I am a hobbyist, and my job will probably never require me to design and print anything for work.

I do really enjoy the process of conceptualizing, designing, and printing, and have done so for myself and some close acquaintances.

I’ve spent many hours/days learning the tools of the trade and was wondering if there was an opportunity to make some money as a side gig. Has anyone been successful doing this, and how did you go about it?

Here are a couple of my early designs, I plan to upload more once I clean things up a bit.

https://www.thingiverse.com/landon8848/designs

  • EmilieEvansEnglish
    222·
    1 year ago

    There are still people not into FDM that could profit from it so there is still a market:

    1. Run a local business that offers quick turnarounds. e.g. send it before 6 p.m. and production will start before 8 p.m. same day with early morning delivery if possible: The engineer finishes a design in the afternoon and has it the next morning on his desk ready to go. On your end it means once you get home do a little work. Sleep and deliver the order on your way to work.
    2. The next strength is service. You run it. You know the process. You can guide them and answer any questions they have.
    3. Offer basic CAD design work. This allows you to catch customers who have ideas but not the required knowledge.
    4. underpromise, overdeliver
    5. If you are into CNC milling offer hybrid manufacturing. Gain excellence and you have some very valuable knowledge.
    6. Don’t take money out of the business at the start. Build up a reserve for the rainy day that will come (!!!) and keep reinvesting in new capabilities or improving your current offering. Once you reach a decent machine park pay yourself. Don’t forget to dedicate some funds for experiments: Keep innovating as otherwise you will fall behind and some new guy that’s hungry will replace you.