From detailed sketches to customized eyewear to designer toy and a robot prototype, 3D printing can help you turn these ideas into solid creations. You might want to open up your separate 3D printing operation to nurture your artistic and technical expertise and gain profit from them.

The easy accessibility of 3D printing makes it unique among other manufacturing techniques. This means it can open the door for anyone who wants to turn their ideas into tangible products, tools, parts, or, work of art. You will need 3D printing tools including open-source software programs, thermoplastic filament, and a 3D printer to start your 3D printing company off the ground.

Let’s look at what these tools are and how they help you with your 3D printing business.

3D Printer

Choosing a 3D printer depends on many different factors, such as the number of prints required every month, printing material, level of detailing, and the scale of objects you intend to create. While you may outsource your creation to a third-party printing service, having an in-house printer can help turn 3D projects around more quickly and efficiently. Many options of the 3D printer are there to choose from so make sure to pick the one that best fits into your particular requirements.

Software

The good news is that there are several great open-source software programs to choose from without paying anything. You can take advantage of a plethora of free online software programs for your few projects. You will, however, will have to invest in a licensed 3D modeling software as your business grows.

Experts believe that the software you choose should have tools that make it perfect for a 3D printing business. These include tools to check printer models for 3D output, to figure out its ability to properly place models on the print bed as well as to support generation. These elements are important to make sure that the 3D modeling software will remain stable during the printing process.

Building Material

Gather some ideas about how much durability, strength, and level of detailing you want to give to your 3D creation. You may need to compromise between durability and strength. When it comes to choosing a material for your 3D creation, opt for those that are versatile, sturdy, and most importantly, compatible with your printer.

Materials like thermoplastic filament are commonly used to build 3D creations. This material comes in two most common types i.e. Polylactic Acid or PLA and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene or ABS. Moreover; thermoplastic filament has a large variety of colors in rolls, typically in 1.75mm to 3mm thickness. A normal roll will yield almost 400 chess pieces.

Material Sample Kit

You may still mull over what sort of material you should use to build your creation. You can also check out some options before finalizing on one. In addition to thermoplastic filament, metals, sandstone, and ceramics are other options that you can select to build 3D creations. You may also experiment with printing on non-plastic materials but remember that you may obtain a mixed range of outcomes.

Training

It is a good idea to invest in some 3D animation training programs before starting a 3D printing business. You can take online classes or enroll in a visual effect school in your city. Choose a 3D printing area where you feel you could enhance your skills, such as texture or modeling. Or else, you may want to stay updated with the latest 3D animation technology. Irrespective of what 3D printing training program you choose, practicing these skills in a learning atmosphere can only help your business grow.