For a long time, 3D printing has had a reputation as a very expensive and slow process, only suitable for prototypes and R&D processes. This is no longer the case. Our fleet, made up of dozens of high quality material extrusion machines, allow us to offer you batches of thousands of parts, from as little as £0.30 each, and turnarounds as short as 2-3 days.
Read more below to better understand our approach to pricing for both prototypes and batch orders.
This is largely due to the volume of the component, and therefore the amount of material used. At Printpool we specialise in the cost-effective production of parts smaller than 250mm x 250mm x 250mm.
If you order more parts, it is worthwhile for us refine our machine settings to optimise the number of parts per build, and make our production schedule very efficient.
If you can be flexible on turnaround time, we can offer you a better deal. This is because we can schedule our production more efficiently, and make your parts during quiet periods (such as weekends)
Some designs can be harder to make than others using 3D printing technologies. Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) is a complex subject, but one feature that adds expense are overhangs, as they require support material.
We can print cosmetic and lightly stressed components with a lower density, and therefore less material, than highly stressed engineering components, which require slower print times and higher material usage.
Certain polymer types cost far more than others, and often the choice of material can affect the turnaround time we can offer also, as they take more time to print. Both of these factors impact the end price that you will pay.
This calculator is a tool that can be used to estimate the cost of production based on various criteria, such as material, quantity, and turnaround time.
Please note, that although we endeavor to make this as accurate and useful as it can be, the pricing generated by this calculator does not constitute an offer of sale, and occasional bugs and mistakes are possible.
In particular, this calculator doesn't yet take into account our current availability, so turnaround is not guaranteed until confirmed by us at the point of order.
General Use parts are printed using 0.16mm layers, 15-20% infill density, and 2-4 solid wall/floor layers.
Cosmetic parts are printed 20-40% more slowly, using 0.08mm or 0.12mm layers, at 15-20% infill density, and 2-4 solid wall/floor layers.
Structural parts are printed slower still, and typically have between 4-6 wall and floor layers, with an infill between 40-60% density. Layer thickness depends on the application and part geometry, as thicker layers often have higher structural performance. We will discuss your particular application and requirements prior to confirming an order.
Final pricing, turnaround time, and part specifications will always be agreed on a case-by-case basis prior to the order being confirmed. Please use this calculator in good faith and understand that while we will try to honour the prices generated wherever possible, this won't always be feasible.
Try entering the cost code from these example components into the pricing calculator above, to see how different order specifications would have changed the unit price?
If approved, we offer 30-day invoice payment terms to business customers, and we will happily accept purchase orders to kick off a new project. Trade accounts are usually limited to customers who have placed at least one order with us previously, and can be suspended if invoices are paid late.
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Manufacturing enquiries proceed most quickly if you can attach a CAD file, STL, or engineering drawing of your component/s.
Oxford Centre for Innovation
Blue Boar Court,
9 Alfred Street
Oxford OX1 4EH
01865 597786
enquiries@printpool.co.uk
© Copyright 2025 Printpool Additive Manufacturing Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Company number 12732758
VAT number GB354866659
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