How much does a metal 3D printer cost?

Until recently, metal 3D printing was the exclusive domain of the aerospace and medical industries, but today it is available to almost everyone. Factory mechanics print metal parts to repair equipment, bicycle manufacturers make aluminum and titanium frames, and militaries around the world create critical components.

Dentistry prints bridges, and jewelers use 3D printers to work with precious metals. Metal 3D printing has permeated a variety of industries due to its accessibility and versatility. While there’s a lot to say about metal 3D printing technology, the best printers, on-demand services, and materials, here we’ll focus on cost. Let’s get started.

From 135,000 to 90 million rubles

Prices range from 135,000 to 90 million rubles, as there are many ways to 3D print metal parts: from metal filament and powder to wire and granules. The choice of technology depends on many factors, such as detail, size, strength, type of metal, cost, speed and volume of printing. All current metal 3D printing technologies have their pros and cons. Unfortunately, no method allows you to print super-strong parts quickly, cheaply and perfectly, so you need to prioritize.

Examples and prices

Entry Level Metal 3D Printing

Technology FDM using metal filamenthas become popular due to its relative affordability. Metal filament consists of a plastic base saturated with metal powder. This allows conventional 3D printers with a heated bed and a steel nozzle to print metal parts. After printing, post-processing is required, including removing the plastic and sintering in an oven to harden the parts.

Advantages of Metallic Thread

The main advantage of metal filament is its ease of use on conventional 3D printers. FDM printers capable of heating up to 180-220ºC are suitable. Some manufacturers, such as UltiMaker and BCN3D, have already developed profiles for working with metal filament on their printers, which greatly simplifies the printing process.

The presence of a profile for metal means that the manufacturer tested the material on its machine and developed settings for successful printing. The absence of such a profile does not exclude the possibility of printing, but requires more experiments, and metal thread is not cheap (more than 13,500 rubles per roll).

If you think metal 3D printing is too expensive, remember that you can always use 3D printing services like Top 3D Group to print custom metal partsThis is the most cost-effective way and a good test to evaluate the chosen technology.

Cost and availability of metal thread

The most common types of metal filament are stainless steel (316L and 17-4 PH) from BASF Forward AM, called Ultrafuse Metal filament. The cost of one 3-kilogram spool is about 42,750 rubles, and a 1-kilogram spool will cost 16,200 rubles. This is significantly cheaper than buying a specialized metal printer. Printing with metal filament requires post-processing: a debonding step to remove the plastic and a sintering step in an oven to harden the parts.

Optional equipment

There are no metal 3D printers that produce ready-to-use metal parts immediately after printing. Almost all technologies require the purchase of additional equipment. You may need to remove residual polymer or loose powder, bake the part in an oven, fill the pores with additional material, or polish it.

Many metal 3D printer manufacturers also offer accessories and post-processing equipment that can be integrated into the production process. Consider the complete hardware package when assessing the overall cost of your purchase.

Additional Costs for Metal 3D Printing

The price of the printer itself and its supporting equipment is only a portion of the total cost of metal 3D printing. In some cases, the printer itself may account for less than half of all associated costs. Additional costs include training, software licenses, maintenance, metal materials, and consumables such as argon or nitrogen tanks for some chambers.

Cost of metal materials

Metal filament can cost around 22,500–42,750 rubles per kilogram for stainless steel, 10,800 rubles per kilogram for copper, and 74,880 rubles per kilogram for titanium. Metal powder and wire used in laser powder fusion and other metal 3D printing technologies can cost between 8,100–10,800 rubles per kilogram for stainless steel and around 45,000 rubles per kilogram for titanium. Some applications require specialized metal powder made specifically for 3D printing, which can increase the cost.

What is the cost of metal 3D printing?

When purchasing a 3D printer that costs between 90,000 and 4,500,000 rubles, the price is usually transparent. However, above 4,500,000 rubles, the price can depend on many factors, such as customization, your location, the number of machines purchased, discounts for educational institutions and partnerships, marketing agreements, installation and training, optional warranties, and more.

The price of a single fully optioned and customized vehicle in a high-cost region can be three times the unit price of a 10-vehicle order in a major city. Manufacturers provide approximate figures for capital costs at the first contact to avoid unnecessary expenses in servicing a potential customer.

Metal 3D Printing Services from Top 3D Group

If you are looking for the greatest savings, or you only need to print metal parts from time to time, use the services of Top 3D Group. We provide services for 3D metal printing to order using advanced technologies and high-quality materials. Our specialists will help you choose the optimal printing technology depending on your requirements and budget. Regardless of whether you need prototypes, functional parts or large-scale production, we are ready to offer solutions that meet your needs.

Contact Top 3D Group for a detailed consultation and cost estimate for your project. We will help you bring your ideas to life using the latest metal 3D printing technologies.