3D printing is a novel technology that immediately invokes thoughts of expensive and high-end projects. In reality, though, 3D printing technology is becoming cheaper and more accessible. One of the biggest sectors that can benefit from 3D printing is the small business and entrepreneur field. Yet, this field is not reaping the benefits of this technology as it should.
The main reason small businesses are not rushing to embrace 3D printing tech hinges on misconceptions. Most believe 3D printing to be a futuristic tech that is very expensive to implement in real life. Some smaller companies may also believe that this tech is highly exaggerated and delivers no benefits to justify its value. Here are several advantages that 3D printing offers small businesses that blow these misconceptions right out of the water:
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Make Prototyping Affordable
Many companies rely on prototyping to test products and improve features using samples. Prototyping has become affordable in recent years. One of the technologies that make prototyping accessible for smaller players is 3D technology. It makes it possible to mass produce prototypes with near zero manual labor, thus making the whole process wonderfully affordable to many small businesses.
Enjoy Retail Price Breakthroughs
3D printing was nearly unheard of 5 years ago. When it first emerged, the technology was limited in availability and was quite expensive. Remarkably, however, 3D printing has become highly affordable in recent years thanks to price breakthroughs in the retail market. Now, small businesses can pay a single price to 3D print models with services like Protiq Marketplace that charge competitive fees.
Advanced Customization for Products
Prototyping is not the only use for 3D printing. In recent years, the business community has pushed the boundaries of what this technology can accomplish. Mainly, companies are not increasingly relying on 3D printing to customize products. Businesses are relying on this tech to create replicas, actual products like hearing aids, and even dresses with newer and more innovative forms of customization. Small businesses no longer have to go through multiple middlemen and consultants to get these things done thanks to 3D printing.
Stand In for Actual Industrial Manufacturing
3D printing is rapidly moving beyond just prototyping. These days, companies are actually using the tech as a replacement for proper manufacturing. There is a number of products a 3D printer can manufacture. The process is similar to prototyping, but the company ends up with a functioning product. Given how expensive actual manufacturing can be, substituting a 3D printer may cut costs for smaller businesses and struggling entrepreneurs.
Create Specific Products without the Cost of Mass Production
Mass production of anything is only affordable if the business is selling tens of thousands of products. Small businesses often do not have this level of demand to justify the costs of mass production. 3D printing offers a highly desirable alternative where companies can produce items in low-volumes without exaggerated costs. This process can be highly lucrative because 3D printers can even product complex parts that would cost a fortune to mass produce.
The benefits 3D printing offers small businesses are numerous already. And the industry is just getting to explore the possibilities this technology has to offer. Your small business should be exploring how 3D printing may cut costs and optimize the operations for producing the end product.
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