Pricing for business customers
What the price depends on, and what quantity changes about it.
Two diagrams instead of a price list. A binding price comes from your part data, and you get it within 24 hours on working days.
What the price is made of
A price per gram says as little as a price per kilo of steel. Four items decide what a part costs.
One-off100 %
Planning & print preparation
Checking and repairing the file, orienting the part, placing supports, setting up the slicer, choosing material and profile, preparing the machine. Even with a finished file, that skilled work happens. For a one-off it is carried by that single part.
Material
The smallest item, contrary to expectation. With PLA and PETG the filament barely registers; with carbon-fibre reinforced polyamide or polycarbonate the share rises considerably.
Machine time
Print duration, occupancy, wear, power and maintenance. The machine works on its own, but during that time it is not available for any other job.
Post-processing
Removing supports, cleaning, deburring, cutting threads, assembling, inspecting. Per part, by hand, every time: a minute of handwork costs a multiple of a minute of machine time.
An example breakdown for a typical one-off order. The actual shares vary with the part, the quantity, the material and the amount of finishing.
What quantity changes about it
The same four items, but calculated for a small series.
Small series100 %
Planning & print preparation
Incurred once, whether it turns into one part or two hundred. In a series it spreads across every piece and barely registers afterwards.
Material
Every part needs its own amount; there is nothing to divide here. The share therefore rises, even though the price per gram does not change.
Machine time
The largest item in a series. A full build plate prints more cheaply per part than a half-empty one, but full is full: after that the machine takes as long as it takes.
Post-processing
The item that does not shrink at all. The two hundredth support is removed by hand just like the first, which is why its share actually rises.
Planning and print preparation are incurred once, whether it turns into one part or two hundred. In a small series they spread out, and the unit price drops noticeably.
And then it stops.
That holds until the build plate is full. From there the machine runs continuously anyway, and what remains is material, machine time and the work on each individual part. Look at the post-processing: its share actually rises, because it is the one item that does not shrink at all. The two hundredth support has to be removed by hand just like the first. If you need a larger quantity, you get it calculated, not estimated.
What I need for a binding quote
The more of this I have, the more precise the figure. If something is missing I ask, rather than guess.
- Part data: STEP preferred, otherwise STL, 3MF or a dimensioned drawing
- The quantity
- Use: where the part sits, what it carries, does it get warm, is it outdoors
- Tolerances, where any are critical, naming which dimensions
All amounts in Swiss francs. No value added tax is charged or shown: Printerking is not liable for VAT.
Send me the part.
With data and a quantity you receive a written quote within 24 hours on working days.