{"id":165095,"date":"2022-07-08T10:42:28","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T02:42:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/?post_type=kb&p=165095"},"modified":"2022-08-11T14:49:04","modified_gmt":"2022-08-11T06:49:04","slug":"how-much-does-a-metal-3d-printer-cost","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/facfox.com\/docs\/kb\/how-much-does-a-metal-3d-printer-cost","title":{"rendered":"How Much Does a Metal 3D Printer Cost?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Through impressive, metal 3D printers come at a price. Find out how much a metal 3D printer costs by looking at some popular machines on the market.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Metal 3D printing has been a hot topic for a while now, and that\u2019s no surprise given the technology\u2019s incredible potential. Yet, despite the industry\u2019s growth, prices of printers seem to be a bit of an unknown.<\/p>\n

Manufacturers of metal 3D printers don\u2019t usually list prices online, and nor can the values be easily \u201cGoogled\u201d. The main reason for this is that manufacturers usually tailor quotes specifically to clients\u2019 needs. Indeed, a metal 3D printer can\u2019t simply be ordered online like your typical FDM 3D printer; chances are you\u2019ll need to arrange multiple calls, emails, and meetings.<\/p>\n

As you can generally infer when a price isn\u2019t listed online, metal 3D printers are expensive. Prices for professional machines range from around $50,000 to $1 million. That\u2019s a very wide range, and the final amount is highly dependent on a printer\u2019s size and performance.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Cost Is More than Price<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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The inside of Arcam’s Spectra H (Source: Design World via YouTube)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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It\u2019s important to keep in mind that the price of the machine itself often represents only a fraction of the overall cost of metal 3D printing. In some cases, the printer\u2019s price may account for less than half of all related expenses. Additional costs include operation, maintenance, material, and post-processing costs. In terms of the cost of materials, though not all metal 3D printers use metal powder, a kilogram of this material alone can cost between $300 and $600.<\/p>\n

Similarly, post-processing requirements depend on which technology you use. For example, a station for debinding and sintering is required for metal binder jetting. Powder bed fusion doesn\u2019t require the same add-ons, but as supports are needed, the specific tooling used in post-processing can also become expensive.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also important to consider that metal 3D printers aren\u2019t plug-and-play machines. The staff and training costs to operate these machines are an important operating cost to factor in. To sum up, it\u2019s all big numbers with metal 3D printing.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, it\u2019s possible to produce\u00a0real metal parts on an FDM machine<\/a>. However, not every printer is capable of working with these types of filaments, and the post-processing is just as demanding as for other metal printing technologies.<\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll present a few of the market\u2019s most popular metal 3D printers and their prices, moving from low to high. Where relevant, we\u2019ll also highlight secondary costs like machine add-ons.<\/p>\n

Before that, though, we\u2019ll discuss how it\u2019s possible to have something metal 3D printed without having to invest in the necessary equipment, material, and training. Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Metal 3D Printing Services<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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DMLS 3D printed parts (Source: Proto Labs)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
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Based on the price tags you\u2019ll soon be reading about, metal 3D printing isn\u2019t cheap. These machines are serious devices requiring serious skills to operate. Not only that, metal 3D printers are massive, meaning they require a lot of space.<\/p>\n

Companies that purchase metal 3D printers either use them on a daily basis or simply have the funds to afford such machines to produce small batches of custom parts. But what if you simply want to try metal 3D printing or need just a few small items made in metal? That\u2019s where 3D printing services come in.<\/p>\n

Through\u00a0Craftcloud by All3DP<\/a>, not only are you guaranteed to find the best price and provider for your needs, you also stand to benefit from the full catalog of available materials and finishes.<\/p>\n

Now, on to the printers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Best Metal 3D Printing Services of 2022<\/a><\/div>\n
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Markforged Metal X \u2013 $99,500<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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Similar to FDM, parts made in the Metal X require supports (Source: Markforged)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The\u00a0Metal X<\/a>\u00a0from Markforged is the company\u2019s first metal 3D printer, designed with the goal of making metal 3D printing more affordable. Normally, the terms \u201caffordable\u201d and \u201cmetal 3D printing\u201d don\u2019t make much sense together, but Markforged has somehow made it possible.<\/p>\n

The Metal X is priced just shy of six figures \u2013 $99,500, to be precise. That\u2019s not bad at all, especially considering the relatively large build volume of\u00a0300 x 220 x 180 mm.<\/p>\n

The Metal X works in a way similar to FDM technology. It produces metal parts by extruding metal powder bound in a plastic matrix. Markforged likes to call this technique atomic diffusion additive manufacturing, or ADAM.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the printer alone isn\u2019t enough to complete the production of a metal part. Two post-processing units are needed: the Wash-1 and the Sinter-1. And while we don\u2019t know the exact prices of these devices, some sources claim a price tag of around $165,000 for all three units together.<\/p>\n