Are you curious about how much it costs to 3D print per hour? With the right information, you can easily calculate the amount of material used and the cost associated with it. We created a 3D printer labor cost calculator for those who run 3D printer farms as a side business. This calculator is a great way to give your clients an accurate quote for a job. The “cost per hour” field allows you to adjust the price you want to charge for printing time.
If you want to be even more precise, try scheduling 10 print jobs with different geometries and weighing the final impressions. Keep in mind that filament is only one of the factors that contribute to the cost of 3D printing services. 3D printing software provides an estimate of the printing time, and most 3D printers also show the actual printing time for each printed model. Additionally, there is usually a base price (or minimum fee) that is added if the cost of 3D printing is less than a certain amount.
Analyzing all the factors that generate costs and communicating how the final pricing scheme was determined is beneficial for library staff who will participate in the new 3D printing service. Many 3D printing service fee schemes are based on the weight of a 3D printing model. The most commonly used materials are PLA, ABS, PETG, nylon, TPU, TPE, ASA, resin, polycarbonate and other specialty materials. If your prints are typically 100g per print job, then you can fit approximately 10 print jobs on a roll.
Examples from ten libraries show that their 3D printing pricing scheme has changed over the past three years. If cost is an issue for you and you're only printing in 3D for fun, buying a 3D printer could be a great long-term investment. If staff find it difficult to work with the pricing scheme when they need to charge and process each 3D printing job, the new 3D printing service will increase their workload significantly.
