7 3 D Printing For Product Design Success Stories [2024]

Updated: November 19th, 2023
A 3 D Printing For Product Design

The advent of 3D printing has provided designers and engineers with an alternative way to showcase their capabilities. Designers and engineers use transformative technology to create digitally engineered molds for patients. Through 3D printing technology, manufacturers can produce cost-effective short production runs to test the market or to offer customized product versions.

3D printing in design applies during product conception to allow designers to compare, test, and understand structural and visual qualities. At the prototyping stage, designers use 3D printing to create functional prototypes faster compared to when using traditional prototyping.

Therefore, starting a 3D printer business, consider printing for designers and engineers.

Here are some real life success stories of starting a 3D-printing for product design:

1. Ultimate 3D Printing Store ($3.96M/year)

Roy Kirchner, founder of Ultimate 3D Printing Store, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing a failed product partnership. Inspired by the potential of 3D printing to revolutionize manufacturing, Kirchner took a leap of faith and started his own 3D printing company. With an initial investment of $65,000, the business has now grown to average monthly gross sales of $330,000 and represents products from as many as 30 international manufacturers.

How much they make: $3.96M/year
How much did it cost to start: $65K
Current team size: 4

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How I Started A $330K/Month Ecommerce Specialized In 3D Printing

Founder Roy Kirchner shares how he started an eCommerce business specializing in 3D printing with an initial investment of $65,000, which now averages monthly gross sales of $330,000 and has partnered with international manufacturers and local businesses while offering technical support and education.

About
Roy started Ultimate 3D Printing Store over 8 years ago
Revenue
Roy grew the business to $330K/month
Costs
It cost Roy $65000 to start the business
Read by 29,034 founders

2. Free Website Builder For Your Business

Google My Business can automatically generate a free website for you using info from your Business Profile, and you can edit it anytime.

Website traffic: 66M/month

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So... can you actually make money with a 3D-printing for product design?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now

4. Thingiverse

Download files and build them with your 3D printer, laser cutter, or CNC. Thingiverse is a universe of things.

Where they're located: Mesa, Arizona, USA
Website traffic: 20.6M/month

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5. Zazzle

Zazzle is an e-commerce platform allowing users to create custom products. It was founded in 2005 with over 1,000 employees and an estimated revenue of $250 million. They serve a niche market of individuals looking for personalized items. The company was founded by Robert Beaver and his two sons, and it quickly grew to become a major player in the custom products industry.

Where they're located: La Cautiva, Córdoba, Argentina
Website traffic: 17M/month

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So... can you actually make money with a 3D-printing for product design?

Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.

But how?

  1. Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
  2. Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
  3. Take action, because now you have the roadmap.

Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:

Start Now