Pricing & Batch Discounts for Business 3D Printing

At Precision Print Co, we believe in clear, predictable, and fair pricing. Our pricing structure for business customers is designed to support low-volume production, repeat orders, and efficient batch manufacturing without hidden costs.

All production is carried out in-house in Ribbchester, Preston, allowing us to maintain full control over quality, lead times, and consistency.

How Our Pricing Is Calculated

Pricing for business orders is based on two key factors: material cost and machine time. This ensures that costs reflect the true resources required to manufacture your parts.

Material Cost

We charge per gram of filament used. This ensures that pricing scales with the actual material consumption of each print job.

Machine Time Cost

We charge per hour of machine time used for printing your parts. The time is calculated based on the complexity and size of the print job.

Per Unit Pricing Example

Let’s break down how per-unit pricing works.

For a part weighing 5 grams that takes 1 hour to print, here’s how the pricing would be calculated for PLA:

  • Material cost for PLA:
    £0.13 per gram × 5 grams = £0.65

  • Machine time cost for PLA:
    £1.50 per hour × 1 hour = £1.50

  • Total cost per unit for this part:
    £0.65 + £1.50 = £2.15 per part

Here are the per gram and per hour costs for each material:

Material Pricing

  1. PLA: £0.13 per gram, £1.50 per hour

  2. PETG: £0.20 per gram, £2.00 per hour

  3. PLA-CF: £0.20 per gram, £2.00 per hour

  4. ABS: £0.25 per gram, £3.00 per hour

  5. ASA: £0.25 per gram, £3.00 per hour

  6. TPU: £0.35 per gram, £2.50 per hour

  7. PA6 (Nylon 6): £0.50 per gram, £4.00 per hour

Understanding Batch Discounts: Full Build Plate = 15% Off

Batch discounts are applied based on how efficiently we can fill the build plate during production. The more parts we can fit onto a full build plate, the lower the cost per part becomes.

Here’s how the 15% discount works:

  • Full build plate utilisation = 15% off the total cost.

  • When we optimise the print to fill the build plate, we pass those savings onto you as a 15% discount on the total cost of the parts being produced.

Example Calculation:

If you order 100 parts that weigh 5 grams each, and they fit perfectly on a full build plate, here’s how the pricing and discount would be calculated:

  • Material cost for 100 parts (5g × 100 parts × £0.13): £65.00

  • Machine time for 100 parts (1hr × 100 parts × £1.50): £150.00

  • Total cost for the full build plate (100 parts): £215.00

Then, applying the 15% batch discount for full build plate efficiency:

  • 15% discount: £215.00 × 0.15 = £32.25 off

  • Total discounted price: £215.00 - £32.25 = £182.75 for 100 parts.

This gives you a reduced per unit price of:
£182.75 ÷ 100 parts = £1.83 per part

Transparent, Repeatable Pricing

Once a part design is finalised, the pricing will remain consistent for repeat batches, provided the design, material, and print settings don’t change. This makes it easier for businesses to:

  • Forecast production costs

  • Plan inventory and stock levels

  • Scale production volumes without unexpected price changes

Our goal is to be your reliable, long-term production partner, not just a one-off supplier.

Designed for Long-Term Production

Our pricing model supports businesses that need:

  • Ongoing production of low to medium quantities

  • Design iteration without additional tooling costs

  • Flexible scaling of production as demand increases

  • Small to medium batch sizes for products still in development or prototyping

3D printing allows you to scale production without the upfront investment required for traditional manufacturing methods, like injection moulding or tooling.

Start a Production Project with Precision Print Co

If you're looking for a reliable UK-based provider for low-volume production of 3D printed components, we’d be happy to discuss your requirements.

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