# 193: 3D Printing Overview for New Inventions

- Show: [Product Startup](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup)
- Published: 2023-09-14
- Length: 18m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-09-14-193-3d-printing-overview-for-new-inventions
- Listen: https://productstartup.com/podcast/193-3d-printing-overview-for-new-inventions/

## Summary

Andre Tiemann, Director of Production at Hot Pop Factory, explains how 3D printing serves as a critical tool for hardware startups across three stages: rough ideation, engineering prototyping, and short-run manufacturing. He details the evolution of materials from early ABS to modern engineering-grade plastics like Nylon and Rigid 10K, and contrasts processes like FDM, SLA, and SLS. Tiemann emphasizes that using additive manufacturing for low-volume production (50-500 units) de-risks product launches by allowing market validation and customer feedback before committing to expensive injection molding tooling.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-09-14-193-3d-printing-overview-for-new-inventions#t=0) Introduction and Andre Tiemann's Background
- [3:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-09-14-193-3d-printing-overview-for-new-inventions#t=220) 3D Printing Processes and Materials
- [8:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-09-14-193-3d-printing-overview-for-new-inventions#t=537) Stage 1: Rough Ideation and Prototyping
- [11:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-09-14-193-3d-printing-overview-for-new-inventions#t=676) Stage 2: Engineering Prototyping and Validation
- [13:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2023-09-14-193-3d-printing-overview-for-new-inventions#t=828) Stage 3: Short-Run Low-Volume Manufacturing

## Topics

- [Prototyping & iteration](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/prototyping)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Hot Pop Factory (company)
- FDM (other)
- SLA (other)
- SLS (other)
- ABS (material)
- PLA (material)
- PetG (material)
- TPU (material)
- Rigid 10K (material)
- Nylon (material)
- Mako Design + Invent (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing with Steve Szymeczek of Penumbra Engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/predictable-designs-podcast/2020-04-02-3d-printing-and-additive-manufacturing-with-steve-szymeczek-of-penumbra-engineer) (Predictable Designs Podcast)
- [S2 E5: Rapid Prototyping Deep Dive with Greg Paulsen](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-builder-circle/2024-01-23-s2-e5-rapid-prototyping-deep-dive-with-greg-paulsen) (The Builder Circle)
- [IDology #2 - Prototyping in product development](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/idology/2022-11-15-idology-2-prototyping-in-product-development) (IDology)
- [#027 - Rapid prototyping - a platform and its essential tools, with Finbarr Watterson of Fictiv, USA](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-hardware-entrepreneur/2017-05-24-027-rapid-prototyping-a-platform-and-its-essential-tools-with-finbarr-watterson) (The Hardware Entrepreneur)
- [37: Goop Machine](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/thoroughly-considered/2018-04-10-37-goop-machine) (Thoroughly Considered)

## Citing this page

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