Alex and Matt discuss the transition from prototyping to production with 3D printing. Emphasizing the importance of design FOR additive manufacturing (and not just printing any file you found on the internet). They highlight the power of iterative prototyping to refine designs and the variety of plastics available for 3D printers, and what they are good at.

They close the podcast out discussing the big picture ideas of producing parts for someone like managing expectations, part quality, and the amount of work it really take to produce parts in bulk at the quality the customer is happy with.

A great introduction to the grind that is 3D printing and making lots of parts. It's VERY rewarding...but it's also no picnic. If this episode get's you excited about making parts with a 3D printer, you might be built for this life. Join us!

Links:

Alexander G. Orphanos | AG3D Labs: ag3d-printing.com

Matthew Guy | Niche 3D LLC: Niche3D.io

Timestamps:
00:00 Scaling from Prototyping to Production in 3D Printing
02:21 Designing for Additive Manufacturing
03:00 Challenges in Prototyping and Production
17:33 The Power of Material Selection and Print Settings
33:49 Post-Processing and Surface Finish
40:52 Industrial and Specialized Materials
44:08 Customer Communication and Expectation Management
44:56 Prototyping and Production Workflow
45:44 Training and Maintenance for 3D Printers
47:15 Final Thoughts and Future Directions

Alex and Matt discuss their experiences with 3D printing, highlighting their backgrounds and current roles. Alex, who has been 3D printing for seven years, runs AG3D Printing, a service focusing on part success and storytelling. Matt, with six years of experience, recently went full-time with his own company, Niche 3D, to help companies adopt 3D printing.

They share their first printers—Alex's Rigidbot Big and Matt's Prusa MK2S—and the challenges and lessons learned from them. Both emphasize the importance of hands-on experience and the evolving capabilities of 3D printing technology, including its potential to revolutionize manufacturing and reduce waste and emissions.

Links:

Alexander G. Orphanos | AG3D Labs: ag3d-printing.com

Matthew Guy | Niche 3D LLC: Niche3D.io

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Layered Insights Pilot Episode
00:42 Alex of AG3D's Origin Story in 3D Printing
01:39 Matt of Niche 3D's Origin Story in 3D Printing
03:34 Matt's first year with Niche 3D Full Time - How it's Going
04:52 When you Love 3D Printing at Work & at Home...
05:58 Our FIRST 3D Printers & Early Experiences
12:04 Transitioning a Hobby to Professional 3D Printing
13:08 Challenges and Opportunities in the 3D Printing Industry
14:04 The 'MakerBot' Era and the Early Days of 'everyone's first 3D Printer'
18:35 The Age Before Ample Amazon 3D Printing Supplies & Spare Parts...
20:04 Alex Storytime: How I learned about manufacturing & $ from Ed the Toolmaker
21:22 Low vs. High Volume Part Production: 3D Printing vs. Injection Molding & more
22:11 There are STILL so many people who haven't learned about 3D printing or its potential
27:10 Our Shared Mission for Making 3D Printing Accessible to Everyone
29:40 Q: "What is the total number of printers that you have currently?"
30:17 How to Follow, Support, and Work With Matt & Alex