Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Entrepreneurs with ideas for new businesses will be able to prove their
idea to themselves and to potential investors, or maybe even postpone the
need for investment altogether. This business model, often referred to as
“scale up from one,” democratizes manufacturing and retail by lowering
the barriers to entry.
Launching a new product today requires its maker to start large: industrial-
scale manufacturing machines are not designed to make only one item at a
time. Would-be entrepreneurs must procure large amounts of material, invest
in factory machine time to tap into economies of scale, and pay for the neces-
sary retail shelf space.
With 3D printing, people can keep their day jobs while they explore the
market potential for a novel product they dreamed up. Small companies are
spared the inancial risk of investing in costly machinery, shelf space they may
never use, and expert technical help. People living in subsistence economies in
developing nations without access to capital will be able to start manufacturing
at local fabrication centers without needing of capital to pay for infrastructure
that may never be used.
3D printing lowers the cost of entry into the business of making things
and will offer entrepreneurs a cheaper, less risky route to the market. Instead
of raising money to set up a factory, entrepreneurs could run off one or two
samples with a 3D printer to see if their idea works. If the irst samples sell,
they could make a few more, even make changes to the design if buyers ask
for them. If demand continued to grow, they could scale up production into a
traditional factory or invest in a larger number of 3D print runs.
Pay-per-print: FabApps
Future designs for 3D printing will spring from unlikely places. What if you
want to design a and 3D print better hairbrush? It's unlikely that you could
design a good, ergonomic, and safe brush—even though a brush seems like
a simple product, it takes years of experience and know-how to design a suc-
cessful one. Yet, with the advent of 3D printers, people who have no prior
experience will design their own product.
