1

Can any of our experts give an average lifespan of a professional 3D printer?

2

I think the lifespan is more affected by how long the manufacturer supports it. Should last a long time with proper care, but if the manufacturer stops supporting it and theres no parts it ends up being junked once something breaks

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3

Like many things it only becomes obsolete when it no longer serves a purpose or is unusable. Like an old computer - if it still does what you need then it is not obsolete.

With a 3D printer someone will figure out how to fix it or modify it long after the manufacturer moves on to newer models. So, life span is really a relative term.

4

It’s kind of like asking about the average lifespan of an automobile. Since most, if not all the parts are replaceable (at least on my Monoprice Mini,) in theory it can keep printing until I get tired of repairing it.

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I was going to use the auto/truck analogy also! My Chevy truck is 20 years old with 300,000 miles and just broken in!!

6

Hi @Omojesu, “lifespan” can mean different things; are we talking about how long before it breaks down and cannot be repaired or how long it’s still a useful tool in comparison to other, newer devices?

If you’re looking at physical failure then as others have pointed out, many machines consist of parts that can be replaced or upgraded easily as necessary so in theory they’ll never actually completely fail because they can always be repaired. This “feature” is worth considering when you buy a machine in the first place; some companies use very specific hardware and their machines may be less easy to upgrade/repair than others.

If you’re thinking about usefulness, that’s more difficult. 3D printing is still a relatively new technology outside of large installations, certainly at the prosumer level, so it’s inevitable that if you buy a machine today, by this time next year it could be lacking features or be seen to be of a lower overall quality than new machines. However, that doesn’t mean the machine will be useless, it’ll probably just mean it’s role may change.

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Thanks Gents, your perspectives are insightful and very helpful.