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FAQ | ICON

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What is ICON?

ICON develops advanced construction technologies that advance humanity. Using proprietary 3D printing robotics, software and advanced materials, ICON is shifting the paradigm of homebuilding on Earth and beyond. Follow @ICON3DTech on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

Tell us about the origins of ICON and the company’s mission.

ICON is an advanced construction technologies company dedicated to revolutionizing homebuilding. Through proprietary 3D printing technology and cutting-edge materials, ICON provides sustainable solutions to a number of our world’s most pressing issues, including the pandemic of homelessness in the developing world, the difficulty of constructing off-planet space habitats, and the exorbitant cost of customized housing.

ICON’s three co-founders were independently working on large-scale 3D printing for homebuilding in 2017. Jason Ballard, co-founder the CEO spent the last decade+ of his life focused on sustainability and health in the built environment. After working on literally thousands of homes, Jason began saying to himself, "Surely there is a better way to build homes that is more affordable, less wasteful, and more energy efficient than conventional building methods." Approaches to construction hadn't changed in so long it was like people had forgotten how to even imagine a different way. That began a months-long study and research project (including prefab, insulated concrete forms, SIP panels, advanced framing, robotic bricklaying, architectural fungus, etc.) that landed Jason on 3D printing as the most promising technology to create a true revolution that checked all the boxes he cared about. He re-connected with his TreeHouse co-founder and friend Evan Loomis and the two decided to start working on it and build a prototype in a warehouse in Austin on the weekends. Meanwhile, a fresh college-grad and engineer named Alex Le Roux was working on a similar project in Houston. His prototype was actually able to print a mortar-based tiny home. Eventually, after hearing rumors of each other for months, the three entrepreneurs met and decided to start working together.

Fast forward to today... ICON is a for-profit advanced construction technologies company using 3D robotics, software, and advanced materials to reinvent the homebuilding industry. The first 3D printer was ready to print in early 2018 and successfully printed a permitted, 3D printed home in Austin in March 2018 alongside nonprofit partner, New Story. In March 2019, ICON unveiled its next generation 3D printer for homes, the Vulcan, and began shipping the technology for projects in the U.S. and in Mexico. To date, ICON has delivered two dozen 3D-printed homes/structures across the U.S. and Mexico, the most completed by any construction tech company.

Tell us more about ICON’s printer?

ICON unveiled its next generation “Vulcan” 3D printer for homes on March 11, 2019 and a few months later began shipping the award-winning technology to begin its very important work of delivering affordable, resilient, dignified housing around the world. To date, the Vulcan construction system has delivered two dozen 3D-printed homes / structures across Mexico and the U.S.

The Vulcan is the first printer of its kind in that it has the capability of printing homes in which people actually want to live. It can be operated by anyone with basic training thanks to the improvements in automation, mechatronics and a suite of specialized software.

Has ICON received any funding?

ICON has raised $451 million in funding to date.

February 2022: ICON raised $185 million in a series B-1 round of financing led by Tiger Global.

August 2021: ICON completed a $207 million series B round of financing led by Norwest Venture Partners. ICON welcomed Jeff Crowe, Managing Partner at Norwest Venture Partners, a leading multi-stage investment firm, to its Board of Directors. From world-renowned architects to the country’s largest homebuilders, ICON’s line-up of series B investors also included 8VC, BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, BOND, Citi, Crosstimbers, Ensemble, Fifth Wall, LENx, Moderne Ventures and Oakhouse Partners.

August 2020: ICON announced its series A round of financing led by Moderne Ventures. The company welcomed Constance Freedman, Founder and Managing Partner of Moderne Ventures and Khan Tasinga, Director at Palantir Technologies, to its Board of Directors. Notably, the international architecture firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group joined the series A round of investors, which also includes CAZ Investments, Citi, Crosstimbers Ventures, Ironspring Ventures, Next Coast Ventures, Oakhouse Partners, Trust Ventures, Vulcan Capital and Wavemaker Partners.

October 2018: ICON announced $9 million in seed funding led by Oakhouse Partners. Jason Portnoy, Managing Partner, Oakhouse Partners, who led the seed round of funding, joined ICON's Board of Directors. Seed round investors included Cielo Property Group, D.R. Horton and Emaar among others. ICON’s round of funding accelerated the development of its printers, created a variety of home types and designs and enhanced its core technology stack to further its mission of using advanced construction technologies to advance humanity.

Is ICON a publicly traded company?

No, ICON is a privately held company.

How long was the next generation of the Vulcan 3D printer in development?

The ICON team began research and development immediately following the completion of their first prototype 3D-printed home in March 2018. The work shifted into high gear about fall 2018 following a seed round of financing.

