Welcome to our comprehensive guide on understanding and calculating the costs associated with metal 3D printing. In this article, we explore the various factors that influence 3D printing costs, including materials, labor, machine time, and post-processing. Our aim is to provide you with detailed information and practical examples to help you make informed decisions about your metal 3D printing projects.

While you can use the interactive cost calculator at the top of the article to offer you quick and accurate cost estimates based on your specific project requirements, these should be considered an estimate only, and it’s best to get in touch to get a more accurate quote, and to find out whether 3D printing in metal is the best approach for your project.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced professional in the field of 3D printing, this resource is designed to enhance your understanding and improve your project planning and budgeting.

Advantages of Metal 3D Printing

Metal 3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, has been a game-changer for many industries. One major advantage is the ability to produce complex geometries that traditional manufacturing methods like CNC Machining can’t handle. Think about aerospace components that need to be lightweight yet strong, or medical implants customized for individual patients for example. The precision is unbeatable.

Another big positive in the process is reducing material waste. Traditional manufacturing like CNC machining involves cutting away material from a larger block, leading to waste. Metal 3D printing, on the other hand, adds material layer by layer, using only what’s needed. This minimizes waste and reduces material costs.

Plus, there’s the speed factor. Need a prototype ASAP or a once off design? Metal 3D printing can drastically cut down the time from design to final product. This speed is a huge advantage in industries that thrive on quick iterations and rapid time-to-market.

How to Use Our Metal 3D Printing Cost Calculator

The metal 3D printing cost calculator above can help anyone looking to budget a 3D printing project accurately, although as mentioned above, in many previous client projects we’ve found that your project can likely be completed more cost-effectively with traditional manufacturing techniques. This tool lets you input parameters for material type, part dimensions and required quantity and then calculates the total cost.

For example, if you’re working with stainless steel, you enter the volume of the part through its dimensions. The calculator takes into account post-processing needs and applies quantity discounts automatically. The cost calculator will then provide a total cost for your project.

Using a cost calculator helps you make informed decisions by comparing different materials and processes, highlighting cost-saving opportunities, and identifying areas where you might invest more for better quality or faster production.

Factors Influencing Metal 3D Printing Costs

There are a number of factors that can affect the overall cost of metal 3D printing. Understanding these factors will help you optimize your project budget and your project’s cost-effectiveness.

First, material costs play a significant role. Metals like stainless steel, titanium, and nickel alloys have different price points and mechanical properties. Choosing the right material is essential for balancing cost and performance. If you’re not sure what the best material to use is, we can help you understand the options.

Machine time is another crucial factor. The longer your 3D printer runs, the higher the cost. Complex designs take more time, increasing the overall cost, which is why a calculator like the one above can only ever estimate prices roughly. Our partners have invested in efficient printers and we can optimize your designs for faster printing, helping to manage these expenses.

Labor costs are also involved in the process, which include the time and expertise needed to set up the printer, monitor the process, and perform post-processing tasks. Skilled labor makes sure of the quality and reliability of the final product, so it is a worthwhile investment and is included in the cost calculation.

Material Costs: Stainless Steel, Titanium, and More

The choice of material is one of the most significant factors affecting the cost of 3D printing. Stainless steel is a popular choice due to its balance of strength, durability, and cost. It is widely used in various industries, including automotive and healthcare.

Titanium is more expensive, but it is known for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance. This makes it ideal for aerospace and medical applications where these properties are very important.

Aluminium or nickel alloys may also be used depending on the specific requirements of the project. Each material has its advantages and cost implications, so selecting the right one is very important for achieving the desired balance between performance and cost. Again, if you’re not sure, we can help you decide what’s right for your project.

The Impact of Manufacturing Volume on Costs

Manufacturing volume can significantly impact the cost of metal 3D printing. Higher volumes often lead to economies of scale, reducing the cost per part. This is particularly important for industries that require large quantities of parts, although CNC machining is a lot more cost effective for producing in bulk. For example, producing a single prototype with 3D metal printing might be expensive, but scaling up production can decrease the unit cost. Efficient production planning and maximizing batch sizes can result in significant cost savings.

Understanding the relationship between volume and cost allows you to make strategic decisions about batch sizes and production schedules, optimizing both time and expenses.

Prototyping is important however, as if you batch produce a product with mistakes or imperfections, a lot of material will go to waste which can be very costly!

Labor and Machine Time in Metal 3D Printing

Labor and machine time are often overlooked components of the total cost of metal 3D printing. The setup and operation of the 3D printers requires skilled technicians to make sure the process runs smoothly and the prints come out correctly the first time. Monitoring the printing process and addressing any issues that arise is essential for maintaining quality, but is usually done across multiple prints at once for efficiency.

The time it takes for the machine to print a part directly affects costs. As mentioned earlier, more complex designs and larger parts take longer to print, increasing machine time.

Post-processing tasks, such as removing support structures and finishing surfaces, also require labor. Efficient post-processing techniques and skilled technicians can help keep these costs down while ensuring the final product meets quality standards. Post-processing is included in the unit price estimation.

Post-Processing and Finishing Techniques

Post-processing is an important step in metal 3D printing that can affect the overall cost. Techniques such as polishing, coating, and thermal treatments can be necessary to achieve the desired finish and mechanical properties of the printed parts.

For example, polishing can enhance the surface finish and remove any imperfections from the printing process. Coating may be applied to improve corrosion resistance or add aesthetic appeal. Thermal treatments like annealing can improve the mechanical properties of the part.

Each post-processing technique adds to the cost, so understanding the specific requirements of your application is essential. We can help you decide on the correct post-processing technique when we scope out the project for you, and we won’t ever sell you anything you don’t need.

Balancing post-processing requirements with cost considerations like this will will help you achieve the best results within your budget.

How Complex Geometries Affect Printing Costs

Working with complex geometries are one of the main advantages of metal 3D printing, but they also come with higher costs. Designs with intricate details, support structures, and fine features require more time and resources to print.

For instance, parts with complex support structures may take longer to print and require additional post-processing to remove the supports. Fine features and intricate designs can slow down the printing process, increasing machine time and labor costs.

However, the ability to produce complex geometries that traditional manufacturing methods cannot achieve is a real benefit of metal 3D printing that you can’t overlook. While most parts can be created by CNC machining, for parts with complex geometries this can sometimes be impossible, leaving 3D metal printing as the only option.

Real-World Applications and Cost-Benefit Analysis

Examining real-world applications can provide useful insights into the cost of metal 3D printing. For example, in the aerospace industry, companies have used metal 3D printing to produce lightweight, high-strength components that reduce fuel consumption and increase efficiency, with the cost savings vastly outweighing the upfront payment.

In the healthcare sector, metal 3D printing has enabled the production of custom implants and prosthetics with precise geometries tailored to individual patients. The benefit in these cases is in quality of life, which is hard if not impossible to put a price on.

Tips to Minimize Costs Without Sacrificing Quality

To minimize your metal 3D printing costs without sacrificing quality, consider the following tips:

• Material Selection: Choose materials that offer the best balance of performance and cost for your project.
• Design Optimization: Simplify designs where possible to reduce machine time and post-processing requirements.
• Efficient Production: Plan production runs to maximize efficiency and take advantage of economies of scale.
• Invest in Technology: Use an expert company like us with high-speed, efficient industrial printers that can reduce machine time and labor costs.
• Skilled Labor: Invest in skilled technicians with years and years of experience like we have to ensure you get quality and efficiency in the printing process and in all post-processing tasks.

Follow these guidelines, and even if you have the most complex metal 3D printing requirements we can help you can manage your costs and achieve high-quality results for your projects.

The post Metal 3D Printing Cost Calculator – Get An Estimate, Save Money appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

If you love custom fishing equipment, 3D printing can be a great way to customize your gear, allowing you to experiment with fishing lures over time until you find the perfect solution to catch the most fish.

What is a 3D Printed Fishing Lure Mold?

A 3D printed lure mold is the basis for creating duplicate copies of a lure you have designed. You can create a 3d printed mold of any shape or size, allowing you a lot of flexibility in the design of your fishing baits.

Usually a 3D printed mold would be created in two parts, allowing you to easily separate the halves once the plastic used for your lure has hardened.

A benefit of 3D printed molds is that they can easily be iterated upon. So if you make a mistake in the original, you can easily change it without a large expense. This makes 3D printed molds an excellent option for prototyping molds that will later be made in aluminium.

How much will it cost to 3D print a lure mold? That depend on how complex it is, the size and number of the lures etc.

What Are the Different Types of 3D Printed Molds Possible?

 3D printed molds can come in almost any different style depending on what you would like to create. This will often come down to what type of fish you are trying to catch, as some types of bait are more suitable than others for specific fish species.

Here are some of the common fishing lure mold types you could choose to create:

Crankbait

The square bill crankbait is one of the best topwater lures. It is a great fishing lure for shallow water. The lure allows you to move the bait around at different speeds or depths, and usually has a lip that allows it to stay underwater. Crankbait can be made of metal or soft plastic called plastisol. The crankbait is often designed to replicate a spoon or bullet shape.

Spinnerbaits

This is another great topwater bait. Spinnerbaits get their name from the propeller attached to them that makes them imitate a swimming fish. This type of fishing lure is suitable for catching predatory fish like bass.

Spoon Lures

This form of fishing lure is convenient for catching bigger fish. They come in a concave shape and give off a shiny look that attracts fish.

Rattle Popper Fishing Lures

This kind of fishing lure is suitable for freshwater fishing. It’s somewhat unique as it can be used with live bait, and you can move the bait easily in the water through different angles.

How to Design 3D Lure Molds?

To design a lure mold for 3D printing, you need to be familiar with the use of computer aided design (CAD) software.

