Will Print Models for Anyone who is in need

[JohnWilson]

Its Friday, relax smile and enjoy the internet

 

[eyeloveteeth]

hey, i think your caplock key is broken.

if you want to get huffy, how about not being cheap and contribute to the website.

I am still intrigued by your inability to see that you are essentially "prodding" for new business, but unwilling to go through the proper channels to do so.


I apologize if you feel offended.

 

[TheLabGuy]

THATS WHY I INCLUDED CONTACT INFO, FOR THOSE VERY QUESTIONS YOU ARE ASKING. BASICALLY POSTED THIS THREAD TO SEE IF IT WOULD BE WORTH WHILE TO START PRINTING MODELS FOR OTHER LABS THAT NEEDED THE HELP. WE HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS FOR OVER 25 YEARS!!! WITH GREAT SUCESS BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTRO TO DIGITAL. YES WE SPENT ALOT OF COMPANY TIME AND MAN HOURS TO GET OUR MILLS AND PRINTERS DIALED IN SO WE GET GOOD RESULTS AND YES I KNOW MILLING AND PRINTING IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS MATTERS. I AM NOT AN IDIOT. THIS THREAD IS JUST FOR RESEARCH TO SEE IF PRINTING FOR OTHERS IS WORTH IT AND STARTING TO FIND OUT ITS NOT, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE SUCCESS WITH OUR OWN CLIENTS. SO IF ANYONE IS HAVING TROUBLE AND IS RESPECTIVE I WOULD BE MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP. SO FROM THIS POINT ON DISRGARD THIS THREAD. DOESNT SEEM WORTH IT TO PRINT MODELS FOR OTHERS.

How about you restart your thread before we really start developing a neck issue from shaking our head in dismay? Seriously, if you would of started a thread that said, Hey fine folks of DLN, what do you think about a business model built around printing models? Let that be the title, but nooooo....you came on here being so dam defensive and obtuse at times it makes one shakes his head. Come on man, you represent a company, and it may very well be an awesome one, sounds like you've already deemed it is. We are old crusty lab techs, we need massaged a little, we been shaking our heads for awhile, we don't want to do it anymore. So suck it up, restart your thread, remove the chip off your shoulder and try asking us about your business model.

 

[deadhead]

not being cheap, nor do i have the authority to make decisions on contributions. was only told to reach out to the dental community and see where people stand on printing models or getting models printed. guess i should have just posted a thread on people thoughts instead of taking advice from our marketing team and posting rough numbers. I wasnt posting this for new business or to promote the company. just see alot of talk of printed models and since we have everything going good the company was thinking of reaching out to others. wasnt trying to sell the lab just giving a background of company. nothing hasnt even been set in stone about any numbers or anything. so this thread should just be the thoughts people have of the good and bad of printing world since its fairly new to the industry and has come along way from the first printers

 

[rkm rdt]

We are old crusty lab techs, we need massaged a little,

crusticians

 

[CoolHandLuke]

not being cheap, nor do i have the authority to make decisions on contributions. was only told to reach out to the dental community and see where people stand on printing models or getting models printed.

i'm only going to give you my thoughts on this question, rest of the thread is not worth my time.

i've done some math on this very issue in recent months. i cannot justify a model printing 'company' that doesnt offer anything else. not even with a dozen formlabs printers.

theres just not any longevity in that market. you get 3 years out of a printer, but given the advancement of printing technology it is a limited lifetime product. model printing will quickly become archaic technology as ceramic printing hits the market.

the numbers don't show enough profit for 4 printers to make models all month, at your prices, to employ a single person. ELT and i have been over this at some length. its just not a profitable buisness model if that lab doesnt also make something of higher value, in greater quantity.

 

[vurban210]

i'm only going to give you my thoughts on this question, rest of the thread is not worth my time.

i've done some math on this very issue in recent months. i cannot justify a model printing 'company' that doesnt offer anything else. not even with a dozen formlabs printers.

theres just not any longevity in that market. you get 3 years out of a printer, but given the advancement of printing technology it is a limited lifetime product. model printing will quickly become archaic technology as ceramic printing hits the market.

the numbers don't show enough profit for 4 printers to make models all month, at your prices, to employ a single person. ELT and i have been over this at some length. its just not a profitable buisness model if that lab doesnt also make something of higher value, in greater quantity.