What features does the next generation Vulcan have in comparison to its predecessor?

Tablet-based controls, advanced UI, 4x larger print area, 2.5x faster, automated material mixing, pumping, and delivery, safety features, remote monitoring, and on-board lighting for printing at night or in low-light conditions and more.

Where and when will you be 3D printing more homes?

ICON has delivered two dozen 3D-printed homes and structures to date across the U.S. and Mexico, the most completed by any construction tech company.

Numerous projects are underway to deliver social housing, disaster relief housing and mainstream housing developments in addition to the development of construction systems for further exploration of the Moon and eventually Mars.

What are the challenges of 3D printing in less than ideal conditions?

The Vulcan construction system has delivered projects in seismic zones, flood-prone areas and a variety of climates. The printer that was deployed to Nacajuca, Mexico in 2019 to deliver the world's first community of 3D-printed homes for housing nonprofit, New Story, was designed to work under the constraints common in places like Haiti and rural El Salvador where power can be unpredictable, potable water is not a guarantee, and technical assistance is sparse. Building the printer to not rely on these items was crucial to bet on the reliability of the printer in the field.

When will the first humans move into a 3D printed home by ICON?

In late summer 2020, the first humans to ever live in a 3D-printed home in the U. S. moved into their 400 square-foot homes at Community First! Village in Austin, TX. Learn more.

Additionally, the world's first community of 3D-printed homes were completed in Nacajuca, Mexico for housing nonprofit, New Story. The organization is working with families on the best dates to move into their new homes, but likely will occur once the neighborhood is complete, which includes ecoblock homes as well. Learn more.

The first, permitted 3D-printed home located in Austin, TX (also known as the Chicon House) is used as an office space for the owner.

Is the first printed home by ICON a permanent structure?

Yes. In March 2018, ICON built the first, permitted 3D-printed home in the U.S. Located in Austin, TX, the 350 square foot proof-of-concept home was 3D printed on-site and is a permitted, permanent structure that has received a full Certificate of Occupancy permit by the City of Austin.

How long are the 3D printed houses expected to last that ICON has printed?

The printed homes are expected to last as long or longer than standard Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) built homes. The homes are built to the International Building Code (IBC) structural code standard.

Are the roof, windows and other finishes done conventionally or also 3D printed on ICON's past and current projects?

To date, each of ICON's delivered projects have included conventional construction methods for the finish out of the homes including the roof, windows and other finishes. To learn more about ICON's projects, visit the Updates page.

Are there challenges meeting housing codes?

Beyond torrential downpours in Austin over the printing time period of the first, permitted 3D printed home we delivered in March 2018, the challenges included mostly structural engineering and foundation adjustments as the city had never seen a building of its kind. The home received a full certificate of occupancy.

The homes at Community First! Village in Austin, TX are built to standard building codes according to IBC, City of Austin and ADA. The team is currently working with the City of Austin on its first mainstream housing development of 3D-printed homes for developer 3Strands.

Can you print two-story buildings?

The current technology is focused on single-story structures. We look forward to future advancements and delivering multi-story projects.

How long was ICON working on 3D printing before printing the first home in Austin, TX?

The team was tinkering for 2-3 years before forming the company, and then was actively in stealth mode for about a year creating the Vulcan construction system, which was unveiled during SXSW in March 2018. The next generation of the Vulcan construction system was unveiled in March 2019 and began printing homes summer 2019.

When was the first prototype home created and how long did it take?

In March 2018, the first permitted, 3D printed house was created in ~47 hours of total printing time spread across several days. The 350 square-foot home is located in Austin, TX. The home served as a proof-of-concept and was created in partnership with the housing non-profit, New Story. New Story and ICON broke ground on the first 3D printed community in the world in late summer 2019 in Tabasco, Mexico.

Is the Vulcan printer for sale?

We’re glad you’re interested in the future of homebuilding and considering a 3D-printed home. We are working hard to make more printers as fast as we can. We are working with strategic partners to deliver specific projects and continuing to further the advancements of the technology stack. We will keep everyone posted as there is new information to share.

When can we purchase 3D printed homes by ICON?

In March 2020, developer 3Strands, announced America's first 3D-printed homes for sale marking it the first multi-home mainstream housing development project leveraging ICON's proprietary 3D printing technology to construct the two to four bedrooms homes.

In the future, we hope to see ICON’s technology stack of robotics, software and advanced material in the hands of many developers, architects, builders and organizations. At this time, we are working with a handful of strategic partners to deliver big projects both domestically and internationally and continuing to iterate on the technology.

How long does it take to 3D print a home using ICON’s technology?

