As time is progressing and competition surges, the Jewelry industry is finding it challenging to satisfy customers. The demands are skyrocketing and customers seek more unique and custom-made designs that they could connect to.
Hence, the role of 3D printers is becoming mainstream. Being said that, customers now have started depending on 3D printing Jewelry service for getting what they want.
The niche is finding a lot of positive trends in its favor. Individuals find it really easy to define their needs and get the custom Jewelry design printed in a matter of time.
Among all, there are two most common traditional Jewelry making techniques popular throughout the globe. One is the handcrafting and the other is the lost-wax casting.
However, these techniques aren’t as beneficial as 3D printing. These require a significant amount of technical expertise. Moreover, these are time taking and prone to mistakes that can be highly expensive.
However, digital design coupled with 3D printing focus on eliminating these challenges and disrupting conventional practices in a major way.
Not only this new age technology gas brought great customization options for customers but has also helped in bringing new design possibilities and freedom of work for jewelers.
Difference Between Traditional Jewelry Design and 3D Printing
There is a considerable change in the workflows of the two techniques. Using 3D printing, jewelers can further expand the working principles of investment casting by adding the various advantages offered by additive manufacturing technology.
To understand the processes in detail, let us check out each workflow to know better. In traditional lost-wax casting methods, the patterns are hand-carved by the designers in wax.
These wax patterns are then placed in a mold to be burned out. Further, the desired metals such as gold or silver are poured inside the mold cavity for creating cast pieces.
The post-processing such as polishing and finishing is required in the end to complete the Jewelry production.
In the case of 3D printing workflow, instead of using hands, jewelers utilize CAD tools for creating the designs digitally, hence minimizing the error closely to null.
Later, 3D printing is used to produce the 3D printed patterns which are cast in the mold.
Once the burnout of the pattern takes place, the process similar to traditional manufacturing is carried on to complete the Jewelry design. Hence, ensuring the highest precision and also maintaining the personal human touch to the designs.
What are The Benefits of 3D Printing for Jewellers and Customers?
Since the time 3D printing entered the Jewelry designing industry, a lot of hype has surfaced.
Designers have been welcoming 3D printing as a part of their workflow to ensure better results and precision. Coupled with fast speed there are many other benefits that make 3D printing a great supplement for hand-carved jewelry.
Highest Result
As 3D printing has eliminated the complexity that was often connected with the conventional methods of Jewelry designs, newer frontiers are being discovered.
Customized Jewelry is no more an expensive privilege affordable to few. Jewelers can now offer the same personalized services to any of its customers without going beyond their budget.
With 3D printing, now anyone can enjoy the perks of owning a personalized and unique design with the highest precision and results.
The customers and jewelers can plan design and come to a conclusion with several trials without adding extra time to the entire process.
The decided models can be created in no more than an hour, depending on the design and customers can try that for real physically.
Any changes can be made in no time for perfecting the design. Once finalized, the Jewelry designing won’t take much time. And, can be completed in a matter of time.
Hence, reducing the huge amount of expense that comes along with lost-wax casting and other traditional methods. Also, ensuring the optimum satisfaction of the customers.
Freedom to Design Just Anything
The major focus has been given to the ability of 3D printers to come up with the most complex designs in the easiest way possible.
Jewelry designing needs precision and some designs are very difficult to carve through traditional methods. Often, designers have to go through many failures before they even come close to the perfect design when working with lost-wax casting. But this is not the case with 3D printing.
One can design almost everything. Printing complex geometries to fine designs are simple and easy. This provides designers with the freedom to give their imaginations a borderless push.
Using precise SLA 3D printers, designers can think of making almost anything through their 3D printers. Hence, giving more options to their users.
Customers can also decide on a design and turn it into a reality through the 3d printing Jewelry service on their own. Without a need for visiting a shop close by.
Ease of Design and Mass Production Capabilities
Using 3D printers, one can print more than one design at a time. Eliminating the need for hand-carved wax patterns, 3D printing is creating an easy workflow for designers.
One can simply create a digital file and print the master molds in an easy and simple manner.
Moreover, the results achieved are worth applauding. Hence, giving designers more time to invest in better productive things rather than involving themselves in hand carving the patterns.
Affordable Technology
A few years back, owning a 3D printer for designing Jewelry wasn’t a viable option. The printers were expensive and required technical savvy individuals to work with complex interfaces.
However, with time, both these problems have been sorted. Not only the high price tag has taken the back seat, but the working of these printers has also simplified.
Today, the desktop 3D printers do not require the usual amount of significant maintenance. And, can be operated by people with basic knowledge as well.
Instead of being available to a few huge manufacturers, 3D printers can be availed by even the local jewelers. Offering businesses newer opportunities and an equal chance to excel and progress.
