The Real Cost of 3D Printing (and How to Cut It)

Think your 3D prints only cost a few cents?
That little 30¢ Benchy is more of a myth than anything else 😅

In this video, we break down the REAL cost of 3D printing. You’ll see how costs quickly add up when you factor in:
🔹 Filament & material prices
🔹 Electricity usage
🔹 Printer depreciation & maintenance
🔹 Your own time (setup + post-processing)
🔹 Design software, model purchases, and freelance costs
🔹 Iteration, failed prints, packaging & quality control

By the end, you’ll understand why that “cheap print” often easily costs 5 to 10x more than you think, and I’ll share 5 proven strategies to cut those costs, from smarter design (DFAM) to batching, automation, and slicer optimization.

Download the FREE 3Dnatives print cost calculator here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/lnwoe7...
Plug in your own printer, filament, and electricity price to discover how much your prints really cost.

00:00 Introduction
00:45 Raw Cost vs Real Cost (The Benchy Example)
01:47 Hidden Costs
02:46 Hidden Costs with Other Technologies
03:28 How to Cut Costs?
04:25 Calculate Your Costs Yourself (Calculator)
04:50 Recap & Outro

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