Did you just buy a new 3D printer for your home? You made a good purchase! 3D printers are becoming more and more common. They are also becoming more affordable and easier to use. Now is a great time to buy a 3D printer and use it for all sorts of fun experimentation.
Not sure how to use it? Or are you thinking of getting one, but unsure of how you could use it? Here are six of the most interesting uses for 3D printers at home:
1. Use a 3D printer to save money
It is very easy to use a 3D printer at home and save money in the long term. When used correctly, a 3D printer can actually end up saving you money. This is because you can use it to print loads of objects that you would have to go out and buy otherwise. The uses for 3D printers at home include making things like cutlery, desk organisers, electronic accessories, toys, hardware, gadgets, etc…
Using your printer to get replacement parts is another great way to save money – and to save the hassle of going to the store. There are already lots of designs that you can find online. You can also design it yourself if it isn’t already available.
2. Use a 3D printer to make money
An interesting use for 3D printers is to turn it into a source of income. You can even make money from your printer. You can do this by taking online orders for 3D print jobs and processing them. There are many online hubs where you can gain access to this sort of job. Just remember to charge in terms of the time and effort it takes you to print.
Remember: If you want to turn your 3D printer into a source of income you may have to buy a slightly more expensive one. As generally is the case, cheaper models of almost anything are cheaper because what they produce is of lower quality.
The same goes for 3D printers. The cheaper ones, while a great option for independent use, may produce items with inconsistent quality or just plain old low-quality. This is okay when you are just printing for yourself. To sell items that you print, you will need to invest in a more expensive printer that will have a consistently high-quality output.
3. Use a 3D printer to teach your children
You can use a 3D printer at home to teach your children about science and technology. They will no doubt be fascinated by the new machine that can just make any object that you command it to. (Aren’t we all?) It can be a fun way to teach them about IT and how to design objects. Or, a fun, hands-on, way to teach them about the science behind the whole process.
Let them print their own objects (under adult supervision of course), so that they can get a feel for the process. This will also give them a great sense of independence and accomplishment as they will be able to make something using their own newly developed skills!
You can also use the 3D printer to print other educational materials. Before letting your children get involved, do remember to go over the safety guidelines and do not let your children print alone. This is important because 3D printers work at very high temperatures and touching some of the parts can result in serious burns.
4. Use a 3D printer as a new hobby at home
Using your 3D printer can also simply be a fun new hobby at home. There are many steps involved in the process and the design behind the printing is a skill that needs to be developed. Have fun learning the process and then designing your own objects.
5. Use a 3D printer to make gifts
It can be hard choosing gifts for friends and family. We’ve all had to face this issue before. A 3D printer makes this so much easier. You can make gifts for your friends and family instead!
Using a 3D printer at home, you can make many of the things that you might normally have bought as gifts, but because you made it, those who receive them will appreciate them far more. This is especially true since most people do not have a 3D printer in their homes (for now at least). The rarity of the gift that you are giving them will make it that much better!
6. Use a 3D printer to preserve the environment
Printing at home means no shipping: no fuel being used in planes, trains and trucks to get that object to your door. It also means reduced packaging: most of the things that we buy come wrapped in plastic and made it to the store wrapped in even more layers of packaging. Using a 3D printer at home does away with all of this and will help to preserve the environment.
Do remember though, that some of the filaments that are used by 3D printers emit toxic vapours. Further, many of the filaments that it uses – such as ABS – are not biodegradable. 3D printing is not a 100% green technology. That being said, many alternative filaments are being developed, such as filaments made from hemp, beer or coffee. Getting a 3D printer at home is a great opportunity to explore these options.