How to Find the Best 3D Printing Service for Your Business

In 2018, 70 percent of businesses increased their investments in 3D printing technology, and that number is expected to rise in 2019 and beyond.

3D printing is especially beneficial to folks working in the aeronautics industry, but all kinds of businesses are making use of 3D printing technology.

Are you interested in using 3D printing for your business? If so, it’s a good idea for you to pair up with a reliable 3D printing service.

Read on for some tips that will help you choose the best service that will help you achieve your business goals.

Why Hire a 3D Printing Service?

There are lots of benefits that come with investing in 3D printing services. Some of the greatest perks include the following:

Save Money on Prototyping

Prototyping is an essential part of the 3D printing and development process. It can definitely be expensive, though.

If 3D printing isn’t going to be a regular part of your business and you won’t be making prototypes very often, it’s probably not worth it for you to invest in an in-house 3D printer.

You’re better off outsourcing and hiring a printing service.

Increase Sales

When you invest in 3D printing, you can offer a wider range of products to your customers.

3D printing may also allow you to offer your products at a discounted rate since it can make the manufacturing process easier.

Both of these benefits, in turn, can help to increase your business’s sales and help to boost your profits.

Get Jobs Done Faster

When you work with a professional 3D printing service, you’ll often get jobs done faster than if you were printing with an in-house printer.

3D printing services have access to the latest 3D printing technology, and they can print items much faster while still ensure they’re of the highest quality.

Work with Experts

What’s the point of investing in an in-house 3D printer if you don’t know how to use it? Do you really want to spend a lot of time learning how to use the printer?

If you don’t have the time or energy for that, why not let the experts who run a 3D printing service handle the job for you?

This will take a lot of stress off your shoulders and ensure that you get high-quality finished products every time.

Choosing the Right 3D Printing Service

There are plenty of benefits that come with outsourcing 3D printing and working with a printing service.

If you’re ready to start working with a 3D printing service, these tips can help you make sure you choose the right one:

Know Your Goals

Before you start shopping around to find a 3D printing service for your business, it’s important to take a step back and think about what you want to accomplish when you work with them.

What kinds of products are you going to be printing? How often are you going to be placing orders with the company? Do you want to work with a local business, or are you okay with hiring an overseas service?

Consider Available Materials and Tech

No matter which 3D printing service you choose, they ought to have high-quality materials and the latest technology available.

Don’t spend money working with a service that uses outdated equipment or shoddy materials.

Make sure the service’s materials match your needs, too.

For example, jewelers who want to make use of 3D printing technology ought to find a service that has a variety of precious metals available.

Consider Design Assistance Options

How much help do you need when it comes to creating a 3D printed product? For example, do you need help with the actual product design process?

If so, it’s important to find a printing service that offers this help.

Otherwise, you’re going to spend a lot more money than you’d planned making sure your product can be printed to match your specifications.

Know Your Budget

How much money are you willing to spend on 3D printing?

Do some research and look into different services’ rates so you have an idea of how much you’ll need to spend to get the kind of products you’re looking for.

Price shouldn’t be the only factor you consider when looking for a 3D printing service, but it definitely needs to play a role in your final business decisions.

Focus on Quality

While you do need to stick to your budget, make sure you’re not skimping on quality just to get a lower price.

As with most things, you get what you pay for when it comes to 3D printing.

Remember, too, that if you spend less now, you might end up paying more later to correct problems or make up for unsatisfied customers.

Consider Customer Service

The company’s customer service matters, too. Make sure they respond to questions and concerns thoughtfully and in a timely matter.

Avoid working with a service that is hard to contact or that doesn’t seem concerned about the quality of their finished products.

Read Online Reviews and Testimonials

Last, but not least, be sure to read online reviews and testimonials when you’re looking for a 3D printing service for your business.

Pay attention to what past customers are saying and what their experience was like.

You might want to ask the printing service for references, too.

When you reach out to those references, be sure to ask plenty of questions and find out what they liked and didn’t like.

Find out whether they’d work with this company again. Ask if they would recommend them to a friend as well?

Get More Hiring Advice Today

Now that you know more about the benefits of hiring a 3D printing service — and how to choose the best printing service for your business — it’s time to start shopping around.

Keep these tips in mind and it’ll be much easier for you to sort through your options and make the best decision.