Product Designer: Manufacturing Tools That Can Fit Inside Your Home

There have never been more options available to those who want to make products from their own home. Technology has reached an exciting point, enabling normal people to make things for themselves without having to craft them entirely by hand. Not only does this save a lot of time, but it also makes it possible for you to create things far more impressive than you would be able to do on your own. But what exactly should you be looking at when you’re choosing the machines you’ll be using to help you?

3D Printers

3D printers have come a very long way over the last decade or so, with loads of models hitting the market at very low prices. Options like the Monoprice Select Mini V2 is shockingly affordable for the quality of prints it can produce, and this is making this hobby more and more accessible. You will probably need to spend a little more to get something that will be able to print at a high enough quality to sell, but this still doesn’t cost anywhere near as much as it used to. 3D printers are most commonly used with thermoplastics like PLA and ABS, though the high-end market is starting to bring materials like aluminum into the picture.

Waterjet/Laser Cutters

While waterjet and laser cutters are quite different machines, they are capable of the same type of production process. They cut flat materials along 2 axes, limiting them a little compared to a 3D printer’s capabilities. Both laser and waterjet cutters are able to cut through a range of materials, from wood and acrylic to tough metals like stainless steel. These machines are great when you are trying to make products that have flat sides, as you can easily make a 2D net that can be assembled from the pieces you print. These machines are harder to look after than a 3D printer, and you will need to make sure that you have the right ventilation and safety measures in place to use them properly.

CNC Machines

CNC machines come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, though the concept is quite similar to a 3D printer. Ahead is moved forwards and backward, left and right, and up and down using a series of extremely precise motors. Rather than having a plastic extruder on the end of it, though, they will have a spinning head similar to what you’d find on a Dremel. This enables you to machine materials like plastic, wood, and even soft metals, opening the doors to loads of different product design options. Product design services can often turn things that you’ve made on your CNC machine into a much more refined product.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of building a mini-factory within your own home. This can be a great way to start a business, while also offering a fun hobby that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your desk.

Consider These 3 Things Before Selling Your First Product

Anyone can come up with a product idea, but that doesn’t guarantee it will be a success. On paper, any idea can seem fantastic. Then, when translated into the real world, it flops. For your startup to be a success, you have to ensure your products will sell well. So, here are a few things to consider before you launch into anything:

Can you meet the MOQ?

Selling a product isn’t as simple as getting your hands on something and distributing it. Many people are involved, including the manufacturers. Now, if you’re wondering, what does MOQ mean? It stands for the minimum order quantity, which is the least amount of units you can order from the manufacturer. This is important as it basically sets the bar for how many products you need to sell.

Say the MOQ is 500, can you realistically sell all of those products? If the demand isn’t high and you sell 100, you’ve got 400 wasted products in a stockroom. Do your research to see a genuine demand for your products to be sure you meet the minimum order. Ideally, you want to surpass it, but meeting it is the first step. 

How much does it cost to sell your product?

It’s easy for a newbie to look at businesses and assume that selling products is easy. However, it actually costs a fair bit of money to sell a product. Typically, you have the following costs to worry about:

• Manufacturing

• Marketing

• Cost of labor 

• Business overheads

• Delivery/shipping

All of these things add up to tell you the true cost of your products. The number one business mistake is selling a product based solely on how much it cost to build. This is extremely important, but you have many more costs to take into account. It’s a very tricky process, and you should hire an expert to help you work out the cost per unit. From here, you will understand how to price your products to get a profit. Again, this is tough, but that’s another discussion for a different article!

Who’s buying your product?

Or, to put this another way, who is your product aimed at? Funny enough, this links back to the first question on whether you can meet order quantities. You must understand your products' target demographic as this directly influences the sales potential and your marketing strategy. For example, marketing something to a teen demographic means you have awesome sales potential as the teenage market is full of potential buyers. But, if your product is aimed at a very niche market, it might sell, but you’ll struggle to see massive figures. Think about who your product is aimed at before you get into the business of marketing it or ordering any quantities. 

If all of this sounds complicated, that’s because it is. Hey, if running a business was easy, everyone would do it. Ask yourself these three questions before you launch a new product on the market. They should help you figure out if it is destined for greatness or not worth the risk.