CAD software is expensive, and it has a steep learning curve. For this reason, many beginners looking to make a custom aluminum fishing lure mold will outsource their CAD designs to a professional CAD company like us. Here at J-CAD we specialize in creating 3D CAD designs from scratch based on your requirements. All we need is a simple drawing with dimensions to get started. It can be surprisingly affordable to get us to do your designs. We can then send you .STL files for you to 3D print yourself, or we can do the 3D printing for you. We can also help you create molds in aluminium and even mass produce your lures if you want to sell them at scale.

There is no end to the number of types of fishing lure that can be created using a 3D printed fishing lure mold. To get help with your next project, reach out to us at J-CAD at or send us through a quote request. We look forward to hearing from you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post 3D Printed Lure Molds appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

3D Printing Service Fees – Key Concepts:

• The cost to 3D print something can range from $1 if you are using a home 3D printer to thousands of dollars for large commercial prints.
• 3D printing is one of the most affordable forms of manufacturing for small amounts of products.
• To calculate the cost of 3D printing per hour, factor in equipment, material, operational and maintenance costs, CAD design, and labor for finishing the 3D prints.
• A do-it-yourself 3D printing service fee at a library for instance could be as low as $1 – $3 per hour of printing, which includes both a filament cost and a fixed cost.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Stuff 3D Printed?

So you’ve got a big idea to create a new amazing product. At the same time, you’ve seen some videos of 3D printers doing their thing, maybe even read a few articles about 3D printing.

Now you are thinking, why not give 3D printing technology a try! Why not make the most of a 3d printing service to get your idea out of your head and turn it into something tangible?

The next logical question that might occur to you is how much does a 3d printing service cost?

3D printing is the most affordable manufacturing process for making a prototype or a small batch of products.

But how affordable is it to 3d print something? What’s the exact amount of money you may need to spend to have your product materialize in the real world?

If those questions interest you, you are in the right place. In this article we will explain in detail how much it costs to 3d print something, how much 3d printing services charge, how much it would cost you to print that part at home yourself, and pretty much everything related to that in-between.

Examples of How Much Will It Cost to 3D Print Various Items

There are many aspects that determine how much it costs to 3D print something. The following table of 3D printed prototypes will give you a general idea of how much it costs to use a 3D printing service for a range of different products:

Item	Cost to 3D Print	Turnaround Time	Image of 3D Printed Item
Bottle lid	$100	5 – 7 days
Guitar tuning pegs	$250	5 – 7 days
Prototype brackets	$300	5 – 7 days
Belt buckle	$400	5 – 7 days
Garlic press	$500	6 – 8 days
3D printed shoe	$750	6 – 8 days
Microphone holder / case	$800	6 – 8 days
PCB enclosure	$1000	6 – 8 days
Boomerang sign	$1200	6 – 8 days
Lifelike dog statue	$1500	1 – 2 weeks
Architectural miniature house	$1500	1 – 2 weeks
Case with multiple compartments	$1500	1 – 2 weeks
Mechanical turbine model	$1500	1 – 2 weeks
Toy animal set	$2500	1 – 2 weeks
Keyboard prototype	$3000	1 – 2 weeks

How much does 3D printing cost per hour?

There is no simple answer to how much 3d printing costs per hour. The thing is, several factors influence the 3d printing cost per hour. There is also the fact that each company reserves the right to set its own hourly printing costs and profit margins.

But, profit margins and company policies aside, in the following prices are the main factors that influence the hourly cost for 3d printing:

Material Costs

Material costs play a significant role in the cost of the hourly rate.

For example, if you choose SLA printing, you might be asked to choose between various types of liquid resin. The thing with standard resin is that it can cost as low as $35 per kilogram or as much as a couple of hundred dollars depending on the quality you choose.

Then there are SLS printers that use PLA filament. Typically, a decent quality PLA sells for $15 to $20 per kg. At the same time, a color-changing PLA costs about $40 per kg, which is double the price. Other plastics like ABS, PETG, HIPS, and PVA feature similar price ranges as PLA.

Are more expensive 3D printing filaments better?

The point is, some high end materials can significantly increase the 3d printing cost per hour. Using them, however, can sometimes mean better print quality, more durable parts, improved flexibility, etc. Other times, a well-printed model can be printed using standard materials that are significantly cheaper.

Different technologies require different types of materials which cost differently. Then there are other factors such as infill and layer height that also affect how much material is needed, hence the cost of the print.

Operational Cost

A 3d printer, the same as any other machine, has a finite lifespan, which means it will wear down. To break even on your investment in your 3d printer over time, either you or the service provider you use will need to calculate that in the hourly amount.

For example, if your 3d printer costs $2,000 and, hypothetically, comes with an expected lifespan of 2,000 printing hours, you will need to charge $1 per hour to break even on your purchase.

It doesn’t matter whether you use a resin or a fused deposition modeling technology, that is how you calculate the operational cost.

Electricity Consumption of 3D Printers Per Hour

Electricity is not free. Just like in other technologies, you need electricity to print stuff.

However, a single 3d printer does not consume too much power.

But for larger business with a farm of 3d printers running long hours, the electricity bill can become a factor in how much you charge for your prints.

On average, entry and mid-range 3d printers consume 50 to 70 watts of energy per hour.

Hypothetically, if your 3d printer prints 8 hours per day, it could consume less than 10 cents worth of electricity (depending on your location).

Labour Cost

3d printing is not fully automated. A person needs to supervise and operate the process. That includes post processing such as removing supports, cleaning the parts, sanding, etc.

Furthermore, the 3d prints also need to be packed and shipped, which also requires time and effort from someone.

Whether it is the owner or an employer that does all the work, their time needs to be compensated.

Maintenance costs

Plenty of parts wear out. Parts such as belts, cooling fans, thermistors, nozzles, etc. can all degrade over time. Replacing them with new ones is an absolute must.

The best 3d printers feature premium parts that tend to last longer. Then there are less reputable 3d printers featuring low-quality parts that tend to burn out more quickly.

Other Costs

Material cost, print time, and post processing are the big three. They make a big chunk of the overall cost of the cost of 3d printing.

In addition to those big costs, there are a few more that tend to fly below the radar.

Here is a shortlist of what other materials you need to have in your 3d printing workshop:

• Glue (ideally disappearing glue)
• sandpaper assortment
• Cleaning kit
• paint and brushes

Profit Margins

On top of material costs, overhead costs, and all other expenses, there are the profit margins. Profit margins can vary from one 3d printing business to another.

3D printing businesses may not be able to control factors such as material cost and electricity price, but they can have a say when it comes to their rates.

3D Printing Cost Calculators

3D printing calculators are small pieces of software that typically account for all the major factors mentioned earlier. They basically do most of the math to determine an approximate final cost, while you just get to feed them with your raw product data.

However, keep in mind that they are there to give you a round estimate, and they often do not account for all factors.

These online calculators are some of the best out there:

3DPrintingPro

3DprintingPro is one of the most detailed printing 3d calculators on the internet. What makes it special is that it features factors that most other 3d printing calculators do not provide. One such factor is the tax rate.

Omni

Omni is a pretty basic 3d printing cost calculator. It lacks material options and some more advanced features. The best part about it is that it instantly gives you a cost estimate.

Shatter Box

This 3d printing cost calculator also comes with a downloadable version that can be used locally on your PC or laptop. It offers a wide range of functionalities.

3DAddict

3D Addict is a popular 3d printing cost calculator, often used by 3d printing services from around the world. It comes with a massive selection of cost factors such as printer maintenance, electricity, materials, shipping, etc.

How much do 3D printing services near me cost?

Finding a 3d printing service near you is as straightforward as it gets – a query using your favorite search engine will do the trick just fine. For example, a simple online query such as “3d printing service near me” is perfect.

When it comes to 3d printing, you can’t rely much on price comparison services. Instead, you need to do your own research.

If you reside in a big urban metro area, know that you will have quite a few 3d printing services near you. Typically, you might be limited to fewer options if you reside in a rural community. That means you would need to rely on online 3d printing.

But, regardless of where you live, there are always ways to 3d print your design. And it’s often cheaper to look further abroad than to use a local service. Here are your options, listed from most affordable to most expensive.

Community Services

These are public services run by the county government, town, or city. Sometimes they are part of a public library, whereas other times they operate as part of a recreation center.

Most times, they charge only a small fee for usage and material. This is by far the cheapest option. But don’t expect to find there some high-end 3d printing technology such as direct metal laser sintering. In most cases, they operate some affordable FDM 3d printers. You will also have to spend time (sometimes a lot), learning how to use them yourself. Some of these community services even offer laser cutting services.

Maker Spaces

Make spaces are similar to the community 3d printing places. The thing that makes them different than a community 3d printing service is that they operate for-profit.

The idea with these places is that they offer you the tools and technology to design and craft all sorts of gadgets and objects. They could be used for instance to make a simple prototype.

Another thing that differentiates them from community centers is that, on average, they are better equipped. They offer access to different 3d printing technologies such as selective laser sintering, high accuracy FMD 3d printing, post processing technology, etc.

Commercial Printing

Commercial 3d printing businesses are transforming additive manufacturing and are making it accessible to anyone with an idea.

Almost every 3d printing service offers anything from design to final, 3d printed product. You can also bring in, send, and upload your 3d file. Because of them, manufacturing custom parts has never been easier.

For them, and the professionals they employ, model complexity is something they deal with on a daily basis. In addition to selective laser melting, fused deposition modeling, and other 3d printing methods, they often offer access to technologies such as injection molding and higher quality machines.

Commercial printing companies are best at making functional prototypes. And, unlike community and make space printing services, they also offer access to expensive materials, and you won’t have to learn how to correctly configure and callibrate the printers before using them, saving you time and money.

How much does an online 3D printing service online cost?

