Fused Deposition Modeling

Process Translation Materials Constraints Costs

 

How much do parts cost?
The cost to create a part on FDM depends on the time and materials used to create the part. Since FDM builds upon layers, complexity is less of an issue on cost and rather it is the work to create mass that consumes resources. Therefore, creating bigger parts becomes costly using FDM. Small parts can be created for under $50, with larger parts costing more.
How quickly can parts be manufactured?
Like cost, the time it takes to create a part using FDM depends on the size of the part. Each layer created requires time to set before the next layer can be placed on top and the process to continue. So it can be seen that dimensionally longer parts with mass will take more time to create rather than smaller, hollow parts. The range in tame it takes to create these parts will vary from a couple of hours to multiple days.