Professional 3d printers prices
How much does a 3D printer cost? (2022 update)
David Durbin13 January 2022
Guide
3D printer category | Average price |
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Low-cost 3D printers | $100 - $400 |
Hobbyist 3D printers | $400 - $1,000 |
Enthusiast 3D printers | $1,000 - $3,000 |
Professional 3D printers | $3,000 - $10,000 |
Industrial 3D printer price | $10,000+ |
If you're wondering how much a 3D printer costs. Or, if a 3D printer is worth it. You're in the right place.
The good news is this: These days you can find almost any 3D printer for any budget.
And while the average 3D printer price across the market is around $400...
That average is pulled down because of the high volume of low-cost 3D printers sold.
So is it worth it to buy a 3D printer in 2022? If yes, what is the best 3D printer for the price? And are there price range “sweet spots” that you should look out for?
You can prepare yourself to answer these questions by asking yourself:
Am I looking for a hobby or a tool?
And you can get the full answers by reading below.
How much does a 3D printer cost? Low-cost 3D printer prices start from $100 to $400. Then hobbyist 3D printers will set you back by up to $1,000. The next level of enthusiast and professional 3D printer prices range between $1,000 to $10,000. After that, the sky’s the limit – with industrial 3D printer prices starting at $10,000 but quickly reaching $100,000 or $250,000 for specialist technologies.
If you're looking to find out exactly how much Ultimaker printers cost, you can request a quote to find out now.
Request a quoteDIY / Low-cost 3D printer price $100 - $400
Low-cost 3D printers are all about the novelty of the technology. They exist for newbies who want to say, "Hey – check out what I just 3D printed!" Almost all will come as kits that the buyer puts together. And while these machines might have beginner-friendly price tags... It won't be a beginner who can get them to produce a good 3D print. That's because manufacturing problems are too common to overlook. And these lead to a painful setup and user experience. Also, when asking how much does a basic 3D printer cost? This tier can save you money. But expect to pay more for modifications, upgrades, and repairs down the line. That said, if it's a choice between "having a 3D printer" and "not having a 3D printer", this tier offers the biggest bang for your buck.
The Ultimaker Original was sold as DIY 3D printer that you put together yourself
Hobbyist 3D printer price $400 - $1,000
3D printers at this price range can produce some great parts and models. But that's only after you have set them up and dialed in their settings. In this way, they are aimed at hobbyists. (People who are happy to spend time watching tutorials and tweaking settings to improve their prints.) This also limits your flexibility. Over time, you might be able to 3D print well with a basic material like PLA. But don't expect to switch filaments too easily. While these machines are often delivered as kits, manufacturing problems are less common.
Enthusiast / Prosumer 3D printer price $1,000 - $3,000
Up until this price range, almost all the 3D printers will have had an open design. But now you will begin to see more partially and fully enclosed printers that increase safety and print reliability. This also marks the end of the hobbyist range. And the start of 3D printing becoming a useful production tool. Therefore, the enthusiast and prosumer category is great for lower and higher education customers who want to avoid spending time on maintenance. Plus, they present a smart option to 3D print cheaply at home. These machines can 3D print a handful of materials with good reliability. However, these will often be own-brand filaments with carefully tweaked settings. The best enthusiast 3D printers include hardware and software features taken from the professional 3D printer price tier. On which note...
Safer, more reliable, and low maintenance – Enthusiast 3D printers are a great option for schools
Professional 3D printer price $3,000 - $10,000
A lot changes at this price point. Instead of being a technology to tweak and adjust, these 3D printers focus on easy use and adoption. They become one tool among many in an engineer's or designer's toolbox – giving a growing number of businesses a new way to innovate. And that's why, at this price point, FFF 3D printing is at its most disruptive. The only way this can happen is for the 3D printer to work – and for it to work hard. Expect a factory-tested machine that you can leave running over the weekend and come back to a finished part on Monday morning. Plus, prints start being repeatable. For example, if you 3D print the same part on the same printer in two or more locations...the part quality should be almost identical. The user also has more flexibility. You can choose to print with a build material and a support material in the same print (called dual extrusion), offering more design freedom. And you gain a growing range of engineering-grade material options. These can include materials reinforced with carbon fiber or even metal.
