There are immense benefits of 3D printing technology for small businesses. Small businesses are often faced with problems like less manpower, less resources, slower or no technological innovation and more. However, the small businesses can bridge this gap and match bigger competitors with the 3D printing technology.
With rapid advancements, 3D printers and materials are now more accessible and affordable than ever before.
Continue reading this article if you want to learn more about some of the ways 3D printing technology can help in improving small businesses.
Benefits of 3D Printing Technology for Small Businesses
Prototype Development
Today, there’s no way around this – in order to attract investors and potential customers or stand out from the bigger competitors, small businesses need to develop new and accurate prototypes and subsequently the products. But this can easily get expensive and time-consuming, especially if you don’t produce the prototypes in-house. And that’s exactly where 3D printing technology for small businesses comes into play.
With this technology, you can create working or precisely scaled-down prototypes at every stage of their production. Whether you need to show off HPC containers and give the investors an example of how they will look when it’s finished or want to make some architectural models, 3D printing is the perfect solution. And even if there’s a last-minute adjustment or an error that needs to be fixed as soon as possible, it won’t take a lot of money or time to make the necessary changes and correct the mistake.
Resource Reduction
3D printing is a whole new way of manufacturing goods. In the traditional reductive method, the parts are produced by physically removing material from a large amount of a resource using computer-controlled milling, turning, or grinding. It’s like carving a statue from a block of stone – you need to cut away material to create a part, essentially wasting what’s left with each part manufactured.
Conversely, additive manufacturing uses the exact amount of material needed to create the object, simultaneously reducing the number of resources needed to create the particular product. Because small businesses often need to carefully watch every dollar they spend, 3D printers can help them save money on materials needed to produce different parts. A major benefit of 3D printing for small businesses lies in generating less waste. By controlling your wastage and helping the environment can also further benefit your business for investors.
Less Manpower
Since 3D printing technology is computer-controlled, using it is less labor-intensive and can help reduce operating costs when necessary. Whether you constantly need to produce new prototypes to show them to your customer and investors or simply need an example of the finished product once every few weeks, with 3D printing, you won’t need a whole village of people to produce it.
Besides cutting down your overhead costs, additive technology is incredibly adaptable. This means that it can be operated remotely and use a wide variety of raw materials, whether it’s plastic, powders, resins, metal, or carbon fiber. In most cases, you can fully customize your 3D printing technology to your needs with the appropriate software.
Less Outsourcing
Outsourcing is a necessity for many small businesses. Sometimes you need a particular piece or element for your product, and taking care of it on your own would be far too expensive. While outsourcing isn’t a new practice, and companies of all sizes use it on a regular basis, 3D printing can eliminate the need for it.
With an in-house 3D printer, you can print everything you need for your production line and do so at a fraction of the price you’d have to pay when outsourcing the same project. On top of that, this practice cuts down the time needed to create your products and gives you more independence from the company’s timeline you’d otherwise need to outsource from.
Some businesses may even be interested in outsourcing the 3D printer service itself. While, at first, it might sound counterproductive, but using an outside service can be a great solution if you lack the space or staffing to work the printers but still need them for your business. This versatility of 3D printing technology for small businesses is what enables even the smallest of firms be competitive.
More Customisation
Small businesses can use 3D technology to customise and create replicas of current products. Even if a large batch of replicas is needed, it’s still highly accessible. The manufacturing process is also much easier and more efficient while allowing you to customize products based on individual demands.
Once again, the customisation aspect of additive manufacturing can also help small businesses save money. Producing items or parts in-house instead of buying them outright adds up quickly, and you can use this money to fund further research or conduct more trial-and-error procedures.
Conclusion
3D printing is a technology that streamlines your business, no matter its size. As the number of companies using additive manufacturing grows, it’s definitely an innovation that no small business should sleep on.
The advantages of 3D printing technology for small businesses are immense and by using the technology you could develop better prototypes in less time and for a lower price. It’s also a great way to reduce waste and use less resources. Depending on your company’s size and individual needs, you may also need fewer employees to work the 3D printers or limit the number of processes you outsource. Additionally, this technology can allow you for more customisation so that you can save money thanks to greater accuracy.
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