How 3D printing can take you from concept to reality. I cover the history of makers in Lansing, what is 3D printing and 3D scanning and how you can use design thinking to create a new product. Inventors and entrepreneurs will appreciate.

1. Birth of a Product
How 3D Printing can take you
from concept to reality
Lansing Maker Week
LCC West
October 10, 2014
Joe Carr
3D Printing Consultant

2. Ransom Eli Olds
Founded the Olds Motor
Vehicle Company in 1897
Image credit: Wikipedia

3. Frederic Smith
Co-founded of General
Motors in 1908
Image credit: Wikipedia

4. Larry Page
Co-founded Google
Inc. in 1998
Image credit: Wikipedia

5. Lansing Maker Week
History of
Making
New Tools
and
Rise of the
Technology
Maker
Movement

6. What is 3D Printing?
● 3D printing is a type of additive
manufacturing using a computer
controlled robot.
● Invented in the 1980s
● Became popularized in the late 2000s due
to the RepRap project

7. 3D Printers
Makerbot and Orion 3D printers
Image credit: Wikipedia Image credit: SeeMeCNC.com

8. What materials can you use?
Is it just plastic?
● Plastic
● Metal
● Ceramic
● Rubber
● Conductive
● Wood
● Sand
● Concrete
● Human tissue
Image credit: Wikipedia

9. What do I need to print?
Download a 3D model
● Thingiverse.com
● Repables.com
Design using CAD
● TinkerCAD.com
● Solidworks
3D Scanning
● 123D Catch
Image credit: Wikipedia

10. Advantages and Disadvantages
● Speed
● Zero inventory
● Lower start up cost
● No retooling
● Safety
● Low risk
● Customization and
complexity are free
● Lower production
volume
● Higher unit cost
● Limited material
selection
● Limitations of a
type of process

11. The Process
Inspiration
Design
Prototype
Bring to
Market
Customer
Discovery
and
Feedback

12. Inspiration
● Identify a problem.
● Can you create a
solution?
● Are other people
affected by it and
looking for a
solution?
Image credit: auckland.ac.nz

13. Design
● Have a plan.
● What material can you use to create it?
● What process will be used?
Image credit: Wikipedia

14. Customer Discovery
● Who are you trying to reach?
● Ask your customers!
○ Are you interested in this solution?
○ What features do you need?
○ How much would you pay?
● Record feedback
● Make necessary changes

15. Prototype
● Create first
physical
prototype.
● Test and record
feedback.
● Iterate and refine
to the Minimum
Viable Product
(MVP).
Image credit: Stratasys

16. Bring to Market
● Finalize your design and begin production
● Sell through a website, Kickstarter, or
distrubutor.
● Continue to record feedback.
● Start all over!

17. Where do I start?
● Lansing Maker's Network and Lansing
Inventor’s Network
● East Lansing Public Library Makerspace
● LEAP and 3D Lansing
● The Runway
● Michigan State and LCC

18. Let’s Make Something!
Joe Carr
@WhoIsJoeCarr
joe@whoisjoecarr.com
www.slideshare.net/whoisjoecarr