If you’re using 3D printing for stainless steel parts—whether for industrial components, аэрокосмические части, or custom accessories—understanding the cost per gram is critical for budgeting. Unlike resin or PLA 3D printing, 3D printing stainless steel is far more expensive, with costs ranging from 60 RMB/gram for mass-produced parts к 400 RMB/gram for small-batch, high-precision components. This guide breaks down the core cost drivers, provides practical price references, shares cost-saving tips, and answers common questions to help you make informed decisions.
1. 4 Core Factors That Impact the Cost Per Gram of 3D Printing Stainless Steel
The cost per gram of 3D printed stainless steel is shaped by tangible factors—from the printing technology used to the complexity of post-processing. Below is a detailed breakdown with real numbers to illustrate their impact:
(1) 3D Тип технологии печати
Technology is the biggest cost driver, as different methods vary drastically in precision, скорость, and equipment costs. The three most common technologies for stainless steel 3D printing are:
| Технологический тип | Стоимость за грамм (юаней/грамм) | Ключевые характеристики | Типичные приложения |
| Селективное лазерное плавление (СЛМ) | 130 ~ 400 | Ультра-высокая точность (Допуск ± 0,02 мм), suitable for complex structures; high equipment and material costs | Small-batch high-precision parts (НАПРИМЕР., Медицинские имплантаты, аэрокосмические компоненты) |
| Electron Beam Fusion (EBM) | 80 ~ 250 | Ideal for large-scale industrial parts; lower cost than SLM but slightly lower precision (Допуск ± 0,05 мм) | Mass-produced industrial components (НАПРИМЕР., robotic arm joints, Клапанские тела) |
| Binding Jetting | 60 ~ 200 | Lowest unit cost for mass production; but requires complex post-processing (НАПРИМЕР., дебютирование, спекание) | Bulk-produced small parts (НАПРИМЕР., custom fasteners, decorative accessories) |
Пример: A 50g stainless steel part printed via SLM costs 6,500 ~ 20,000 юаней. The same part printed via Binding Jetting costs 3,000 ~ 10,000 RMB—50% cheaper—though it needs extra post-processing.
(2) Слаль из нержавеющей стали
The grade of stainless steel directly affects material costs, as specialized grades (НАПРИМЕР., коррозионная устойчивость, высокая сила) are more expensive to produce:
| Слаль из нержавеющей стали | Стоимость за грамм (Только материал, юаней/грамм) | Ключевые свойства | Типичные приложения |
| 304 Нержавеющая сталь | 10 ~ 30 | Хорошая коррозионная стойкость, низкая сила; most affordable grade | Некритические промышленные детали (НАПРИМЕР., Простые скобки, декоративные детали) |
| 316L из нержавеющей стали | 20 ~ 50 | Высокая коррозионная стойкость (Подходит для суровых средств), better ductility | Морские части, chemical equipment components, Медицинские инструменты |
| 17-4PH нержавеющая сталь | 30 ~ 100 | Martensitic steel with high strength and hardness; теплопроводимый | High-load parts (НАПРИМЕР., Самолеты, Компоненты сосуда давления) |
Ключевая нота: Imported stainless steel powders (НАПРИМЕР., from EOS or Carpenter) расходы 2 ~ 3x more than domestic powders (НАПРИМЕР., from Baosteel or TISCO). Например, imported 316L powder costs 40 ~ 50 юаней/грамм, while domestic 316L powder costs 20 ~ 30 юаней/грамм.
(3) Требования к постобработке
Nearly all 3D printed stainless steel parts need post-processing to meet strength, точность, and appearance standards. Each step adds significantly to the total cost per gram:
| Поступ-обработка шага | Стоимость за грамм (юаней/грамм) | Цель |
| Basic Polishing/Sanding | 10 ~ 50 | Remove surface roughness (Ra from 3.2μm to 1.6μm); eliminate layer lines |
| Высокая обработка (CNC Trimming) | 50 ~ 150 | Достичь жестких допусков (± 0,01 мм); refine critical features (НАПРИМЕР., отверстия, нить) |
| Electroplating/Coating | 30 ~ 200 | Добавить коррозионную стойкость (НАПРИМЕР., хромирование) or aesthetic finish (НАПРИМЕР., matte black); aerospace-grade coatings cost the most |
| Термическая обработка | 20 ~ 80 | Improve strength and hardness (НАПРИМЕР., annealing for 17-4PH steel); reduce internal stress |
Пример: A 100g part needing basic polishing costs 1,000 ~ 5,000 RMB in post-processing. The same part needing high-precision CNC trimming + electroplating costs 8,000 ~ 35,000 RMB—7x more.
(4) Заказать объем
Order volume has a huge impact on cost, as fixed costs (НАПРИМЕР., equipment setup, программирование) are spread across more parts. Small batches are exponentially more expensive than large-scale production:
| Заказать объем | Стоимость за грамм (Общий, юаней/грамм) | Discount vs. Single Piece | Пример: 50g 316L Part (Технология SLM) |
| Single Piece/Small Batch (<10 куски) | 250 ~ 400 | 0% (Нет скидки) | 50g × 300 RMB/gram = 15,000 юаней |
| Средняя партия (10 ~ 100 куски) | 150 ~ 250 | 20 ~ 40% | 50g × 200 RMB/gram = 10,000 юаней |
| Большая партия (>100 куски) | 60 ~ 150 | 40 ~ 70% | 50g × 100 RMB/gram = 5,000 юаней |
Пример: A single 50g robotic arm joint (СЛМ, 316L steel) расходы 15,000 юаней. Заказывающий 100 of the same joints drops the cost to 5,000 RMB each—67% cheaper.