If what you say is correct, and I have no reason to believe it isn't, then printing models for other labs is not profitable at all. Even if you offered other services that were higher profit it does not change the fact that it is not profitable to print models for other labs.

If you want to offer it as a service to gain other business, or as a loss leader then ok - but it is still just a marketing tool.

 

[user name]

plus we just put our website up with a brief description like we have seen many,many,many other non donors have done. didnt know u cant put websites on threads unless your special, but u can posted perveted and offensive pics and quotes. makes no sense

Im sorry, I wasn't paying attention. I was thinking about boobies.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

you can make profit on each part

but not enough to create a business based solely on it.

models from a formlabs2 come out at between 4-6$ per model to produce in material alone. much like the original poster most places sell them for 15-20$. most of the time 10$ of that is eaten in shipping, if not more, especially if shipping rush.

but the fact remains for IOS cases the models are a necessity for labs who havent figured out how to control manufacturing.

this makes everyone wants them cheap as possible.

you can only make so many models an hour before you begin to use more material than you make in profit.

1 bottle of material per day made 50 models, and cost 20 models (or 10 models if charging 20/each). you only make money on 30 models (or 40) assuming no losses.

given the cost of doing business with that volume, it doesnt make any sense. your downtime will occur because formlabs can't keep shipping 1 bottle per day. and buying a bunch at a time is gambling with your monthly balance. so material will have backorder.

in other printers you buy 2L at a time, with is about enough for 100 models, maybe slightly fewer, but it makes ordering much easier because the material lasts longer.

so believe it or not with printers more expensive than formlabs it can be more profitable in the right circumstances, with the right financing.

 

[sidesh0wb0b]

YELLING!



thats all.

 

[CoolHandLuke]

let me just say this now FA K U 3D SYSTEMS UR PRINTERS DONT GODDANG WORK

3RD FRIDAY IN A ROW IM STAYING LATE TO RESOLVE BUGS

 

[rkm rdt]

let me just say this now FA K U 3D SYSTEMS UR PRINTERS DONT GODDANG WORK

3RD FRIDAY IN A ROW IM STAYING LATE TO RESOLVE BUGS

Print some boobies for user

 

[CoolHandLuke]

if i could do that i would be in business for myself.

 

[vurban210]

you can make profit on each part

but not enough to create a business based solely on it.

models from a formlabs2 come out at between 4-6$ per model to produce in material alone. much like the original poster most places sell them for 15-20$. most of the time 10$ of that is eaten in shipping, if not more, especially if shipping rush.

but the fact remains for IOS cases the models are a necessity for labs who havent figured out how to control manufacturing.

this makes everyone wants them cheap as possible.

you can only make so many models an hour before you begin to use more material than you make in profit.

1 bottle of material per day made 50 models, and cost 20 models (or 10 models if charging 20/each). you only make money on 30 models (or 40) assuming no losses.

given the cost of doing business with that volume, it doesnt make any sense. your downtime will occur because formlabs can't keep shipping 1 bottle per day. and buying a bunch at a time is gambling with your monthly balance. so material will have backorder.

in other printers you buy 2L at a time, with is about enough for 100 models, maybe slightly fewer, but it makes ordering much easier because the material lasts longer.

so believe it or not with printers more expensive than formlabs it can be more profitable in the right circumstances, with the right financing.

Interesting info.

Just to clarify, when you say you can't base a business on it are you strictly talking about FormLabs printers? I see where you said you and ELT were talking about it before, but not sure what thread that was in.

 

[zero_zero]

I was thinking about boobies.

Of course you did...

 

[CoolHandLuke]

Interesting info.

Just to clarify, when you say you can't base a business on it are you strictly talking about FormLabs printers? I see where you said you and ELT were talking about it before, but not sure what thread that was in.

yes, strictly from the point of view that forming a business to sell models printed on formlabs printers.

the supply chain is too expensive, and the output is too demanding for the small envelope.

youve got to make upwards of 40 models per day all month just to pay one employee (yourself) a 50k salary. reinvestment would be frequent, and shipping eats up most of the profit (from a canadian perspective),

whereas a printer worth around 40-50k (such as the aforementioned ultra aggravating 3d systems printers) supply of material is less of an issue, making it more profitable. still iffy on the financing though. i guess on lease-to-own you'd be alright, and start being able to drop prices within 5 years with no reinvestment provided 3dsystems doesnt discontinue the printer.

you take a big risk either way, as longevity isn't there.

bottom line, print models for yourself. way less headaches.