In-House 3D Printing vs. Outsourcing: What Midwest Manufacturers Need to Know

For most Midwest manufacturers, the question is not whether to use 3D printing. It is whether to own the capability or continue sending work to a service bureau. Both approaches have merit depending on your organization's volume, budget, and operational priorities. This guide gives you a straightforward framework for thinking through the decision, including the cost data to run the numbers for your specific situation.

A Brief Overview of Three Common 3D Printing Technologies

Before evaluating in-house versus outsourcing, it helps to understand what you are evaluating. The three most common industrial 3D printing technologies each serve different applications and carry different cost profiles.

FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) builds parts by melting and depositing engineering-grade thermoplastic filament layer by layer. It is the most widely used industrial 3D printing technology and is well-suited for functional prototypes, manufacturing tooling, and end-use parts requiring durable thermoplastic materials.

SLA (Stereolithography) uses a light source to cure liquid photopolymer resin layer by layer. It produces parts with fine surface finish and high dimensional accuracy, making it well-suited for inspection fixtures, detailed prototypes, and applications where cosmetic quality is a priority.

SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) uses a laser to sinter nylon powder into strong, isotropic parts without support structures. It is well-suited for complex geometry, functional nylon components, and low-to-mid volume production of durable parts.

Each technology is available through both in-house ownership and outsourced service bureaus. The decision of which approach is right for your organization applies across all three.

What Does Outsourcing 3D Printing Actually Cost?

Before you can evaluate in-house printing, you need an honest picture of what outsourcing is costing you today, including costs that do not show up on the invoice.

Direct costs are more variable than they first appear. Service bureau pricing for FDM parts typically ranges from $50 to $300 per part depending on size, material, and complexity. SLS nylon parts from a service bureau generally run $75 to $400 per part for production-grade components. As a broader reference, industrial service bureau pricing for polymer 3D printing can run $10 to $200 per part for FDM and $30 to $500 per part for SLS nylon components depending on part size and complexity. Rush orders, expedite fees, and shipping add further cost on top of quoted part prices.

Indirect costs are where outsourcing quietly erodes your operation. These include:

• Lead time. Standard service bureau lead times for FDM and SLS parts run five to ten business days. Rush lead times, when available, typically carry a significant price premium. For a manufacturing engineer waiting on a jig or fixture to keep a line moving, that wait time is a real operational cost that never appears on a purchase order.
• Iteration cost. Every design revision requires a new order, a new wait, and a new invoice. Facilities that outsource prototyping often limit how many iterations they run because each one costs time and money. That constraint slows product development and can mean design flaws are discovered later in the process, when they are more expensive to fix.
• Intellectual property exposure. Every file you send to a service bureau leaves your facility. For manufacturers in aerospace, medical device, or defense supply chains, this is not a theoretical risk. It is an operational and contractual concern.
• Procurement friction. The procurement process for service bureau orders adds time on top of the bureau's quoted turnaround. Vendor onboarding, purchase order approval, and shipping tracking all consume time that in-house printing eliminates entirely.

What Does In-House 3D Printing Actually Cost?

In-house 3D printing involves two categories of cost: an upfront capital investment in equipment, and ongoing operational costs including materials, maintenance, and labor.

Equipment investment varies by technology and scale. Industrial FDM systems such as the Stratasys F370 start around $50,000 to $70,000. Mid-range and full-capability industrial platforms across FDM, SLA, and SLS generally fall between $50,000 and $150,000 depending on build volume, material compatibility, and throughput. High-production systems sit above that range. The Formlabs Fuse 1+ 30W SLS system is designed specifically for manufacturers bringing SLS in-house for the first time, with post-processing equipment such as the Fuse Sift and Fuse Blast adding to the initial investment but significantly reducing labor time on SLS builds.