Currently we have printed homes ranging from 400-500 square feet using the Vulcan 3D printer for homes, with each home taking around 24 hours spread across several days to complete the full wall system. We have printed three homes at a time, simultaneously, in Austin, TX and two at a time, simultaneously, in Mexico, which further increases the speed in which we can deliver homes.

What controls the Vulcan printer? How many people are needed to 3D print a house?

The ICON team communicates with the printer via an ICON developed app for mobile devices such as a tablet or smartphone.

Past and current projects require around 3-4 people for an average print job including 1-2 on the printer system and 1-2 on the Magma system.

What is the process from start to finish of 3D printing a home?

Once the foundation has been poured and cured, the ICON team affixes two rails to the edge of the foundation. The Vulcan, a mobile, gantry-style 3D printer, arrives and rolls off the truck and onto the slab. The team completes a few software checks, gets the material ready via the Magma material delivery system and then begins to extrude layer by layer to deliver the full wall system of the home. The printer is operated with an ICON developed app for mobile devices such as a tablet or smartphone.

There are others who are working on 3D printing homes. What are the particular strengths of ICON?

ICON's proven 3D printing technology provides safer, more resilient homes that are designed to withstand fire, flood, wind, and other natural disasters better than conventionally built homes and that can be built in a matter of weeks.

Our technology works reliably enough for us to begin taking on numerous customers and projects across social housing, disaster relief housing and mainstream housing developments, in addition to developing construction systems to create infrastructure and habitats on the Moon and eventually Mars with NASA.
We have a conviction about the advantages of “site printing” a house as opposed to printing in a warehouse or printing pieces for assembly later.
We believe the gantry-style architecture of the printer is the fastest, most reliable, and easiest to control approach to 3D printing one and two story buildings.
Our proprietary, advanced material “Lavacrete” has been able to pass every structural test we have put it through so far. This means our homes will be safe for people to live in and resilient to the varieties of conditions where we may deploy this technology.
We have people living in 3D-printed homes by ICON since summer 2020.

What material is used in your 3D-printed homes and structures?

We developed a proprietary formula that is unique for our current and future printing projects that we’ve dubbed “Lavacrete.” Lavacrete is a combination of Portland cement, fillers, and supplementary cementitious materials (SCM’s) along with “advanced additives” intended to help it survive extreme weather.

Why is 3D printing the most appropriate technology for addressing affordability and building performance in construction?

Conventional construction is slow, fragmented, wasteful, and has poor thermal properties which increase energy use, increase operating costs, and decrease comfort. Also, conventional materials like drywall and particle board are some of the least resilient materials ever invented. By contrast, 3D printing offers the following:

Speed
Decrease in manual labor
Concrete is a well understood, affordable, resilient material
Concrete has a high thermal mass (comfort & energy efficiency)
3D printing produces a continuous, unbroken thermal envelope (comfort & energy efficiency)
Replaces multiple systems of the home in one technology (foundation, structure, insulation, interior & exterior sheathing, moisture barrier, finished surfaces, etc.)
Near zero waste
Tremendous design freedom (curves and slopes are no more challenging or expensive than straight, plumb lines).

What category of 3D printing are you using? Is this under ICON IP? Or is this a material innovation?

The Vulcan is a gantry-style printer on rails. We have several patents pending in hardware, software, process, and materials.

What distinguishes this printer from other 3D printers?

The ease of operation, the commitment to site-printing, it’s size and speed, the level and sophistication of the automations, and the safety features.

What are the technical specs of the Vulcan?

Total Height: 11.5 feet

Print Height: 8.5 feet

Total Width: 33 feet

Print Width: 28 feet

Length: effectively infinite

Weight: 3800 lbs

Operating Horizontal Speed: 5-7 linear inches per second

Nominal Power: 16 kW

Peak Power: 35kW

Voltage: 230/240 V single phase

Water Requirements: 2 GPM

Software: Tablet-based controls

Size of operating crew: 3-4 people

Printing Material Mixing & Pumping: ICON Magma System

Standard print bead: 1" tall, 2" wide

Required Concrete: ICON Lavacrete (proprietary mixture)

What accolades has ICON received?

TIME Magazine's 'Best Inventions of 2018' and TIME100 Next list featuring Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO

Forbes '30 Under 30' featuring Alex Le Roux, co-founder and CTO

Fast Company ‘World’s Most Innovative Companies' for 2019, 2020, and 2021

Red Dot Design Award 2021

Fast Company 'World Changing Ideas' General Excellence 2020

Fast Company ‘Innovation By Design’ 2019, 2020, 2021

Popular Science 'Best of What's New/Best Innovations of 2018'

MIT's 'Innovators Under 35' featuring Alex Le Roux

Edison Awards finalist for 2019

SXSW Pitch Award - Social Good category 2018

What work is ICON doing for off-world construction?

