print cost SLA vs FDM ?

[limburger 21683xp 0]

Is resin really as expensive as my google searches are telling me ?
I am seeing +/- 90 Euro per bottle of resin vs 20 Euro for a spool of 1,75 mm PLA
Both weigh +/- 1Kg …

This suggests that FDM printeres may be cheaper to run.

Are there any sites that list print cost / volume or another metric that makes the running cost easier to compare ?

— edit —

fixed title … those TLA’s make my head hurt 😉

[marsniper27Participant 1006xp 0]

I think you mean to make the title SLA vs FDM. PLA is one of the material used in FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) and SLA (StereoLithography apparatus) is the most common low cost resin printing technology.

As for your actual question the per print cost is generally higher with resin printers.

[limburger 21683xp 0]

but is it really +/- 4 times as expensive when using ‘official’ material of standard quality (*)?

(*) I consider it a given that specialist material is more expensive, so let’s assume standard quality that is good enough for terrain/minis …

[marsniper27Participant 1006xp 0]

I was searching for some comparisons but most of the articles I could find where a couple years old and prices have come down since then. I don’t have a resin printer to give first hand experience so maybe someone with both can give a better idea on the cost difference.

What your printing will make a difference in the cost as well. With resin printing you generally hollow out the models to minimize resin use but some object that won’t be an option. Also the design of the object will lead to more excess resin being left on the model which you will wash away. With FDM you will use a bit more material with the infill and support structures then with resin.

This is a commonly recommended resin https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z986566/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_mPcQEbQJ6B26M

And this is a common pla https://www.amazon.com/HATCHBOX-3D-Filament-Dimensional-Accuracy/dp/B00J0EE1D4/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?dchild=1&keywords=pla&qid=1588079484&sr=8-11

Prices are pretty close per kg but I don’t know how much you could print with each.

[sniperbaitParticipant 98xp 1]

I also wonder how much more an SLA figure weighs than an FDM figure. Resin figures are (I think) more dense and also I get them impression that some of the resin will be wasted for all the supports and the stuff that needs to be washed off.

 

I’m also exploring getting a printer, but I’m going for an SLA (Ender 3) to start with as I’m more interested in printing larger pieces of scenery but from what I’ve read, you shouldn’t really think of the individual costs as it’ll take quite some time to make your money back if you are buying it for purely cost saving considering there is the cost of all the consumables (alcohol, ppe etc) any files you buy, uv curing gizmo lamp thing, failed prints. But I guess that would depend on how much you print I guess and if you replicate the same file numerous times or use free files or design your own

 

There are a couple of videos I’ve watched that gives the cost of a 28mm FDM figure at 12 cents and resin at $1 but I couldn’t tell you how old those videos were as the price of resin has fallen massively over the last couple of years as someone pointed out above.

 

Resin & FDM Printing for Miniature Wargaming: A Comparison of Costs and Material Usage

 

 

This link gives a really good cost comparison  and with updated prices for the resin, but in short the author states that a 1/56th bren carrier would cost $1.97 in resin and $0.41 in FDM. He doesn’t say however if the costs of the resin have been recalculated since the prices have dropped.

The costs haven’t been adjusted for the drop in resin prices, but they are around 30% or so less for the resin costs

 

[marsniper27Participant 1006xp 0]

Ender 3 is FDM it is what I have. I have gotten mine tuned and can print reasonable minis but the detail is nothing compared to resin. I use mine mainly for large terrain items as well as practical items.

[limburger 21683xp 0]

I suspect that as well as cost of resin there’s also the expiration date to consider, so it might be more cost effective to buy two 500ml bottles of resin as opposed to a single

Does filament have an expiration date ?

@sniperbait I don’t look at these costs as ‘getting money back’, but more like the cost of owning one of these devices.
With something like an inktjet or laserprinter that is easy, because there is an “official” inkt to use and most shops offer hardware as well as supplies. It’s also why I’ve got an inktjet instead of a laserprinter because toner cartridges are still too expensive (buying a new printer is cheaper than replacing the toner cartridges … total madness)

There is no such equivalent for FDM 3D printers and even resin is not quite as restrictive (which is good).
However this also makes it tricky to understand running costs as there is (too much) choice for newbies like me.

Anyways …

So it is true that a resin printer like the Photon is more expensive even without the alcohol/cleaning supplies.
That is something to consider (and it helps me not buy one 😉 … not sure how long that’ll last)

[maxkee 1415xp 1]

 

Yes, resin is more expensive. But the prices have come down markedly over the past few years.

https://www.anycubic.com/collections/uv-resin/products/colored-uv-resin-for-photon-series is 40 euro vs 25 euro for quality filament (Prusament). And in my experience you should spend the money on good filament for a FDM.

I have 2 Prusa Mk3’s and 1 Anycubic photon S.

I am still inclined to say that for 28mm terrain the FDM’s still have the preference due to lower cost and acceptable detail levels on a MK3 in combination with Prusament. With terrain you will be quickly be inclinded to cover a table and then the cost difference will add up. Also the larger build plate is the big difference allowing you to print houses in 1 go etc.. Not possible with a photon.

For miniatures, scatter terrain and greebles I would say go for Resin. It is slightly more expensive, but considering the time and effort you will put into them, and the centerpiece nature of them, the additional quality is really worth it.

[turbocoolerParticipant 4103xp 0]

If you download a slicer like PrusaSlicer you can put in the cost of a bottle of Resin or a spool of PLA and then slice a model of your choice.  It will give you print time and cost for that model.  Cura will do the same.

Resin has the additional cost of gloves, cleaning material (denatured alcohol or IPA), curing box, filters and other protective gear.

On a per kg basis, Resin is more expensive.  Over time the difference has been coming down.  At least in the US you can find a bottle of resin @ 500ml for $25  1 kg of GOOD PLA is $25 and Cheap PLA is $19

[noyjatatParticipant 16155xp 0]

Either machine will save you more than buying off the shelf, a balance between the two would be better if you want both scenery and high-quality minis so that you can switch as needed. With Patreons and KS solely dedicated to file generation at $10 and less, and even the ability to buy licenses to sell prints to friends or go commercial, it’s very quickly becoming the most cost-effective way to have an agnostic hobby, that will give you a huge amount of content for a much lower cost threshold.

I think we are firmly in at the beginning of print your minis at home, with printers being able to produce high-quality minis for the price of a mobile phone and the files are now out there of a quality to compete with pretty much any miniature range.

 

 

[limburger 21683xp 0]

I wonder if we ever get the same insanity/stupidity as we’ve seen with printers where (a) inkt costs more than the hardware and (b) various chips and contrived features prevent you from using alternatives.

Anyways …

There has been a definite increase in affordable and userfriendly 3D printers.

Wether it will go mainstream for real depends on how GW (and related companies) handle this moving forward.
There is a definite good use case for the small sculptors out there to produce STL-files only instead of shipping miniatures.
But that’s off-topic.

Anyways …

I see my Google-fu failed me during my research. Or rather … I wasn’t expecting that some companies do sell ‘official’ resin and fillament :

https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/47-resin

https://shop.prusa3d.com/en/16-filament

https://www.elegoo.com/shop/

(note : these guys really need to fix their shop and make finding stuff easier … )

UV Resin

1.75mm PLA 3D Printer Filament

 

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