3d printing or additive manufacturing as it is also known, can cost anywhere from $1 and up to thousands of dollars. A wide range of factors such as materials, labor, print time, post processing, and electricity determines the price of 3d printing.

In some instances, the cost of 3d printing can even exceed the price of an entry-level 3d printer. But then again, an entry-level 3d printer can’t handle what an industrial 3d printer can.

For example, a photon mono can produce excellent prints. But an industrial level resin 3d printer such as the NILS 480 industrial SLS 3D printer can create bigger prints, at a faster pace, all while on average using less material.

Professional, online 3d printing services are the best technology to turn complex designs into working prototypes. When it comes to creating complex parts, not many other technologies can compete with additive manufacturing.

The fact that you can submit your design online, get it printed in some distant 3d printing farm, and then delivered to your doorstep can make life really easy!

Another thing that also strongly resonates with makers is that they can get an instant quote from an online 3d printing service. They also know instantly how much it will cost for their printed part/s to be shipped to them.

How much do 3D printing services for hobbyists cost?

Much of the 3d printing cost for hobbyists depends on the complexity of the model, the materials used, the type of technology used to print the object, the cost of post processing, and so on, not to mention the time cost of learning how to use the software and hardware required.

Examples compared – 3d miniatures vs. a phone case

For example, 3d printing miniatures on average cost more than other similar prints of the same size. This is because miniatures are very detailed. They can’t be rushed which means longer print time. That also means someone needs to make sure the 3d printer is calibrated so that the prints turn out perfectly.

All these factors add up, making the overall cost of the print quite high. 3d printing a miniature compared to 3d printing a phone case that requires an equal amount of material can cost much more. That is because, as explained above, miniatures require a lot more effort.

Plus, not all miniatures can be printed with an affordable FDM printer. By using a more expensive 3d printing technology, the cost of the print tends to increase as well.

How much does 3d printing cost at home?

If you’re just starting out, 3d printing at home is an option to bring your designs to reality. To create your prints at home, for personal use, you do not need to register a business, no need to pay taxes on your 3d prints, or anything like that.

Registering a business is needed if you start selling whatever you print or design. Paying tax on what you earn is a part of being a business owner.

3d printing at home does come with costs however. As anyone that has ever been involved in 3d printing will tell you, there are quite a few costs when 3d printing at home.

Here are the main factors that will determine how much it costs to 3d print things at home.

Printing Material cost

If you plan to print your stuff at home, you will probably go with FMD or a resin 3d printer.

Here’s how to calculate the cost of materials if you 3d print things at home:

Cost of Material for an FMD 3d Printer

Cura Slicer can provide a fair estimate of how much filament you need for each model.

If you pay a price of $25 for 1 kg of PLA filament, know that you will have about 330 meters of filament. That means your cost will be 7.6¢ per meter.

If your model requires 10m of filament, you will use material worth 76¢. If it is a larger print, one that will take 24 hours or so to be printed, then you are probably looking at about 120 meters of filament.

That translates to a cost of $9.12USD. If we round it up, your cost to 3d print PLA for a full day (24 hours) is $10.00USD.

Cost of Material for a Resin Printer

The ChiTuBox Slice can tell you how much resin you need to print a 3d sketch. Plus, if you add the price of the resin in the settings, the ChiTuBox Slice will calculate how much it will cost you to print your design.

Same as with FDM printers, altering things like layer height and infill percentage can affect the extent of the material you need to 3d print your design.

Cost of Electricity

Most 3d printers used by DIYers tend to consume around 50 to 70 watts per hour. That’s the average electricity consumption that accounts for 3d printers that work with hardened plastic and those that use resin.

For a 10-hour print, the 3d printer would consume from 0.5kwh to 0.7kwh. The total price of consumed electricity by your 3d printer for a 10-hour print will be in the range of 10 cents or so.

Additional Expenses

In addition to the common costs, you also need to account for things such as isopropyl alcohol for cleaning the build plate, rubber gloves to keep your hands protected, sandpaper for post processing, brushes, and paint.

The good news is that these expenses don’t affect the price of your 3d prints too much. But if you want to keep a close tab on all expenses, you need to be aware of them as well.

3D printing price comparison service

One of the fastest and easiest ways to get an instant quote from multiple 3d printing services is to use a comparison service. Typically, these services work with a global network of 3d print businesses that can bring your design to life.

It is an automated process, and the only thing required from the user is to upload their design.

The final step is choosing from the given instant quotes. Typically, in addition to the printing price, you will also receive an assessment of the expected 3d printing time, delivery time, overall quality of the print, etc.

If however you need personalized help you’re better to work with a company like us here at JCAD!

In Conclusion

The cheapest way to 3d print something is if you own a 3d printer. But then again, if you don’t print too often, you will have a hard time recouping your investment in the purchase of the 3d printer.

Plus, there is a considerable learning curve, especially if it is your first 3d printer. To produce a quality 3d print is not as simple as adjusting layer height, there’s a lot more to it than that.

Working with JCAD for your next 3D print

We have many years experience as a cost effective 3D printing service and would love to assist you with your project. If you want to learn more about the work we do here, get in touch via our quote form, chat widget or by calling us on 1888 202 2052 and let us know your requirements and lead time.

In any case, whatever you decide, we wish you happy printing!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post How Much Does 3D Printing Services Cost? // Price Guide appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

Get in touch with us today using our quote form, live chat, or by calling to find out more.

So you’re a big fan of the board game of chess and it ranks first in your list of fun things to keep yourself occupied.

Let’s imagine one evening while you’re taking a walk across a park, you meet two people playing a board game. The game looks a lot like chess except the pieces look nothing like the regular chess sets you’re used to. You are a bit curious at this point and on inquiry, you discover they made the set themselves, inspired by world famous buildings, utilizing the powers of 3D modeling and 3D printing. You are intrigued by this finding and would love to have your own customized chess set, so you set about learning how to make one!

Thankfully there are no limits to our imagination and whatever our minds can imagine we can create. This aptly describes the limitless ability of 3D modeling and printing to bring our chess set ideas to life. With 3D modeling, we can design and customize our chess sets to any specifications we’d like.

So, even if you do not play chess but would love to create a lasting impression on a loved one who relishes the board game, why not customize a 3D printed chess set for them around a theme they really love?

Traditional Chess Sets

Traditional chess sets are made up of a chess board, and black and white chess pieces for playing the game. The chess pieces number sixteen (16) for each color: a king and a queen, a rook and a knight (2 each), bishops, and, and eight pawns. Additional pieces, usually a queen or a knight, are provided in the event of a promotion per color.

Chess boards have 64 squares arranged in vertical rows called files and horizontal rows called ranks. These squares are painted with alternating colors, one light, and one dark.

To play chess you need two players and chess sets are made in a variety of cool styles with the Staunton chess set being the most preferred in tournaments. The white side always makes the first move before the black pieces.

The Evolution of Chess Sets

Like many games, chess has a long history. In the middle ages, abstract chess set and Bauhaus style chess sets that adopted abstract shapes were in vogue.

Fun ideas have been incorporated into the game as these chess sets have evolved over the centuries as people began modeling chess pieces after family members, buildings, novel and movie characters (eg. Star Wars chess sets), animals, and even popular games.

These customizations were traditionally done through wood carving but are now even easier with the advent of 3D modeling.

3D Modelled Chess sets

Chess sets have come a long way since medieval times. Themed chess sets, although generally intended for display purposes rather than actual play, have found their way into the world of chess owing to their cool designs. You can model a chess set after anything that catches your fancy. You can have a Star Wars chess set, a micro planter chess set, or a Pokémon chess set.

So, the choice of what to model your chess set after is solely dependent on your individual needs and interests. Is it a gift? Is the chess set for ornamentation? Do you want to keep a memory alive with the chess set? Or do you just want something unique your friends will talk about?

Whatever your reasons are, you can design and print the ideas you’re imagining by yourself using 3D printers. Or alternatively, outsource the work to a company that specializes in CAD design and prototyping 3D ideas down to the most minute detail to perfectly capture your chess set and chess board ideas.

In the following paragraphs, we will delve into how to make your own custom 3D printed chess set.

Making your 3D printed chess set

In the hands of a professional, development of 3D images and manufacturing them is a walk in the park. However, achieving this level of expertise requires significant work and financial resources. The development of a 3D printed chess set requires the following steps;

a. Choosing the object(s) to model your chess set after

b. 3D modeling

c. 3D printing

d. Post-print processing

e. Finishing and painting.

We will discuss making your 3D printed chess set under the subheadings below.

Choosing the object(s) to model your chess set after

This is the first step toward customizing your chess set. This step will determine what your finished chess set will look like. If you are a fan of exquisite civic architecture, the chess set could be modeled after famous buildings or structures like the empire state building, Sydney opera house or Eiffel tower.

Unlike in regular chess or even the Bauhaus chess set, your chess set can also be modeled after your favorite famous figures. There have been cases of pieces inspired by movie characters so you could model them after the Star Wars franchise for a Star Wars chess set and have your Jedis and stormtrooper pawns (although there are intellectual copyright ownership issues in this case).

Some chess sets have been inspired and modeled after family members too. You could also decide to make a simple design / low poly chess set or a Minecraft inspired set.

Whatever your decision, move on to the second step and continue until you have your pieces printed.

3D modeling your chess set

Three-dimensional (3D) modeling is an advanced technology that is a subset of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) in which you utilize CAD software in the design process to model your chess pieces and chess board. This computer model will enable you to outline all the required details of your pieces like the dimensions, material type, and even spatial orientation.

In summary, 3D modeling will show you on a computer screen, what your chess pieces will look like when 3D printed given your outlined parameters.

This design process is highly efficient as the modeling program will permit a user to modify and optimize the designs of his custom chess set, document measurements, and materials for the 3d printed finished product.