Since its founding, ICON has been thinking about off-world construction and its natural progression around the ways additive construction and 3D printing can create a better future for humanity.

In October 2020, ICON announced it had been awarded a government Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract including funding from NASA to begin research and development of a space-based construction system that could support future exploration of the Moon. ICON will also dedicated a division of the company to focus on space.

In fall 2020, ICON delivered the world’s first 3D-printed rocket pad designed by students from around the country. NASA and the student team conducted static fire with a rocket motor on the first 3D printed rocket launch pad outside of Austin, TX in March 2021.

Recently, ICON competed 3D printing the first simulated Mars surface habitat for NASA designed by renowned architecture firm BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group. Located at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, Mars Dune Alpha will aid in long-duration science missions.

ICON + New Story + ECHALE Unveil First Homes in 3D-Printed Community

Located in Tabasco, Mexico, the homes will be granted to local families currently living in extreme poverty and makeshift, unsafe shelter. The resilient, 500 sq ft homes were each 3D-printed using ICON’s robotics, software and advanced material.

New Story, the nonprofit pioneering solutions to end global homelessness announced that the world’s first 3D-printed community is officially underway and they have revealed the first set of homes in Mexico. The resilient, 500 sq ft homes were each 3D printed in around 24 hours of print time across several days by ICON, a construction technologies company, and feature final construction build out by ÉCHALE, New Story’s nonprofit partner in Mexico.

The built-to-last homes located in Tabasco, Mexico will be granted to local families currently living in extreme poverty and makeshift, unsafe shelter. The community of 3D-printed homes will contain 50 homes in total.

After 18 months in planning, New Story and ICON have completed the first two printed homes in a remote part of Mexico. The 3D printer for homes, called the Vulcan II, is designed to work under the constraints that are common in rural locations, but the journey has not been easy. Power can be unpredictable and local rainfall has often flooded access roads to the construction site. This printer, designed to tackle housing shortages for vulnerable populations, is the first of its kind.

The 3D-printed homes feature two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bath. Co-designed with feedback from the families who will live in them, the homes have been created to meet the specific needs of the community. Resting within a seismic zone, the community and its homes were engineered above the standard safety requirements including robust foundations to ensure the homes will last for generations.

New Story is a nonprofit serving families in need of shelter. Since their founding just five years ago, the team has built more than 2,700 homes, serving over 15,000 people, using traditional construction methods across Haiti, El Salvador, Bolivia, and Mexico. In the last two years, they’ve spent thousands of hours and millions of dollars developing innovative solutions and R&D to help build homes better and faster for the global social housing sector.

The partnership with ICON and use of the 3D printing technology allows New Story to impact more families faster, while simultaneously improving quality and design flexibility. The hope is that this catalytic R&D project will influence the sector as a whole. Through the technology, software, and advanced material, the teams will learn, iterate, and then share the learnings with other nonprofits and governments to help everyone improve and reach families faster.

The families who will live in this community have been preselected and will move in upon community completion. Families are selected based on need; in this community, the median family income per month is $76.50, some of the lowest-income families in Mexico as a whole. When surveyed, 74% of families stated they do not feel safe in their current living conditions and that this greatly affects their quality of life. New Story has partnered with local government officials to survey over 500 families in the area. The families selected for this community are the 50 families with the greatest financial and physical need. The majority of the families in this area are from an indigenous population that has historically been left out of government programs.

Through partnership with the local government, the 3D-printed community is to be part of a larger community plan for the overall municipal area. The families will have access to green spaces, parks, community amenities, and basic utilities through this master plan provided by the local government. Through New Story’s partnership with the local government, families were invited to speak into the master plan for the area.

See the project in action: 3D Printed Homes - Mexico

How much does a 3D printer cost?

3D printing is a one-stop solution for a wide range of applications, from high-resolution model production to rapid prototyping, rapid tooling for traditional manufacturing processes, production of aids and end-use models.

However, when you consider investing in a 3D printer, the viability of a solution usually boils down to a simple question: Is it cost-effective for your business? How much does a 3D printer cost and how much time and money can it save your business?

3D printer prices range from $200 to $500,000 depending on the printing process, materials, and complexity of the solution.

In this guide, we'll break down 3D printing costs by technology, compare outsourcing versus in-house manufacturing, list factors to consider when calculating the cost of each model, and look at what else to look for when comparing different solutions. for 3D printing and other production methods.

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The three most well-known plastic 3D printing technologies today are Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS).

