If you’re using 3D printing for aluminum alloy parts—whether for aerospace components, industrial fixtures, or custom accessories—understanding the cost per gram is critical for budgeting. Unlike resin or PLA 3D printing, 3D printed aluminum alloys balance strength and lightweight properties but come with higher costs, reicht von 70 RMB/gram for mass-produced parts Zu 450 RMB/gram for small-batch, Hochvorbereitete Komponenten. This guide breaks down core cost drivers, bietet praktische Preishinweise, gibt Tipps zum Kostensparen, und beantwortet häufig gestellte Fragen, um Ihnen dabei zu helfen, fundierte Entscheidungen zu treffen.
1. 4 Core Factors That Impact the Cost of 3D Printed Aluminum Alloys Per Gram
The cost per gram of 3D printed aluminum alloys is shaped by tangible factors—from the printing technology used to post-processing complexity. Below is a detailed breakdown with real numbers to illustrate their impact:
(1) 3D Drucktechnologietyp
Technology is the primary cost driver, as different methods vary in precision, Geschwindigkeit, and equipment investment. The three most common technologies for aluminum alloy 3D printing are:
| Technologieart | Kosten pro Gramm (RMB/Gramm) | Schlüsselmerkmale | Typische Anwendungen |
| Selektives Laserschmelzen (Slm) | 150 ~ 450 | Ultrahohe Präzision (Toleranz ± 0,02 mm), ideal for complex, small-batch parts; high equipment and material costs | Luft- und Raumfahrtkomponenten (Z.B., Motorhalterungen), Medizinische Implantate |
| Electron Beam Fusion (EBM) | 80 ~ 250 | Suitable for large-scale industrial parts; lower cost than SLM but slightly reduced precision (Toleranz ± 0,05 mm) | Industrial fixtures (Z.B., Drohnenhalterungen), Automobilstrukturteile |
| Binding Jetting | 70 ~ 230 | Lowest unit cost for mass production; requires post-processing (Debidierung, Sintern) but efficient for bulk orders | Mass-produced small parts (Z.B., custom fasteners, decorative accessories) |
Beispiel: A 30g aluminum alloy part printed via SLM costs 4,500 ~ 13,500 RMB. The same part printed via Binding Jetting costs 2,100 ~ 6,900 RMB—50% cheaper—though it needs additional post-processing steps.
(2) Aluminum Alloy Grade
The grade of aluminum alloy directly affects material costs, as specialized grades (Z.B., Luft- und Raumfahrt, hochfest) require refined raw materials and production processes:
| Aluminum Alloy Grade | Kosten pro Gramm (Nur Material, RMB/Gramm) | Schlüsseleigenschaften | Typische Anwendungen |
| AL6061 (Industrial Grade) | 20 ~ 80 | Gute maschinabilität, Mäßige Stärke; kostengünstig | Industrieklammern, non-critical structural parts |
| Alsi10mg (Aerospace Grade) | 50 ~ 150 | Hochfestes Verhältnis, hitzebeständig; meets aerospace standards | Flugzeugkomponenten, high-performance drone parts |
Schlüsselnotiz: Imported aluminum alloy powders (Z.B., from EOS, Adaro) kosten 2 ~ 3x more than domestic powders (Z.B., from Chinese suppliers). Zum Beispiel, imported AlSi10Mg powder costs 100 ~ 150 RMB/Gramm, while domestic AlSi10Mg powder costs 50 ~ 80 RMB/Gramm.
