3D printing services produce parts and prototypes for hobbyists, engineers, product designers, small manufacturers, architects, and local businesses. Invoices usually cover print time, material used, design or file cleanup work, post-processing, and shipping. Many shops are one or two people running a fleet of FDM, resin, or sometimes SLS machines out of a garage or small studio.
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Most shops price each part from a mix of material weight, machine time, labor, and a minimum order charge. A common approach is to calculate material cost by grams used (including supports and waste), add machine time at an hourly rate that covers printer depreciation, electricity, and maintenance, then add setup and post-processing labor. Many shops apply a minimum charge per order, often $15 to $40, because slicing, file checks, and bed setup take the same effort for one small part as a larger one. Design work, CAD modeling, and file repair are billed hourly or as a flat fee. Volume discounts for batch runs are common, and rush jobs usually carry a 25 to 100 percent surcharge. Specialty materials such as carbon fiber nylon, flexible TPU, or engineering resins are billed at higher per-gram rates. Prototyping clients often prefer a per-part price, while recurring production clients may agree on a per-unit price at fixed quantities.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| FDM printing (PLA/PETG), machine time | per hour | $2-10 |
| Resin printing (standard), including wash and cure | per mL of resin used or per part | $0.15-0.50 per mL |
| Engineering filament (nylon, ABS, ASA, carbon fiber blends) | per gram | $0.10-0.35 |
| CAD modeling and design work | per hour | $40-100 |
| File repair and print preparation | per hour | $30-75 |
| Post-processing (support removal, sanding, priming, painting) | per hour | $25-60 |
| Minimum order charge | flat fee | $15-40 |
| Rush turnaround surcharge | percent of print total | 25-100% |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| FDM printing, PETG enclosure housings (qty 20), approx. 14 print hours total | 14 hours | $6.00 | $84.00 |
| PETG filament, black, including supports and purge | 1800 grams | $0.06 | $108.00 |
| File repair and orientation changes for 2 STL files | 1.5 hours | $55.00 | $82.50 |
| Support removal and edge cleanup | 3 hours | $35.00 | $105.00 |
| Packaging and flat-rate shipping | 1 flat fee | $18.00 | $18.00 |
| Total | $397.50 | ||
Notes: Payment due within 14 days of invoice date. Parts printed from files supplied by client on 3/4; client approved dimensional sample on 3/6. Reprints for defects in printing are free if reported within 7 days of delivery. Late balances are subject to a 1.5% monthly fee.
Clients often order several different parts, and matching invoice lines to the file names prevents confusion and disputes about what was printed.
Material and quality settings change both the price and the final result, so this documents what the client agreed to.
Showing how the price was built makes it easier to justify and lets clients compare against future orders.
These are labor, not printing, and clients who only expected a print fee need to see where the extra charges came from.
Surcharges and discounts should appear as their own lines so the client sees the agreed terms were applied.
This confirms delivery and helps resolve any claim that a package never arrived or was damaged.
In many states, tangible printed parts are taxable, while some buyers such as manufacturers may be exempt with a valid certificate. Check your state's rules.
Many 3D printing shops collect payment up front for small orders and use a deposit of 30 to 50 percent for larger jobs, custom design work, or expensive materials, with the balance due before shipping or on pickup. Established business clients are often given net 15 or net 30 terms, while individuals are usually asked to pay in full before work starts. Late fees of 1 to 1.5 percent per month are common if stated in advance. Card payments, ACH, and bank transfers are typical, and many shops also accept cash for local pickup. For production runs, some shops bill in installments by batch delivered.
If a client's file has thin walls, bad geometry, or unsupported overhangs and the print fails, state in your terms that failed attempts caused by file issues are billable. Without this, you absorb material and machine time for problems you did not create.
For batches of 20 or more parts, offer a billed single-part sample for fit and finish approval. It catches dimensional problems early and gives you a documented approval if the client later complains.
Slicer estimates often show model weight only. Bill the total including supports, rafts, skirts, and purge, or build a waste percentage into your per-gram rate, so material costs do not eat into your margin.
Small one-off prints take about the same setup effort as larger jobs. A minimum charge keeps $4 orders from costing you an hour of your day.
State that the client confirms they have the right to have the file printed. This protects you if a client sends a copyrighted or restricted design and a dispute follows.
Add material cost (grams used including supports times your per-gram rate), machine time (print hours times your hourly machine rate), and labor for setup and post-processing. Then compare the total to your minimum order charge and use whichever is higher.
Charge for failures caused by the client's file or requested settings, and absorb failures caused by your equipment or errors. Say this in your terms before work starts so the policy is clear.
In many states, custom fabricated physical goods are taxable, but rules differ on custom work, resale, and shipping charges. Check with your state's revenue department, and keep resale or exemption certificates on file for tax-exempt buyers.
Yes, and it is common. Bill CAD modeling, file repair, and design revisions hourly or as a flat fee on separate lines so clients can see the difference between design labor and production cost.
Many shops invoice monthly with a line per part number, showing quantities delivered, unit price, and any purchase order number. Agree on a per-unit price at set quantity tiers so the invoice is simple to verify.
Send a 3D Printing Service estimate for approval, then turn it into an invoice when the work is done.
3D Printing Service estimate template