2. Typical Cost Per Gram: Разбивка по сценариям
To see how all these factors come together, below are three common scenarios for 3D printing stainless steel parts:
| Сценарий | Технология | Слаль из нержавеющей стали | Пост-обработка | Стоимость за грамм (юаней/грамм) | Пример (10g Part Total Cost) |
| Small-Batch High-Precision Part | СЛМ | 17-4PH | CNC Trimming + Термическая обработка | 250 ~ 400 | 2,500 ~ 4,000 юаней |
| Medium-Batch Industrial Part | EBM | 316Л | Basic Polishing + Термическая обработка | 100 ~ 200 | 1,000 ~ 2,000 юаней |
| Large-Batch Mass-Produced Part | Binding Jetting | 304 | Шлифование + Гальванизация | 60 ~ 120 | 600 ~ 1,200 юаней |
3. Practical Cost Reference for Common 3D Printed Stainless Steel Parts
To help you quickly gauge reasonable prices, below is a table of common part types and their typical costs:
| Тип частично | Размер/Вес | Технология | Стоимость за грамм (юаней/грамм) | Total Part Cost (юаней) |
| Custom Keychain (Декоративный) | 2см / 10глин | Binding Jetting | 60 ~ 100 | 600 ~ 1,000 |
| Medical Implant (НАПРИМЕР., Dental Abutment) | 1см / 5глин | СЛМ | 300 ~ 400 | 1,500 ~ 2,000 |
| Robotic Arm Joint (Промышленное) | 10см / 50глин | EBM | 100 ~ 180 | 5,000 ~ 9,000 |
| Aerospace Fastener | 3см / 8глин | СЛМ | 250 ~ 350 | 2,000 ~ 2,800 |
| Mass-Produced Valve Body | 8см / 40глин | Binding Jetting | 80 ~ 120 | 3,200 ~ 4,800 |
4. 4 Practical Tips to Reduce the Cost Per Gram of 3D Printing Stainless Steel
While 3D printing stainless steel is inherently expensive, these strategies can help lower costs without sacrificing quality:
(1) Optimize Part Design to Cut Material Use
- Simplify geometry: Remove redundant features (НАПРИМЕР., unnecessary curves, thick walls) to reduce the part’s weight by 15 ~ 30%. Например, a 50g part optimized to 35g saves 15g of material—cutting costs by 30%.
- Use hollow structures: For non-load-bearing parts (НАПРИМЕР., декоративные компоненты), design hollow interiors with thin walls (≥1mm) to reduce material consumption by 20 ~ 40%.
(2) Choose Domestic Stainless Steel Powders
Domestic powders (НАПРИМЕР., from Baosteel, TISCO) являются 50 ~ 60% cheaper than imported powders (НАПРИМЕР., EOS, Плотник) and meet most industrial standards. Например, using domestic 316L powder (20 ~ 30 юаней/грамм) instead of imported (40 ~ 50 юаней/грамм) cuts material costs by half.
(3) Batch Orders to Unlock Discounts
Even small increases in order volume can lead to significant savings. Если вам нужно 50 parts over 6 месяцы, order all 50 at once instead of 10 per month—this can unlock a 20 ~ 30% discount, reducing the cost per gram by 20 ~ 30%.
(4) Simplify Post-Processing When Possible
- Пропустить ненужные шаги: If the part doesn’t need high precision (НАПРИМЕР., a decorative keychain), avoid CNC trimming and use basic sanding instead—saving 50 ~ 150 юаней/грамм.
- Combine post-processing steps: Например, handle heat treatment and sanding in one facility to avoid shipping costs and reduce overall fees by 10 ~ 15%.
Yigu Technology’s Perspective on 3D Printing Stainless Steel Costs
В Yigu Technology, Мы верим matching technology and material to project needs is the key to cost-effective 3D printing of stainless steel. Many clients overspend by using SLM for mass-produced parts or imported powders for non-critical components—for example, using SLM (300 юаней/грамм) for a simple bracket that could be made with Binding Jetting (80 юаней/грамм). Our team helps clients select the right solutions: for small-batch high-precision parts, we recommend SLM with domestic 17-4PH powder; для серийных деталей, we suggest Binding Jetting with 304 or 316L domestic powder. We also optimize designs to reduce material use by 15 ~ 30% and negotiate bulk discounts with powder suppliers. Our goal is to help clients get high-quality 3D printed stainless steel parts at the lowest possible cost per gram.
Часто задаваемые вопросы
- Why is 3D printing stainless steel so much more expensive than resin or PLA 3D printing?
3D printing stainless steel requires high-cost equipment (SLM/EBM machines cost 1 ~ 10 million RMB vs. 10 ~ 30,000 RMB for resin printers) and specialized metal powders (10 ~ 100 RMB/gram vs. 0.02 ~ 0.2 RMB/gram for resin). Кроме того, пост-обработка (НАПРИМЕР., CNC trimming, термическая обработка) is far more complex and costly for stainless steel parts.
- Can I use 3D printing stainless steel for small decorative parts (НАПРИМЕР., Клавицы) без перерасхода?
Yes—use Binding Jetting technology with 304 stainless steel powder and basic sanding (no electroplating). A 10g keychain made this way costs 600 ~ 1,000 юаней, which is affordable for small-batch custom orders. Avoid SLM or high-grade powders (НАПРИМЕР., 17-4PH) Для декоративных деталей, as they will double or triple the cost.
- How much does post-processing add to the total cost per gram of 3D printed stainless steel?
Post-processing typically adds 10 ~ 350 юаней/грамм, depending on the steps. Basic sanding adds 10 ~ 50 юаней/грамм, while high-precision CNC trimming + electroplating adds 80 ~ 350 юаней/грамм. Для большинства промышленных частей, post-processing accounts for 20 ~ 50% of the total cost per gram.