Commercial Printer Details Pros, Cons of 3D Printing

Regardless of the client, all jobs must be produced using 3D CAD (computer-aided design) programs. Solidworks is among the most popular titles. Some potential clients are obvious: design engineers, architects and for the medical field (as an alternative to hand-crafted models).

As for the cost of a 3D printer, the high-end models can range up to $200,000 or more. Corliss' entry-level model, when all told, came in just south of $50,000 in cost. He's averaged roughly $300 a week in jobs, and has enjoyed spikes as high as $2,400 in one recent week.