How To Become a 3d Printer Technician? 3D Printing Technician Salary

How To Become a 3d Printer Technician? The 3D printer industry is exploding with new products. This has created a need for skilled technicians to maintain and repair these machines. If you are interested in becoming one of these professionals, this post will help teach you what they do on the job, how much they make, and more!

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How to become a 3d printer technician?

To be a 3D printing technician, you need to have a bachelor’s degree. You can study engineering, fine arts, or computer science and you should also have experience in manufacturing and production. You should also have knowledge of electronics, CAD/CAM, or 3D modeling software. The best way to learn is by being on the job. This profession requires you to be creative, innovative and it is one of the most promising future careers out there.

3D printing technology is growing rapidly every year, which means that this career has a lot of potential for the future.

According to several 3D printing companies, this technology is being used in many industries, mainly entertainment and automotive. It is also being used in medical equipment.

The possibilities are endless!

3D applications are important especially in-vehicle prototyping, construction, entertainment industry, medicine, and consumer goods.

This field continues to grow every day. Engineers use these 3D printers to create prototypes that can be presented to investors or simply just as a test print.

Companies such as AutoDesk produce quick editing software for 3D printing projects. There has been a steady increase over the past few years with all kinds of companies investing their time and financial resources into advancing this technology and developing new ways to use it.

How To Become a 3d Printer Technician? (cre: nationalcareers)

Aerospace, defense, automotive and consumer electronics are some of the most common industries utilizing 3D printers on a regular basis. The technology is not limited to prototyping; companies can also produce pieces using this method.

This is especially useful when trying to create more intricate parts with irregular shapes.

You don’t necessarily need technical knowledge or programming experience in order to work as a technician, but you should at least understand how the printer works on the inside.

One way you can learn about these printers is by taking apart existing machines and putting them back together again. If you do this enough times, it will become second nature to you and your familiarity with printers will grow from there.

As long as you have the technical skills and the desire for this kind of challenge, you will do great.

3d printer technicians salary

According to a survey conducted by the 3D printing industry association Wohlers Associates in 2013, approximately 45% of companies that use 3D printers have between 10 and 19 employees. In addition, 15% of these companies have 20-49 employees. In total, around 70 percent of all companies with a 3D printer have less than 50 employees.

In addition, 33% of the respondents from this study earned more than half a million US dollars per year from their 3D printing sales. Just over 40% of the respondents had an annual turnover of 500 000 $ or more via sales revenue generated by additive manufacturing products and services.

Only 14% indicated that they earned more than a million US dollars in annual revenues from 3D printing.

According to the ‘Salary Survey’ of salaryexpertise.com, the salary for a Full-time Production Operator in the United States is between 34 100 and 42 000 US Dollars per year (i.e., between 30 200 and 33,880 Euros). The same source indicates that an entry-level technician receives 26 800 US Dollars per year or 21 200 Euros at most. [2]

In terms of experience, a 3D printer technician’s salary can be expected to increase steadily after initial years on the job, but it has been argued that there are too few technicians available for them to command higher salaries due to market forces. [3]

On the other hand, it has been argued that 3D printing technicians are paid at levels above-market forces because of their specialized skill set and that they can earn six-figure salaries in the United States. [4]

The salary for a 3d printer technician in South Africa is not yet widely known due to insufficient data available on this subject.

Salaries may be approximated by referring to similar professions, such as manufacturing engineers or machine operators, which typically receive salaries starting at around 30 000 to 35 000 Rands per month (i.e., approximately 2 200 $ to 2 700 $ US dollars) per month depending on experience level and geographical location.

How To Become a 3d Printer Technician? (cre: 3dprintingindustry)

3D Printer Operator Salary: How Much Does a 3D Printer Operator Make?

On average, a 3D printer operator makes about $55K per year.

This salary is based on the national hourly wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The top 25 percent of 3D printer operators can expect to make more than $70K annually. On the lower end, those in the bottom 10 percent earn less than $31K each year.

A lot depends on whether you work as an independent contractor or grant recipient.

Those working for themselves have a better chance at earning a larger share of compensation. However, they also take on more risk and must manage to be self-employed as well as have access to enough funds to purchase their own equipment.

3D Printer Operator Salary Influencers

Location

Location is one of the main determinants in how much a 3D printer operator makes.

For example, the average salary for this profession is $79K in New York while it’s around $48K in Los Angeles. The state you work in can also impact your earnings with California paying about 20 percent more than other states across the country.

The industry

The industry is another big influencer when it comes to compensation for 3D printer operators.

A majority of these professionals are employed by manufacturers and earn an average salary of $58K per year.

Industries that pay their machine operators higher than average include scientific research and development services, plastics product manufacturing, and electric power generation, transmission, and distribution.

A 3D printer operator’s experience

A 3D printer operator’s experience in the industry is another factor that typically impacts earnings.

For example, those with five years of work experience tend to make about $6K more per year than those with no or little experience.

Education also matters to a certain extent as earning a bachelor’s degree can lead to around 15 percent higher pay compared to only having a high school diploma.

Job responsibilities

Job responsibilities determine how much a 3D printer operator makes to a large extent.

Those who oversee and manage other machine operators typically earn the highest annual salaries at an average of $70K per year.

