Cost Profile of 3D Printing Using Biomaterials on a Lab Scale

Abstract

Additive manufacturing is a term used for the type of technologies aiming to manufacture objects by layering materials in specific geometric shapes. 3D printing technology may be financially lucrative; however, safety risks could arise, thus generating different types of potential costs, including economic losses. This work aims to explore such challenges faced by laboratories that use 3D printing technology, emphasizing the relationship between safety and economics in decision-making processes. Qualitative and quantitative methods were thus employed to address the challenges met by laboratories when manufacturing 3D printed biomedical products. The concept of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) was used to identify the corresponding costs for Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) and stereolithography (SLA) by considering the assessment of the processes' accident cost. The quantitative analysis revealed that the most significant parameter impacting the TCO of the FDM and SLA is the labor cost, which comprises over 95% of the total cost. Therefore, reducing 3D printing costs on a lab-scale should be a priority for any 3D process. Other processes can take advantage of the same solution by addressing this issue, thus allowing for more accurate cost comparisons of products created using different processes.