Machine hourly rates in South America
Median all-in machine hourly rates (depreciation, maintenance, energy and floor share — not billed shop rates) reported by workshops across South America, for every major manufacturing process. Community data collected via the MakerRate calculators.
| Process | Median all-in machine cost | |
|---|---|---|
| FDM 3D Printing | $1.4/hr | details |
| SLA / Resin | $1.8/hr | details |
| SLS | $11/hr | details |
| MJF | $15/hr | details |
| PolyJet | $12/hr | details |
| Metal (DMLS/SLM) | $38/hr | details |
| CNC Milling | $35/hr | details |
| CNC Turning | $32/hr | details |
| CNC Routing | $26/hr | details |
| Sheet Metal Cutting | $45/hr | details |
| Bending | $40/hr | details |
| Injection Molding | $42/hr | details |
What shapes rates in South America
Rates sit between Asia and Europe. Import duties on machines and materials raise capital costs, which shows up in powder-bed and metal processes especially.
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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