How this calculator works
The buying side adds the printer price to the filament, electricity, maintenance and labour used for every model. The outsourcing side adds the quoted price and shipping for every model. The difference compares the two totals for the number of models you enter. If printing in house costs less per model than outsourcing, the printer price is repaid after enough models, and that quantity is rounded up to a whole model.
Formula
In-house cost per model = filament + electricity and maintenance + labour. Buying total = printer price + in-house cost per model × models. Outsourcing total = (outsourcing price + shipping) × models. Models to repay = printer price / (outsourced cost - in-house cost), rounded up. The comparison excludes tax, printer repairs, failed prints and the resale value of the printer.
Worked example
A $600 printer with $3 of filament, $0.50 of power and maintenance and $2 of labour costs $5.50 per model. Outsourcing at $18 plus $4 shipping costs $22 per model, a $16.50 saving per model. Printing 120 models costs $1,260 in house and $2,640 outsourced, so buying is $1,380 cheaper. The printer repays its price after 37 models.
Advertisement
Frequently asked questions
Should I include my own time?
Include it if the time would otherwise be paid work or could be spent elsewhere. Setting labour to zero measures only out-of-pocket cash, which understates the real cost of printing at home.
What is left out of the comparison?
Failed prints, spare parts, printer depreciation, design time and the resale value of the printer are left out. Add an estimate of those costs to the per-model fields if they matter to you.
Why round the repayment quantity up?
A fraction of a model cannot be printed and counted on. The repaying model is the first whole model at which cumulative savings exceed the printer price.