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High print prices, economies of scale can't match injection moulding. A lot of 3d projects can't get off the ground, because of it. High unit prices of 3d-print

High print prices, economies of scale can't match injection moulding. A lot of 3d projects can't get off the ground, because of it. High unit prices of 3d-printed items kill sales and the cost of launching projects using injection moulding is beyond the reach of a lot of designers. I had to park mine, because I cannot sell my project for $60 per item and to sell it for $5 I'd need to pay ~$15k for the mould, material, manufacturing of at least 10,000 items for the market where I might sell 500 to 1000 items. It just does not add up.

slau 2y ago
I’d be interested to understand why the $60 is incompressible or an unsellable price. Did you consult with a print farm to see how much they could produce your items for, or was this based on you producing them yourself? Also, designing for manufacturability is a thing, and slightly changing your design can yield massive improvements in costs. I’m not saying 3D printing is magic—I very much understand there are very strong limits. But the jump from $60 to $5 seems massive.
- surfingdino 2y ago
  > I’d be interested to understand why the $60 is incompressible or an unsellable price. An accessory for the market where the highest-priced products sell for $200-$300. $60 is not an attractive proposition in that market. > Did you consult with a print farm to see how much they could produce your items for, or was this based on you producing them yourself? I used a pro 3D print facility, that's the best they could do. I did my research and found similar quotes from other printers. > Also, designing for manufacturability is a thing, and slightly changing your design can yield massive improvements in costs. Absolutely, but the design could not be simplified any more. You simply cannot go from $60 to $5 using 3d printing technologies, material, and finish. Yes, I did use 3d printing farms and the results were unusable, the quality was unacceptable. You can can go even lower than $5 using injection moulding, I was quoted $0.5 if I ordered 100000 pieces. The problem with injection moulding is the cost of the mould, the material, and the storage of unsold inventory. You really have to be sure that you will sell it. There is also nobody to talk to if you want certain quality or finish. There is a reason why manufacturers of certain products keep it in-house.

slau 2y ago

I’d be interested to understand why the $60 is incompressible or an unsellable price. Did you consult with a print farm to see how much they could produce your items for, or was this based on you producing them yourself? Also, designing for manufacturability is a thing, and slightly changing your design can yield massive improvements in costs. I’m not saying 3D printing is magic—I very much understand there are very strong limits. But the jump from $60 to $5 seems massive.

surfingdino 2y ago
> I’d be interested to understand why the $60 is incompressible or an unsellable price. An accessory for the market where the highest-priced products sell for $200-$300. $60 is not an attractive proposition in that market. > Did you consult with a print farm to see how much they could produce your items for, or was this based on you producing them yourself? I used a pro 3D print facility, that's the best they could do. I did my research and found similar quotes from other printers. > Also, designing for manufacturability is a thing, and slightly changing your design can yield massive improvements in costs. Absolutely, but the design could not be simplified any more. You simply cannot go from $60 to $5 using 3d printing technologies, material, and finish. Yes, I did use 3d printing farms and the results were unusable, the quality was unacceptable. You can can go even lower than $5 using injection moulding, I was quoted $0.5 if I ordered 100000 pieces. The problem with injection moulding is the cost of the mould, the material, and the storage of unsold inventory. You really have to be sure that you will sell it. There is also nobody to talk to if you want certain quality or finish. There is a reason why manufacturers of certain products keep it in-house.