Why low material price can increase total manufacturing cost
Comparing resins only by price per liter is misleading.
The real cost of 3D printing depends on stability, yield and repeatability.
Short answer
The correct metric is cost per accepted part, not cost per bottle.
Hidden costs
Workflow inefficiencies
- Failed prints
- Material waste
- Reprints
- Operator time
- Calibration cycles
Instability is expensive
A cheap resin that produces inconsistent results can increase total cost due to failures and delays.
Yield defines cost
Stable workflows with high acceptance rates reduce total manufacturing cost even if the material itself is more expensive.
Engineering perspective
Cost per validated part
The relevant metric in production is not input cost, but output reliability.