Expensive Things You Can 3D Print

From making small prototypes to manufacturing rockets for space travel, 3D Printing has come a long way since its inception. These days, as you can 3D print various objects, the question arises – is there anything expensive you can manufacture for cheap?

You can 3D Print expensive items such as clear teeth aligners, cosplay accessories, figurines, jewelry, and prosthetics. 3D Printing reduces assembly, inventory, materials, manufacturing related overheads, bringing down the total cost of these commodities.

This article will teach you about different expensive items you can 3D print. It also clarifies whether 3D Printing saves money and if there are objects you can’t print for legal reasons.

What Expensive Items Can You 3D Print?

A versatile technology, 3D Printing allows you to manufacture any object you want if you’re handy with designs and models. Despite 3D printers having a significant initial investment, you can make your money back as long as you create items you can sell for a profit.

Some expensive items you can 3D print are cosplay accessories, teeth aligners, figurines, jewelry, prosthetics, historical artifacts, and more. 3D printing allows you to make almost-perfect replicas of other objects and also lets you create original designs that would be costly to manufacture.

Given below is a list of seven expensive things you can 3D print:

Cosplay Accessories

What was once a hobby among the hardcore fans of anime, cartoons, and video games now has a vibrant and growing community worldwide. Cosplayers (the people who participate in cosplay) are pretty serious about wearing costumes.

Often, they pay top dollar as the accessories require significant attention to detail. Despite being time-consuming because of the amount of labor involved, it’s still a worthwhile venture as you can charge a premium for these items.

If you’re up for the challenge, you could try 3D printing the Batman or Ironman armor.

Clear Teeth Aligners

If you want to get clear teeth aligners from your dentist, you’ll spend thousands of dollars. 3D Printing was a game-changer in the orthodontics sector, as it allowed dentists to reduce the cost of aligners.

Although this can help save significant sums of money, you should avoid 3D printing clear teeth aligners without the guidance of a dentist. It’s easy to make mistakes, and you won’t notice anything wrong with your teeth until it’s too late.

Figurines

Figurines of characters from any movie, TV, cartoon, anime, or video game series are extremely popular because of the large fan following. They tend to be overpriced if you want to purchase from official or licensed sellers.

You can buy knock-offs, but they aren’t as durable and may not resemble the character. You can think of 3D printing figurines as the middle ground between getting them from official and unofficial sellers.

Jewelry

Jewelry, especially custom-made jewelry, is costly. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars when you have a 3D printer.

People are always looking for new and unique pieces, so it’s an accessible market to enter and make money. However, you’ll have to make sure the finish of these items is on-point as this space is highly competitive.

Prosthetics

DIY (Do It Yourself) takes a whole new level regarding prosthetics. On average, advanced prosthetics can set you back by at least $5,000, with the costs going all the way to $50,000 or more.

3D Printing enables patients to get prosthetics with a proper fit without having to shell out thousands of dollars. The open-source designs help with collaboration, allowing everyone to get the best medical assistance.

Historical Artifacts

Many historians and museum curators have teamed up to create 3D scans of thousands of artifacts, sculptures, and more.

You can find these objects on 3D printing websites such as My Mini Factory’s Scan the World Collection and SketchFab’s Cultural heritage and History Collection. These open-source models allow you to recreate priceless objects from any country and any period, allowing you to turn your home into a 3D printed museum.

3D Printing Jewelry

Out of all the items discussed above, 3D printing jewelry is easy to start with as a beginner. Here is a simple guide to help you understand the basics of creating different types of ornaments.

Method

Before looking for models online to start 3D printing, you must decide what method you want to use.

Direct 3D Printing. You can think of this technique as creating jewelry from the material of your choice.
Investment Casting. In this technique, you create a mold, which you use to make ornaments.

Material

There are various materials to choose from, depending on your taste. You can also avoid specific metals if you’re allergic to them.

Brass, bronze, copper, plastic, resin, and silver are common materials you can use to 3D print jewelry. You can also use gold if it fits your budget.

Model

After you narrow down the method you want to follow, the next step is to decide if you wish to start from scratch or find a model. While the former gives you much freedom to experiment with your creativity, it can be time-consuming.

Using open-source models is easier to start with as a beginner as they’ve already been tested and manufactured. If you want to find a model rather than create one, you can check out any one of the following websites:

All3DP
GrabCad
Thangs
Thingiverse
YouMagine

Software

Finally, you’ll need software to create a model (if you’re not using an open-source design) or tweak existing designs. Given below is a list of software you can use for 3D Printing:

Autodesk
Blender
MeshLab
Solidworks
Tinkercad

How a 3D Printer Can Save You Money

You will save money when you get a 3D printer because it’s an all-in-one device. You don’t need specialized hardware and machines to manufacture different components for a single item.

If you need household items such as hangers, shower caps, vases, candle holders, and lamps, you can use your 3D printer to create them. 3D printers can also create replacement parts for expensive devices such as dishwashers, washing machines, and refrigerators, allowing you to save up to hundreds of dollars on repairs and replacement parts.

Is There Anything I Can’t Legally Print?

There are things that you can’t legally 3D print. You cannot print objects that fall under copyright claims unless you get permission to recreate them for commercial use. However, when printing for personal use, you may be able to get away with printing a protected design.

According to copyright law, you can 3D print objects if:

You don’t copy someone else’s design.
The design falls under the public domain category.
If the item is a useful object.
You have explicit authorization from the author.

However, if one of these statements is true, you can’t legally print the object:

Copyright or IP (Intellectual Property) laws already protect the object.
The design file’s Creative Commons license doesn’t allow for commercial use.

If you’re not sure about the legality of the 3D file or object, always consult the copyright laws before starting your project.

Still, 3D printing comes into a gray area when you do not choose to sell your prints. For the most part, printing a protected design is legally okay as long as you do not try to profit from it.

Conclusion

3D Printing is an excellent hobby as it gives you the freedom to print various objects. You can create expensive things such as cosplay accessories, figurines, jewelry, and prosthetics. If you’re new to 3D Printing, start with jewelry. Also, if you’re planning on selling any of your 3D works, make sure you go through your local Copyright and IP laws.