(3) Nachbearbeitungsanforderungen
Nearly all 3D printed aluminum alloy parts need post-processing to meet strength, Genauigkeit, and appearance standards. Each step adds significantly to the total cost per gram:
| Nachbearbeitungsschritt | Kosten pro Gramm (RMB/Gramm) | Zweck |
| Basic Polishing/Sanding | 10 ~ 50 | Remove surface roughness (Ra from 3.2μm to 1.6μm); eliminate layer lines |
| High-Precision CNC Trimming | 50 ~ 200 | Toleranzen erreichen (± 0,01 mm); refine critical features (Z.B., Fadenlöcher, Paarungsflächen) |
| Electroplating/Coating | 30 ~ 150 | Enhance corrosion resistance (Z.B., Anodisierung) or add aesthetic finish (Z.B., matte silver) |
| Wärmebehandlung | 20 ~ 80 | Improve strength (Z.B., T6 heat treatment for Al6061); reduce internal stress |
Beispiel: A 50g part needing basic sanding costs 500 ~ 2,500 RMB in post-processing. The same part needing CNC trimming + anodizing costs 4,000 ~ 11,500 RMB—8x more.
(4) Bestellvolumen
Order volume drastically impacts cost, als Fixkosten (Geräteaufbau, Programmierung) sind auf mehrere Teile verteilt. Small batches are far more expensive than large-scale production:
| Bestellvolumen | Kosten pro Gramm (Gesamt, RMB/Gramm) | Rabatt vs. Einzelstück | Beispiel: 50g AlSi10Mg Part (SLM -Technologie) |
| Single Piece/Small Batch (<10 Stücke) | 250 ~ 450 | 0% (Kein Rabatt) | 50g × 350 RMB/gram = 17,500 RMB |
| Mittlere Charge (10 ~ 100 Stücke) | 150 ~ 250 | 20 ~ 40% | 50g × 200 RMB/gram = 10,000 RMB |
| Große Charge (>100 Stücke) | 70 ~ 150 | 40 ~ 70% | 50g × 100 RMB/gram = 5,000 RMB |
Beispiel: A single 50g aerospace bracket (Slm, Alsi10mg) Kosten 17,500 RMB. Bestellung 100 of the same brackets drops the cost to 5,000 RMB each—71% cheaper.
2. Typische Kosten pro Gramm: Szenariobasierte Aufschlüsselung
To see how all these factors align, below are three common scenarios for 3D printed aluminum alloy parts:
| Szenario | Technologie | Aluminum Alloy Grade | Nachbearbeitung | Kosten pro Gramm (RMB/Gramm) | Beispiel (10g Part Total Cost) |
| Small-Batch High-Precision Part | Slm | Alsi10mg | CNC Trimming + Wärmebehandlung | 250 ~ 450 | 2,500 ~ 4,500 RMB |
| Medium-Batch Industrial Part | EBM | AL6061 | Basic Polishing + Anodisierung | 100 ~ 200 | 1,000 ~ 2,000 RMB |
| Large-Batch Mass-Produced Part | Binding Jetting | AL6061 | Schleifen + Enttäuschung | 70 ~ 150 | 700 ~ 1,500 RMB |
3. Practical Cost Reference for Common 3D Printed Aluminum Alloy Parts
To quickly gauge reasonable prices, below is a table of common part types and their typical costs:
| Teiltyp | Size/Weight | Technologie | Kosten pro Gramm (RMB/Gramm) | Total Part Cost (RMB) |
| Custom Decorative Keychain | 2cm / 10G | Binding Jetting | 70 ~ 120 | 700 ~ 1,200 |
| Industrial Drone Mount | 10cm / 50G | EBM | 100 ~ 180 | 5,000 ~ 9,000 |
| Aerospace Engine Bracket | 8cm / 40G | Slm | 250 ~ 400 | 10,000 ~ 16,000 |
| Mass-Produced Fasteners | 1cm / 5G | Binding Jetting | 70 ~ 100 | 350 ~ 500 |
4. 4 Practical Tips to Reduce the Cost of 3D Printed Aluminum Alloys Per Gram
While 3D printed aluminum alloys are more costly than basic plastics, these strategies can lower expenses without sacrificing quality:
(1) Optimieren Sie das Teiledesign, um den Materialverbrauch zu senken
- Geometrie vereinfachen: Remove redundant features (Z.B., unnecessary curves, oversize walls) to reduce part weight by 15 ~ 30%. Zum Beispiel, a 50g bracket optimized to 35g saves 15g of material—cutting costs by 30%.
