Can 3D Printers Pay for Themselves in a Year?
Posted August 2, 2013 & filed under Uncategorized
Could a 3D printer pay for itself in less than a year? That is what a Michigan Technological University study claims.
According to the study, simply printing instead of buying 20 commonly used household items saved participants about $2,000 a year, which is about the cost of many reasonable 3D printers. From there, it is all profits.
The Study
Taking into account retail costs, shipping, and applicable taxes, the study concluded that printing items such as shower curtain rings, iPhone cases, sole inserts for shoes, and many other household items (whose combined prices ran as high as $1943.00) would cost users a mere $18 dollars to manufacture on a 3D printer.
The study even factored in a 20% failure rate of printing due to user mistakes or hardware malfunctions, so items could fail to print one in every five attempts and the savings still runs in the thousands of dollars.
Even the most conservative numbers used in the study yielded a savings of $300 a year for just 25 hours of printing. Highly active users who print out materials and items that normally cost thousands of dollars will understandably yield greater savings, but even the most casual consumer will be able to pay off the investment in a few short years.
Better for Businesses
Even greater still are the savings for businesses, both small and large, when they invest in 3D printer technology. Companies are closely following the 3D printing revolution to ascertain whether or not they can cut costs using its features. This study will certainly tip the scales in favor of making the investment.
With the ability to skip the manufacturing and shipping costs, companies will be able to pay off the price tag of 3D printers in a shorter amount of time than your average consumer (assuming they plan to heavily use it in their operations).
There is still some skepticism
Although this study is not the end-all argument to purchasing a 3D printer, it certainly will provide an interesting facet to the dialogue.
Still curious about whether or not 3D printing is right for you? See the full study here.
By Kevin Withers
