3d so expensive

[Busdriver 6209]

I've just received a 1/6th scale .50 cal machine gun for my MB scaler. Its a plastic (injection moulded) kit. It is very detailed icluding a working cocking lever and an ammo case with individual bullets that fit into a rubber belt. It cost £10.95 incliding delivery. It is quite a complicated model and fits together not unlike a Tamiya model. Almost glue free. Because I intend to mount it in the Jeep I would like to add some extra ammo boxes. I ordered before Christmas a set of 10 1/6th Jerry cans at an eyewatering price (£70 + postage as a best offer price) so was kind of expecting what happened next. Google 1/6th .50cal ammo boxes!!! Why on earth are they so F@*$%+g expensive. Its a box. I should point out the kit one isnt a solid box but has an opening lid with separate handles etc. The 3d ones are just a block. I fully accept that some 3D prints are complex but can anybody in non techno speak explain why it costs so much money. I think the cheapest i've found is £18 for 2  on shapeways + the extra costs.

[87lc2 2666]

In borad terms, 3D printed parts are much more expensive than injection molded parts because of time.  That injection molded .50 cal is probably made in under 2 minutes (even less when you factor in multiple cavities if that mold is so equipped).  The 3D printed Jerry Cans are probably a 4 hour print (give or take depending on printer, resolution, etc).  Basically it comes down to time.  The injection mold has high initial cost but they can make hundreds, or thousands, in very little time.  When having things done by 3D printer they take exponentially more time and tie up the printer from producting other jobs.  Hope that helps.

[Hobgoblin 1059]

You're paying for the designer's time, in a fairly niche market more than actual production time I think, and that's not a bad thing.  Self worth is a great quality but once you've sold a couple and made your time investment back, that might be perhaps a little cheeky but I'm not going to look down on anyone making money however they can. Vote with your wallet. 

@87lc2 is correct also, injection moulding would be done in seconds using, say a pennyworth of material but there's a 20 grand upfront cost for the mould tooling. Printing would be hours, probably at least double the material cost (as there's an extra mfg step to get the filement/resin) but there's zero setup cost bar the printer itself and you're not tied into production volume to break even. 

 

[jonboy1 2943]

There is also the volume it takes up in the printer tray, so if it's big it means they can't fit in as many other jobs on the same tray. The material costs a lot more comparatively to injection plastic, plus there is the support material (depending on the process) and the running costs of the printer are much higher compared to an injection mold.

I'd sort of disagree with the designer costs being a big part. I have a few bits and bobs on my shapeways page and I can assure you I only make about 10% on each print - the set up costs, processing, post processing and material are the major part of it.

If you want to give me a pm with an idea of what you are after and size etc I can model something up and work out a price for you on shapeways at mates rates  

[Busdriver 6209]

Thanks to @Hobgoblin and @jonboy1 for their kind offers. I will send PM in next couple of days with details.