Each technology has its advantages and disadvantages - take a look at the infographic:

Download this high resolution infographic here. Interested in learning more about FDM, SLA and SLS 3D printing technologies? Check out our detailed guide.

Prices for 3D printers have dropped significantly in recent years, and today all three technologies are available in compact, low cost systems.

FDM generally produces models at a lower cost if you only print relatively simple prototypes in limited numbers. SLA technology offers higher resolution and quality, as well as a wide choice of 3D printing materials at a slightly higher price. But this difference is quickly offset when you print complex designs or larger batches due to the less labor-intensive post-processing process. Finally, SLS technology is the most cost effective for medium to high volume production of high quality functional models.

Comparing the total cost of different 3D printers by price alone will not give you a complete picture of how the cost of a 3D printer and a printed model will compare. The cost of 3D printing materials and labor significantly affects the cost of a model, depending on the application and your production needs.

Let's look at the different factors and costs for each process.

FDM, also known as Fused Filament Manufacturing (FFF), is a printing method where the parts of a model are made by melting and extruding a thermoplastic filament, which a printer nozzle applies layer by layer onto the model being made.

FDM is the most popular form of consumer grade 3D printing, fueled by the proliferation of hobbyist 3D printers. However, professional and industrial FDM printers are also popular among professionals.

The cheapest 3D printers are FDM printers. DIY kits for FDM 3D printers start at $200. However, most of these models are more like toys or DIY projects that require a significant amount of time to build, set up and calibrate. The quality of the print largely depends on the success of these operations. In addition, machines require repairs and regular maintenance to keep them working, so they are more suitable for people with a higher engineering education who have a lot of time and patience.

Hobbyist FDM 3D printers cost between $500 and $1,500, come pre-assembled or unassembled, require less setup, but have the same disadvantages as the cheapest 3D printers. More expensive models are capable of large print volumes and work with a wide variety of materials besides low temperature ones such as PLA.

Professional 3D FDM printers start at $2,500 and large format professional FDM printers are available from $4,000. The cost of the most modern industrial FDM printers can exceed 10,000 US dollars. Most of these printers come pre-assembled and calibrated in the box, or they can be automatically calibrated. Printers in this category offer better print quality, a wider range of media, higher print volumes, improved reliability, and ease of use and maintenance. In addition, professional 3D printer manufacturers offer customer support services for troubleshooting.

Material costs for FDM 3D printing range from $50 to $150/kg for most standard and engineering filaments, and $100 to $200/kg for auxiliary materials. There are also cheaper alternatives, but they are of lower quality.

In addition, FDM printing can be very labor intensive. Successful printing of complex models requires support structures that must be removed manually or dissolved in water. To obtain a high quality surface and remove layer lines, lengthy manual post-processing of models, such as sanding, is necessary.

SLA 3D printers use the process of photopolymerization, that is, the conversion of liquid polymers into hardened plastic using a laser. SLA is one of the most popular processes among professionals due to its high resolution, accuracy and material versatility.

Models printed on SLA printers have the highest precision, sharpest detail and smoothest surface possible of any plastic 3D printing technology. But the main advantage of the SLA method is its versatility. SLA polymers have a wide range of optical, mechanical and thermal properties that match those of standard, engineering and industrial thermoplastics.

SLA 3D printers can handle a wide range of resin materials for a wide variety of applications.

SLA used to be used only in large and complex industrial 3D printers costing over $200,000, but the process is now much more affordable. With the Formlabs Form 3+ Printer, businesses can now use industrial quality SLA printing for as little as $3,750. With Form 3L, large format SLA printing starts at just $11,000.

Stereolithographic 3D printers will be shipped in a box assembled and calibrated. These are professional tools that are highly reliable and require virtually no maintenance. Technical support is also always available. It provides troubleshooting in a critical situation (but its probability is extremely small).

Most standard and engineered polymers for SLA technology cost between $149 and $200 per liter.

SLA printers are easy to use and many workflow steps such as rinsing and final curing can be automated to reduce labor costs. Printed models have a high quality surface immediately after printing and require only simple post-processing to remove supporting structures.

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) 3D printers use a high power laser to sinter fine polymer powder particles. The unsprayed powder supports the model during printing and eliminates the need for special support structures. This makes SLS ideal for complex geometries, including internal features, grooves, thin walls, and negative taper.

Models produced using SLS printing have excellent mechanical characteristics - their strength can be compared with the strength of injection molded parts. As a result, SLS technology is the most popular plastic 3D printing process for industrial applications.

SLS printed nylon models are ideal for a range of functional applications, from consumer product design to healthcare applications.

