AM part cost often lack transparency
Additive Manufacturing is rapidly evolving, and its implications are far-reaching across industries. In this AMPOWER Insights, we look into internal costing and the dynamic pricing landscape, investigating today´s manufacturing cost as well as market pricing by part manufacturing suppliers.
Our analysis focuses on manufacturing cost for AM parts and benchmarking in-house costs against service provider pricing. Key technologies in polymers and metals, including Material Extrusion, Selective Laser Sintering, Multi Jet Fusion, and Laser Powder Bed Fusion, are analysed. The spectrum of materials analyzed in this study spans PA12, APS, TPU, aluminum, stainless steel, and titanium alloys, each with its unique cost dynamics.
Printing polmer parts starts at 120 EUR/kg
The cost structure of in-house metal Additive Manufacturing commences at 0.80 EUR/cm³ for aluminum or 298 EUR/kg, and 1.29 EUR/cm³ for stainless steel alloys, equating to 165 EUR/kg. For polymer components produced through powder bed technologies, in-house costs today are as low as 0.12 EUR/cm³ or 120 EUR/kg. The market pricing can vary strongly due to different pricing strategies from the part manufacturing suppliers. For the most popular polymer materials PA12 and TPU, the price averages to around 1.00 EUR/cm³ with a spread from as low as 0.20 to 1.20 EUR/cm³.
Cost are expected to drop in the future
Looking ahead, the market is witnessing groundbreaking developments that promise to redefine cost paradigms. New technologies such as Area Printing striving to reduce costs and enhance efficiency. Our whitepaper navigates these complexities, highlighting the urgency of not only optimizing costs but also embracing long-term AM strategies that encompass supply chain resilience, value chain strategies, and intellectual property considerations.