Can I make money on 3D printing? Remove pink glasses in an interview with Oscar van Deventer

Many are interested in the question: how to make money on 3D printing? If there are 3D printers, then there must be some way to make money on it, providing “services to the public”, and not just printing prototypes.

One of the ideas: the service, in which anyone who wants to download their model, pays for the seal and gets the thing. Also on the service should be a choice of models with prices. One example: shapeways.com .

I offer an interview with Oskar van Deventer, an engineer and puzzle designer. He made the biggest Rubik's Cube: 17 × 17 × 17, which is a record listed in the Guinness book. He is also the author of hundreds of puzzles, some of which are mass-produced , and many are presented as models and can be printed on demand . It was Oscar who seemed to me the most interesting author, because:

• he likes Rubik's cube,
• he invents something new,
• He earns on 3D printing.

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About the Rubik's Cube and other puzzles

When did you get the first Rubik's cube and how quickly did you deal with it?
- I bought my first Rubik's cube in 1980 (Oscar born in 1965). Solving the puzzle took me 2 weeks. Now I could solve this problem within two minutes.


Your cube 17 × 17 × 17 hit the Guinness Book of Records. Did you collect it yourself?
- Yes, I collected it.


Direct link to the video

Is there a favorite puzzle of those that he himself invented?
- Always next.

Can you share some secrets about how ideas are born? This is the most difficult thing: to invent something new.
- There are no secrets, I just spend a lot of time and think. For me, the challenge is to make a new mechanism that can do something that was not there before. See, for example, the new “ Irreversible Cube ” puzzle.



How much time does it take to translate an idea into a model to a sample printed on a 3D printer?
- Shapeways manufactures within 10 business days.

What programs do you use for modeling?
- Different CAD programs.

How do you test your inventions? Do you play friends or relatives? Maybe you organize focus groups?
- First I make a prototype. Then show it on YouTube . Be sure to present it to the puzzle forum , which is actually a social network of collectors of complex puzzles, designers and designers. And I show a puzzle at meetings of representatives of this community.


Direct link to the video
 

Inventor Experience

Is work on puzzles the main job? Or do you work somewhere else?
- My main job is a senior network media researcher.

I know about you as an inventor. And how do you position yourself? Inventor? Entrepreneur?
- In my business card, it means: “designer of mechanical puzzles”. This is a hobby. Yes, I do business to continue exploring new opportunities to do puzzles to delight fans.

What's your education?
- I have a PhD in the field of optical networks.

There are puzzles that are sold in the market and printed in industrial quantities. What are these puzzles?
- Yes, there are such puzzles. You can see here .


 

3D printing as a business

Are you satisfied with the sales of 3D models?
- Until now, the sale on Shapeways of the models has discouraged the cost of the prototypes. Already not bad.

So sales aren't that big?
- Earnings give a good additional income. But not enough to quit his regular job. While I'm not ready for this.

What sells best?
- I'm not tracking for sure. A series of metal Hanayama successfully sold for quite some time. Anti-Virus is well advanced in Europe. And gear cubes (Gear Cube) are becoming increasingly popular.


What methods do you use for advertising? I know you are recording videos for Youtube. What else?
- YouTube and fan forum puzzles. YouTube gives more viewers, but most of my buyers are online.

Buyers can contact you directly. Were there any funny or strange questions from buyers?
- Sometimes, my customers do not understand the concept of 3D printing. The most interesting was the request for the " Gift Box ".


Note: This idea was proposed to Oscar by another person. An ordinary Rubik's cube, if collected, becomes a box. The upper side of the red color forms a heart and is removed like a cap.
 

Cooperation with shapeways.com

The advent of 3D printers creates new markets. Shapeways.com is an example of such a new sales method. How difficult was it to conclude an agreement with them?
- In early 2008, Bathsheba Grossmann told me about Shapeways. I opened my shop and loaded models. This is a very simple and convenient service.

Have you seen their 3D printers? How do you control print quality?
- Shapeways has excellent quality control. They follow customer complaints and reviews, and continually improve production and delivery. If problems happen occasionally, if something goes wrong (for example, a part is missing or incorrectly printed), then you will immediately fix everything.

Do you select materials and printers that will print your puzzles? Or is it done by the staff of Shapeways?
- I choose from what Shapeways offers. As a rule, I use the technology of selective laser sintering of nylon powder. Sometimes I use metal or something else.
 

3D printers

Do you have a 3D printer?
- No. I usually use the services of Shaweways. I have some friends with home 3D printers that I ask for help from time to time.

Don't you think to get your own printer?
- I am thinking of buying a Makerbot . But poor print quality stops me, compared to Shapeways printers, and the lack of support.



Now many geeks are dreaming to buy a 3D printer for fun. This is not necessary, but really want. Do you think 3D printers will become as common in the future as ordinary printers?
- No. Most homes do not have sewing machines. Most homes have no photo printers. Why? Because it is much easier and cheaper to buy clothes and order printing photos in the laboratory.

What kind of 3D printers do you like? What struck?
- Shapeways has the best of SLS printers at the moment: high quality at low prices.

What do you miss in modern 3D printers? What features would you like to add?
- Each 3D printing technology is a trade-off between performance, power, accuracy, and cost. I would like a 3D printer that is capable of making and mass production at low prices, even for a limited edition. The Dutch company TNO is now working in this direction.


Direct link to the video
 

Questions in dogonku

I did not wait for additional questions from users and asked them myself.

You often communicate directly with puzzle lovers. Do they have any similarities?
I communicate a lot on YouTube and by email. I think you can divide into two types:
- the older generation who like traditional puzzles,
- young people who like my Rubik's cube style puzzles.
Many of them are talented in mathematics.

Now a lot of sales goes through the apstors for iPhones or androids. No desire to make games for smartphones or tablets?
I made some smartphone apps for fun, just to learn the technology. But I am interested in mechanical puzzles. Please note that now the development of the application, marketing costs about the same as the development of a mechanical puzzle.

Suppose I have an idea for a game. Where do I begin? Test it? Get a license? Marketing?
We must start with the creation of a working prototype. And check it on friends and relatives.
 

Links

3D printing service Shapeways
Oscar Shop at Shapeways
The official site of Oscar van Deventer
Oscar van Deventer's Channel on YouTube

Authorship

I thank the habrayusers who helped me correct typos: encyclopedist , dimanonim , awolf , sergeyotro , jae .

He asked questions, prepared and translated interviews Vadim Galkin. When copying material, please refer to my personal page. Just in case, I post the original Oscar answers on my site in English .