Like SLA, SLS was previously only available in large format, complex 3D printing systems costing $200,000 or more. With the Formlabs Fuse 1 stereolithography printer, businesses can now solve industrial-scale tasks with SLS technology starting at $18,500. The complete kit, which includes the post-processing and powder recovery system, costs $31,845.

As with SLA printers, stereolithographic printers are shipped assembled and calibrated in the box. They are reliable and can operate 24/7. The package includes in-depth training and fast technical support.

SLS nylon print materials cost about US$100/kg. SLS does not require supporting structures and unused powder can be reused, reducing material costs.

SLS is the least labor-intensive plastic 3D printing process in the production environment, because the printed models are of high quality right away, and to remove excess powder, they simply need to be cleaned.

There are several processes for 3D printing not only plastics but also metals.

Metal FDM printers are similar in design to traditional FDM printers, but use extruded metal rods held together by a resin binder. The finished parts of the model are sintered in an oven to remove the binder.

SLM and DMLS printers are similar to SLS printers, but instead of polymer powders, they fuse metal powder particles layer by layer using a laser. 3D printers based on SLM and DMLS technologies can create strong, precise and complex metal products, making this process ideal for the aerospace, automotive and medical industries.

Prices for metal 3D printers have also begun to decline, ranging from $100,000 to $1 million today. However, these systems are still out of reach for most businesses.

SLA 3D printing is available as an alternative for casting workflows that allow metal models to be produced cheaper and faster than traditional methods and provide greater design freedom.

Technical report

Get design guides for 3D printing samples, see the step-by-step direct investment casting process, and study guides for indirect investment casting and sand casting.

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Different plastic and metal 3D printing processes have unique qualities that make them suitable for different applications. Below is a comparison of different printing technologies.

	Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)	Stereolithography (SLA)	Selective Laser Sintering (SLS)	Metal FDM Printing	Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Direct Metal Sintering (19008) 9008
Permission	★☆	★ opa ★ ution	★ opa	★cle	★cle ★ MyQUTION
SUMPLE	1112 HICE	★ opa ☆	1111111 ☆☆☆	1 ☆	★ opa
Ease of use	x 300 x 600 mm (Desktop and Workshop 3D printers)	Up to ~300 x 335 x 200 mm (Desktop and Workshop 3D printers)	Up to 165 x 165 x 300 mm (3D - workshop printers)	Up to 300 x 200 x 200 mm	Up to 400 x 400 x 400 mm
Price range	DIY kits for 3D printers start at $200 and hobby printers cost $500-1500. Professional 3D FDM printers start at $2,500, while large format professional FDM printers are available from $4,000.	Professional desktop printers start at $3,750 and high-volume large format desktop printers are available from $11,000.	Workshop industrial printers start at $18,500 and traditional industrial printers start at $100,000.	Metal FDM printers start at $100,000, but complete solutions including an oven are much more expensive.	DMLS/SLM solutions start at around $200,000. These printers require special infrastructure conditions, which can further increase costs.
Cost of materials	US$50-150/kg for most standard and engineering yarns and US$100-200/kg for auxiliary materials.	US$50-150/L for most standard and engineering polymers.	US$100/kg for nylon. SLS does not require supporting structures and unused powder can be reused, reducing material costs.	Depends on material and technology. Significantly higher than plastic.	Depends on material and technology. Significantly higher than plastic.
Labor	Manual removal of support structures (soluble support structures may be used in some cases). Long post-processing is required to obtain a high quality surface.	Washing and final polymerization (both can be automated). Simple post-processing to remove supporting structures.	Easy cleaning to remove excess powder.	Washing and sintering (both can be automated). It is possible to use mechanical processing and other types of surface treatment.	Stress relief, support structure removal, heat treatment, and mechanical and other surface treatments.
Materials	Standard thermoplastics such as ABS, PLA and their various blends.	Various polymers (thermosetting plastics). Standard, engineering (similar to ABS and PP, similar to silicone, flexible, heat resistant, rigid), injection molding, dental and medical (biocompatible).	Engineering thermoplastics - typically nylon and its composites (nylon 12 biocompatible + sterilizable).	Stainless steel, tool steel, inconel, copper, titanium.	Stainless steel, tool steel, titanium, cobalt-chromium, copper, aluminium, nickel alloys.
Applications	Basic experimental models, low cost rapid prototyping of simple parts.	Prototypes with a high level of detail requiring close tolerances and smooth surfaces: molds, tooling, templates, medical models and functional parts.	Complex geometries, functional prototypes, low volume production or limited trial production.	Strong and durable models, tools and production aids.	Strong and durable models with complex geometries; ideal for the aerospace, automotive and medical industries.