Professional 3D printers are workhorse tools for an increasing number of engineers and designers
Industrial 3D printer price $10,000+
3D printers that cost tens or hundreds of thousands are made to do a few things at a high level of quality. This includes production technology for specific materials, like high-temperature polymers or metal. 3D printing these materials with a high success rate often requires you to stay within a manufacturer's material portfolio and software stack. If you are in the market for an enterprise-level machine, this will rarely be the first 3D printer your company buys. And you will know what's required to make the investment: a strong business case, competitor analysis, and a purchase order. You or your company may be happy to pay extra for increased speed, accuracy, and reliability. But also know that, the higher you go in this price bracket, the more you chase diminishing returns.
Is a 3D printer worth it?
These five price tiers cover the majority of 3D printers sold today.
If you consider 3D printing as a hobby, 3D printing successfully will largely be paid for with your time and patience. If 3D printing needs to be a tool for you, then you will pay extra for a user experience that saves time and attention.
But it's also in this second category where 3D printing offers significant business value. And the right 3D printer can end up paying for itself with substantial time and cost savings.
The total cost of 3D printing
Finding the best 3D printer for the price, then, is not only about the machine you buy. The picture is bigger than just the initial price tag.
It's also about the software, accessories, materials, and service that go with it. Together, these contribute to an easy-to-use, time and cost-saving 3D printing experience.
The Ultimaker platform creates a seamless flow between hardware, software, and materials
For example, every Ultimaker 3D printer works seamlessly with Ultimaker Cura, which is updated every few months. They also ship with a suite of free online tools and e-learning courses. Together these resources transform your ability to click-and-print with up to 239 materials.
So it's no surprise that hundreds of leading companies – from Ford to L'Oréal – 3D print day and night with the Ultimaker platform to drive innovation and sustain their competitive advantage.
If you would like to do the same, click below to find out more.
Discover Ultimaker 3D printers
How Much Does a 3D Printer Cost?
In-house 3D printing is a versatile solution for a wide range of applications, from high-resolution models to rapid prototyping, rapid tooling for traditional production processes, manufacturing aids, and even end-use parts in manufacturing.
When you consider investing in a 3D printer, however, viability typically boils down to a simple question: does it make economic sense for your business? How much does a 3D printer cost and how much time and cost can you actually save with it for your business?
3D printer prices range from about $200 to $500,000+ depending on the printing process, materials, and the level of sophistication of the 3D printing solution.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the 3D printing costs for different technologies, compare outsourcing with in-house production, lay out the various factors you should account for to calculate cost per part, and look at considerations beyond cost when comparing various 3D printing solutions and other production methods.
Interactive
Try our interactive ROI tool to see how much time and cost you can save when 3D printing on Formlabs 3D printers.
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The three most established plastic 3D printing processes today are fused deposition modeling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), and selective laser sintering (SLS).
Each 3D printing technology has its pros and cons—here's an infographic for a quick comparison:
Download the high-resolution version of this infographic here. Would you like to learn more about FDM, SLA, and SLS 3D printing technologies? Check out our in-depth guide.
3D printer prices have dropped significantly in recent years, and today, all three technologies are available in compact, affordable systems.
As a rule of thumb, FDM 3D printers will create the cheapest parts if you’re printing only relatively simple prototypes in limited numbers. SLA resin 3D printers offer higher resolution, better quality, and a wide variety of 3D printing materials at a slight premium, but the difference quickly diminishes when you print complex designs or larger batches due to the less labor-intensive post-processing. Lastly, SLS 3D printing is the most cost-effective process for producing medium to large volumes of high-quality functional parts.
Comparing the overall cost of different 3D printers goes beyond sticker prices -- these won’t tell you the full story of how much a 3D printer costs and how much your printed part will cost. 3D printing material and labor costs have a significant influence on cost per part, depending on the application and your production needs.
