How to Reduce Cost of 3D Printing

3D printing is currently widely used in many fields such as prototype development, parts manufacturing, and artistic creation. Although 3D printing equipment and materials are easy to obtain, cost control is still a key issue for individuals and enterprises. This article will share a series of practical strategies to help you reduce 3D printing costs without affecting printing quality.

1. Optimize your 3D model for printing

Optimizing 3D model design is the most direct and effective way to reduce costs and improve printing success rate. The following are optional optimization directions:

For display printing parts or parts that do not require sturdiness, by hollowing out the solid model and setting a lower fill rate (such as 10%-30%), material consumption can be significantly reduced.

Try to avoid overhanging structures greater than 45 degrees during the modeling stage, and reduce support requirements by adjusting the model posture or changing the cantilever part to a self-supporting design with diagonal braces; for models with complex structures and difficult to remove supports, a split-part design can be used to split the model into multiple independent parts for printing.

For areas that are not easily noticed or located on the back of a large model, the mesh can be appropriately simplified to reduce the number of faces to reduce data processing and printing time; common operations include using the "Decimate Modifier" in Blender to set the face simplification ratio.

2. Choose affordable materials

Choosing economical materials is also critical. Common PLA and PETG are not only cheap and easy to print, but also suitable for most application scenarios; at the same time, buying filaments or photosensitive resins in bulk can also reduce the cost per piece; in addition, materials should be selected according to actual functional requirements to avoid wasting costs due to "over-specification". For FDM printing, proper storage of filament materials can also save 3D printing costs, and the filaments can be sealed to keep them dry for a longer time.

3. Merge and batch print

If you need to print multiple parts at a time, reasonable merging and batch scheduling of printing tasks are effective strategies to improve efficiency, save time and cost. Arranging multiple models on a build platform for simultaneous printing not only reduces the time of machine idling, heating and cooling, but also reduces the frequency of manual material replacement and residue handling, further diluting printing costs.

For small parts, you can also "merge and model" them as a whole, process multiple parts at a time when slicing, and reduce the number of print jobs. Slicing software such as Cura and PrusaSlicer all support automatic arrangement and spacing adjustment functions to help optimize the layout.

4. Use online 3D printing services

If you don't have a printer or need large quantities of high-quality parts, you can consider choosing an online 3D printing service that offers preferential prices. JLC3DP supports a variety of printing processes and a wide variety of materials to meet the needs of rapid proofing and mass production. You can get a quote by uploading the model online. JLC3DP offers very competitive preferential prices, which can achieve fast delivery while ensuring printing quality. If you need to control 3D printing costs, you can go to the inquiry page to compare prices first.

5. Maintain your 3D printer

Regular maintenance of printing equipment can effectively avoid additional losses caused by failed reprints and extend the service life of the equipment. Ensuring the calibration accuracy of the printer, the first layer adhesion, and the cleanliness of the nozzle and hot bed will help improve the success rate of printing; timely updating of firmware and slicing software can also obtain more performance optimization and error repair support.

The key to reducing 3D printing costs is to make practical decisions in every aspect of the printing process, from model design to material selection. If you are looking for professional and reasonably priced 3D printing services, JLC3DP provides a wide range of material types and printing technologies to help you quickly achieve high-quality results.