposite of subtractive manufacturing, in which a product is created by cutting or hollowing it out from a block of plastic, metal, stone, or other material. So, what is 3D printing, anyway? 3D printing, also known as additive printing, is a technology that allows you to create solid 3D objects from digital files or models (usually CAD files).ģD printing is called additive manufacturing because it adds layer upon layer onto a product until it is complete. Wrapping It Up: What Is The Best 3D Print On Demand Service? What Is 3D Printing?