Let’s look at all the different factors and costs for each process.
FDM, also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF), is a printing method that builds parts by melting and extruding thermoplastic filament, which a printer nozzle deposits layer by layer in the build area.
FDM is the most widely used form of 3D printing at the consumer level, fueled by the emergence of hobbyist 3D printers. Professional and industrial FDM printers are, however, also popular with professionals.
The lowest cost 3D printers are almost exclusively FDM printers. Prices for the cheapest entry-level DIY FDM 3D printer kits start at around $200. However, most of these models are more like toys or DIY projects themselves that require you to spend a considerable amount of time assembling, tweaking, and calibrating the printer. Print quality is highly dependent on the success of these steps and still, these machines will require you to do repairs and regular maintenance to keep them running, so they are only recommended for anyone with an (in progress) engineering degree and lots of time and patience.
Hobbyist FDM 3D printers which cost around $500-$1,500 might come as a kit or assembled, require slightly less tweaking, but they still share much of the same disadvantages as the lowest-cost 3D printers. Some models closer to the top of this range will offer bigger build volumes and also more material options beyond low-temperature materials like PLA.
Professional FDM 3D printers start around $2,500, and large-format professional FDM printers start around $4,000, while the most advanced industrial FDM printers can easily cost more than $10,000. Most of these printers will come assembled and calibrated out of the box, or they can auto-calibrate themselves. Printers in this category offer better print quality, a wider range of materials, larger build volumes, better reliability, and are easier to use and maintain. Unlike lower-cost printers, manufacturers of professional 3D printers also offer customer support to troubleshoot issues.
Regarding materials, FDM 3D printing material costs range from around $50 to $150/kg for most standard and engineering filaments and $100-200/kg for support materials. Cheaper alternatives might be available, but once again, with a trade-off in terms of quality.
Lastly, FDM printing can be highly labor-intensive. Many designs, especially complex models, require support structures for successful printing, which need to be removed manually or by dissolving the structures in case of soluble supports. To obtain a high-quality finish and remove layer lines, parts require lengthy manual post-processing, such as sanding.
SLA 3D printers use a laser to cure liquid resin into hardened plastic in a process called photopolymerization. SLA is one of the most popular processes among professionals due to its high resolution, precision, and material versatility.
SLA parts have the highest accuracy, the clearest details, and the smoothest surface finish of all plastic 3D printing technologies, but the main benefit of SLA lies in its versatility. SLA resin formulations offer a wide range of optical, mechanical, and thermal properties to match those of standard, engineering, and industrial thermoplastics.
SLA 3D printing offers a wide range of materials for a variety of applications.
While SLA technology used to be available only in large, complex industrial 3D printers that cost more than $200,000, the process has become much more accessible. With the Formlabs Form 3+ printer, businesses now have access to industrial-quality SLA for just $3,750. Large-format SLA with the Form 3L starts at just $11,000.
SLA 3D printers will come assembled and calibrated out of the box. They’re professional tools that are reliable also for production and require barely any maintenance. Customer support is also readily available to troubleshoot issues in the unlikely event that something goes wrong.
In terms of material costs, SLA resins cost around $149-$200/L for most standard and engineering resins.
SLA printers are easy to use and many steps of the workflow like washing and post-curing can be mostly automated to reduce labor needs. Printed parts have a high-quality finish right off the printer and require only simple post-processing to remove support marks.
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SLS 3D printers use a high-powered laser to fuse small particles of polymer powder. The unfused powder supports the part during printing and eliminates the need for dedicated support structures, which makes SLS ideal for complex geometries, including interior features, undercuts, thin walls, and negative features.
Parts produced with SLS printing have excellent mechanical characteristics, with strength resembling that of injection-molded parts. As a result, SLS is the most common plastic 3D printing process for industrial applications.
SLS nylon parts are ideal for a range of functional applications, from engineering consumer products to healthcare.
