A 3D printer is the next advanced technology in printing the actual figure that is needed for designing.
From simple printers to 3D printers it is much easier to make a mock image and how it looks in real life.
Whether you have a 3D printer at your home or using it in an office you might be curious about the electricity it is used to operate.
The amount of electricity used depends upon the time you use it, how hot the machine is, and for how long it is in a working state.
To overcome your thinking, let me take the initiative in guiding and explaining how much your 3D printer uses electricity. Continue reading to know more.
In reality, it seems 3D printers use maximum electricity but it’s not true as a 3D printer utilizes between 50 to 150 watts of electricity.
There are two main components that need to be operated on electricity: ‘Nozzle’ and ‘Heating Bed’.
The 3D printer uses a minimum quantity of electricity in an hour as expected, this article covers all the important information about the printer’s energy consumption.
How Much Electricity Does A 3D Printer Need
Depending upon the size and model, each 3D printer consumes different amounts of electricity.
To print the object, some printers required maximum heat to melt the material and print afterward.
Hence, such types of printers need more energy to print the material and the print bed of the printer should be hot enough to carry out the operation.
On average, a 3D printer needs 125 watts of electricity per hour, this minimum power consumption will cost you a maximum of 1.58 cents (can vary depending on the model of the 3D printer).
However, 3D printers used in domestic setups utilize almost 50 watts of power an hour, and that costs you about 0.63 cents per hour.
Important Notice: Please note that these bill amounts can vary according to the location, and your printer model as it is just an estimation.
To know more about how much your printer uses electricity simply consult electricity rates in your current area.
As for 3D printers, we cannot ignore factors like nozzle/bed temperature, model, and size of the printer, build volume, consumption time, and daily hours of operation.
3D Printers — Energy Efficient
According to the above explanation, the answer to this statement is “Yes”, 3D printers are energy efficient in terms of their usage.
If we compare these 50 to 150 watts with other appliances then we will be surprised that 3D printers require a minimum amount of energy to operate.
It is also feasible to state that a 3D printer utilizes energy equivalent to a game console and high-end TV.
Must Read: Printrbot Play Review: Best 3D Printer for Beginners
Factors Affecting 3D Printer’s Electricity Consumption
Of course, there are some factors that might disturb the printer’s energy consumption and reduce its efficiency of operations.
Mostly 3D printers are much used in the automobile industry and also healthcare centers where they are required to make mock art of the object to look for further improvement.
The factors that are responsible for affecting the 3D printer’s energy consumption are;
Print Size
When we talk about the energy consumption of the printer, the size of the printer does matter as the extra build volume of the object to be printed can raise energy consumption.
With the larger size, the 3D printer needs Stepper motors to print the larger object and likewise, will utilize maximum energy.
If we see the internal parts of the 3D printer the bed needs a constant and equal amount of energy to remain hot and melt the material for printing.
All the above factors reflect the consumption of energy in larger printers and the need for high wattage.
Contrary to small-size 3D printers consumes a minimum amount of energy to print and for heating the bed and the nozzle and there is no need for stepper motors to maximize the energy consumption.
Heated Bed
When the 3D printer is plugged in it firmly generates the heat bed and nozzle to constantly raise the temperature for ready-print and is one of the most energy-intensive processes of a 3D printer.
Once the printer reaches the desired temperature, it starts utilizing less energy to maintain the temperature.
One more thing, a printer in a cold environment will require high power to maintain the temperature of the bed and nozzle.
Hotend Temperature
It is another important component of a 3D printer used to melt and extrude the filament material to make a 3D printed object.
This step maximizes energy consumption and is the main source of a high energy budget.
Moreover, hotend temperature is a critical factor in achieving excellent print quality, as it determines the flow rate, consistency, and adhesion of the melted material.
Also, different types of filament are used and according to their properties each required specific temperatures for printing.
So the amount of wattage varies with the filament type (PLA, ABS, PETG, and high-temperature filament Nylon).
3D Printer — Vital Components
A 3D printer has some other vital components that cannot be ignored such as the mainboard, stepper motors, fans, and display require 30 to 60 watts when in use.
While comparing both hotend and these components does not make much difference and is a bit of a factor in energy consumption.
Print Time
A fun fact, the longer the printer runs, the maximum energy it will consume. The printer time is the most important part.
If the printer runs around 8 hours a day the energy consumption will be different from those of 10 hours or 12 hours a day.
In determining print times, print speed, print size, layer height, and support structure factors are also involved.
In A Nutshell
Overall, 3D printers are energy efficient and do not use much energy for printing. If you run the printer for more than 10 hours the cost you will bear is approximately 10 to 20 cents (according to your area).
The printers vary in their sizes and filaments used to print the objects and for that most 3D printers use 100 watts besides, they are not commercial printers or large 3D printers.
Most money you spend is on the material you use to print the object and vice versa.
That’s it, here is a brief explanation of how much electricity a 3D printer uses with all the factors that are mandatory to mention.
