End-to-end Process – Consolidated, end-to-end processes for design & fabrication, is a valuable process that few attempt in our business. We do this by managing a zero-to-prototype process and execute these steps with the following philosophies in mind: a) keeping documentation and project history consistent b) clearly communicating through action and project engagement c) having You3Dit staff overseeing your project all along the way. Right tool for Right job – Clients, designers and fabricators place their jobs into the You3Dit ecosystem and in this way, we believe the best person to do the job (based on timing, skillsets, capacity and capability) apply / quote the work. This minimizes gouge-pricing / surge-pricing caused by a client lack of supplier options at any given time. Cost per part and service fee, that’s it – Shipping, packaging, taxes, etc. are all wrapped up into that one quote & process fee. So while we definitely understand the idea that most clients do not want to see the
Quoting
Why is my 3D printed part so expensive?
Short answer…it’s probably not expensive relative to what you’re asking for. It’s that society programs us from birth to think plastics and other physical goods are “cheap” thanks to clever design for manufacturing at scale. Here’s why… We recognize that AM parts can be “expensive” relative to other plastic parts you might have seen available off the shelf. In this post, we’d like to walk you through one way of thinking about pricing on plastic part fabrication, both conventionally and with digital manufacturing. A common example we give is the “spork” offered at your favorite fast food restaurant. Fast-food restaurants can give these away for free because they make them in the 10M+ / yr and therefore their $500K mold that produces them can be amortized. It’s part of a pleasurable eating experience in the United States to have a fork + spoon combined. But to make just 1 (one) plastic spork with that manufacturing process (plastic injection molding) would
What does it cost to design and fabricate a prototype?
This is the question on every Maker’s mind. What does it cost to bring my idea to life? It’s nearly impossible for us to tell you without having a basic understanding of your project goals. We’re going to attempt to define a generic rubric here to give you a better idea of how far your money can take you. Two simple, yet largely true, mantras we see our data proving correct are: “You get what you pay for” and “Time is money” As we attempt to provide guidelines on You3Dit pricing, we’ll use a rating system similar to what you might see in a Zagat guide to restaurants $-$$$$$.
Mastering You3Dit Beta as a Maker (Part 2 of 2)
Why read this article? Because if you are who we think you are, investing 10 minutes of your precious time now to read this article will save you a lot of time in the future as you bring your idea to life. This is a two-part article which will walk you through five essential parts of the You3Dit Process: Who is a Maker in the You3Dit Network? (Part 1) How much does it cost (Part 1) Creating a Project (Part 1) Getting your idea designed in 3D (Part 2) Getting your new 3D Design fabricated (Part 2) Part 2: The Design and Fabrication Processes In this article we’ll cover the important topics of: Reviewing Design Quotes Choosing Designers Iterating Reviewing Fabrication Quotes Choosing Fabricators The “First Fab” and Getting your Parts Delivered Designer & Fabricator Ratings
Mastering You3Dit Beta as a Designer
Now that you’ve registered as a Designer on our brand-new, fully-functional Beta Platform, here are some key steps you can take to become a Master: Completing your You3Dit profile Submitting compelling Design Quotes Mastering Design Iterations Designing with digital manufacturing in mind Being proactive and “wowing” the client Designers who take these steps get more gigs, improve their design skills more quickly and in general, earn more money from You3Dit. We’re also highlighting current BETA WORKAROUNDS that you can use to be more successful while the platform is “under construction”.
You3Dit.com Blog 