Just like SLA, SLS used to be only available in large-format, complex 3D printing systems starting at about $200,000. With Formlabs’s Fuse 1 SLS printer, businesses can now access industrial SLS starting from $18,500, and $29,743 for a complete setup that includes a post-processing and powder recovery system.
Also similar to SLA printers, SLS printers will come assembled and calibrated out of the box. They are reliable and developed for 24/7 production, and come with advanced training and fast customer support.
Nylon materials for SLS printing cost around $100/kg. SLS requires no support structures, and unfused powder can be reused, which lowers material costs.
SLS is the least labor-intensive plastic 3D printing process in a production setting as parts have great quality right out of the printer and require only simple cleaning to remove excess powder.
Beyond plastics, there are multiple 3D printing processes available for metal 3D printing.
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Metal FDM
Metal FDM printers work similarly to traditional FDM printers, but extrude metal rods held together by polymer binders. The finished “green” parts are then sintered in a furnace to remove the binder.
SLM and DMLS printers work similarly to SLS printers, but fuse metal powder particles together layer by layer using a laser instead of polymers. SLM and DMLS 3D printers can create strong, accurate, and complex metal products, making this process ideal for aerospace, automotive, and medical applications.
While metal 3D printer prices have also begun to decrease, with costs ranging from $100,000 to $1 million, these systems are still not accessible to most businesses.
Alternatively, SLA 3D printing is well-suited for casting workflows that produce metal parts at a lower cost, with greater design freedom, and in less time than traditional methods.
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The various plastic and metal 3D printing processes have unique qualities that make them suitable for different applications. Here's a quick breakdown.
Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) | Stereolithography (SLA) | Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) | Metal FDM | Selective Laser Melting (SLM) and Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Resolution | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Accuracy | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
Surface Finish | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Throughput | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ |
Complex Designs | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ |
Ease of Use | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Build Volume | Up to 300 x 300 x 600 mm (desktop and benchtop 3D printers) | Up to 300 x 335 x 200 mm (desktop and benchtop 3D printers) | Up to 165 x 165 x 300 mm (benchtop industrial 3D printers) | Up to 300 x 200 x 200mm | Up to 400 x 400 x 400 mm |
Price Range | DIY printers 3D printer kits start around $200, hobbyist printers range from $500-$1,500. Professional FDM 3D printers start around $2,500, and large-format professional FDM printers start around $4,000. | Professional desktop printers start at $3,750, large-format benchtop printers offer a bigger build volume for $11,000. | Benchtop industrial SLS systems start at $18,500, and traditional industrial printers are available from $100,000. | Metal FDM printers start from $100,000, but the full solution that includes a furnace goes well beyond that. | DMLS/SLM solutions start around $200,000. These printers also come with stringent facility requirements which may increase the costs further. |
Material Costs | $50-$150/kg for most standard and engineering filaments, and $100-200/kg for support materials. | $149-$200/L for most standard and engineering resins. | $100/kg for nylon. SLS requires no support structures, and unfused powder can be reused, which lowers material costs. | Depends on the material and the technology. Significantly higher than plastics. | Depends on the material and the technology. Significantly higher than plastics. |
Labor Needs | Manual support removal (can be simplified in some cases with soluble supports). Lengthy post-processing is required for a high-quality finish. | Washing and post-curing (both can be mostly automated). Simple post-processing to remove support marks. | Simple cleaning to remove excess powder. | Washing and sintering (both can be mostly automated). Optionally machining and other surface treatments. | Stress relief, support removal, heat treatment, as well as machining, and other surface treatments. |
Materials | Standard thermoplastics, such as ABS, PLA, and their various blends. | Varieties of resin (thermosetting plastics). Standard, engineering (ABS-like, PP-like, silicone-like, flexible, heat-resistant, rigid), castable, dental, and medical (biocompatible). | Engineering thermoplastics, typically nylon and its composites (nylon 12 is biocompatible + compatible with sterilization). | Stainless steel, tool steel, inconel, copper, titanium. | Stainless steel, tool steel, titanium, cobalt chrome, copper, aluminum, nickel alloys. |
Ideal applications | Basic proof-of-concept models, low-cost prototyping of simple parts. | Highly detailed prototypes requiring tight tolerances and smooth surfaces, molds, tooling, patterns, medical models, and functional parts. | Complex geometries, functional prototypes, short-run or bridge manufacturing. | Strong and durable parts, tooling, and manufacturing aids. | Strong, durable parts with complex geometries; ideal for aerospace, automotive, and medical applications. |
Calculating cost per part requires accounting for the costs of equipment ownership, material, and labor. It’s helpful to understand the factors that influence each of these cost components, and the questions to ask to evaluate alternative production methods and uncover hidden costs.
