There is a lot that can be said about how additive manufacturing methods work. Today we are going to focus on something different. We have stated many times how 3D printing and rapid prototyping company have changed the whole spectrum of the manufacturing business. This is one of those cases where a little inventiveness can lead an entrepreneur to a big paycheck with the right idea. Let’s think for a moment about smartphone cases. They are probably one of the most popular products you can buy online, and there are so many options out there that is easy to get lost in the sea of offers by different brands.
One developer had an idea to create a new phone case that allowed the user to take pictures and videos using the top part of their devices. The case was dubbed the periscope case (not related to the app with the same name), and it’s pretty distinctive because it uses a mirror with the built-in camera of the phone to make it work just like the periscope of a submarine. You see, the only thing this case does with this imaginative design is using the mirror to reflect the image right into the camera while it’s mounted somewhere or held flat. This is probably one of the most imaginative solutions to help us take a look at crawled spaces using technology.
Small Ideas, Small Niches, Large Profits
You might be wondering if there is a substantial market for this. After all, this particular case sounds like something that might be too specialized to be mass-produced by any company. The developer of this specific project didn’t worry about that since he used CAD models to create the case from scratch using 3D modeling. Since his first prototype was made using clay and tape, he only had very rough ideas to work with. Lucky for him, the developer he was working with allowed him to have a lot of input and review the concepts until the case looked like something that achieved the same functions of his idea.
In the end, this product seems to cater to people who handle fieldwork such as contractors, maintenance teams, fumigation services, as well as people working in animal control. The case is not created using industrial machines since the volumes of orders are too low. Still, the creator can order new cases in the hundreds and sell them for a premium with a wide range of earnings. If you consider that the design is unique and protected by the usual holding rights (copyright/trademark) The product represents just one sizeable chunk of the income for the developer and an opening to keep having new ideas.
