Business models for 3D printing services - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Business Models for 3D Printing Services

📖 Scenario: You are starting a 3D printing service business. To plan your business, you need to understand different business models used in the 3D printing industry.This project will guide you through creating a simple list of common business models, adding a filter to select models based on customer type, and then organizing the models for presentation.

🎯 Goal: Build a structured list of 3D printing service business models, filter them by customer type, and prepare the final list for sharing with your team.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a list of business models with exact names and customer types

Add a variable to filter business models for 'individual' customers

Use a loop to select only the filtered business models

Add a final step to prepare the list for presentation

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Understanding and organizing business models helps entrepreneurs plan their 3D printing services effectively.

💼 Career

This knowledge is useful for business analysts, startup founders, and marketing professionals in the 3D printing industry.

1

Create the list of business models

Create a list called business_models with these exact dictionaries: {'name': 'On-demand printing', 'customer': 'individual'}, {'name': 'Prototyping services', 'customer': 'business'}, {'name': 'Mass customization', 'customer': 'individual'}, {'name': 'Manufacturing partner', 'customer': 'business'}

3D Printing

# Create the list business_models with the specified dictionaries
# Your code here

Hint

Use a list of dictionaries with keys 'name' and 'customer'.

2

Add a filter for individual customers

Create a variable called target_customer and set it to the string 'individual' to filter business models for individual customers.

3D Printing

business_models = [
    {'name': 'On-demand printing', 'customer': 'individual'},
    {'name': 'Prototyping services', 'customer': 'business'},
    {'name': 'Mass customization', 'customer': 'individual'},
    {'name': 'Manufacturing partner', 'customer': 'business'}
]
# Create target_customer variable set to 'individual'
# Your code here

Hint

Assign the string 'individual' to the variable target_customer.

3

Filter business models by customer type

Create a list called filtered_models that contains only the dictionaries from business_models where the 'customer' value matches target_customer. Use a for loop with variables model and an if condition.

3D Printing

business_models = [
    {'name': 'On-demand printing', 'customer': 'individual'},
    {'name': 'Prototyping services', 'customer': 'business'},
    {'name': 'Mass customization', 'customer': 'individual'},
    {'name': 'Manufacturing partner', 'customer': 'business'}
]
target_customer = 'individual'
# Create filtered_models list with models matching target_customer
# Your code here

Hint

Use a for loop to check each model's 'customer' key and add matching models to filtered_models.

4

Prepare the final list for presentation

Create a list called model_names that contains only the 'name' values from each dictionary in filtered_models. Use a list comprehension.

3D Printing

business_models = [
    {'name': 'On-demand printing', 'customer': 'individual'},
    {'name': 'Prototyping services', 'customer': 'business'},
    {'name': 'Mass customization', 'customer': 'individual'},
    {'name': 'Manufacturing partner', 'customer': 'business'}
]
target_customer = 'individual'
filtered_models = []
for model in business_models:
    if model['customer'] == target_customer:
        filtered_models.append(model)
# Create model_names list with names from filtered_models
# Your code here

Hint

Use a list comprehension to extract the 'name' from each dictionary in filtered_models.

Practice

1. Which business model for 3D printing services involves customers paying only when they order a print?

easy

A. Marketplace platform

B. Subscription service

C. On-demand printing

D. Manufacturing contract

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand on-demand printing

   On-demand printing means customers pay each time they request a print, without ongoing fees.

2. Step 2: Compare with other models

   Subscription requires regular payments, marketplace connects buyers and sellers, manufacturing contracts are long-term deals.

3. Final Answer:

   On-demand printing -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Pay per order = On-demand printing [OK]

Hint: Pay only when ordering means on-demand printing [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing subscription with pay-per-use
• Thinking marketplace means direct printing
• Mixing manufacturing contracts with simple orders

2. Which of the following is the correct description of a subscription model in 3D printing services?

easy

A. Customers pay a fixed fee regularly for access to printing services

B. Customers pay only when they print a single item

C. Customers sell their designs directly to other users

D. Customers rent 3D printers for personal use

Solution

1. Step 1: Define subscription model

   Subscription means paying a regular fee (like monthly) to use services anytime within that period.

2. Step 2: Eliminate other options

   Pay-per-print is on-demand, selling designs is marketplace, renting printers is a different model.

3. Final Answer:

   Customers pay a fixed fee regularly for access to printing services -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Regular fee = Subscription model [OK]

Hint: Regular fixed fee means subscription model [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Mixing pay-per-print with subscription
• Confusing marketplace with subscription
• Thinking renting printers is subscription

3. A 3D printing service uses a marketplace model. Which of the following best describes how it operates?

medium

A. The service owns all printers and prints only its own designs

B. Customers rent printers for personal use

C. Customers subscribe monthly to get unlimited prints

D. The service connects designers and customers, taking a commission on sales

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand marketplace model

   Marketplace connects designers who upload designs with customers who want prints, earning commission.

2. Step 2: Compare with other models

   Owning printers and printing own designs is direct service, subscription is fixed fee, renting is different.

3. Final Answer:

   The service connects designers and customers, taking a commission on sales -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Connecting buyers and sellers = Marketplace [OK]

Hint: Marketplace connects designers and buyers, earns commission [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Thinking marketplace owns printers
• Confusing subscription with marketplace
• Mixing renting with marketplace

4. A 3D printing service claims to offer a subscription model but charges customers only when they print. What is the main issue?

medium

A. It is a marketplace model, not subscription

B. It is not a true subscription model because payments are not regular

C. It is a manufacturing contract model

D. It is a rental model

Solution

1. Step 1: Identify subscription model requirements

   Subscription requires regular fixed payments regardless of usage.

2. Step 2: Analyze the service's payment method

   Charging only when printing means pay-per-use, not subscription.

3. Final Answer:

   It is not a true subscription model because payments are not regular -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Regular payments define subscription [OK]

Hint: Subscription means regular payments, not pay-per-use [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing pay-per-use with subscription
• Thinking marketplace means subscription
• Assuming rental is subscription

5. A startup wants to combine a subscription and marketplace model for 3D printing services. Which approach best fits this hybrid model?

hard

A. Charge customers a monthly fee for access and allow them to buy designs from multiple creators

B. Charge customers only when they print, and own all designs exclusively

C. Rent 3D printers to customers and sell design files separately

D. Offer free printing but charge designers to list their designs

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand subscription and marketplace features

   Subscription means regular fee for access; marketplace means multiple creators sell designs.

2. Step 2: Identify hybrid model characteristics

   Combining both means customers pay monthly and can buy from many designers.

3. Step 3: Evaluate options

   Charge customers a monthly fee for access and allow them to buy designs from multiple creators matches hybrid model; others miss subscription or marketplace elements.

4. Final Answer:

   Charge customers a monthly fee for access and allow them to buy designs from multiple creators -> Option A

5. Quick Check:

   Subscription + marketplace = Monthly fee + multiple creators [OK]

Hint: Hybrid means monthly fee plus multiple designers [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring subscription fee in hybrid
• Owning all designs contradicts marketplace
• Confusing renting with subscription