3D printers vary widely in size, material, and method — simply put, they are just tools to help you create specific parts. Just as you wouldn’t use a screwdriver on a nail, a 3D printer is well-suited for certain types of parts and ineffective for others. The key to determining whether to 3D print a part stems from its material properties and return on investment (ROI).

Calculate ROI

Use ROI calculations to justify which parts or subassemblies will benefit from 3D printing. Upload your parts to Markforged’s Eiger software to get the material cost and print time, and compare this to estimates from other manufacturing platforms. This should give you a sense for the time and cost savings involved in creating your part.

And yet, there are many other manufacturing considerations for 3D printing, such as time and cost efficiencies, material performance specifications, manufacturing volume and component or product geometries, among others

These considerations are articulated and clarified in Markedforge's invaluable Composite design guide: Identifying 3D printing opportunities (.pdf).