The first question clients ask me is: \u201cHow much does it cost to print this part?\u201d And then \u2014 silence, because the answer is always the same: it depends. Not because I want to inflate the price, but because 3D printing isn\u2019t a copy shop where one page = one price.<\/p>\n
My name is Artem Pronin, and I do custom 3D printing<\/a> in Lviv. Over the past year hundreds of orders have gone through my printers \u2014 from tiny 3-gram mounts to electronics enclosures of 400+ grams. And every order had its own price. Let me explain why.<\/p>\n Here are the actual figures. Everything is set out on the prices page<\/a>, but in short:<\/p>\n Why is PETG more expensive? First, the plastic itself costs more. Second, it\u2019s harder to print with \u2014 it needs a higher temperature, a slower speed and more calibration. PETG is more temperamental, but the parts come out stronger and more heat-resistant.<\/p>\n The main factor in the price is the weight of the finished part. Any free slicer \u2014 a program that prepares a model for printing \u2014 will show it:<\/p>\n Then it\u2019s multiplication: the slicer showed 50 g of PLA, so 50 \u00d7 5 UAH = 250 UAH<\/strong>. This is a basic estimate. Complex geometry, post-processing or modelling can change the amount, so I give the exact price after looking at the model.<\/p>\n This one\u2019s clear \u2014 PLA or PETG. If you need a decorative part that will sit on a shelf, choose PLA and pay less. Need an enclosure for a device that heats up? Then PETG \u2014 no question. More about our materials<\/a> on a separate page.<\/p>\n This is how much of the inside of the part is filled with plastic. 100% is a solid lump of plastic. 20% is a honeycomb structure with air inside.<\/p>\n An example with a real part. A 5\u00d75\u00d75 cm cube:<\/p>\n See the difference? A solid part needs three to four times more plastic \u2014 and costs accordingly. For most jobs, 20\u201330% infill is quite enough. I always suggest the best option.<\/p>\n If a part has overhanging features, the printer prints extra supports so the plastic doesn\u2019t sag in mid-air. These supports are then broken off and thrown away. But plastic is used for them, and that has to be paid for too.<\/p>\n A simple example: the letter \u201cT\u201d. The horizontal bar needs supports underneath. This can add 15\u201340% to the weight of the part.<\/p>\n Thin walls, small details, precise dimensions with a 0.1 mm tolerance \u2014 all of these require slower printing and more careful set-up.<\/p>\n One 15-gram part is one thing. A batch of 50 identical parts is another. In batch printing I can place several parts on the bed at once. That\u2019s why large orders often work out cheaper per unit.<\/p>\n When a batch reaches hundreds or thousands of pieces, moulding becomes more cost-effective \u2014 where the line lies is covered in the article 3D printing vs CNC vs moulding<\/a>. Ideas for making money from small runs are in the article 3D printing for small businesses<\/a>.<\/p>\n Removing supports, sanding, painting or gluing together several parts is manual work that adds to the price.<\/p>\n Here are a few typical orders from my practice (prices in PLA):<\/p>\n Estimating it yourself works well for simple parts. It\u2019s better not to calculate without advice if:<\/p>\n Important:<\/strong> I print only from a ready-made 3D model (STL, OBJ, STEP or 3MF). No model? I\u2019ll tell you where to find a ready-made one (on Printables, Thingiverse or MakerWorld) or who can make it.<\/p>\n The simplest way is to send me a 3D model (STL, OBJ or STEP format). I load it into the slicer, set the required parameters and give you the exact weight and cost within 15 minutes.<\/p>\n Send the file any way you like: call +380 97 876 00 36<\/a> or use the form on the website<\/a>. The quote is free.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The first question clients ask me is: \u201cHow much does it cost to print this part?\u201d And then \u2014 silence, because the answer is always the same: it depends. Not because I want to inflate the price, but because 3D printing isn\u2019t a copy shop where one page = one price. My name is Artem […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":364,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=449"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":543,"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449\/revisions\/543"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/3dprint.lviv.ua\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The base price per gram: PLA vs PETG<\/h2>\n
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How to calculate the price yourself<\/h2>\n
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6 factors that affect the final price<\/h2>\n
1. Material<\/h3>\n
2. Infill percentage<\/h3>\n
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3. Supports<\/h3>\n
4. Geometric complexity<\/h3>\n
5. Order volume<\/h3>\n
6. Post-processing<\/h3>\n
Real order examples<\/h2>\n
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How to save on 3D printing<\/h2>\n
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When it\u2019s better to send the model straight away<\/h2>\n
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How to find out the exact price?<\/h2>\n