To design your 3D printed chess set models, you need 3D modelling software such as CAD software. If you already have a developed model of the chess set in mind, you need to download the STL file of the already created model before you can proceed to have it 3D printed.

Methods of modeling

CAD modeling software is equipped with different methods of developing a cool design. These include;

Direct Modelling

In this mode, models are created by manually manipulating a three-dimensional object using a variety of manipulation techniques and geometrical creations. Below are the types of geometry commonly used in this method;

Solid Modelling

In Solid Modelling software, the 3D objects for your chess set are manipulated as solid objects instead of hollow shells. This modeling geometry is suitable for ready-to-print objects and aids the user in avoiding certain model problems like parts that are too thin for the 3D printers to print.

Fusion 360 and Solidworks are highly reputable solid modeling programs. This however may make it difficult if adding weights to your 3d printed chess sets.

Polygon Modelling

This form of modeling will treat your chess piece as a hollow shell bearing several discreet flat surfaces comprised of points and edges. This modeling technique bears the advantage of creating objects rapidly, especially ones with flat surfaces. Several programs are popular for this modeling style but Blender, Maya, and 3DS Max are quite well known.

Non-uniform Rational Basis Spline (NURBS) Modelling

This modeling technique differs from polygonal modeling in not having the control points directly attached to the surface of the model. So, unlike in the polygon model where moving the control points account for straight facets and edges, it causes a smooth distortion in the surface.

Popular NURBS modeling programs are Maya and Rhinoceros.

Parametric Modelling

As the name implies, in this modeling method, the designer creates an object by explicitly stating its parameters. To some degree, this method is often used with direct modeling. These parameters are represented in lines of code that the modeling program computes into a representative object. This gives you full control of the object design process as you can alter these parameters before the program renders the finished image of your chess set.

Fusion 360, Solidworks, Maya, Rhinoceros, and Openscad are equipped with parametric modeling tools.

3D Scanning

As an alternative to 3D modelling, 3D scanning is perhaps one of the easiest ways of obtaining the physical attributes of the object(s) which you want to model the chess set or chess boards after.

3D scanning is perfect for making 3d printed chess sets. It is the process of digitizing a three-dimensional physical object within a 3D modeling setting. Most models for a 3D printed chess set can be obtained via scanning.

Different kinds of 3D scanning exist and they utilize different technologies to collect and interpret data that will be transformed into the individual pieces of the finished 3D printed chess set.

Some scanning models create only geometric models while some others obtain color data. Below are some of the different kinds of 3D scanning technology available to you for making your 3D printed chess set:

Photogrammetry

This is the most easily accessible form of 3D scanning and uses photos of the object taken from different angles to reconstruct a 3D model that approximates the physical object. This scanning technique also offers the advantage of capturing color for your proposed 3d printed chess sets.

However, this scanning method is better suited for medium-sized objects measuring between 8 and 36 inches. Smaller objects or objects with lots of crevices or tiny parts may not produce detailed models with photogrammetry.

Structured Light Scanners

This process digitizes objects for your 3d printed chess sets by projecting a pattern of light on them and simultaneously taking photographs. It recreates a 3-dimensional digital representation of the object by measuring the light scatter across the surface of the object. An example is the Autodesk Pier 9 scanners. They are quite expensive and come with clunky software.

If you decide to want to use 3D scanning for your 3d printed chess sets, we can help. We already have the technology and it’s surprisingly affordable to outsource the fine details to us.

Laser scanning

This process recreates the 3D representation of objects by projecting laser dots or lines onto the surface of the object and measuring the distance to the object at varying points. It triangulates these points with the scanner’s location while taking pictures simultaneously. Although expensive, these scanners can produce highly detailed models for your 3d printed chess sets.

Of note, one of the most common scanning tools is the Microsoft Kinect and 123D Catch. To use the Kinect you will need the scanning software Skanect or Reconstruct Me to take the scans and clean them up. If you intend to use live objects like family members to create your 3d printed chess sets, this will prove helpful.

The 123D Catch software will create models without a scanner from a series of pictures on your mobile device. Although the quality of models created in this way are not equivalent to laser scanners, they capture enough detail that will still make for a nice model for your 3D printed chess set, even with a wide range of different pieces.

After scanning, it is advisable to clean up your scan with Meshmixer, add a chess base / board and prepare for production.

Whatever scanning technique you choose, below are a few pieces of professional advice to ensure an optimal outcome:

1.    Avoid intricate or overly-detailed objects:

Intricate facial expressions or hand gestures or extremely fine or detailed objects will be lost during the production of your 3d printed chess sets owing to the small size of the chess pieces to be made.

2.    Avoid Overhangs:

This is especially important if you are using a single extrusion method. When the parts of your model are printed, you will likely require a support material for the chin, hair, or other overhanging features.

If you do not have an option for easy-to-remove, dissolvable supports, it is better to avoid overhangs so as not to have to go through picking off supports for all your chess pieces once they are 3d printed.

3.    Strike a pose you can hold:

This is particularly important if you are extracting models by scanning individuals. Since scanning takes a couple of minutes, the person must strike a pose they can maintain for that long – this is harder than it sounds!

4.    Refine the scanned model with Meshmixer

Refining the model will include making a few changes like the removal of excess parts using the sculpt tool, editing unwanted parts, and adding a chess base. This needs to be done to ensure a polished product once your set is 3d printed.

3D Printing Your Chess Set

Having had all the models for your file ready, it is time to have them 3d printed. Ordinary printers use 2D paper and ink to print text and graphics while 3D alternatives print using different raw materials (plastic, ceramic, metal, etc.) to create 3-dimensional objects by layering these materials and making them stick together. These materials are converted into thin layers by laser, heating, light, etc.

The most common 3D printing technology is fused filament fabrication (FFF) also known as the FDM method (fused deposition modeling). Others include SLA and SLM. These technologies have shortened print time and enabled finer detail in the finished product.

It is advisable to print the individual pieces on a high quality setting with higher infill owing to their small size in relation to the object and fine details. You can print each set in different colors (black and white traditionally) or the same color and paint them afterward.

Because there are two colors in a full set in a game of chess you will need to print a total of 32 pieces for the board; one king, one queen, two bishops, 2 knights, 2 rooks, and 8 pawns respectively for each color.

There are 3 basic considerations to printing your model. These are:

• A 3D printer
• Filament
• Slicing software

Choosing a suitable 3D printer

This choice is highly dependent on your needs. As stated above, the FFF printing technology is the most common in use. This tech is made up of:

• Printing bed: this is the stage for printing the models and it is usually heated to aid the layers to stick to each other strongly.
• Extruder: the extruder is the major part of the printing device. It melts and stretches the filaments for building the model. It consists of the stepper motor, a heating nozzle, and a print nozzle.
• Touch screen: this part mainly serves an operational function. Printers usually have an in-built RaiseTouch LED touch screen through which the designer can operate and complete various settings.
• Moving parts: the printer parts make movements in three (3) axis, X, Y, and Z. X and Y are for forward and backward movements while the Z is tasked with vertical motion.

There are several good ones with good reviews and varying costs if you’re looking to buy. They differ most importantly in dimensional accuracy and overhangs. If you get one with problems relating to dimensional accuracy and overhanging troubles, printing your modeled chess set or board may prove to be extremely cumbersome in the context of print speed and part stability. Some models cost as high as $3975 while some may cost as little as $999.

You can also decide to make your own DIY 3D printer. There are kits available for anyone with knowledge of electronic principles to assemble and make their own. Making your own will no doubt save you some dollars but it is also a huge investment in effort.

The third and best option is to oursource your printed pieces. Send us your files for the light and dark side pieces and board if you are customizing your own. A designer on our team will download the collection of files needed for your 3d printed board and pieces. Once the king, queen, pawns etc. are printed, the designer will finish the pieces and send them to you.

That way you get a cool modern board and chess set to play on, without the cost, space requirements or stress that trying to print your own board pieces can bring! Without that stress you’ll have much more fun when you play chess games with your friends or loved ones of course.

Choosing a filament

The filament is the material you choose to use for your print. Your choice of material will depend on:

• How flexible you want the chess pieces to be
• Heat resistance of the chess pieces; and
• The expected durability of the chess pieces.

As a beginner it is advisable to use PLA (Polylactide) for your print because it is, generally speaking, modern, easy to print using a standard algorithm and equally cost-effective, without requiring you to play around with the settings too much (save your playing for the chess games instead!).

Another great material for your chess set is the PET-G (Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol), although this requires a bit more technical acumen to use. It can withstand higher temperatures and has a different chemical makeup that gives it higher strength and relative flexibility.

Several other plastics-based filaments exist such as ABS. Metal-based filaments are also available for your 3D printed chess set, which could be useful if you want a sleek modern set that could even look a bit space age.

Choosing a Slicing Software

Slicing software collects the model from the CAD design software and if need be, adds support structures for overhangs before exporting the model in a readable format for printing. The name “slicing” is derived from the fact that the print is built-in horizontal slices.

To work properly, the CAD software used to create the model must be able to export it in an STL format native to the slicing software. The slicing software then translates the STL file into a Gcode (a set of instructions that are interpreted for the print) that dictates axis movements, how much material to use, temperature to maintain the extruder at and the location of support structures.

Several slicers are available and each varies in price and quality. Bearing in mind that this is an important aspect of making your 3D printed chess set, you must choose one that gives you the best quality.

Free slicers are available for download but do not work for all users.

Meshmixer and Print Studio are free slicers that produce beautiful results and have a relatable user interface but only use tree-style support structures. These support structures will work well on DLP 3D printers but significant overhangs in FDM machine-printed models will require parallel wall-type support structures as seen in MakerBot’s software and Cura by Ultimaker.

Simplify 3D is another slicer with excellent results but which costs $150.

After choosing your slicing software, go ahead and print your model.