- Use hollow structures: Für nicht tragende Teile (Z.B., decorative keychains), design thin-walled (≥1mm) hohle Innenräume zur Reduzierung des Materialverbrauchs 20 ~ 40%.
(2) Choose Domestic Aluminum Alloy Powders
Inländische Pulver (Z.B., von chinesischen Herstellern) Sind 50 ~ 60% billiger als importierte Alternativen und erfüllen die meisten Industriestandards. Zum Beispiel, unter Verwendung von heimischem AlSi10Mg-Pulver (50 ~ 80 RMB/Gramm) statt importiert (100 ~ 150 RMB/Gramm) halbiert die Materialkosten.
(3) Sammelbestellungen, um Rabatte freizuschalten
Schon kleine Steigerungen des Bestellvolumens führen zu erheblichen Einsparungen. Wenn Sie brauchen 50 Teile vorbei 6 Monate, alles bestellen 50 sofort statt 10 pro Monat – dadurch wird ein freigeschaltet 20 ~ 40% Rabatt, Reduzierung der Kosten pro Gramm um 20 ~ 30%.
(4) Vereinfachen Sie die Nachbearbeitung, wenn möglich
- Überspringen Sie unnötige Schritte: Für Nicht-Präzisionsteile (Z.B., decorative keychains), Vermeiden Sie CNC-Beschnitt und verwenden Sie stattdessen einfaches Schleifen – das spart Geld 50 ~ 200 RMB/Gramm.
- Combine post-processing: Handle heat treatment and anodizing at the same facility to avoid shipping costs, reducing overall fees by 10 ~ 15%.
Yigu Technology’s Perspective on 3D Printed Aluminum Alloy Costs
Bei Yigu Technology, Wir glauben matching technology and alloy grade to project needs is key to cost-effective 3D printed aluminum alloys. Many clients overspend by using SLM for mass-produced parts or imported powders for non-critical components—for example, using SLM (300 RMB/Gramm) for a simple bracket that works with Binding Jetting (100 RMB/Gramm). Our team recommends SLM with domestic AlSi10Mg for small-batch aerospace parts and Binding Jetting with Al6061 for mass-produced industrial components. We also optimize designs to reduce material use by 15 ~ 30% and negotiate bulk powder discounts. Our goal is to deliver high-quality 3D printed aluminum alloy parts at the lowest possible cost per gram.
FAQ
- Why is 3D printed aluminum alloy more expensive than 3D printed plastic?
3D printed aluminum alloy requires high-cost equipment (SLM/EBM machines cost 1 ~ 10 million RMB vs. 10 ~ 30,000 RMB for resin printers) and specialized metal powders (20 ~ 150 RMB/gram vs. 0.02 ~ 0.2 RMB/gram for resin). Nachbearbeitung (Z.B., CNC-Beschnitt, Wärmebehandlung) is also more complex and costly for metal parts.
- Can I use 3D printed aluminum alloy for small decorative parts (Z.B., Schlüsselanhänger) ohne zu über Ausgaben?
Yes—use Binding Jetting with Al6061 powder and basic sanding (no electroplating). A 10g keychain made this way costs 700 ~ 1,200 RMB, affordable for small-batch custom orders. Avoid SLM or high-grade AlSi10Mg for decorative parts, as they double or triple costs.
- How much does post-processing add to the total cost per gram of 3D printed aluminum alloy?
Die Nachbearbeitung fügt normalerweise hinzu 10 ~ 350 RMB/Gramm, depending on steps. Grundschleifen fügt hinzu 10 ~ 50 RMB/Gramm, while CNC trimming + anodizing adds 80 ~ 350 RMB/Gramm. Für die meisten industriellen Teile, Nachbearbeitung berücksichtigt 20 ~ 50% of total cost per gram.