How Much Does 3D Printing Cost?

While revolutionary in its ability to go from concept to prototype, 3D printing can vary quite drastically on it’s pricing due to many factors.  Undoubtedly, these factors can lead to a lot of confusion for customers. At least once a day we hear the question: “how much does 3D printing cost?” from one of our customers. Therefore, it is important to use a tool that can quickly break down 3D printing costs by the factors that drive them.

There are currently three main forms of 3D printing, each varying drastically on the final product they create and the price tag involved.  At SD3D, we focus on industrial and commercial 3D printing service applications that require mechanical strength. Therefore, we mainly focus on the lower cost FDM, or Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printing method.  If you care to learn more about the three major 3D printing processes and their advantages, please read our comparison article HERE.

Already have a .STL? Get an Instant Quote Here!

Factors:

There are a couple of important factors to consider when wondering how much an item were to cost.  Aside from the various amount of materials to choose from, quality, infill and quantity can drastically change the price of your prints.

Quality:

When we say quality, we are referring to the height of each layer being laid down.  The smaller the layer, the higher the quality print.  Our current quality settings range from Fine (100 micron layer height), Standard (250 micron layer height), and Draft (380 micron layer height).  The difference between a draft and standard quality print can be over 3 times as expensive due to time required when printing.

More Details

Infill:

Infill is best described as the strength or density of your project.  Since 3D printing involves building from the ground up, we can actually change the amount of material that is being used in your project.  Some items can even be printed hollow.  Therefore, the higher the infill, the longer the print, the more material, and the more costly the project is.

More Details

Material:

We offer a wide array of additive manufacturing materials to suit your needs.  Strength, elongation, glass transition temperature, color, and of course price all vary depending on this option.

Material Comparisons

Quantity:

Since we specialize in low to medium volume manufacturing, our 3D printing prices per unit drop depending on the amount ordered. Use our 3D printing auto-quoting tool to compare 3d printing costs between different materials and resolutions.

See our Membership Pricing

Does your Project Require Professional CAD Design?

Don’t have a file yet? Fill out this quick form for a free quote on 3D designing your project! Our staff of 3D CAD designers are certified in both mechanical and organic 3D design. Once complete, your 3D designer will walk you through the 3D printing costs associated with producing your parts.

Get a Free Design Quote

Instant 3D Printing Quote | Drag STL below to compare 3D printing costs instantly