Creating Your 3D Prints

Upload the sliced file to your device, calibrate the extruder and printing base to improve printing accuracy in space, and start printing. The course of the printing can be observed through the glass panel on the side of your device. You can print the chess set in one color and have them painted later on.

Post-processing

This is the last step in making your 3D printed chess set. It involves removing the support(s) (if any), sanding (using sandpaper to make the chess set smoother), coloring (if not already colored during the printing), and polishing (if you’d like to finish your pieces in that way).

Aside from sanding, several other methods can be applied to smooth out the printed chess set. Using Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) for PLA is advocated as a best practice to produce smoother results. Care should be taken as MEK is highly toxic and should only be used in an open space with adequate ventilation.

Should you make your own chess set?

Having outlined the steps required to make your custom-made chess set, it is important to note that modeling them requires a high degree of expertise. It is tough but not impossible.

Unless you intend to venture into the world of 3D modeling as an ongoing hobby, you may have realized that it is going to be expensive and probably impractical to try to make a 3D printed chess set yourself, so you might be wondering “How Much Does It Cost to 3D Print Something?“.

When you consider the cost of purchasing the CAD and slicing software, the 3D scanner, 3D printer and the time it will take to learn how to use all these, as well as the filament cost to print, a much more practical approach to getting your 3D printed chess set is to outsource it.

In an outsourced project, the designer assures you of high quality 3D modelling and finished pieces when compared to what you can achieve as a beginner.

You can outsource your custom 3D chess set project to us at a surprisingly affordable rate. At J CAD-Inc. your ideas will be turned into magnificent chess pieces with great attention to detail.

So to get a 3D printed chess set you will really love get in touch with us today through our quote form, live chat, or by calling us on 1-888-202-2052.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post 3D Printed Chess Set Pieces: A Complete How-to Guide For Custom Making Your Own appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

Maybe you’ve created a rough prototype of a keyboard case, or a revolutionary new key cap profile that you’re preparing for a group buy, but you don’t know the most efficient and affordable way to professionally manufacture it?

Do you have an idea for a new type of ergonomic keyboard that you’re sure everyone will love, but you just don’t know how to get it out of your head and into reality?

Maybe you just want to affordably print an .STL file or cut an acrylic plate for a keyboard design on Github that you’ve had your eye on for awhile, but where the parts are no longer available online.

Or would you like to take an existing keyboard design, for example a Dactyl Manuform, but modify the CAD file to perfectly fit your finger length and the number of keys you would like it to have before 3D printing it?

For all of these scenarios, and almost everything design, prototyping and manufacturing of custom keyboards, the team here at JCAD Inc. are perfectly positioned to help! We offer CAD design, 3d printing / prototyping and manufacturing all under one roof. That means that you only have to work with one company for the majority of the non-electrical components for your build, rather than working with multiple contractors in different areas, having to try and find your own factory facilities for manufacturing, or having to learn how to design in CAD and pay for a 3D printer (which will be inferior to our industrial printers in terms of DPI and finished print quality in any case).

Please note: If you’re looking to prototype keyboard PCBs, manufacture diodes, LEDs, OLED displays, or other electrical or PCB components you’ll be better served looking for a manufacturer who specializes in electrical components for that part of the project.

The basic components of custom mechanical keyboard design

When designing your own custom mech keyboard, there are components which are already readily available (eg. keyswitches) which you can purchase from a keyboard store. Beyond the basics though, you have flexibility and control over every aspect of your build.

For example, you will need to decide on your perfect keyboard layout, shape, style, number of keys, whether the board will be high or low profile etc.

Once you’ve figured out the layout (consider using a tool like Compare Split KB as a starting point if designing a split keyboard), you will need to design a PCB prototype, build your layout in QMK and flash it to the controllers to make sure everything is working as expected.

Then you may need to create plates or cases for your keyboard, and that’s where we come in!

How to design your own custom split, ergonomic, ortholinear, 40%, 60%, 65%, 75% etc. mechanical keyboard

The beauty of custom mech keyboards, and the open source nature of many previous projects, is that you already have a base to build on, but you also have ultimate freedom to design and customize a keyboard however you’d like!

For the best ergonomics, consider creating a keyboard that is split, ortholinear (eg. with column stagger rather than row stagger), with built in tenting options and only 36 keys or so and lots of layers to avoid having to reach excessively for keys. If you want to really level up the ergonomics, consider a board along the lines of a Dactyl Manuform or Skeletyl from BastardKB.

Materials usually used to make custom keebs

Custom mechanical keyboard plates

Most plates for custom keyboards are made either from the same material as PCBs (in which case we’re not the best people to help), or laser cut from acrylic. We can help with the latter, especially if you’re looking to produce acrylic plates in bulk.

There are however a number of other materials that could possibly be used to create plates, including various fabrics, metals, natural materials such as wood or cork and more.

If you have an idea, get in touch and we’ll see if we can help!

Custom mechanical keyboard plates

Most cases for custom keebs are made from 3D printing filament, ABS plastic, aluminum or wood.

For once off or prototyping purposes, 3D printed cases are a good route to take, as 3D prints are durable, inexpensive and quick to produce.

However if you have a need to create cases in bulk, and are able to handle the cost of creating a mold for your case, we’d recommend first prototyping with 3D printing, and then mass producing in some form of hard ABS plastic, or alternatively, laser cutting the components from metal or wood.

How to design custom tenting kits for ergo mech keyboards

To design and create a fully ergonomic keyboard, it’s important to incorporate some form of tenting. It is very unnatural to have our forearms twisted with palms down for 8 hours per day. If you don’t believe us, try using a split, tented keyboard for awhile then going back to a regular “flat on the desk” approach!

It’s ideal to be able to vary your hand position throughout the day, so while it is possible to design a case that has a permanent tenting angle, it may be healthier to build a case that incorporates tenting that is variable. This will also likely save you prototyping and production cost, as if you build in a fixed tenting angle, you may find after your case is produced you don’t actually like it and need to change it!

If you search for “DIY keyboard tenting” on Google there are lots of innovative solutions. Everything from people using iphone or ipad stands, to beanbags, to building a tenting kit out of cardboard, wood or lego.

For built in solutions, however, most tenting options either include:

• fixed tenting in the case
• some form of folding legs
• tripod mounts which attach the case to mini tripods (one for each side)
• bolt holes that allow tenting with bolts and nuts; or
• aluminum feet of varying sizes

We can help you design and build any of these options into your custom keyboard case.

How to make custom designed keycaps

Most keycaps that are mass produced are made out of PBT or ABS plastic. PBT keycaps have a textured, higher quality feel and are mostly considered to be superior to ABS. ABS is what you will find on most cheaper mass produced keyboards. ABS plastics will typically develop a gloss or shine from prolonged or repeated use, whereas PBT caps tend to hold their color and texture better and are considered more durable.

In most cases legends are either laser engraved into keycaps, or printed onto them (as in the case of cheaper keyboards). When printed onto the caps, the legends can rub off over time. On higher end keycaps, a dual molding process called double shot manufacturing is sometimes used. This approach means that legends will never rub off, as the legend is molded as part of the keycap itself.

Custom keycaps can also be 3D printed, although the texture of 3D printed caps is unlikely to be as good as PBT or ABS caps without further tooling, even when printed at very high resolution.

When designing keycaps, one thing to consider is the many different profiles of keycaps out there. There are all sorts of profiles, from angled cherries, to the consistency of DSA caps with higher edges, or similar consistency with XDA caps which are wider and flatter. The type of keyboard you’re creating will often determine your preference in this regard, as well as the type of switch you’re using. Low profile keycaps may not fit Cherry or Gateron switches for instance.

In terms of custom or uniquely shaped keycaps for special keys, the sky (and your imagination) is the limit in terms of what we can create!

Making custom wrist and mouse rests for keyboards

Another aspect of custom keyboards we can help with is creating custom wrist rests or mouse rests, that can either be built-in or attached to your keyboard, or sit up next to them. We can create these for you in multiple ways:

• Either as part of the keyboard case you’re designing during the CAD design process
• By using pre-made CAD files you give us, and creating the custom wrist or mouse rest in that file in order to make sure we have the dimensions perfect; or
• If there are no CAD files available, we can 3D scan your current keyboard, in order to create an exact replica in a 3D CAD design program, which can be used as suggested in the second point above.

How to make travel cases and display cases for mechanical keyboards

One of the problems with mechanical keyboards, particularly the more unique ergo mech keyboards, is that they are not standardized at all.

That means that things like travel cases to protect your keyboards on the go, and display cases to show off your keebs when they’re not in use, are not widely available. So what do you do if you can’t find something the fits your keyboard? You can create it yourself with our help!

If you have an idea for a case, making it a reality is easy:

1. To begin with, measure all the dimensions of your keyboard.
2. Decide if you want to allow space to add foam or other padding if you’re making a protective travel case.
3. Consider what material you want to make the case in. Should it be a strong, rigid material for the best protection or to hold your keeb when displaying it? Or do you want something made out of silicone that will fit more easily in your bag for example?
4. Consider the color of the material/s you would like to use. Do you want to keep it simple, or match it to your keyboard to create a set?
5. Consider also if you want to make a one-off case for yourself, or whether you would like to mass produce your items, in which case you will likely want to prototype the design before making a mold and mass manufacturing.
6. Finally decide whether you want the whole process taken care of for you. Or do you just want a CAD design that you can print on a 3D printer yourself?

Where to get a Dactyl Manuform case customized and 3D printed inexpensively

While not for everyone, if you’re looking for the ultimate split ergo mech keyboard, you might like to look at Dactyl Manuforms. Similar to a split version of a Kinesis Advantage in terms of the contoured keywells and thumb cluster, the DM keyboards are split, with ortholinear stagger, contoured key wells and built in tenting. Build one and it might just be the talking piece of your office!

