For established businesses and budding entrepreneurs alike, opportunities to utilize 3-D printing services are growing in the tri-state area.
Tri-State Blueprint & Framing, a division of Cedar Rapids-based Rapids Reproductions Inc., held an open house last week at its Dubuque office, 696 Central Ave., to showcase its new MarkForged 3-D printer.
Meanwhile, Northeast Iowa Community College is reaching out to the local business community about opportunities to use a 3-D printer purchased by the college in the fall.
Brad Mohwinkle, sales manager for Rapids Reproductions, believes his company's printer has introduced something new to the Dubuque market.
"This kind of printer is something that probably no one in this area has seen and what's unique about this one is it is a very inexpensive machine," he said.
Mohwinkle's brother, Ben, who hosted the open house, said MarkForged printers cost between $5,500 and $14,000, depending on the model.
"Here in Iowa, no one really wants to get their feet wet by spending $100,000 on a printer," he said.
Tri-State Blueprint & Framing sells MarkForged printers and also offers printing services for customers.
The printer can create items using nylon, carbon fiber, fiberglass and kevlar. Ben Mohwinkle said the printer can create prototypes and parts that are actually functional for customers.
Using 3-D printers can allow entrepreneurs to get their products to market faster than other methods.
"It might be more expensive at times to do 3-D printing," he said. "But if we can get it to the market faster now, we can start making money back sooner. That's the big thing with this."
Dubuque resident Peter Rowell, who described himself as a hobbyist with an engineering background, said he thinks there is a lot of potential in 3D-printing.
"3-D printing is a good business to get into, because you can print just about anything from a replacement part, to a new doorknob for your car," he said. "Or 10 years from now they might print you a new liver using your own stem cells."
Greg Willging, director of economic development services for Northeast Iowa Community College, said the college bought a Stratasys Fortus 380 printer and is using the model to help educate students in its mechanical engineering technology program.
Willging, however, said there are many times when the printer is not in use by students, opening up the possibility for the device to be used by local businesses.
He said NICC's service will allow companies to build concept models, functional prototypes and end-use parts.
"We've started getting a lot more calls about it recently and I think it is rapidly gaining interest from the community," he said. "We want to help companies gain whatever competitive edge they can."
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