Opportunities in 3D are there

Ashley Camm explains exactly where and how VARs can benefit from the 3D print trend

What the industry is calling 3D print has probably consumed more (2D) printing ink and web space in the last 12 months than any technology since the rise of the personal computer in the 1970s.

There is absolutely no doubt there is a huge opportunity here for resellers prepared to get their heads around the technology and take the time and trouble to sell customers a solution.

Right now the machines are expensive; they are not an impulse purchase. Yet schools, universities and healthcare institutions in particular have budget to invest. There is also a growing opportunity to support companies in getting into 3D print.

Better still, the investment doesn't stop when the customer has bought a printer. They will need consumables, software, services, scanning tools, et cetera. A new ecosystem is forming around 3D print - like it did with the audiovisual sector. The potential is massive.

I'd like to discuss the three vertical markets where we see the most potential: secondary education, universities and healthcare.

Though lots of organisations have lots of different ideas of what these vertical markets will be and how much growth to expect, there is some consensus on where we are headed. This has been backed up by our experience at Midwich.

The most easily accessible markets are secondary and higher education.

From the start of this school year in the UK at Key Stage 3 in design and technology an advisory curriculum was introduced based around 3D modelling.

The school can choose to use purely traditional methods of 3D modelling; woodwork and metalwork, but the paper encourages schools to look at more innovative methods of 3D modelling.

Bringing this into the school environment via 3D printers is the most affordable way -- compared to deploying a laser cutter or CNC router.

There is a relatively clear need for schools to invest in 3D printing, and budget is being made available. However, these budgets are relatively constrained. That said, school projects tend to be relatively small in overall size and in number, so machine speed isn't a great concern.

Consumable cost is an issue, though. In a teaching environment students need to be given the opportunity to make mistakes and respin projects without incurring a great financial penalty. For these reasons, we are focusing on machines that use a jetted plastic technique that lays down thin layers of molten plastic to build up a part.

This process limits the machine's speed but the machine and consumables are reasonably priced and well suited for learning the associated 3D processes of scanning and CAD design.

Higher-education establishments have much larger budgets, and tend to look beyond the entry-level units that print in a plastic powder or in a liquid resin. They also print full colour models and fully functioning working parts for strength and fit and testing.

The price of these machines is much higher -- from £20,000 to £300,000. It takes an educational institution with quite deep pockets to fund one of these machines, but the money is there at college and university level.

While this level of machine has tended to be sold through 3D specialist companies, there is an opportunity for the channel to enter this market, especially those with established relationships in the tertiary education sector.

Of course, Midwich is happy to partner with resellers and share our expertise, and provide a complete solution for 3D scanning, printing and finishing.

Although this short article only scratches the surface of selling 3D print, I hope that I've shown that the technology is not something to be afraid of, but a fantastic new opportunity for resellers willing to climb the learning curve.

Ashley Camm is 3D print specialist at Midwich