When Will a 3D Printer Be Useful and What Are the Costs of Purchase?

A 3D printer has many possible applications. It will be useful both in large corporations as well as small and medium-sized businesses. Moreover, thanks to decreasing prices even an amateur hobbyist can buy one. 3D printing is inexpensive and requires no specific preparations. Let’s see when is the right time to get yourself acquainted with 3D printing.

3D printing technology is not the future, it’s the present. In some areas, it has been in use for over 30 years. A few years ago, to get a 3D printer you had to pay upwards of 10 thousand dollars. Few companies and institutions were able to afford it. A more widespread availability of 3D printers occurred during the last five years. They’ve become both cheaper and smaller.

A Smart Choice

Before we answer the question how much a 3D printer costs let’s consider why you should buy one at all. You’re a start-up with plans of introducing a new electronic device? A 3D printer will obviously come in handy. It will let you design the case for your device and prototype its components in your own garage. You own a small, local manufacturing business? So you will also need a cheap and user friendly device for prototyping. The modern world requires constant change; it’s worth adjusting to and creating better products. Do you sell items you craft yourself? Perhaps you want to add some elements, and if so, 3D printing can prove to be the perfect addition to your offer. You don’t have a business idea? 3D printing can be that business. You can create personalized gadgets or print out 3D projects for students of the local architecture faculty. A 3D printer is also a wonderful tool for DIY enthusiasts. It will let you print tools which you lack or elements of your new masterpiece.

Fear not: a 3D printer is user-friendly, doesn’t take up much space and is perfectly safe for the user and the environment. What may—but doesn’t have to—be an obstacle is the abilities of the user. A 3D printer requires files of 3D models which have to be made with the use of appropriate software. Fortunately, there are many free apps with various useful options, you can also find tutorials online which will teach you what to do, or you can enroll for a course in real life. However, you don’t even need to do that, if you decide to purchase a Zortrax 3D printer. It comes with dedicated Z-SUITE software which lets you prepare projects for 3D printing. It also includes a library of complete models which you can immediately print with your new 3D printer. You need just a moment to transfer a flowerpot, phone case or desk lamp to your printer for 3D printing.

The Costs of 3D Printing

Now that we’ve established why it’s a good idea to buy a 3D printer and what to use it for, let’s see how expensive it is. The Polish company Zortrax, which specializes in plug & play 3D printers, offers two devices: the M200 and the M300. The Zortrax M200 model is smaller, so it’s suited for printing smaller objects (or larger objects divided into parts), but it’s the best choice for the start of your adventure with 3D printing and is perfect as a desktop 3D printer for small and medium-sized businesses and even for the corporate giants. The 3D printer can be bought with the starter set for less than 2000 dollars. With a workspace of 300 by 300 by 300 mm the second model, the Zortrax M300, is dedicated to users who want to 3D print larger elements. It costs around 3000 dollars. In both cases this is a competitive price when compared to similar devices. On top of that Zortrax gives you simplicity of use, software, tech support and dedicated materials.

You need to remember that simply buying a 3D printer is not enough. You will also need materials for printing, such as Z-ABS, Z-HIPS, or Z-GLASS. The cheapest cost 21 dollars.

3D printing offers immense possibilities both to companies as well as to hobbyists. For a company, it can be a wonderful investment. For a hobbyist—a source of great fun. And it’s something you can get right now.