“What does rapid prototyping cost?” is the third in a series of FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions. ProtoCAM frequently hears this question about pricing for prototypes / parts from customers. As in many cases, the answer is – “It depends”. What does it depend on?
The price that ProtoCAM quotes for a prototype mainly depends on:
- Physical size of the part, particularly the height of the part (shorter parts cost less)
- Volume – how much material is in the part (costs increases with volume)
- How many parts are being ordered (unit cost typically lower for batches)
- Special finishing, coloring, handling or post-production processing required (premium finishing services available)
- How fast the part is needed (expedited services available)
In the previous FAQ #2 blog post on rapid prototype quotes, we talked about what we do to process your request. Of course, the price is a big part of the rapid prototyping quotes we provide. All of the above factors are considered in providing a competitive quote, which is another reason why we don’t do instant online quoting; they mainly rely almost entirely on size and volume to create a quote.
By contrast, ProtoCAM adds a level of expertise that helps customers get the most for their money. ProtoCAM’s engineers may find a better way of orienting the part for production that decreases the cost, and if there is any appearance trade-off in that decision, they can advise on that. Based on how the part or prototype is going to be used, they may be able to recommend a less expensive way to build it. If the customer is not in a hurry, ProtoCAM may be able to schedule the production of the part at a less busy time to provide cost savings.
On the other hand, ProtoCAM is perfectly willing to provide premium rapid prototyping services when needed by customers, offering quick turn production and special handling when the customer needs it. The key is that ProtoCAM can match our customers’ needs across the board – for quickness, budget and special handling – on any job.
To get a rapid prototyping price quotation, please request a quote utilizing our instant quoting platform or engineer-assisted quote form, upload your 3D CAD file(s) and provide as much information as possible about the part and how it will be used. The more information you provide, the better we are able to respond to your request with a competitive price quote.