If you already have an .STL file for your DM, but don’t have a 3D printer, we can help. Just send us the file and we can affordably print and send the case to you.

If you need help with any CAD design, 3D printing, prototyping or manufacturing for custom keyboards, get in touch with us today on or by sending us a quote request. We look forward to hearing from you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post How to Design and Manufacture Your Own Custom Mechanical Keyboard, Cases, Plates, Keycaps & Tenting Kits appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

Converting a two-dimensional photograph into 3D can be lots of fun. Imagine 3D printing your own bobblehead or turning a memorable moment like an engagement photo into a 3D statue or piece of art that you can display somewhere in your house and treasure long term.

But there are also lots of more serious applications for turning a photograph into a 3D model that can be used as part of your business or as part of a professional service.

In this article we’ll suggest a few common methods of converting photos into 3D models, and some of the ways this technology is being used by people.

How Do You Convert a Photograph Into a 3D Model?

There are various approaches to converting photographs into 3D models. If you just need a computer model or 3D file for personal purposes, there are many different programs that can be used to convert 2D photographs into 3D. One thing all these software programs require however is a high-resolution photograph. If you don’t have a good quality photo, it doesn’t matter how good the software is, you won’t get great results when the photo is converted. Some of these programs are user friendly even if you are a beginner, but free, easy-to-learn programs are usually only good for hobbyist purposes as they are mostly automated, lack control over the final output and are sometimes unable to be exported to usable files that can be manipulated in CAD programs.

If you are planning on making a 3D printed model from your photograph, you will either need to find a piece of software that will create a CAD file (STEP, STL, OBJ and IGES are common file types that can be manipulated in most CAD software suites), or if you need the conversion for a professional purpose or you need a professional finish in your output, it’s best to consider getting help to turn the 2D photo into a 3D file from professional CAD designers, like those we have on our team here at J – CAD Inc.

A 3D file created by a CAD design team has many benefits. 3D designers familiar with 3D printing, manufacturing and prototyping processes can ensure the file is ready to be used for the manufacturing area you’re interested in. 3D designers can also clean up the photo as it is being converted to a high degree, smoothing surfaces, removing unwanted objects and more. This is typically not possible with 2D extrusion software which only allows you very minimal editing capabilities, and will often produce a file that is not able to produce a professional product in manufacturing processes.

Turning a photo into a 3D model as a hobbyist

Below we discuss a couple of different ways that hobbyists can create 3D models from photographs. If you have an idea you’d like to turn into a product and you’re not sure where to start, these tools can be a useful way to experiment and get a rough idea of what your 3D model would look like based on the photo you’re experimenting with.

Specialized Apps Using Extrusion Tools

If you are fairly computer savvy, there are online extrusion tools that are free to use that can turn a photo into a reasonably good 3D model.

Smoothie 3D

Smoothie 3D is a popular and widely-used converter that is available for online use. It’s also completely free. All you need to do to use Smoothie 3D is to upload an image and use the tools to draw an outline around the photo. Based on this outline, the software generates a 3D render. You can export this into an OBJ or STL file. Take for example this video showing how to create a 3D model of a squirrel based on its photo.

When using Smoothie 3D, the best results come from images that are symmetrical. With asymmetrical structures, there is a possibility of the details getting lost.

The ease of use of this program sits around the medium level and the flexibility to customize elements of your model is quite decent, but you may find it difficult to achieve very fine grained control over your model. Since it is online, it is supported by almost all platforms.

What could you achieve with software like this? Here are a few ideas:

• Make prototypes for toys (eg. farm animals, model cars etc.) based on your photographs
• Create the base for semi-realistic 3D printed indoor fountains based on waterfalls you have taken photos of
• Make your own 3D printed models of tourist destinations that you can display in miniature as keepsakes, for example the Eiffel Tower or Golden Gate Bridge

Lithophane Creators

“Lithophane” by Leapfrog1980 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Another interesting form of 3D photo conversion software for hobbyists are lithophane creators. Lithophanes are translucent surfaces (which can be made easily via 3d printing) into which an image is carved in great detail. The idea is to block more light in some areas than others, so that when you hold the material up to light, you see a clear 3D image. Lithophanes can be surprisingly beautiful, and make excellent presents.

What kind of gifts or decorations can you make with lithophanes? Think of things like:

• Lamp covers and shades with a picture of your family or a favorite memory
• Light boxes or nightlights
• Wall hangings or decorations that you can stick onto the window
• Fireplace screens or candle shields (although 3D printed plastic or polymer is no good in any situations where they will be exposed to a lot of heat)

Lithophane Maker

This software is a great choice for beginners who want high-quality 3D lithophanes as the process of creating lithophanes from photos is practically automatic. Upload your photos, change settings according to the instructional videos on the site, and create your 3D model ready for printing! Once you have the output file you can 3D print it on your material of choice.

Here is a walkthrough video showing how to create a lithophane for a lamp shade:

The site has recommendations for personal 3D printers, but if you only want to create one lithograph or you want really high quality, it will be more cost effective to get us to do the print for you, and it will be higher quality because we use cutting edge 3D printers with very high resolution output!

Why Turn a 2D Photo Into a 3D Model for Business Purposes?

There are many reasons why people might want to convert a 2D picture into a 3D model for professional or business purposes. Some examples are included below, but the possibilities are almost limitless depending on people’s imagination:

1. Developers can create miniature display villages for marketing purposes from photos of their buildings
2. Crime specialists can use 2D photos to create 3D representations of crime scenes for posterity, thereby avoiding contaminating the actual scene of the crime.
3. Period architectural elements that in years past would have taken many hours to create individually can be photographed, then turned into a mold and replicated quickly and easily on mass
4. Missing parts for furniture or car restoration can be recreated.
5. Making a new product based on a previous design. If you have a product idea that develops upon a physical object in some way, a photo of that object can be used to create a base model to build upon
6. Finessing a prototype – if you have created a prototype for a product idea out of cardboard or some other rough or handmade material, a photo of the prototype can also be used to create a 3D model for further, more refined prototyping, mold making and manufacturing
7. Turning a hand drawn logo into a 3D sign or insignia which can be used on your products
8. Creating unique phone covers by taking photographs and etching them into phone covers, or creating unique additions to basic phone covers, the ears of an elephant you photographed in Bali for example
9. Creating negative spaces. Eg. if a product you want to design needs to fit around a specific object, photographs of that object can be used to create a 3D model to act as the negative space in your design.

When you are looking to turn a photo into a 3D model for professional, business or mass production purposes, it pays to hire professionals to do the job for you.

Advantages of Hiring Professionals to Turn Your Photo into a 3D Model

If you have a serious need for 2D photo to 3D model conversion, you’ll be much better placed hiring a pro than trying to go it alone and create the 3D model yourself, even with the use of free online software.

Some of these reasons include:

1. Expert CAD designers will be able to get a level of finish and quality that’s not possible for a beginner or free online tool
2. Learning how to use software, even if it’s “free software”, has a cost, as it can take a long time to learn and even after all that time spent learning you may end up with subpar results. As another example in a different industry, if you were trying to build a two storey house and had nowhere to live, would you pay a builder to do a great job in a short amount of time, or try and learn how to build an entire house yourself from youtube or online tutorials, only to take forever to build it and waste a lot of money on materials by making mistakes along the way? Our CAD designers have spent tens of thousands of hours perfecting their art, and you might be surprised just how inexpensive it can be for us create your 3D models for you.
3. Paying for better quality software can be expensive. If you don’t need it ongoing, getting a CAD design done can cost less than the price of buying the software.
4. If you have a specific application in mind like prototyping or 3D printing, hiring people who understand the interaction between creating a 3D model using CAD design and those processes can go a long way towards a better finished product.

Making Your 3D Model Today

If you search on Google, you will find a range of options that will let you convert a regular photograph into a 3D model. It usually won’t look very professional, but a lot of them are good enough for basic hobbyist 3D printing applications. If nothing else, it is a great first step to envisage how your end product might look and feel.

But if you want a professional outcome, give us a call on or fill out our quote request form. We do 2D to 3D conversions all the time and would be happy to help.

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post How to Convert a Photograph into a 3D Model appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

What Is 3D Printing?

3D printing is also known as additive manufacturing. A 3D object is constructed using a CAD (computer-aided design) model or digital 3D model. 3D printing has numerous applications in product design, aviation, the medical industry and more. In medical settings for instance, 3D printing is used to make valves and stents used in surgical procedures and even prosthetics.

This method is most suited for small or medium-sized projects that have a one to two week turnaround time. It’s most commonly employed when the project involves intricate designs that can’t be produced in a custom mold, or for designs that are subject to last-minute changes.

3D printing is also very useful in prototyping applications. It is used in the creation of prototypes before final production, as it is much more time and cost effective than other methods available in the market.

It is also very affordable compared to traditional injection molding or manufacturing. For this reason people pursuing hobbies involving the creation of 3D objects also commonly use this method.

Benefits of 3D Printing

3D printing has a number of different benefits including:

3D Printing Has a Low Entry Cost

To start 3D printing at home, all you need is a desktop 3D printer and a supply of materials so the initial investment is low. If you are not expecting to use the printer regularly, it’s even cheaper just to outsource your printing to a specialist like us as there are no upfront costs, and you only pay for each 3D printed part that is produced. The more parts that are printed the cheaper they are, until you get to the point where the economies of scale make injection molding significantly cheaper.

With 3D Printing It’s Easy to Change Designs

Since 3D printing is an additive process the design can be changed easily, even in the worst case scenario during production (although this is uncommon). Usually you would change the CAD file in between prints to iterate on your design if you’ve noticed any design flaws in the original print.

3D Printing Allows Us to Create Intricate Designs

Since the product is manufactured layer by layer in 3D printing, you can create very intricate designs and parts that are not possible to make with regular manufacturing techniques, like creating internal spaces that are not accessible from the outside for instance.

