{"id":163363,"date":"2021-05-18T10:58:37","date_gmt":"2021-05-18T02:58:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&p=163363"},"modified":"2021-05-18T14:14:35","modified_gmt":"2021-05-18T06:14:35","slug":"how-to-reduce-the-cost-of-3d-printing","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-to-reduce-the-cost-of-3d-printing","title":{"rendered":"How to reduce the cost of 3D printing?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although 3D printing technology offers many advantages, one of the main concerns in using it, is the cost. Right from the design to manufacturing and post-processing, a few tricks can have a significant impact on the costs. This article highlights helpful tips to save on the cost of 3D printing.<\/p>\n

Tips for cost reduction at each phase in 3D printing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This segment is divided into three different parts based on different phases of the 3D printing process and the tips for making the process as affordable as possible. Here we go.<\/p>\n

Reduce cost through design<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hollowing your 3D model<\/h3>\n

A great way to use less material and reduce the cost is by hollowing a model. The hollowing removes the inner material of a part leaving a shell. It is also a good way to get a lightweight part. If you are planning to create your 3D printed object using Selective Laser Sintering<\/a> or Multi Jet Fusion<\/a> that uses powdered material, you should start to consider hollowing.<\/p>\n

Let us compare the cost between a solid and a hollow part – the hollowed part is 3 times cheaper than the solid part.<\/p>\n

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Solid part (left) vs. hollowed part (right)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Check the size of your 3D printed object<\/h3>\n

The size of your 3D printed object directly impacts the 3D printing price. If the size of your prototype is not important (visual prototype), you can scale down your model to greatly decrease the cost. It is the fact that the 3D Printing price is proportional to the volume occupied by your object in the machine\u2019s tray. To reduce the cost, it is recommended to reconsider the size of your object in your CAD software.<\/p>\n

Let us consider a model (a) and it\u2019s scaled-down model (b) for cost comparison:<\/p>\n

\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Technology<\/td>\nUnit cost (\u20ac)<\/td>\nUnit cost per 100 pieces (\u20ac)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
a<\/td>\nb<\/td>\na<\/td>\nb<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
FDM<\/td>\n18.54<\/td>\n10.57<\/td>\n5.69<\/td>\n3.00<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MFJ<\/td>\n26.75<\/td>\n24.30<\/td>\n16.36<\/td>\n7.68<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

The cost comparison clearly shows that the scaled-down model is cheaper.<\/p>\n

Improve the design<\/h3>\n

Well-designed 3D printed parts allow for optimum usage of the material and thereby reduces the unwanted costs.<\/p>\n

Here are a few tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n