Machine hourly rates in Africa
Median all-in machine hourly rates (depreciation, maintenance, energy and floor share — not billed shop rates) reported by workshops across Africa, for every major manufacturing process. Community data collected via the MakerRate calculators.
| Process | Median all-in machine cost | |
|---|---|---|
| FDM 3D Printing | $1.2/hr | details |
| SLA / Resin | $1.6/hr | details |
| SLS | $10/hr | details |
| MJF | $14/hr | details |
| PolyJet | $11/hr | details |
| Metal (DMLS/SLM) | $35/hr | details |
| CNC Milling | $33/hr | details |
| CNC Turning | $30/hr | details |
| CNC Routing | $24/hr | details |
| Sheet Metal Cutting | $42/hr | details |
| Bending | $38/hr | details |
| Injection Molding | $40/hr | details |
What shapes rates in Africa
A young but fast-growing maker and fabrication scene. Equipment import costs are high, but labor rates keep all-in hourly costs below the global median - a real export opportunity for digitally-quoted work.
How to use these numbers
Compare your own machine hourly cost against the regional median: well below may mean under-counted depreciation or maintenance; well above may point to low utilization spreading fixed costs over too few hours. Billed customer rates typically run 1.5–3× these internal costs once labor, overhead and margin are added.
Work out your own all-in hourly cost and per-part prices with the free calculators — then compare against your region.
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