This will result in independent jewelers with their own manufacturing units. Hence, minimizing the production cost.
Prospects for New Developments
The industry is progressing. While a few years back, the 3D printers were limited to a few giant manufacturers, now, it is available to all. Designers are slowly shifting towards better technology that provides more chances for growth and profit.
With time, the technology is becoming simpler and the developments are being carried to further ease the workflow. More options are available in terms of materials and 3D printing processes choice. Hence, the technology is poised to take steep progress in the coming future.
What are the 3D Printing Jewelry Services?
As mentioned above, with a growing demand for customized Jewelry designs, the number of 3D printing Jewelry services is also increasing.
One can find a huge number of online websites offering the service of digital 3D prints for Jewelry designs. Hence, it becomes important to know which one is reliable and offers better options.
From a number of 3D printing services, here are a few of the choices that excel at providing the best customer satisfaction through their unrivaled services.
MyMiniFactory
MyMiniFactory was started in 2013 and iMakr is the parent company. The website flaunts thousands of designs submitted by the 3D printing enthusiasts from around the globe.
The 3D printing service offers 3D printable designs that can be printed at home as well. You just have to download the file and process it for printing. You can even make changes to the designs to make it your own.
Apart from Jewelry designs, the platform has other offerings too such as sports and outdoors.
The platform offers a simple interface and a user-friendly design for users to navigate through the portal without any hassle. One can easily understand the interface and can find their way through the different options available.
The well-crafted designs are the plus point for this community of designers who have found solace at MyMiniFactory.
MyMiniFactory is one of those few websites that is working rigorously to reach millions of users worldwide while stimulating the progress of 3D design and its printing.
Shapeways
Shapeways, founded in 2007, and headquartered in New York is a great online portal for embracing 3D printing and its potential.
It seeks to make the technology accessible to everyone through its many customized designs and an ability to make those designs, a reality. Shapeways has offices in Eindhoven and Seattle.
The online portal is easy to use and understand. Those even with basic knowledge of computers can make use of their online portal for placing orders.
The company is a great 3D printing Jewelry service for those looking for best results and unique designs. Only by submitting the 3D design files, one can receive the 3D printed Jewelry at their location.
One can also choose to use the designs available with their online repository. Offering a huge number of material and color choices to its users, Shapeways is among the professional choices that are ready to bring the technology to the users worldwide.
And, if you are great at designing, you can even upload your digital files to the portal. Hence, being able to earn a few bucks for yourself.
Sculpteo
Like Shapeways, Sculpteo is also an online portal offering 3D printing Jewelry service to its users. One can find designs related to various other niches as well. And, the portal excels at every front.
Sculpteo was formed in 2009. The portal was started to make the 3D printing services accessible to everyone. It aimed at providing 3D printed objects to the customers with utmost satisfaction. Hence, offers the best results.
The company offers two kinds of services. It lets users upload the 3D designs and flaunts a huge community of users who are contributing to the huge repository that it owns.
And, the other way the company is helping individuals is by 3D Printing the opted designs. Users can also upload the personally designed 3D files for 3D printing.
The website offers its users a user-friendly interface and easy to navigate the portal. The company also takes care of the shipping processes, hence maintaining, high standard service for its customers.
The company is also involved in serving major brands and boasts huge experience making itself one of the most desirable options for its users.
When talking about Jewelry designs, one can find numerous options and choices on the website. There are plenty of designs available for users that can be readily printed.
One can get the 3D printed Jewelry in various materials and color options. By providing its users with different payment methods, such as standard Credit Card, Debit Card and PayPal payments, the company makes it easy for customers to order through Sculpteo.
Stratasys
Once again, a great option for those who are looking to get their Jewelry designs printed with the best results. From offering huge material support, the company makes room for better designs and numerous choices for its customers.
From metals to resin, almost every choice is covered with Stratasys. The company has a huge collection of Jewelry designs if you wish to choose an existing design. You can also make changes to the design and make a unique piece of art for your personalized needs.
Letting users explore the best side of 3D printing, the company is progressively making huge advancements in its way. The simple to use the portal and handy designs make it a great choice for users.
The Conclusion
3D printing is reaching to masses and it is poised to keep growing in the future as well. With extreme reliability and an option to reduce the production time, it provides Jewelry designers with better options.
The easy to follow the workflow and comparatively less expensive mistakes, make 3D printing a huge success.
The 3D printing Jewelry service further adds to the benefit of users. These companies make it possible for users to make their designs a reality without a need for buying their own 3D printer.
One can enjoy 3D printed customized jewelry without getting into the production process. Isn’t that exciting? It sure is.
