Looking to unload your MakerBot 5th Gen? Or maybe you’d like to get your own full-color 3D printing business off the ground, but can’t afford a brand new ProJet from 3D Systems. Luckily, as the 3D printing market evolves, so too is the aftermarket for 3D printing tech, where used machines go to find new life with new owners. Strangely, this area is still little explored, though there may be more people willing to buy used 3D printers than new ones. In Poland, UZATA.com is curating online classifieds for used systems being sold on sites like eBay. Meanwhile, a startup called 3DPrint360 is buying and selling the machines themselves.
Zach Lichaa, founder of 3DPrint360, reached out to me to tell me about how his business seeks to increase access to 3D printing by selling aftermarket 3D printers. “I started 3DPrint360 earlier this year to fill what I saw as a major gap within the 3D printing ecosystem,” Zach says. “People, schools, and businesses across the United States want to purchase their first 3D printer and, in many cases, they’re open to buying used machines. There was nowhere to go with a large inventory of used 3D printers in one place that would guide you through the purchase of a machine that, in many cases, is in the four-figure range, so the customer needs to make an informed decision. This is where we come in.”
On the 3DPrint360 site, you’ll find a few dozen new and used 3D printers for purchase, with significant price reductions. For instance, my eye was drawn to the original Afinia H-Series for its ~$700 price tag. Like a Honda, I imagine a legacy Afinia to hold up over the years. Of their stocking strategy, Zach tells me, “As an example with the Afinia, we keep one in stock at a time and would find and purchase another, once this one is purchased. Generally, we don’t stock multiples, although there are exceptions when we think we can acquire them at a good price.”
The stock consists of mostly desktop machines at the moment – such as Rep 2s, Form 1+s, an Airwolf, and a Robox – but there is room for industrial machines to add to the 3D Systems ThermoJet machine being sold. “Currently our inventory is built by purchasing machines which we believe are valuable to our customer base and which we can acquire at a competitive price,” Zach explains. “Additionally, we sell consumer and prosumer printers on behalf of our clients who are looking to part with their existing machines. We do currently sell new printers as well, although our focus is on the used and refurbished markets. While we don’t sell cheap 3d printers, we do want people to think of us as an affordable place to go.”
Based in New York, the startup also rents 3D printers in the Tri-State area (Southern Connecticut, New York City and Northern New Jersey), for customers who may not be sure about the ultimate purchase of a 3D printer or may just need one temporarily. They’ll also work with schools and administrators to equip classrooms with the best machines for their needs. On top of that, they’ll also help with installations, maintenance, and tutorials via on-site agents.
“Our customers are families, businesses, schools and hobbyists who want to purchase their first 3D printer and need somebody to help them make an educated purchase,” Zach says. “How large of a build plate do I need? What materials can this printer use? What can I make with my 3D printer? What do I have to do once I take the printer out of the box? These are the sorts of questions we get all the time and which have lead our customers to go with us instead of the competition.”
Zach tells me that due the business development work he’s done with 3D Hubs, he became familiar with many of the leading printer manufacturers, material suppliers, software firms, service bureaus, and consumer brands. “This provided me with a 360 degree view of the industry. Hence the name.” And, it’s because of this experience that even proficient 3D printing users approach 3DPrint360. “Our other largest customer category are the 3D printing enthusiasts who already have 1-10 machines and are looking to replace one of them with something different. We’ve found that they would rather work with a company that knows the industry, inside and out, and a business they can build a relationship with, so that, in the future, they can come back to browse for machines and materials with somebody they like, trust, and who shares the same enthusiasm for 3d printing as they do.”
Because the site does more than curate classified listings, Zach believes that customers will be able to rely on the expertise of the 3DPrint360 staff to guide them through purchases. For that reason, they perform much more than pure used 3D printer sales, but are jumping into any area that falls under that complete 360 view. “Our long term goal is to be the most trusted and affordable place for new and used 3D printers, materials, installation and servicing agreements and 3D printing project management. ”
This last area, project management, stems from the work the company has done for established brands. “We’ll be launching the project management arm of our business within the next couple of weeks and this stems from our experience putting together complex 3D printing projects with companies like Fisher Price, AutoTrader and CBRE from the conceptual stage all the way through design and production. These projects give 3DPrint360 the credibility to work with brands of any size looking for 3d printing projects to market their brands in new ways.”
So far, 3DPrint360 has had no issue getting off the ground. Zach tells me that they are well-capitalized and are already in discussions with investors to expand. For now, you can purchase a number of machines from the site or contact them to sell your own, with the startup open to servicing outside of the US, but, 3DPrint360 has big plans for the future. You may not be able to buy one now. In five to ten years, though, the site half-jokingly hints at the ability to purchase a used one of these:
