How to Calculate the Unit Price of 3D Printing? Una guía completa

Whether you’re a hobbyist making small prototypes or a business sourcing industrial parts, knowing how to calculate the unit price of 3D printing is essential to avoid overspending. The unit price isn’t a fixed number—it depends on materials, printing time, tecnología, y más. Esta guía desglosa el 5 most common calculation methods, Factores de influencia clave, and practical tips to help you get accurate, cost-effective quotes.

1. 5 Common Methods to Calculate the Unit Price of 3D Printing

Different 3D printing service providers use different pricing models. Below are the most widely used methods, each with clear formulas, ejemplos, and best-use scenarios:

Método 1: Material Weight-Based Calculation (Most Popular for Hobbyists)

This method focuses on the weight of the 3D-printed part and the cost of the raw material, plus a profit margin.

Fórmula: Unit Price = (Part Weight × Material Unit Price) × Profit Margin

Ejemplo:

• Part weight: 100 gramos
• Material: Estampado (0.3 RMB/gramo)
• Profit margin: 2incógnita

Unit Price = (100 × 0.3) × 2 = 30 × 2 = 60 RMB

Método 2: Printing Time-Based Calculation (Common for Industrial Use)

This method charges based on how long the printer runs, combining equipment depreciation, energía, and labor costs into an hourly rate.

Fórmula: Unit Price = Printing Time (Horas) × Hourly Rate (RMB/Hour)

Hourly rates vary drastically by printer type:

Ejemplo:

• Printing time: 3 horas
• Printer type: High-precision curing printer (80 RMB/hora)

Unit Price = 3 × 80 = 240 RMB

Método 3: Model Volume-Based Calculation (Useful for Resin/Metal Parts)

Some providers charge by the part’s volume (cubic centimeters, cm³), as volume better reflects material usage for complex shapes.

Fórmula: Unit Price = Model Volume (cm³) × Rate per cm³ (RMB/cm³)

Rates per cm³ depend on material:

Ejemplo:

• Model volume: 80 cm³
• Material: Resina (1 RMB/cm³)

Unit Price = 80 × 1 = 80 RMB

Método 4: Service Type-Based Calculation (Flexible for Custom Needs)

This method splits costs into separate services: impresión, postprocesamiento, y diseño. You only pay for what you need.

Ejemplo:

• Print service: 50 RMB (via weight method)
• Postprocesamiento: Lijado (30 RMB) + Cuadro (80 RMB)
• No design service needed

Total Unit Price = 50 + 30 + 80 = 160 RMB

Método 5: Batch-Based Calculation (Best for Large Orders)

The more parts you order, the lower the unit price—since fixed costs (P.EJ., configuración de impresora) are spread across more units.

Fórmula: Unit Price (Batch) = (Single Unit Price × Batch Quantity × Discount Rate) ÷ Batch Quantity

Ejemplo:

• Single unit price (1–10 partes): 100 RMB
• Batch quantity: 20 regiones
• Discount rate: 80% (común para 11+ regiones)

Total Batch Price = 100 × 20 × 0.8 = 1,600 RMB

Unit Price (Batch) = 1,600 ÷ 20 = 80 RMB

2. 6 Key Factors That Affect the Unit Price of 3D Printing

Even with the right calculation method, the unit price can change based on these critical factors. Understanding them helps you optimize costs:

(1) Costo de material (Biggest Price Driver)

Material is the single most influential factor—cheap materials like PLA keep prices low, while metals and special resins drive costs up.

(2) Model Complexity

Complex models take longer to print and need more post-processing, raising the unit price:

• Modelos simples (P.EJ., solid blocks): No hay soportes, short print time → Lower price (20 ~ 100 RMB).
• Complex models (P.EJ., hollow structures with thin walls <2milímetros): More supports, mayor tiempo de impresión → Precio más alto (100 ~ 500 RMB).

(3) 3D Tecnología de impresión

Diferentes tecnologías tienen diferentes costos de equipo y mantenimiento.:

• MDF (Modelado de deposición fusionada): Más barato (20 ~ 50 RMB/hora) → Lo mejor para piezas PLA/ABS.
• SLA/DLP (Fotopolimerización): De rango medio (50 ~ 150 RMB/hora) → Lo mejor para piezas de resina con mucho detalle.
• MST/EBM (Impresión 3D de metal): mas caro (200 ~ 500 RMB/hora) → Lo mejor para piezas metálicas industriales.

(4) Requisitos de postprocesamiento

Postprocesamiento básico (P.EJ., lijado sencillo) agrega poco costo, pero los pasos complejos pueden duplicar el precio unitario:

(5) Precisión & Calidad de la superficie

Mayor precisión (P.EJ., ± 0.01 mm de tolerancia) o superficies más lisas (P.EJ., efectos espejo) requieren una impresión más lenta y más controles de calidad:

• Baja precisión (± 0.5 mm): Sin costo adicional.
• Precisión media (± 0,1 ~ 0,3 mm): Agrega 10 ~ 30% al precio unitario.
• Alta precisión (±0,01 ~ 0,05 mm): Agrega 30 ~ 60% al precio unitario.

(6) Service Provider Type

Small studios and large industrial providers have different pricing:

• Hobbyist studios: Lower prices (20 ~ 200 RMB/parte) → Good for simple projects.
• Industrial service providers: Higher prices (100 ~ 5,000 RMB/parte) → Better for high-quality, bulk orders (with volume discounts).

3. Reference Range of 3D Printing Unit Prices

To help you gauge if a quote is reasonable, here’s a breakdown of typical unit prices by material and technology:

4. 5 Practical Tips to Reduce the Unit Price of 3D Printing

You don’t have to sacrifice quality to cut costs. Prueba estas estrategias:

1. Optimize model design: Eliminar soportes innecesarios (P.EJ., utilizar ángulos autoportantes) y simplificar la geometría para reducir el tiempo de impresión 10 ~ 25%.
2. Elige el material adecuado: Utilice PLA en lugar de ABS para piezas no funcionales, o resina en lugar de metal para pequeños, elementos detallados: guardar 50 ~ 80% sobre costos de material.
3. Ordene al por mayor: Pregunta por descuentos por volumen (P.EJ., 80% a favor de 10+ regiones) bajar los precios unitarios mediante 20 ~ 40%.
4. Hacer auto-postprocesamiento: Realice pasos simples como lijar o limpiar usted mismo en lugar de pagarle al proveedor de servicios, ahorrando 10 ~ 50 RMB/parte.
5. Elija tecnología económica: Utilice FDM en lugar de SLA para grandes, piezas con poco detalle: las tarifas por hora para FDM son 30 ~ 60% lower than SLA.

Yigu Technology’s Perspective on 3D Printing Unit Price

En la tecnología yigu, creemos transparency and customization are key to fair 3D printing pricing. Many clients overpay because they use the wrong calculation method (P.EJ., time-based for simple PLA parts) or don’t optimize their models. Our team helps clients choose the right method—for example, weight-based for hobby projects and time-based for industrial metal parts—and optimizes designs to cut support use by 20 ~ 30%. We also offer flexible volume discounts: incluso 10+ parts get 20% apagado, y 100+ parts get 40% apagado. Desglosando las citas en material, tiempo, y costos de posprocesamiento, we ensure clients know exactly where their money goes—making 3D printing accessible and cost-effective for all needs.

Preguntas frecuentes

1. Which calculation method is best for small hobby projects (P.EJ., PLA toys)?

For small hobby projects, el material weight-based method es mejor. It’s simple to calculate (just need part weight and material price) and most hobbyist studios use it. For a 50-gram PLA toy, the unit price would be around 30 ~ 60 RMB—affordable and easy to verify.

2. Why does titanium alloy 3D printing have such a high unit price (500 ~ 5,000 RMB/parte)?

Titanium alloy is expensive (50 ~ 100 RMB/gramo) and requires industrial-grade SLM/EBM printers (200 ~ 500 RMB/hora). It also needs complex post-processing (P.EJ., tratamiento térmico) to meet strength standards. All these factors combine to push the unit price much higher than PLA or resin parts.

3. Can I negotiate the unit price with a 3D printing service provider?

Yes—especially for bulk orders or simple parts. If you order 50+ regiones, ask for a 20 ~ 30% descuento. For simple designs, you can also negotiate to lower the profit margin (P.EJ., from 3x to 2x) or skip unnecessary post-processing steps to cut costs by 10 ~ 25%.