Fixed costs, such as the 3D printer cost, service contracts, installation, and maintenance, together make up the equipment ownership cost. These expenses occur regardless of whether your 3D printer stands idle or produces dozens of parts a week.
Distribute equipment ownership costs over individual parts by adding up all of the forecasted fixed costs over the lifetime of the machine and divide the sum by the number of parts that it is expected to produce. As a rule of thumb, the higher the productivity and utilization of your 3D printer, the lower the equipment ownership cost on a per-part basis.
Desktop 3D printers have achieved tremendous progress in recent years in lowering equipment ownership costs. With a price point 10-100 times lower than traditional industrial 3D printers and the capability to produce thousands of parts over their lifetime, the equipment ownership cost can become negligible.
Questions to ask:
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Are there installation, training, or further initial expenses beside the cost of the machine?
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Is there a (mandatory) service contract? What does it include?
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Beyond the machine, what accessories and tools are required to create final parts?
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What are the maintenance needs of the machine within the normal range of activity? What’s the expected annual cost of maintenance? How does it change if production levels rise?
Raw 3D printing materials and other consumables required to create parts are variable costs. These costs are highly dependent on the number of parts you’re producing.
Measure material cost by calculating the amount of 3D printing material that’s required to create a single part, and multiply it by the cost of the material. Calculate in waste and any other consumables that are needed. While equipment ownership costs decrease as production grows, material costs for 3D printing tend to flatten out quickly.
Make sure to clarify what materials you’ll need to create the given parts, as the cost of consumables for 3D printing varies. Also note that some 3D printers only work with proprietary materials, and thus limit your third-party material options.
Questions to ask:
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What is the cost of each type of 3D printing material?
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How much material is required to create a given part, including waste?
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What’s the shelf life of the materials?
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Are there other consumables required to create the parts?
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Can the machine work with third-party materials?
While 3D printing can replace the complex workflows of traditional manufacturing methods and lead to substantial time savings, depending on the 3D printing technology, it can still be a fairly labor-intensive process.
Professional desktop 3D printers are generally optimized for ease of use. DIY 3D printers and hobbyist printers often require more tinkering to get the settings dialed in, whereas regular maintenance or changing materials on traditional industrial machines can involve time-consuming tasks that require a skilled operator.
Post-processing workflows vary by 3D printing process, but in most cases include cleaning parts and removing supports or excess material. There are solutions to automate some of these tasks; for example, Formlabs Form Wash and Form Cure simplify the washing and post-curing workflow for Formlabs SLA 3D printers, and Fuse Sift offers a turnkey post-processing and powder recovery system for the Fuse 1 SLS printer.
To achieve high-quality parts, more advanced processes like SLA and SLS don’t require time-consuming steps, but FDM parts will need lengthy manual post-processing to improve the quality and remove layer lines.
Questions to ask:
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What is the entire workflow for producing parts? What are the specific steps required to set up a print, change materials, and post-process parts?
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How much time does it take to post-process a given part?
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Are there any tools or devices available to automate some of these tasks?
Outsourcing production to service bureaus or labs is recommended when you require 3D printing only occasionally, and for parts that are large or call for non-standard materials. Bureaus generally have several 3D printing processes in-house such as SLA, SLS, FDM, and metal 3D printers. They can also provide advice on various materials and offer value-added services such as design or advanced finishing.