Disadvantages of 3D Printing

There are also some disadvantages to 3D printing however, including:

3D Printing Can Be Time Consuming

Most printers can only produce one or two units at a time, so it takes a lot of time especially if you want to mass produce something. For this reason it’s better to outsource your printing to a 3D printing company like us that has access to multiple machines. If you want to produce something en masse on a very large scale however, it’s cheaper and quicker to use traditional manufacturing methods like injection molding.

3D Printers Have a Size Limit

3D printers are pretty innovative folk. There are for example 3D printers which can be used to print houses out of concrete in a matter of hours. In most cases though, the size of the products that can be created is limited by the size of the printing area and capacity of the printer. Hobbyist printers tend to be quite small, professional printers can be much larger. In some cases for large products, the print must be split into component parts which are later reconstructed.

3D Printing in Lower Resolution Has a Rough Finish

Since 3D prints are built layer by layer the end product will have a rough finish (although you can choose how fine you want the finish to be by choosing a higher resolution print. A finer finish is more expensive). Because the finish is not perfect, time and energy needs to be spent to machine the product after completion if you want a smooth finish.

3D Printing is Not Able to Be Done in Dense Materials (Yet)

3D printing technology is coming ahead in leaps and bounds but at this point in time printing in very dense materials is not very practical.

What Is Injection Molding?

Injection molding is a manufacturing process that produces parts by injecting material that has been heated to the point of melting into a mold. Parts can be made using materials ranging from metals and glass to different types of plastic polymers.

It is most suited for high volume production and designs that require a strong and smooth finish. It is most commonly used after the final design has been approved after going through a prototyping stage, as the molds used in injection molding are pricey, and it’s best not to make a mold until any issues in your prototype have been ironed out.

Benefits of Injection Molding

Injection Molding is Suitable for Mass Production

When using injection molding to mass produce a product, a large number of molds can be used at the same time, which drastically cuts down production time. Injection molding is much quicker than 3D printing, which is why it’s used to manufacture products at scale.

Inject Molded Products Have a Strong Finish

A single layer of poured material is used to create products made via injection molding. This means that there will be no fissures or weak spots. Injection molding can also be used to create products using dense materials like concrete.

The Injection Molding Process Has Minimal Wastage

Since each mold uses the exact amount required for one design there is very little to no wastage of materials or resources and little required machining once the part is created.

Disadvantages of Injection Molding

Intricate Designs Don’t Work Well

If your design is very intricate or involves a lot of angles or internal spaces, the product can break when being taken out of the mold, or be impossible to create through this process.

Changing Design Is Costly

Injection molding can only be done with an expensive metal mold that will hold up to repeated use. It is difficult, therefore, to make last-minute changes or rework the mold. In most cases if you are not happy with a product you will need to make a new mold from an updated CAD file, which is expensive.

Injection Molding Has a High Initial Investment and Cannot Be Done By Hobbyists

The equipment used in the injection molding process is expensive. It is mostly used in commercial manufacturing facilities. Moreover, making molds is a costly affair. That’s why it’s best to use a manufacturing company like us. We already have all the required machines, that means you only need to pay for the mold/s you need. We can even store them for you in between production runs if you’d like.

3D Printing vs. Injection Molding Pricing Compared – Which is More Cost Effective?

The pricing and profitability of each method above vary based on a number of factors. The main determinants of cost are the size of your run and the complexity of your design. You can find out specifically how much does 3D printing services cost here.

Size of Your Run

The initial design and molding costs will be higher in the case of injection molding. Comparatively, 3D printing can be set up at a lower investment.

However, if the volume of your project is very high and you require more than 2,000 units, you can easily cover the initial investment costs by manufacturing en masse.

Injection molding is much faster and cheaper when the volume of output required is high. The per-piece cost becomes significantly cheaper than 3D printing if you want to produce very large volumes of parts or products, even with the initial cost of the mold factored in.

If you have a small or medium product run in mind, or are looking for bridge manufacturing services, then 3D printing or vacuum casting may be more cost effective. Even though the price per unit when taken by itself can seem higher than injection molding, since there is no large upfront investment in mold making the final cost will be lower in the case of a small run.

If you only need one or two items you’re definitely better to stick with 3D printing.

The Complexity of Your Design

If you want to update and change your design throughout the production process or if your design is very intricate and complicated then 3D printing is the way to go.

Injection molds cannot be altered easily and any sort of change means that you have to start over from scratch with a new mold. Each time you start over you will end up spending more money.

Moreover, intricate designs involving angles and spaces in the middle of the products cannot be effectively manufactured using injection molding. This type of product can easily break when being removed from the mold. Damaged products will lead to wasted materials and resources.

Therefore, 3D printing is more economical in the product development stage or prototyping stage when you will have to revise and rework your design multiple times, or in the case of complex items.

So Is 3D Printing Better Or Worse Than Injection Molding?

The truth is, both have their place in the manufacturing process, and both serve different needs. It’s not an either-or scenario. Depending on your requirements and budget you can choose either one or a combination of the two, eg. 3D printing for initial prototyping before mass production using injection molding. This is usually what we recommend for clients wanting to mass manufacture, as it is the cheapest approach overall.

If you are on the lookout for affordable, fast and high quality 3D printing or injection molding give us a call on or fill out our quote form. If you’re not sure which of these methods are best for your project we can suggest the one most suited for your needs based on your budget and requirements.

If you’ve enjoyed this article, you might also like this article on DIY injection molding.

Looking for applications of 3D printing? How about custom 3D printed chess sets!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post 3D Printing Vs. Injection Molding – Is 3D Printing Cheaper Than Injection Molding? appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

3D scanning is the process of taking a physical object and using one of several ways to turn that physical object into a three dimensional representation of it that can be manipulated in computer programs such as CAD software, or can be used for taking accurate measurements without having to do them all manually.

3D scanning has been around since 1960s, and there are different ways that 3D scanning can be accomplished, using lights or lazers for example. Up until recently however this process has been very costly and required specialized equipment that was usually static and could easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars. This has meant it has been prohibitive for most people, unless they were willing to pay for a 3D scanning service.

The type of 3D scanning we’re going to talk about today however is called photogrammetry. Essentially the way photogrammetry works is that you use a camera to take lots of photographs of a static object from many different angles. These photos are then stitched together in 3D scanning software to create a 3D model.

While this sounds complicated, with the rise of high quality smartphone cameras and 3D scanning smartphone apps, with a bit of practice and a relatively new smartphone almost anyone can start 3D scanning!

Why would you want to 3D scan something with your phone?

Apart from the inherent novelty value of making cool 3D scans with something you can carry in your pocket, there are a lot of different uses for personal 3D scanning. Some people use 3D scanning to make realistic representations of themselves to use for avatars in 3D worlds. Others use 3D scanning to make house plans or take measurements that would be much more tedious to do manually.

What we’re really interested in though is the potential to use 3D scanning technologies for 3D printing applications, and to streamline the process of reverse engineering and prototyping products.

3D printing uses

The possibilities for creating 3D models ready for printing using smartphone 3D scanning are almost endless.

For example:

• This article explains a great way to use 3d scanning to create a CAD file of a unique architectural feature a couple wanted to incorporate into their new house.
• Ever wanted your own action figure? Get a friend to scan yourself and 3d print the model. This can be a quicker and easier option than using a photograph for 3D character modelling.
• Want to create realistic model scenery for a railway set or props for a miniature wargame? You could scan an old, abandoned railway station and then 3D print a miniature version.
• Really like a particular statue or ancient monument at a museum? 3D scan it so you can remember it for posterity, or to 3D print a replica for your living area. If you want to go down the rabbit hole in this regard, read this paper on 3D scanning for museums and cultural heritage applications.

You’re basically only limited by your imagination. If you don’t have a 3D printer or the skills to clean up the file for printing that’s no problem at all, we can help!

3D scanning application: Check out how to use 3D scanning to create 3D printed chess pieces!

Reverse engineering uses

Not too long ago we were approached by the Ritz Carlton to create protective casings for a model cruise liner, because it had previously been damaged in transport, was expensive to fix, and they didn’t want to have that issue again in the future! This project used 3D scanning to create a 3D file for the model which we were able to use in negative to create protective foam sidings.

There are many similar reverse engineering uses for 3D scanning. Imagine that you work restoring old cars or furniture, where the parts you need are no longer available to purchase from anywhere. If you are able to scan the parts, you can then manufacture more of the parts on your own for any future restorations. It can even be used for one off pieces, for example cloning a missing part which is mirrored on both sides of an object.

You could even scan an object that you want to make an addition to – say for example a pot holder for a specific type or brand of pot – cutting out the guesswork and accurate measurements of the product that would be required if you were going to prototype your product idea from scratch.

Prototyping uses

For simple parts and products, all we need to get started with designing and prototyping your product is a sketch with some dimensions.

If you are working on a more complex project however, and like to begin with manual prototypes from cardboard, foam or other similar building materials, 3D scanning can be a great help. Make your physical prototype, and once you’re happy with it, then it can be scanned and turned it into a 3D CAD file ready for refining and 3D printing as a prototype, and then eventually for manufacturing.

How do you get started 3D scanning with a smartphone?

This isn’t a tutorial on 3D scanning with a smartphone – there are plenty of those online already, and once you download an app you can simply learn through experimentation with the software. But to get started it might be helpful to know where to look.

Some phones are starting to build 3D scanning technology into their operating systems. For example check out this promo for the Samsung Galaxy Note 10’s 3D scanning capabilities:

3D scanning software also comes as standard with Sony’s latest Xperia models.

There are also many standalone smartphone apps for 3D scanning available. Most of these come with a small fee, but the amount you’ll pay for the app is nothing compared to the cost of a complete photogrammetry set up (which can require many high quality cameras) or the use of professional 3D scanning services.

