WOW3DPRO

Cost Saving

How to lower
3D printing cost

Practical ways to reduce quotes by tuning layer height, infill, supports, material, and split printing.

Quick answer

The fastest way to lower a 3D printing price is to reduce infill and raise the layer height. For visual prototypes, 15–20% infill and an FDM layer height around 0.2 mm are often enough; orienting the part to need less support and choosing a fit-for-purpose material such as PLA or Standard resin cuts cost further.

By Seo Jeongju, CEO of WOW3DLast updated First published

Raise layer height when fine detail is not required

For FDM, ~0.2mm layers often cut print time and machine cost when ultra-fine finish is not needed.

Lower infill to match the use case

Visual prototypes often work at 15–20% infill. Raise infill only for load-bearing functional parts.

Orient parts to need less support

Heavy overhangs add support material and cleanup time. Reorienting can lower cost.

Pick material and process for the goal

For look-and-feel checks, PLA or Standard resin is often enough instead of expensive engineering materials.

Real Output

Real 3D printing work by WOW3D

Parts we printed in-house on FDM, SLA and DLP machines. See more in the print gallery.

  • Scale model car tires — Flexible resin DLP 3D printed part by WOW3D

    Scale model car tires

    DLP · Flexible resin

  • Bottle cap prototype — White resin DLP 3D printed part by WOW3D

    Bottle cap prototype

    DLP · White resin

  • Arduino product enclosure — PLA FDM 3D printed part by WOW3D

    Arduino product enclosure

    FDM · PLA

  • Clear bottle prototype — Clear resin DLP 3D printed part by WOW3D

    Clear bottle prototype

    DLP · Clear resin

View more work

FAQ

What lowers price the fastest?

Lower infill and higher layer height usually move the quote most. Compare options in live auto-quote.

Can I cut cost without killing quality?

Keep critical visible faces finer and use economical settings for hidden or internal areas.