The main downsides of outsourcing are cost and lead time. One of the greatest benefits of 3D printing is its speed compared to traditional manufacturing methods, which quickly diminishes when an outsourced part takes multiple days or even weeks to arrive. With growing demand and production, outsourcing also rapidly becomes expensive.
Desktop 3D printers are great when you need parts quickly. Depending on the number of parts and printing volume, investment into a professional 3D printer can break even within months.With desktop and benchtop machines, you can pay for just as much capacity as your business needs, and scale production by adding extra units as demand grows without making a significant investment in a large-format 3D printer. By using multiple 3D printers, you also get the flexibility to print parts in different materials simultaneously. Service bureaus can still supplement this flexible workflow for larger parts or unconventional materials.
Try our interactive 3D printing ROI calculator to see how much time and cost you can save when 3D printing on Formlabs 3D printers compared to outsourcing.
Investment, materials, and labor costs are relatively easy to calculate. But what about indirect costs and factors that are hard to quantify, but still influence your business? Let’s look at some of the key considerations when comparing desktop 3D printing to outsourcing or other production methods.
Time savings: What if you could bring products to market months faster? Or cut the lead time for your products by days or weeks? 3D printing simplifies traditional prototyping and production workflows, helping you to save time and outpace the competition.
Better results: 3D printing allows you to create more iterations, fail faster, and achieve better end products. Finding and fixing design flaws early also helps to avoid costly design revisions and tooling changes in production.
Communication: Having high-quality prototypes and parts allows you to better communicate with customers, clients, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Avoid confusion and costly mistakes.
IP protection: Do you work with sensitive information? Creating parts in-house means you won’t have to give away intellectual property (IP) to third parties, reducing the risks of leaks or IP theft.
Calculating cost per part, lead time, and comparing alternatives to figure out if a solution makes sense for your business would normally be the strenuous task of creating an elaborate spreadsheet and trying to gather all of the—often hidden—information from a manufacturer.
To skip this hassle, try our simple, interactive 3D printing cost calculator to calculate 3D printing cost and lead time on Formlabs 3D printers, and to compare time and cost savings to other production methods.
Calculate Cost and Time Savings
Desktop 3D printers for the home
Anet Anycubic Creality3D CreatBot Dremel Elegoo Felix FlashForge FLSUN Flying Bear Formlabs IBRIDGER imprinta MakerBot Peopoly Phrozen PICASO 3D QIDI Raise3D Tiertime Ultimaker Uniz Voxelab wanhao XYZPrinting ZENIT Zortrax
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Phrozen Raise3D Creality wanhao FlashForge
PICASO 3D Anycubic Formlabs Tiertime Flyingbear QIDI Uniz CreatBot Dremel DigiLab Felix Zortrax XYZprinting Ultimaker imprinta Elegoo MakerBot Anet FLSUN iBridger Peopoly snapmaker Voltera Voxelab ZENIT nine0003
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Architecture For large objects For beginners The medicine Education
Orthopedics Production prototyping Reverse engineering Advertising, exhibitions Sculpture Dentistry Hobby jewelry nine0003
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Thread diameter
1. 75 mm 2.85 mm 3.00 mm nine0003
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ABS PLA PETG Photopolymers Flex
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Construction area size | nine0060 134x75x130 mm|
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Construction area size | 102x57x165 mm |
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3D printing is one of the most promising areas of technological development in the 21st century. Having gone a long way from bulky and heavy boxes to compact desktop devices, 3D printers have ceased to be something inaccessible to a wide range of users. The era of mass additive manufacturing has already arrived, and every home can now house a real desktop factory. nine0003
You can buy a 3D printer capable of printing small models and prototyping of medium complexity today at the price of an entry-level laptop. The price of PLA or ABS plastic, which acts as a consumable, also no longer seems exorbitant. In a word, if you have long dreamed of getting to know the world of 3D printing and joining the ranks of makers, the right moment has come!