Here is a good example walkthrough of how to use a free 3D scanning app with your smartphone:

What to do once you have your 3D scan

Send it to us! Because your 3D scan, while good, may not be up to professional standards, it may need to be cleaned up if you want to use it to 3D print.

If you’re using 3d scanning to reverse engineer a part or to prototype a product, we can use that as a starting point to finalize your CAD drawings, and then to begin manufacturing your product.

Of course if all this seems like too much hassle for you, we can help you with all parts of the process. In most cases all we need to get started is a rough sketch with some dimensions on the back of a napkin or envelope

If you’d like to get a quote, give us a call on , get in touch with us through our live chat, or send us more info about your project through our quote form. We look forward to hearing from you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post Easy 3D Scanning With a Smartphone For Reverse Engineering, Prototyping Products and 3D Printing appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

There are many ways to stand out:

• Have the most relevant and extensive experience to the role
• Have great references and testimonials
• Do your background research and make sure you know the company inside out, and ideally ask intelligent questions on multiple occasions so the employer gets used to your name and associates it with insight and quality
• Have your value proposition clear – the end result you help a company achieve can be much more important than the skills you are going to use to get them there
• As a different perspective on the above, use the STAR (Situation you were in, Task / Action you took in that situation, Result you were able to achieve due to your actions) formula for responding to questions in job applications and interviews
• If you’re a freelancer or business owner looking for work, provide value first. Answer questions in online communities relevant to your business to establish your expertise, help people and in turn they may reciprocate and hire you or tell their friends about you
• Don’t say you have good attention to detail when there’s a typo in that paragraph in your CV (only half joking here, you’d be surprised how much that happens in job applications)

If you want to take it to the next level however, you need to be willing to think outside the box. If you really want to stand out, the creative use of 3D printed business cards is a great approach.

What are 3D printed business cards?

Plain old paper business cards are boring. If you think back to how often you’ve actually kept any of those in the long term you’ll know why they’re probably not the best use of your hard earned money.

But imagine instead a card that can be used to promote yourself or your business that people will actually hold onto because they’re fun or have some kind of utility? That’s where 3D printed business cards come in.

3D printing allows you to create totally unique business cards, and that’s what will help you stand out. Your business card will be different from anything else out there.

Take for example this awesome toy fighter jet business card with moving parts, made by a person who focusses on design and prototyping:

Or this interesting lithographic card:

There are so many different examples of the type of 3D cards that could be created. You could for instance, make a flat packed toy with your business details on it that people can assemble and keep on their desk because it’s fun and looks cool.

• Are you a bicycle repair mechanic? You might like to print some of these touring bike cards with your details on them and drop them off at your nearest bike club.
• Are you an architect or a realtor? You may like to print your details on little monopoly-type houses, or buildings specific to the type of business you run. Design or sell commercial real estate for example? Consider printing your details on a mini-skyscraper that people could keep on their desk.
• Are you a cleaner? You could make a 3D printed “closed for cleaning” desk sign that people could display on their desk as a joke to keep people away when they’re busy.
• Are you an engineer? You could make a set of working gears with your details on them.
• Are you a photographer? You could make a business card with a working mechanical iris as part of it.

The possibilities for this type of personal and business marketing are almost endless depending on your profession and how creative you want to be.

Bonus points if the card has some sort of utility like some of the suggestions above that will cause people to keep your card on their desk for longer and actively engage with it or play with it throughout the day.

This is the kind of marketing that will get you remembered. Business owners may even talk about you and share it with their other business owner friends!

How do you make a 3D printed business card?

The process for making 3D printed business cards is fairly straight forward:

1. Come up with an idea
2. Sketch that idea out on paper
3. Create a 3D CAD design for that idea in the appropriate format for your 3D printer
4. Do a test print to make sure it works as desired
5. Revise the design as needed until you’re happy with it
6. Print out as many of the cards as you want!

But what if you don’t have a 3D printer or design skills? That’s no problem at all. 3D printing services can be very affordable.

If you have an idea for a 3D printed card we can help you with the design and printing. If you request a quote we can help you answer the question how much do 3D printing services cost? You might be surprised how affordable this is compared to trying to learn how to design in 3D, buying a 3D printer and materials for it and taking the time to try and figure it all out yourself.

And if your unique business card lands you the job of your dreams, then the cost of having the cards designed and printed will pay for themselves many times over. There are many things you can make with a 3D printer we haven’t covered here. Find out what else you can make with a 3D printer.

If you have a business card project or idea in mind and would like some help making it a reality, give us a call on , or get in touch through our contact or quote forms. We look forward to making some awesome 3D printed business cards for you!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post 3D Printed Business Cards Help You Stand Out From the Competition appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.

How far we have come and how much things have changed in the space of 30 years or so!

3D printing technologies have revolutionized many different aspects of society – from huge 3d printers that can print a house from concrete in 12 – 24 hours to the use of 3d printing tech to make affordable alternatives to otherwise very costly prosthetic limbs.

But perhaps the most fun way that 3D printing is being used is to create totally unique toys, gadgets and games. With 3D printing, for your kids or yourself, the only limit to what can be created is imagination.

Here are just some of the ways that 3D printing can be used to create toys, gadgets and games:

Need a way to keep the kids occupied during COVID-19 lockdown? Completely unique 3D printed toys to the rescue!

In this article on 3dprint.com a number of examples are given where parents are using 3d printing with their kids to engage them in the maker process.

Imagine being able to take the ideas of your kids, design and print them before their eyes, and then work with them to iterate on the design over time until it’s perfect and functions the way they wanted it to.

Not only will your kids have completely unique toys (and most likely, a sense of amazement at the process), but you can also teach them valuable lessons about design, perspective, inventing, prototyping, and even minimum viable products and business (if you’re into that sort of thing), helping them understand many complex ideas in a fun and hands-on way.

This could be particularly useful in the current environment where keeping the kids entertained has sometimes been a challenge. 3D printing potentially offers hours if not days of quiet entertainment.

Or for the smarter people out there, how about 3D printed chess.

Make your own scenery

If you like playing Warhammer, constructing miniature railways or wargaming scenarios, 3d printing offers the perfect alternative to buying expensive scenery kits or spending hours upon hours constructing sets or making miniature characters by hand. Just dream up your scenery, customize it however you want, set it to print, add some paint and other finishing touches and you’re done!

You’ll have more unique and interesting set pieces for your games in no time.

Love fidget spinners?

Do you love fidget toys, like fidget spinners, fidget cubes, spinning tops and more? What if you could design your own that were completely unique?

3D printing is perfectly suited to this sort of application. Just check out the “gear cube” for instance:

The file for this gear cube is available on Thingiverse

Back in 2017 fidget spinners, a relatively simple toy, went viral and became a global phenomena. All of a sudden you could find them in almost every store that sold general goods, and many people made their livelihoods off the back of them. They also spawned a series of alternate fidget devices.

What if you had an idea for a revolutionary new fidget device that could take the world by storm? With 3d printing you could iterate on the design until it was perfect and ready for mass production.

Need help with an idea like that? See the last point in this post below.

Printing musical instruments and inventing new ones

Many people would like to learn a musical instrument, but many instruments like guitars, trumpets, cellos etc. are expensive! What if you could print a musical instrument that could play as well as anything you could buy in the store but cost almost nothing in comparison to a regular instrument?

Again you’ll find a lot of innovative ideas for 3d printed instruments on youtube. Like this great bass alternative for instance:

The cool thing about 3d printed instruments is that you can customize them any way you like. Add your name, change the colour, add a pattern to the exterior, whatever you’d like to make it your own!

And if you’re feeling extra adventurous you might even like to try creating a hybrid instrument, or an all new instrument of your very own creation.

3D printing to repair toys or as practice for bigger and better 3D printing projects

3D printing is also great for restoring old, broken toys. Quickly, easily and cheaply you can fix toys that otherwise would have been thrown away. Not only does this mean prolonging the life of a beloved toy, but it also helps the environment by consuming less.

3D printed toys can also be good practice and serve as the jumping off point into much bigger, better or more complex 3d printing projects. It’s not such a problem if you mess up a small toy, but making a design mistake in a 100 hour print could be an expensive problem!

Need some more inspiration? If you search on Youtube for 3D Printed Toys, you’ll get lots of results. There are also plenty of free design files that can be found online in various places and that are perfectly legal to print from for personal use.

But what if you a.) don’t want to learn CAD design, b.) don’t have a 3d printer or c.) need help taking your idea further?

For some people who don’t want to spend the many hours it takes to learn CAD design, you can still create unique toys. You might be surprised how affordable getting a company like JCAD to do your designs for you can be. You can then print these designs on your home printer, or if you’d rather not learn the ins and outs of 3d printing, let us print your toy and send it direct to your door! You can find examples of how much it costs to 3D print various items in this article.

Or for a more specific idea tailored to your project, just get in touch through the chat widget on the site, through our quote form, or by calling us directly on . We’d love to hear about your project!

Jason Vander Griendt

Jason Vander Griendt is a Mechanical Engineering Technician with years of experience working at major companies such as SNC Lavalin Inc, Hatch Ltd. Siemens and Gerdau Ameristeel. He is the CEO of JCAD – Inc., a company he started in 2006 after seeing a gap in the market for businesses who could assist clients through the entire product design and manufacturing process.

Jason has been featured in Forbes, has had his businesses analyzed and discussed in multiple start-up books, was a previous winner of the Notable8 Digital Innovator of the year award, and is a regular guest on business panels and podcasts. Email Jason at jason@jcadusa.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

The post The Next 3D Printing Revolution? 3D Printed Toys, Gadgets and Games appeared first on J-CAD Inc. 1.888.202.2052.