Proud moment: La 3ème Dimension is one of the examples featured in “Vivre de l’impression 3D” (Making a living from 3D printing), the new book by Mathilde Berchon, published by Eyrolles in September 2026.
A guide to starting a 3D printing business
Mathilde Berchon is a key figure in French 3D printing. She wrote the first French book on the subject in 2013, followed by Le grand livre de l’impression 3D. Through FuturFab, she helps makers, designers, and inventors make a living from digital fabrication.
Subtitled “Launching and growing your 3D printing business”, the book covers every step of building an activity: from the initial idea to a catalog of products or services, through business model and marketing. It’s built around concrete examples from 3D printing entrepreneurs.
Designing a consumer telescope with 3D printing
In the chapter “Finding the right idea”, a sidebar is dedicated to the workshop. It tells how the first model, the Smallest, grew out of a personal need: an instrument lighter and easier to carry than classic telescopes. For almost two years, I refined it (materials, assemblies, user experience, ease of setup). Then came Lumi, the educational build-it-yourself refractor designed for kids and beginners.
3D printing is at the heart of this approach: it makes it possible to prototype quickly, test, and then produce complex parts in small batches right in the workshop.
Get the book
The book is in French:
- On the Eyrolles website
- On Fnac
- At your bookshop (ISBN 978-2-416-02455-9)
It comes with online resources from FuturFab (videos, a price calculator, practical templates). You can find them on futurfab.fr.
Thank you, Mathilde, for including us! If you dream of making a living from your 3D printer, this book is a great place to start.