To save you time and make it easier to select equipment, we have collected in one section all desktop 3D printers optimized for home and office use. These are the real "workhorses" with the perfect balance of functionality, quality and price. Even a beginner can understand the settings, mount and calibrate a 3D printer, and as he gains experience, he will be able to print more and more complex three-dimensional models. nine0003
How much does a 3D printer cost?・Cults
How much does a 3D printer cost? This question is asked by many beginners, hobbyists and enthusiasts. While the answer may be a little complicated, our goal is to simplify the process and help you choose the right printer for your skill level. There are many different 3D printers on the market. Some are small, cheap, and designed for do-it-yourselfers, others are full of features and cost much more.
However, this does not mean that you have to spend a fortune to get a good printer. The cost of 3D printers has come down a lot over the years and you can now find good 3D printers under $300. While they may not have some of the features found on a $20,000 printer, you can still use them to create interesting projects. Many of these cheap printers are for beginners, hobbyists, or anyone who wants to learn how to 3D print. nine0003
So how much does a 3D printer cost? Basically, you can find starter models for $200. Mid-range consumer models start at around $700, while commercial or high-end consumer models will set you back thousands of dollars. In this article, we will answer some questions about 3D printers and provide you with an informative guide to choosing the best printer for your skill level.
If you're an engineer, artist, inventor, hobbyist, or just a tinkerer, a 3D printer is definitely worth it. 3D printers are very useful for creating models of machines, parts, fixtures, gears, and other complex shapes. This technology is used in many areas, including aerospace, medicine, all kinds of mechanical engineering, etc. nine0003
If you love building, fixing and fiddling with things, a 3D printer can be a great addition to your equipment. However, if you're not into any of the above areas or hobbies, getting a 3D printer might not be worth it. In addition, before purchasing a printer, you need to make sure that you are technically literate enough to operate it. This is because such printers require regular updates/upgrades and the learning curve can be quite steep. nine0003
You will need to regularly buy filaments, learn how to design in 3D CAD or use other modeling software. Also, you may have to fiddle with your machine settings before you find the right fit. If you are completely new, using a 3D printer will take you a lot of time and you may end up spending a lot of money on filaments and other materials. However, once you get the hang of it, 3D printing can quickly turn into one of the most enjoyable activities or hobbies one can indulge in. nine0003
In addition to the initial purchase cost, the cost of using a 3D printer can quickly increase depending on the model you purchase. For the cheapest models, you will have to constantly buy printer upgrades. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase a high-quality printer with better specifications so that you do not have to upgrade from time to time.
Another item that can increase the cost of a 3D printer is filaments. They usually sell for around $25 per kilo, so beginners are advised to buy them in small quantities. This is because you will need multiple colors to create models, and buying a kilo of each can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars. Another thing you will waste is time. If you're just getting started, you'll have to take the time to learn about your printer, how to make great 3D prints, the right software and updates, color combinations, material composition, and many other important factors. nine0003
Definitely yes. In fact, there are many different ways to make money with 3D printers. Here are four of the best ways to make money with these printers:
- Prototyping and Selling : You can make money by offering to prototype for local engineering firms. Since 3D printing involves learning how to create 3D designs, you can sell your designs or create designs for engineering firms.
- Sell your prints : You can sell your printed objects online. Create a website or social media campaign and sell your designs. You can also create custom prints for your clients; they will provide you with the design and you will print it for them.
- Sell your designs : You don't have to print to make money. You can just sell your 3D designs and skip the whole printing process.
- Educate others : Many people are interested in the knowledge you have about printing. Engineers, students, DIYers and hobbyists will be happy to learn from you. You can simply charge them and teach them how to use and set up their own printers, what materials to use, how to print, and so on. nine0614
As we noted above, the cost of 3D printers has dropped significantly as there are now models that have few features but are cheaper. Basically, there are five different types of 3D printers based on price. These are entry-level printers for hobbyists, enthusiasts, professional and industrial printers. The price of machines in each category depends on the functions, size and capabilities of the machine. Let's take a closer look at each of these categories:
Entry level 3D printers
Entry-level 3D printers designed for beginners. They are mainly used to climb the learning curve. You can buy these to learn how to 3D print before moving on to higher models. While you won't be able to create complex prints, you will be able to understand how a 3D printer works.
