Jan Veselý
5 min read
When it comes to 3D printing, the Education sector is different from a business and has unique needs. It is important to find a comprehensive solution that helps your school or university manage secure access to the printer as well as control and recoup 3D printing costs (via pay-to-print). So, let’s look closer at the costs involved in 3D printing.
DIRECT 3D PRINTING Costs
1. The 3D Printer Itself
The Education sector is unique in many ways. When looking at specific printers, student safety takes first place. 3D printers have come down in cost, and in part, this has been a driver for schools and universities adopting the technology. There are different requirements for 3D printing depending on how it is being used; a hobbyist in their garage has fewer needs than a technical university prototyping electronics or a school using it as a teaching aid.
While exposed printers cost as little as $140, you should always consider the overall running cost, the impact on your IT admins, and features that will add to the printer's safety. The price tag on the most renowned, enclosed desktop 3D printers suitable for use in Education is roughly around $2,000 to $3,500.2. Materials (Filaments)
When costing materials for the year, you need to ask two key questions: How many projects a month will be printed? Will they be simple solids or more complex designs?
Filament costs can vary widely, ranging from $10 per spool to $160 per spool. The cost depends on material type, quality, weight, color, and diameter. For most schools and universities, budgeting $60 per spool is sufficient. Buying a 3D printing solution that monitors usage will enable you to predict future 3D print costs and manage costs throughout the budget year.
The two most common materials are PLA and ABS. PLA (PolyLactic Acid) is a biodegradable plastic, whereas ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Styrene) is an oil-based, tough plastic. PLA is advisable for education as it does not emit harmful toxins and is generally easier to work with.
Most 3D printers and solutions provide details on material usage and print time, helping users calculate printing costs and make informed decisions. A 3D print management solution also enables upfront student charging via a built-in pay-to-print system, maximizing the 3D print budget.
3. Modeling software
IndIRECT 3D PRINTING Costs
1. Maintenance & Service
As with 2D printers in your school, your 3D printer(s) will need to be maintained, which requires specialist knowledge. In part two of this series, we stated that if you already have a service agreement with a third party for your 2D print environment (your school’s IT department can answer this), then you are well-positioned to add 3D printers.
Service and management costs vary considerably depending on the number of printers, level of support required, and frequency of servicing. If you have an agreement for your 2D print environment, your provider should be able to provide you with an estimate for adding 3D printer(s) to the agreement.
3D printers differ in the sturdiness of construction, ease of use, print volume, printing quality, available materials that the 3D printer will support, and, of course, the customer support they provide. When choosing a printer, you should consider if your organization can manage to wait for 5 to 7 weeks before receiving a replacement part, as well as relying only on remote support.
In part ten of this series, we’ll discuss the considerations for managing and supporting your 3D printer. It will also offer guidance and advice to ensure your entire print environment is fully optimized.
📖 Read on → Part 10: Maintaining Your 3D Printers
2. Print Management Software
As already mentioned, education has specific 3D printing needs, so a print solution that helps you meet these needs is essential. With a 3D printer solution that includes print management software, your school or university can provide secure access to students (and faculty), track & report usage and costs, as well as provide the print-to-pay service from one platform, on one license for an affordable monthly fee.
As your fleet of printers increases, you will also need a simple, cost-effective management platform that works across your entire fleet of printers, including both 3D and paper/copy devices.
The 3D Printing in Education 2016 Report Card (published in January 2017) reported that 77% of schools expect their use of 3D printing to increase. Being able to add printers to your existing print management platform means that you can expand your capabilities quickly and cost-effectively.
3. Administration Costs
Something that can be overlooked when considering 3D printing is the administrative costs. Whether it is your IT administrator or one of the teaching staff, you need to consider the cost of their time. This is difficult to estimate. However, to minimize the time and effort spent administering your 3D printing solution, look for one that offers the following features:
- Reporting: 3D printing reports to help you make quick and accurate decisions based on hard facts.
- Monitoring: 3D printer monitoring will highlight any issues across your fleet of printers, allowing you or your third-party service provider to react quickly and solve any potential problems.
- Pull Printing: Pull printing means that you can print from any printer across the network, eliminating queues.
- User and Admin Notifications: With email notifications, the user or administrator is informed should there be an issue with the user’s print job or printer. This prevents bottlenecks as the user or administrator is informed and can act quickly to rectify the problem.
- Simple, user-friendly console: Look for a solution that offers a simple user and admin console, something that everyone can easily use without the need for in-depth training. This means that everyone can start using the 3D printer(s) immediately, and your chosen administrator is not distracted or frustrated by a complex management console.
FAQs on 3D Printing Costs
q1) WHO CAN HELP ME ESTIMATE OUR 3D PRINTING COSTS?
It is highly recommended that your IT department be involved when considering and purchasing your 3D printing solution. Your IT department and existing service providers can greatly assist in finding the right solution to ensure that you are getting the ROI you expect from the 3D printing program, including maximizing student access and managing costs.
Q2) ARE THERE GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR 3D PRINTING?
Technology is highly valued in education. Some countries, districts, or municipalities offer grants to encourage schools and universities to introduce technology into the classroom. 3D printing is proving a popular investment where grants are available. Speak to your local education authority and find out if they can help fund a 3D printing initiative.
You may have to submit a proposal or business case, and this is where this blog series can help, specifically part four, “The Business Case for a 3D Printer.”
