The possibilities for the 3D printing industry appear to be limitless, and with prices dropping after years of being out of reach for the majority of the population, 3D printing is finally becoming more widely available. Is 3D printing prohibitively expensive? It’s not nearly as expensive as it used to be, either. A few hundred dollars will get you an entry-level 3D printer, which is perfect for a hobbyist. Additional requirements include material to feed your printer (filament or resin), some basic safety equipment, and a location where your printer will be housed.
Other factors, such as customization and specific design elements, may also be worth taking into consideration. Examples include the dental industry, where 3D printing has proven to be beneficial because custom 3D printed teeth molds based on 3D scans can be extremely precise. As another example, there are certain aircraft parts with complex interior geometries that are simple to print but difficult to manufacture using traditional manufacturing techniques.
Both of these examples are extremely expensive to have 3D printed, but they have other advantages over other types of printing. In some cases, despite the high cost, 3D Printing Services may be a more appropriate method of manufacturing; therefore, there is more to consider than just price when making a decision. In this section, we’ll look at some considerations to keep in mind when deciding whether to print a part or simply purchase one.
The first factor to consider is the material and quality of the product you want to purchase. While the cost of filament is almost always less expensive than the cost of purchasing a finished product, you should consider how you want the finished product to look and what it is intended to do before purchasing filament. Plastic is frequently used in the manufacture of 3D printed items; is this a suitable material for your component? You may want to purchase it or invest in having it printed on metal or enhanced plastics through online printing services if you don’t already have it. Metal and other high-strength 3D printable materials can provide a great deal of durability as well as a variety of other advantages.
High-quality plastic is used in the manufacture of parts such as certain drone propellers and automobile components. These plastics are more durable in order to withstand the test of time and any weather conditions, but they may not be compatible with a desktop FDM printer because of their increased durability.
Cheap pens and binder covers are just a couple of examples of parts that are typically made of low-quality plastics. These commonplace products are intended for indoor use and are sold at such a low cost that using high-quality plastic would be a financial drain on the manufacturer. It is unlikely that 3D printing an item that is already produced at such a low cost will save you any money.
However, on the other hand, it may be worthwhile to spend a little extra money on high-quality materials. Parts that are immediately removed from the print bed frequently lack the surface finish that you may be looking for. It is possible that 3D printed parts will not have the same visual appeal as store-bought products, at least not without spending a significant amount of time post-processing them. Other characteristics, such as strength, may not be as impressive in 3D printed parts, though there are ways to compensate for this.
This consideration is dependent on the part itself, and more specifically on the design. Making one-of-a-kind and custom parts with 3D printing is particularly advantageous in situations where you require a home decor object with a specific shape and size. Because you’re unlikely to be able to find a purchasable, personalized part, 3D printing parts like this will be less expensive to produce.
Another advantage of 3D printing parts is that, essentially, if someone can design a 3D model of it, you can 3D print it. This is especially true for complex parts. Millions of 3D printable models are available for download on the internet, including STL files of products that are also available for purchase. Crosslink’s video on how to make a phone case is a good example of printing a popular design on a durable surface. However, while the phone case shown in the video can be purchased online, 3D printing is likely to be less expensive in this instance.
For more complex parts that you might want to 3D print but cannot find anywhere or don’t have the expertise to model them yourself, you could even hire an industrial designer to model them for you and have them 3D printed. Hiring a designer, on the other hand, is expensive, and it would almost certainly cost more than simply purchasing a part.
When determining whether it is more cost-effective to print a part or purchase one, you must take into consideration the equipment used. The filament may be the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about printing costs. Because printer filament is relatively inexpensive and a spool of filament generally lasts a long time, this isn’t our primary concern when it comes to purchasing equipment.
She is a freelance blogger, writer, and speaker, and writes for various entertainment magazines.