Signs & Large Format Print
What the price of a 3D print is made of
A 3D print does not have a per-piece price plucked from thin air. We count three things, and each can be checked:
- machine time: how many hours the printer will be busy with your model; usually the largest part of the bill,
- material: the weight of filament including the supports, which are snapped off after printing,
- preparation: positioning the model, choosing parameters, checking the file and starting the print; paid once per order, regardless of quantity.
Sometimes finishing is added: sanding, priming, painting. If the model is to look like a finished product rather than a raw print with visible layers, that is separate manual work, charged by the hour.
Print time depends mainly on the model's volume, layer height and infill. The same mug printed at 0.28 mm layers will be ready much sooner than at 0.12 mm, but will have more visible ridges. That is why we always ask what the model is for: a technical part to be screwed on does not need the same smoothness as a display figure.
Our 3D printing price list
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Print time: standard printer | approx. €14 / hour | most jobs |
| Print time: large-format printer | approx. €26 / hour | large parts in one piece |
| PLA material | approx. €0.05 / g (approx. €5 / 100 g) | interiors, mock-ups, prototypes |
| ABS material | approx. €0.10 / g | technical parts |
| PETG material | approx. €0.10 / g | tougher, more heat-resistant |
| ASA material | approx. €0.10 / g | outdoors, UV-resistant |
| TPU material (flexible) | approx. €0.15 / g | seals, bumpers, flexible parts |
| File preparation and print start | approx. €14 / order | one-off |
| Finishing: sanding, priming, painting | approx. €34 / hour | when the model must look like a finished product |
| 3D modelling (if you have no file) | approx. €45 / hour | from a drawing, sketch or photos |
| Series discount 10–50 pcs | approx. 15% | larger runs quoted individually |
Our company-wide minimum order value is approx. €24 net. For very small items it is usually this, not the print time, that sets the price.
Sample quotes, calculated step by step
Numbers show it best. The examples below are calculated from the price list, with no hidden items.
PLA bracket or blanking cap: 40 g of material, about 2 hours of printing:
- Machine time: 2 h × €14 = €28
- Material: 40 g × €0.05 = approx. €2
- Preparation and start: approx. €14
- Total: approx. €44 net for the first piece
A series of 20 logo keyrings in PLA: they fit on one build plate, about 5 hours of printing, 300 g of material in total:
- Machine time: 5 h × €14 = €70
- Material: 300 g × €0.05 = €15
- Preparation: approx. €14
- Subtotal approx. €99; after the series discount of about 15%, approx. €84 net, or about €4.20 per piece
Device housing in PETG: 350 g, about 14 hours of printing:
- Machine time: 14 h × €14 = €196
- Material: 350 g × €0.10 = approx. €35
- Preparation: approx. €14
- Total: approx. €245 net
These are examples: the real time only shows once the slicer has your file. The difference between an estimate "by eye" and the calculated time can be twofold.
What pushes the price up most, and what brings it down
Clients are most often surprised that a small, solid object costs more than a large, hollow one. That is how 3D printing works: you pay for the volume of material and the time, not the overall size.
The price goes up when:
- the model has 100% infill "because it has to be strong": in most cases 20–40% infill and thicker walls give similar strength with a much shorter print,
- the model has many overhangs and needs supports: supports mean extra material, time and manual cleaning,
- you order a very fine layer where nobody will see it,
- the part is too big for a standard printer and has to be printed on a large-format machine, or split and glued,
- painting and an "injection-moulded" finish are required.
The price goes down when:
- we print several or a dozen pieces at once on one build plate,
- the model can be oriented so few supports are needed; sometimes we will suggest a small change to the geometry,
- the material suits the job rather than being chosen "to be safe": PLA for indoor use is cheaper and simpler to print than ASA or TPU.
If you are unsure about materials, see our guide PLA, PETG or something else: which 3D printing material.
How to get an exact quote quickly
If you have a ready model in STL, 3MF or STEP, send it with the quantity, material (or the application, and we will choose the material) and deadline. Then we can quote exactly, because we see the time from the slicer. If you just need a figure, send the model and we will reply with the price.
No file, just a drawing, a broken part or an idea? Then we first make the model, either by modelling it from scratch or by 3D scanning the existing object. More about ordering from a ready file in 3D printing from your own STL file, and the service is described on the 3D printing from your own model page.
We have a farm of 7 3D printers on site, so larger runs and several jobs at once do not block the queue. A typical job is ready in about 3 working days, simple items often sooner. Collection in Wieluń or courier delivery across the EU, to the UK and worldwide.