Finance

3D Printer: Buy vs Outsource Calculator

Should you buy a 3D printer or outsource? Find your break-even print volume.

Buy (In-House)

Printer Cost ($)

Material per Print ($)

Electricity per Print ($)

Monthly Maintenance ($)

Outsource

Cost per Outsourced Print ($)

Shipping per Print ($)

Prints per Month

Printer Lifespan (years)

Method:
In-House Monthly = (Printer / (Lifespan × 12)) + Maintenance + (Material + Electric) × Prints
Outsource Monthly = (Cost + Shipping) × Prints
Break-Even = Printer Cost / [(Outsource − In-House Variable) × 12]

Factors Beyond Cost

Turnaround time: In-house prints overnight vs 1-2 week outsource lead time
Quality: Service bureaus often have higher-end machines (SLS, SLA, MJF)
Learning curve: Budget 20-40 hours to learn and dial in a new printer
Design iteration: In-house enables rapid prototyping cycles