Material costs for Stratasys FDM systems are sold by the canister, measured in cubic inches. Standard engineering-grade thermoplastic canisters (92 in³) typically run in the $450 to $560 range, with larger 184 in³ canisters available for higher-volume materials. SLS nylon powder for the Fuse 1+ 30W runs approximately $55 to $99 per kilogram depending on application. In both cases, in-house material costs per part are a fraction of service bureau pricing at production volume.

Labor is the variable most facilities underestimate in both directions. File preparation in GrabCAD Print or PreForm software is straightforward, and machine setup and post-processing time vary depending on the system, part complexity, and application. For most facilities running one to two builds per day, a trained operator can manage the process alongside other responsibilities, meaning dedicated headcount is rarely required.

The Break-Even Decision: When Does In-House Make Sense?

The break-even point, when in-house printing becomes more cost-effective than outsourcing, depends on how much you currently spend on outsourced parts annually, your print volume, and which system you are evaluating. As a general framework, facilities spending $20,000 or more annually on outsourced 3D printing are strong candidates for in-house ownership. At that spend level, a mid-range industrial FDM system typically pays back within 18 to 24 months on direct cost savings alone, before accounting for lead time and iteration benefits.

A Worked FDM Example

Consider a manufacturer currently outsourcing 10 FDM parts per week at an average of $120 per part. That facility is spending approximately $62,400 per year on parts alone, before expedite fees or shipping. The same parts produced on a Stratasys F370 in-house would cost roughly $8 to $20 per part in materials depending on size and material selection. At 10 parts per week, annual material cost runs approximately $4,000 to $10,000, a saving of $50,000 or more per year. At that rate, the system pays back within the first year to 18 months.

This is an illustrative example. Actual savings depend on part size, material, and volume specific to your facility. AdvancedTek's sales representatives can work through the numbers for your specific situation.

A Worked SLS Example

Formlabs has published cost data comparing in-house SLS production on the Fuse 1+ 30W against service bureau outsourcing across multiple application types. For manufacturing aids, in-house Fuse 1+ 30W production runs approximately $4.23 per part in materials and labor cost. Service bureau pricing for the same parts averaged more than $10 per part across four major bureaus in the same Formlabs study.

For facilities running meaningful SLS volume, the in-house cost advantage compounds quickly. A facility printing 50 SLS parts per week at $10 outsourced versus $4.23 in-house saves approximately $22,000 annually in direct part cost, enough to justify a significant portion of the Fuse 1+ 30W investment in year one.

Lead Time: The Cost That Never Shows Up on an Invoice

Cost per part is the number that appears in a business case. Lead time is the number that shows up in your operation every day.

Industrial FDM systems produce functional parts in hours, not days. A fixture that takes five to seven business days to arrive from a service bureau can be on the shop floor within four to eight hours on an in-house system. For a manufacturing line waiting on a replacement jig or a QA engineer waiting on an inspection fixture, the operational value of that time compression is real and significant.

For product development teams, the lead time advantage compounds across iterations. A team outsourcing prototypes typically runs three to four design iterations per month due to turnaround time. The same team with in-house printing capability can run ten to fifteen iterations in the same period, compressing development timelines and catching design issues earlier when they cost less to fix.

When Does Outsourcing Still Make Sense?

In-house ownership is not the right answer for every facility. Outsourcing remains the practical choice in several situations.

• Intermittent or unpredictable print volume. If your facility's need for 3D printed parts is infrequent or inconsistent, the capital investment in an in-house system is difficult to justify on direct cost savings alone. Facilities printing fewer than five to ten parts per month are typically better served by outsourcing until volume grows.
• Technology evaluation. Outsourcing is an excellent way to validate whether a specific technology or material works for your application before committing to a capital purchase. Many AdvancedTek customers outsource SLS parts initially and use the experience to build the internal business case for a Fuse 1+ 30W.
• Specialty materials or processes. If you need a technology or material that your in-house system does not support, a service bureau provides access without capital commitment.
• Overflow and surge capacity. Even facilities with robust in-house capabilities use service bureaus strategically for volume surges or applications outside their in-house capability. A hybrid model, in-house for routine production and outsourced for specialty work, is a common and practical approach.

