So far, 3D printing materials and processes have mostly been mentioned at this point. Today we would like to devote ourselves to another question. It should be about which factors the costs of a 3D printer actually depend on.
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How much does a 3D printer cost – and why?
Industry vs. home user area
First of all, one thing has to be considered: The difference between 3D printers for the industrial and for the home user area is of essential importance. This applies in relation to the price, but also in relation to the expected quality. In addition, 3D printers for home users are usually significantly cheaper than those for the industrial sector. However, their service life is also significantly shorter.
What price dimensions are we talking about anyway?
From under 100 to over 100,000 euros
Let’s start from the bottom, i.e. with the cheapest 3D printers. The simplest models for private users are now even available for less than 100 euros. Slightly more demanding 3D printers for home users only start at 300 euros. Private users with a slightly larger budget will also find 3D printers around 1000 euros to choose from.
The next price category is 3D printers, which are primarily suitable for medium-sized companies. Here we are already in a range of around 3000 euros.
In the highest price range we find 3D printers that are specially designed for large-scale industrial production. The costs in this premium area of additive manufacturing can well exceed 100,000 euros for some 3D printers.
What role does 3D printing technology play for the price?
Plastic vs. metal 3D printing
Of course, the respective 3D printing technology is always of decisive importance for the question of the price of a 3D printer. This in turn is closely related to the materials to be processed.
The following applies: Metal 3D printers are in price categories that are significantly higher than devices for plastic 3D printing. Of course, this is also the decisive reason why metal 3D printing is not yet a serious option for private users to date (September 2019). So there are individual metal printers that bring it up to a steep price of around 380,000 euros.
Special case ceramic 3D printing
In contrast, the prices for ceramic 3D printers are significantly lower. Here, as in the plastics sector, three-digit or often four-digit euro prices should be estimated.
Whatever you decide, we as a 3D printing service provider are always at your disposal with our offer. You can find more information on how the price for a printed model is made up in our article: How much does my model cost in the 3D printing service? Or use our 3D configurator and immediately receive an offer for your individual model
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