It would be a good idea to know the niche market you are targeting, and choose your printer and 3D printing materials based on that market. The desktop 3D printers have a great material and color selection but do not have the same strength or detail as an industrial printer. You may want to order some small prints from a 3D printing service provider and order samples to compare different materials and technologies so you have a better sense of the opportunities.

Some people start their 3D printing business by advertising their product online (such as through Etsy or a 3D printing marketplace), and outsourcing the actual printing to a larger company.

We run a 3D printig service called Tempus 3D, where we focus on industrial 3D printing. If someone orders a material we do not carry we can help the customer get what they want by having the part 3D printed by a trusted partner. You can check out our services and materials at www.tempus3d.com, and some of the products we create at www.tempus3d.com/news.

Good luck in starting your 3D printing business!