When calculating the cost of one model, the cost of ownership of equipment, material costs and labor costs are usually taken into account. It is important to understand the factors that affect each of these cost components, as well as the questions to ask in order to evaluate alternative production methods and uncover hidden costs.

Hardware ownership costs are fixed costs: 3D printer price, service contracts, installation and maintenance. These amounts must be paid whether your printer is idle or produces dozens of models per week.

Add up all projected fixed costs over the lifetime of the equipment, then divide by the number of models you plan to make. As a rule, the higher the performance and efficiency of your 3D printer, the lower the cost of ownership of equipment per model.

In recent years, desktop 3D printers have shown excellent results in reducing the cost of ownership of equipment. With a price 10 to 100 times lower than traditional industrial 3D printers and the ability to produce thousands of models over a lifetime, the cost of ownership can be negligible.

Questions:

Are there installation, training or additional initial costs other than the cost of the machine itself?
Do I need to sign a (mandatory) service contract? What does it include?
What accessories and tools are needed to make the final models?
What kind of maintenance is required for the machine to function properly? What is the expected annual maintenance cost? Will it change with an increase in production volumes?

The 3D printing raw materials and consumables you need to create models at an affordable price. These costs largely depend on the number of models you produce.

When calculating the cost of materials, determine how much material is required to create one model, and multiply this figure by the cost of the material. Count the amount of waste and any other consumables. As production grows, the cost of ownership of equipment decreases, and the cost of 3D printing materials tends to become more balanced.

Be sure to check what materials you need to create specific models, as the cost of 3D printing consumables can vary greatly. Please note that some 3D printers only work with their proprietary materials and thus limit your ability to use third party materials.

Questions:

What is the cost of each type of 3D printing material?
How much material is required to create one particular model, including waste?
What is the shelf life of the materials?
Do I need other consumables to create models?
Can the machine work with third-party materials?

While 3D printing can replace complex traditional manufacturing methods and provide significant time savings, depending on the 3D printing technology, it can still be quite labor intensive.

Professional desktop 3D printers are generally optimized for ease of use. DIY kits for 3D printers and hobby printers often require additional effort to adjust settings, while regular maintenance or material changes on traditional industrial machines can involve time-consuming tasks that require the assistance of a skilled operator.

Post-processing workflows vary depending on the 3D printing process, but in most cases include cleaning up models and removing support structures or excess material. However, there are solutions to automate some specific tasks. For example, Formlabs Form Wash and Form Cure simplify the wash and finish process for Formlabs SLA 3D printers, while Fuse Sift offers a turnkey post-processing and powder recovery system for the Fuse 1 SLS printer.

More complex processes such as SLA and SLS do not take much time to achieve high quality models, while models printed using FDM technology require lengthy manual post-processing to improve quality and remove layer lines.

Questions:

What is the whole workflow of model production? What specific steps are required to set up printing, change materials, and post-process models?
How long does it take to post-process one specific model?
Are there any tools or devices available to automate some of these tasks?

Outsource production orders to third-party service bureaus or labs when you use 3D printing only occasionally or to make large models in non-standard materials. Typically, a bureau has several in-house 3D printing processes such as SLA, SLS, FDM, as well as metal 3D printers. They can also provide advice on a variety of materials and offer additional services such as design or improved finishes.

The main disadvantages of outsourcing are the high cost and duration of production. One of the main advantages of 3D printing is its speed compared to traditional production methods. But it is noticeably reduced if the delivery of the model produced by the involved organization takes several days or even weeks. And as demand and capacity grow, the costs of outsourcing are rising rapidly.

Desktop 3D printers are the perfect solution for fast model production. Depending on the number of parts needed and the volume of prints, the investment in a professional 3D printer can pay for itself in just a few months.

With desktop and workshop printers, you can pay for the capacity that matches your business needs and scale your production by adding more devices as demand grows, without the heavy investment of a large format 3D printer. Using multiple 3D printers also allows you to print models from different materials at the same time. But if there is a need for the production of large parts or the use of non-standard materials, service bureaus can come to the rescue.

Investment, material and labor costs are relatively easy to calculate. But what about indirect costs and hard-to-calculate factors that affect your business? Let's look at some of the main considerations when comparing a desktop 3D printer to outsourcing or other manufacturing methods.

Save time: What if you could bring products to market a few months faster? Or reduce the delivery time of your products by a few days or weeks? 3D printing simplifies traditional prototyping and manufacturing workflows, helping you save time and stay ahead of the competition.

Best results: 3D printing allows you to create more iterations, overcome failures faster and produce better end products. Early troubleshooting of a design also helps to avoid costly redesign and the use of additional tools.

