Stainless 316L (DMLS) — cost and pricing guide
316L is the affordable entry to metal printing - but density means even small parts consume real money in powder.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Material price | $80-120/kg |
| Density | 7.9 g/cm³ |
| Process | Metal (DMLS/SLM) |
| Typical uses | fixtures, manifolds, marine and food-contact parts |
What drives the real part cost
Material price is only one input. The full per-part cost adds machine time at your all-in hourly rate, hands-on labor, a failure or scrap allowance, and your margin. On most Stainless 316L (DMLS) parts, machine time and labor outweigh the material itself — which is why per-kg price comparisons alone mislead.
Pro tip
A 50 g part with 1.3x waste factor uses ~$6-8 of powder - machine hours still dominate the price.
Price a Stainless 316L (DMLS) part in seconds — upload your file to the Metal (DMLS/SLM) calculator, set your material price at $80-120 and your rates, and get a defensible quote with a market comparison.
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