This type of printer has its limitations. First, you won't be able to print more than 3-4 inches in any dimension, be it height, width, or length. Also, many of these printers do not allow you to use more than one media at a time. In addition, they are slow and noisy, and the quality of their products is not as beautiful as that of expensive models. Also, the highest resolution that most entry-level printers offer is 100 microns. nine0131 In addition, entry-level printers are not very durable. However, they are a great learning tool and can serve as a good stepping stone to dive deeper into the world of 3D printers. Now to answer the question, how much does a 3D printer cost? A typical entry-level printer will cost between $200 and $400.
3D printers for hobbyists
Hobbyists are those who have dabbled in the world of 3D printing a little, have fallen in love with it and have become fascinated by it. They just want to improve their 3D printing skills by making models just for fun. Although 3D printers in this category are slightly better than entry-level models, they still cannot offer a result that goes beyond fun creativity. Their build volume is larger and you will be able to make more models with these printers. 3D printers for hobbyists allow you to create designs as small as 5-6 inches. Prints are thinner than entry-level printers and usually have better software. nine0003
They are faster than entry-level models and allow more flexibility in material selection. This means that with machines in this category you can be even more creative. However, it is important to note that while they may be better than entry-level models, they are not very durable and their performance is not reliable. This means that they may not be able to withstand too much load, and you will not be able to use them for a long time. So how much does a 3D printer cost? They usually cost between $300 and $1500. There are many different products on the market in this price range and choosing the right one can be a daunting task. We recommend taking a look at this guide to 3D printers under $500 from HotRate. nine0003
3D Printers for Enthusiasts
Becoming a 3D printing enthusiast means you've decided to level up and now consider it more than just a hobby. This is a big leap that requires better and more powerful hardware than those in the hobbyist category. Printers in this category are known for their reliability and high build volume. They are quieter and slightly faster than hobbyist machines. In addition, they can print up to 12 inches in any dimension and allow for a wider choice of materials. nine0003
However, they also have their downsides. Some of them only work with branded media, which means you can't just buy any type of media and run it into the printer. Also, while their prints and output are usually better than hobbyist printers, they cannot be used for production. This is because they are not professional machines and cannot be used for a long time.
You will need regular maintenance and repairs. Enthusiast 3D printers are ideal for regular use, but can break down with constant use. How much does a 3D printer in this category cost, you ask? Be prepared to spend $1500 to $3500. nine0003
Do you consider yourself experienced enough and would like to monetize your 3D printing skills? Or maybe you just want to take your hobby to the next level by creating professional models? Be that as it may, a professional 3D printer is one that is capable of working for you. The print quality on them is first class and they are capable of printing up to 12 inches in any dimension. In addition, they are flexible regarding materials. You can use a variety of media in the machine without worrying about color or texture. They can also print faster than the categories we talked about earlier without sacrificing quality. nine0003
The price of a printer for a professional printing press is quite high. Therefore, to ensure that you are purchasing the best 3D printing machine, be sure to read real user reviews. Consider the pros and cons of the machine you want to purchase. Read up on how to maintain it, what materials to use, how best to set it up, etc. Make a list of important factors and go through them one by one.
The price of a printer for machines in this category is expensive, so checking all the right boxes before making a purchase decision is very important. So back to our original question, how much does a 3D printer cost in this category? A typical professional 3D printer costs between $3,500 and $6,000. They are commonly used by robotics clubs, schools, and businesses large and small. nine0003
Industrial 3D printers designed for serious print businesses. They are simply the best and fastest cars in all categories. Their characteristics are at the highest level, they are very durable, as they are made of metal. In addition, their interfaces are user-friendly and they are very efficient.