Interaction: Having high-quality prototypes and models allows you to communicate more effectively with customers, clients, suppliers and other stakeholders. Avoid misunderstandings and costly mistakes.

Intellectual Property Protection: Do you work with confidential information? Making your own models means you don't have to transfer intellectual property (IP) to third parties, reducing the risk of IP leakage or theft.

Usually, calculating cost per part, lead time, and comparing alternatives to see if a solution is right for your business is a tedious task of creating a complex spreadsheet in an attempt to collect all of the often hidden information from a manufacturer.

Use our easy-to-use online tool to calculate cost per model and turnaround time when printing with a Formlabs stereolithographic 3D printer and compare time and cost savings with other manufacturing methods.

Calculate cost and time

Total Z industrial 3D printers

FDM and SLS 3D printers, drying and post-processing equipment

About company

FDM 3D printers

Industrial 3D printers Total Z PRO series

450-PRO 950-PRO

Total Z High Performance LPRO Series 3D Printers

1000-PRO-LL

Total Z G3 Series Desktop 3D Printers

250-G3 250-G3 (2X) XL250-G3(2X)

Total Z G5 Series Desktop 3D Printers

SLS 3D printers Total Z

SLS-250

Portal systems for 3D printing with granules

Total Z AnyForm FGF

Total Z machines for drying and post-processing

Total Z D5

Vacuum drying chambers

Help prepare plastic for printing. Remove moisture from hygroscopic materials. Reduce the risk of plastic "boiling", extruder breakage, deterioration of the surface quality of the product.

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Total Z MPC-310

Acetone baths

Equipment for chemical post-processing of finished objects. Helps to achieve a glossy and smooth product surface.

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Total Z UB-450; 500; 650; 950; 1200;

Ultrasonic baths

Machines for physical and chemical post-processing of models. Remove the supporting plastic from the surface of finished products. They clean the material in places inaccessible for manual processing.

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Our capabilities

The equipment complies with Russian and international standards

Consumables for printers and equipment are always in stock

We participate in R&D, cooperate with research institutes

We work with defense enterprises and government customers

Operational warranty service

Departure and training on the territory of the customer

Implemented projects by industry

Aviation industry and special products

Supply of an industrial 3D printer for the project of the MS-21 passenger aircraft of Irkut Corporation.

Supply of high-temperature 3D equipment for the laboratory of additive technologies of VIAM.

Supply of a 3D printer for printing with experimental materials for the production of the Central Institute of Aviation Motors.

Shipbuilding

Selection of samples of engineering plastic for the project of printing body elements for a shipyard.

Auto industry

Supply of equipment for 3D prototyping to the plant of the AvtoVAZ group.

Rocket and space

Supply of the first production equipment for 3D printing to the Center for Additive Technologies of JSC RCC Progress.

Foundry

Fabrication of a matrix using FDM 3D printing for the production of piece metal parts that have been discontinued or to replace parts with a long delivery time.

Education

Production of a desktop 3D printer for schoolchildren and students in collaboration with a team of developers of teaching materials for classrooms.

Electronics

Implementation of 3D equipment at the Simvol East Kazakhstan region.

Prototyping of lighting equipment for the Pyaterochka grocery store chain.

Agroprom

Complex equipping of the research agro-engineering center with equipment.

Aviation industry and special products

Supply of an industrial 3D printer for the project of the MS-21 passenger aircraft of Irkut Corporation.

Supply of high-temperature 3D equipment for the laboratory of additive technologies of VIAM.

Supply of a 3D printer for printing with experimental materials for the production of the Central Institute of Aviation Motors.

Shipbuilding

Selection of samples of engineering plastic for the project of printing body elements for a shipyard.

Auto industry

Supply of equipment for 3D prototyping to the plant of the AvtoVAZ group.

Rocket and space

Supply of the first production equipment for 3D printing to the Center for Additive Technologies of JSC RCC Progress.

Foundry

Fabrication of a matrix using FDM 3D printing for the production of piece metal parts that have been discontinued or to replace parts with a long delivery time.

Education

Production of desktop 3D printers for schoolchildren and students in collaboration with a team of developers of teaching materials for classrooms.

Electronics

Implementation of 3D equipment at the Simvol East Kazakhstan region.

Prototyping of lighting equipment for the Pyaterochka grocery store chain.

Agroprom

Complex equipping of the research agro-engineering center with equipment.

Services

3D printing

Casting

Reverse engineering

prototyping

Upcoming Events

New models of Total Z industrial 3D printing systems in Moscow at the Interplastica exhibition

Interplastica is a key event for the plastics and rubber market, which annually brings together experts from all over the world at one business platform.