Professional advancement opportunities also impact compensation for this profession since many positions require previous work on-site. Where you live will affect your salary as an operator. For example, those in the San Francisco area usually make much more than others across the country.

The average hourly rate is $33.75 in this city compared to $27 nationally for this occupation ( according to Glassdoor ).

Experience

The more experience you have, the higher your salary can be expected to be. Entry-level workers may only earn about $20K each year, while those with 3-5 years of experience typically pull down between $30-$40K annually.

Those who have worked in this field for 10+ years see median earnings climb well above six figures, especially in states like Washington, where the average is $115K ( Glassdoor )

Education.

Some employers only require a high school degree, while others may want an associate’s degree or even a bachelor’s.

The highest earners are typically degreed engineers who have experience with multiple 3D printers throughout their careers.

How To Become a 3d Printer Technician? (cre: 123test)

How to get a job in 3D printing?

It’s certainly not the simplest question to answer, but let’s have a try… First of all, it seems that this industry is picking up speed and opportunities are increasing day by day. For starters, there is no demographical limit! You can be 15 or 65 years old, studying or not -you only need the right motivation and skillset.

The industry has so many disciplines that you can always find your place if you’re focused on what you love most! These are the main areas where most jobs happen:

Production Design & Styling school (personality)

One of the most important tasks when it comes to 3D Printing is design, not only for “making things look prettier” but also because visualizing your idea in a physical object is quite different than just seeing it on a computer screen.

Making something tangible is much more effective than just showing it on 2 dimensions which in fact can lead you to fail before even starting! So in this field, design is key. Any 3D software can be used to start this job, but the most popular (and nowadays most efficient) is ZBrush.

3D printing is not only about creating beautiful shapes. Some companies like Shapeways ask you to make sure that your model meets some criteria before they accept it for print:

-Is the overhang angle more than 60°?

-Can the model stand on its own when printed without support material?

-What will happen if you use water on it after 3D printing? Will it leak or break apart?

It’s important to pay attention to these points in order to avoid any problems with your models which can lead you up to quite an unpleasant situation! You don’t want to have a customer come back with the wrong expectations about your product.

3D printing jobs from home (printing technician)

3D printing jobs from home are few and far between, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. There are many companies out there that offer all sorts of jobs for people with 3D printers at home.

System Specialist – FDM Print Technician (Remote)

This person will work remotely with an onsite team supporting a small fleet of Stratasys FDM machines as well as providing support to customers.

Location: United States; Category: Manufacturing & Product Development; Type Fulltime; Salary Range: Negotiable.

N&P Technician

A-STOP Solutions Inc is a leading 3D printing service bureau for the aerospace industry in our region. They are looking to fill an N&P Technician position with experience working in an engineering environment and general machining knowledge.

A successful candidate will have good communication skills, be able to work both individually and as part of a team, be willing to work shift rotations including weekends, evenings, and holidays when required, be willing to travel throughout North America when the need arises, and the ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as fall protection harness, steel toe boots, and hearing protection.

Location: Canada; Category: Manufacturing & Product Development; Type Fulltime; Salary Range: Negotiable.

Material Handler (Temporary)

EnvisionTEC is seeking an experienced Material Handler to support the manufacturing of its award-winning DentalJet and NorthStar systems. A Material Handler’s primary responsibility is to ensure that all materials are properly received, stored, tracked, and dispensed by maintaining the receiving dock area, storage areas, dispensing cabinets, and Shipping/Receiving Department office.

Location: United States; Category: Manufacturing & Product Development; Type Temporary; Salary Range: Negotiable.

Plastics Engineering Technician

Full-Time Position – Job Summary: Under minimal supervision will perform general maintenance of machines including but not limited to cleaning, changing tools as required, and any other routine preventative maintenance.

Required to work in a high-stress environment under the direct supervision of the Engineering Manager.

Ideally will work full-time Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM EST. Location: Canada; Category: Manufacturing & Product Development; Type Fulltime; Salary Range: Negotiable.

3D Printer Technician

The 3D Printer Technician is responsible for performing preventive maintenance on office equipment to include printers, scanners, faxes, etc. Troubleshooting hardware problems, detecting cause, and taking actions accordingly by replacing defective parts or recommending solutions.

It would be beneficial if you have any knowledge about 3D printers. Location: United States; Category: Manufacturing & Product Development; Type Fulltime; Salary Range: Negotiable.

Production Assistant

Are you the type of person who is always looking for ways to increase their efficiency?

Do you like finding new strategies to solve problems? If so, this might be the job for you! We are currently looking for a Production Assistant at Formlabs HQ in Somerville, MA with experience setting up rapid prototyping equipment with an emphasis on FDM Printers.

This position will work closely with product development, customer service experts, and applications engineers to optimize our machines’ printing process.

Location: United States; Category: Manufacturing & Product Development; Type Fulltime; Salary Range: Negotiable.

Conclusion

If you would like to become a 3D printer technician, start by learning the basics of how 3-dimensional printers work.

This will help you understand what goes wrong with them and how to maintain them so they continue to function. In addition, keep up on the latest developments in this technology because it is constantly evolving and changing.

You can find out about these changes from trade magazines or online forums for technicians where people discuss their experiences working with various types of manufacturers’ equipment.

These are two ways that have helped me get started as a newbie into this industry!

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