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3D printing offers immense benefits and can help consumers and companies save money. You can use your 3D printer to produce valuable items in the office or at home. With your 3D printer, you can create office resources at a fraction of the costs of buying these supplies or outsourcing them elsewhere. Businesses and individuals can enjoy significant money savings by creating these items in-house rather than outsourcing their production. Ultimately, investing in 3D printers can help companies become more competitive in the local and global marketplace, where cost-effectiveness is essential. Here are several factors that may affect lead times and price on your 3D printing quote.
Materials
One of the primary factors affecting lead times and pricing of your 3D printer services is the material choice and amount of material used. Some materials cost more because of their physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. Materials are mainly linked with technologies that differ in speed and build process. Some 3D printing technologies may require thicker layers, allowing quicker builds, while others will not.
The most cost-effective printing materials for small parts are simple photopolymers. However, different printing technology or material will be needed if the application or project is larger or requires more robust technology. That is why you need to take the time to find the ideal 3D printing materials that will save you money based on the printing technology you are using and the products you desire.
3D Printing Technology
The 3D printing technology used also plays a significant role in the speed and cost of builds. Some processes, such as PolyJet, may build exceptionally quickly. When the part is completed, it is removed from the printing device and needs little post-processing work compared to other support materials. On the other hand, Laser Sintering (LS), a powder-based technology, needs post-build cooling time and period for powder removal, and a few finishing of the parts is required for cosmetic reasons or to achieve specified tolerances.
You can easily optimize your build time and maintain part requirements when determining the best technology that suits your application. Considering the technology and materials is essential if your main aim is printing speed. For example, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) builds ASA materials much faster than resin at the same resolution. Choosing the right printing technology will help you save money for your 3d printers for sale projects.
Layer Height
The layer height depends on the abilities of each 3D printing technology. If your application needs a cosmetic part, thinner layers would be perfect, as they will prevent the ridges inherent in your 3D printing. However, thinner layers will translate to higher prices owing to the increased build time caused by the need to deposit additional layers of material. Therefore, layer height should be a primary consideration when using your 3D printer for sale, as it will affect the resulting price.
Wall Thickness
With 3D printing, you can expect each technology and its conforming materials to have distinct minimum wall thickness requirements. It is advisable that you also balance the desire for thinner walls with the performance needed for the part. With thinner walls, you may need lower build time; however, extremely thin walls would lead to flimsy features, undesired fragility, or warps. Therefore, you need to balance wall and layer thickness to help you achieve the desired performance and detail without adding avoidable build time to your parts.
Supports Materials and Orientation
With every 3D printing process, it is essential to consider the support structures if you want to save money. These factors are critical because they impact the post-processing needs and the final results. The quantity of support material used to manufacture the design will affect the final price. When your 3D designs have self-supporting angles, such as 45 degrees or more, they use fewer support materials and may help reduce both the build time and material expenses.
Parts orientation also plays an essential role in the amount of support required for your 3D printer. Reorientation may dramatically reduce the material quantity needed for the supports, ultimately reducing the overall costs. Determining the optimal orientation is always a balance between the integrity of a part and its price. For instance, building on an XY plane to save on cost may result in losing feature definition or mechanical integrity based on your part design.
Free CAD Models
The first step in producing 3D-printed items is the acquisition of an STL or other design files for your model. Fortunately, there are several virtual repositories where you can find a wide range of handy and practical 3D printable models utterly free of cost. Users can create and even share their CAD models, and the entire 3D printing community can help each other. By using free CAD models created by other users, you will experience the benefits and practicality of owning 3d printers for sale, whether an individual or a business.
Labor
Based on your 3d printers for sale project requirements, the 3D printing materials or process, some parts may require considerable post-processing and finishing. Printed parts that need finishing operations, such as coatings, painting, and smooth surfaces, will need additional costs and will take more time to complete. Therefore, you need to analyze the project needs and determine the total cost benefit of the finishing. Sometimes, only a section of the final product may require painting or smoothing, and you should specify that so that your project can help you manage the available resources and guarantee prompt delivery.
Conclusion
Technological innovations have put 3D printers at the forefront and bring about promising opportunities and prospects in business today. Fundamentally, 3D printing involves the production of 3D items that brings unlimited possibilities for companies and individuals. Apart from its many benefits, a 3D printer can also help you save money in the long run. You can use your printing device to produce valuable and highly customizable items for your office or home. Quite a significant amount of money can be saved when these items are created in-house rather than outsourced from somewhere else. For companies where cost-effectiveness is essential, 3D printers can help organizations be more competitive in the local and global marketplace. Ensure you keep these tips in mind to enable you to save time and money on your 3D printing projects.