In-House vs. Outsourcing: Side-by-Side Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it more cost-effective to 3D print in-house or outsource to a service bureau?

At consistent production volume, in-house 3D printing is generally more cost-effective than outsourcing. Direct material costs for in-house FDM and SLS printing are a fraction of service bureau per-part pricing, and the break-even point on equipment investment typically occurs within 12 to 24 months for facilities spending $20,000 or more annually on outsourced prints. At low or unpredictable volume, outsourcing is often the more practical choice because it requires no capital investment.

How long does it take for in-house 3D printing to pay for itself?

The payback period depends on your current outsourcing spend and print volume. Facilities spending $30,000 or more annually on outsourced FDM or SLS parts typically see full payback on a mid-range industrial system within 12 to 18 months when accounting for direct part cost savings alone. Factoring in lead time savings and eliminated expedite fees compresses the payback period further. AdvancedTek's sales representatives can work with you to evaluate your specific situation.

How much does an industrial 3D printer cost?

Entry-level industrial FDM systems typically start in the range of $20,000 to $50,000. Mid-range and full-capability platforms across FDM, SLA, and SLS generally fall between $50,000 and $150,000 depending on build volume, material compatibility, and throughput. High-production systems sit above that range. AdvancedTek's sales representatives can help you identify the right system for your application and budget.

How do I know when my volume justifies an in-house 3D printer?

A practical rule of thumb is that facilities printing fewer than five to ten parts per month are typically better served by outsourcing until volume grows. Facilities consistently printing 20 or more parts per month across FDM or SLS applications are strong candidates for in-house ownership. The exact threshold depends on part size, material, and the specific system being evaluated.

How does in-house 3D printing affect lead times compared to outsourcing?

In-house industrial 3D printing systems produce functional parts in hours depending on part size, technology, and complexity. Standard service bureau lead times run five to ten business days, with rush options available at a premium. For manufacturers who need tooling, fixtures, or prototypes on demand, in-house printing eliminates the operational disruption caused by multi-day outsourcing lead times.

What are the hidden costs of outsourcing 3D printing?

Beyond the per-part price, outsourcing carries several indirect costs that facilities often underestimate. These include expedite fees for urgent orders, shipping costs, procurement overhead such as purchase orders and vendor onboarding, intellectual property exposure risk, and the constraint on design iteration that per-order pricing creates. When these indirect factors are fully accounted for, the true cost of outsourcing is often higher than the invoice alone suggests.

Does outsourcing or in-house printing better protect my intellectual property?

In-house printing keeps your CAD files entirely within your facility. Outsourcing requires sending files to a third party, which introduces IP exposure risk. For manufacturers in aerospace, medical device, defense, or other industries where design confidentiality is a contractual or competitive concern, in-house printing provides a level of IP protection that outsourcing cannot match.

Can AdvancedTek help me evaluate whether in-house 3D printing makes financial sense for my facility?

Yes. AdvancedTek's sales representatives work with manufacturers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota to evaluate in-house versus outsourcing decisions. We can discuss your current outsourcing spend, print volume, and target applications, and we can provide sample parts from our TekCenter in St. Paul, Minnesota to help you evaluate technologies before you commit to a system.

Talk to an AdvancedTek Sales Representative

Every facility's situation is different. If you are curious whether bringing 3D printing in-house could be a good fit for your organization, AdvancedTek's sales representatives are happy to talk it through. We can discuss your current workflow, print volume, and target applications, and provide sample parts from our TekCenter in St. Paul, Minnesota so you can evaluate technologies before committing to a system.

AdvancedTek is a Midwest additive manufacturing partner serving organizations across manufacturing, medical, education, and engineering in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. As an authorized reseller for Stratasys, Formlabs, and EOS, AdvancedTek provides the equipment, materials, software, and application expertise companies need to adopt, scale, and optimize additive manufacturing in-house.