3D printing online may not immediately come to mind for many people when they think of the potential it has for the toy business. 3D printing can offer many benefits in today's consumer oriented marketplace, where maintaining a competitive disadvantage is a key concern.+
#1 Prototyping
There are many steps required before launching a new product on the market. This stage gives designers crucial insight as to the design and function of the product. 3D printing bangalore provides the most efficient prototyping tool for quickly creating functional prototypes that are visually appealing and cost-effective.
3D printing can help toys designers create functional models they can test with distributors and potential users. This allows the designer to identify the requirements of the final product. 3D printing also allows designers to create multiple prototypes within a short time, which means that they can get extensive feedback in order to refine the final requirements. Online 3D printing India offers greater flexibility and allows for greater experimentation. This leads to more product innovation and ultimately better toys.
Three-dimensional printing technologies are available to manufacturers for prototyping. Material Jetting can work well for the toy sector, which requires high levels in accuracy and realistic visual representation. Material jetting is not only known for its fine detail but also its ability to work with multiple materials. Toy prototypes produced with this technology can replicate a wide variety of properties like rigidity, flexibility, transparency and opaqueness. The final product will look very similar. SLS technology can also be used in prototyping toys that are interconnected and moveable.
3D printing cuts prototyping time because it doesn’t require moulds to make multiple design iterations. Toys 3D printed in prototype form can be tested for safety or functionality. Any necessary design changes can then be easily implemented into the final product design. 3D printing allows for a significantly faster time-to-market of new toys.
#2 Mass customisation
The Build A Bear Workshop allows customers to customize their stuffed animal creations. This is an American retailer. This is just one example showing how customization can be used by the toy sector to create personalised products.
The problem is that toys are generally mass-produced. It can be challenging to find a business model for toys that combines scale and customization. 3D printing could be an option here.
Traditional manufacturing methods, such as casting or injection moulding, are not practical for custom toys because of the amount of time it takes to create the moulds and the high tooling cost. Due to the low production volumes, the high cost and time involved in producing customised toys does not justify these costs.
To reduce the stress of tooling production, 3D printers can be used. Toy manufacturers will now be able 3D print moulds to create more complex and personal designs. Additionally, they will be able produce them much quicker and for a fraction of the cost.
#3 Customer relationship-building
3D printing gives toymakers the opportunity to interact and strengthen relationships with their customers. toys companies could adapt the strategy used LEGO to let would-be designers submit their 3D designs with the promise to print the best 3D prints for a short time.
#4. New business models
3D printing may be disruptive and help us to find new business models in this digital age. This includes being able to better service niche markets that would otherwise not be considered due to their commercial viability.
The H2020ibus project is one example of a new digital business model , which integrates 3D print into the supply chain to enable the production of customized toys. The iBus aims at locally producing bespoke toys using traditional manufacturing and 3D printers.
#5 Five New Toys
As the "STEM toys" increase in popularity, the toy market may also welcome 3D printing. The term refers primarily to toys designed to teach children the fundamentals of science, engineering, and math. There are many opportunities for toy makers: The ability to sell 3-D printers designed to be used by children, which allows them to design, create and print their own toys. It is a great way of introducing them the world of engineering.
The impact 3D printing can have on the toys industry
3D printing has received much attention. Consumers are encouraged to adopt a DIY manufacturing approach. They can use CAD files for the production of toys. This idea is also supported in part by the increasing popularity of online platforms, such Thingiverse or MyMiniFactory. These platforms allow consumers to share 3D printable design and 3D print toys either at home or through a provider of 3D printing services.
But is this really a threat to toys in real life?
Michigan Technological University research showed that consumers could make savings of $60 million each year on toy purchases if they 3D printed them. However, the industry is worth more than $185 billion in 2017 so this number does not seem that alarming. It seems unlikely that 3D printing toys at your home will have any impact on the global marketplace for toys in the near future, given the burst of the consumer 3D printer bubble.
3D printing is a powerful tool for the toy industry. It offers many benefits including faster prototyping, more creativity, and lower costs for customisation.