You don’t need a massive budget to run a productive 3D print lab. Whether you’re setting up a university makerspace, a small business prototyping shop, or a school STEM lab, you can get a fully operational multi-printer setup for under $2,500.
Here’s exactly how to do it.
The Budget Breakdown
| Category | Cost | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Printers (5x) | ~$2,000 | Bambu Lab A1 |
| Filament | ~$180 | 16KG of PLA+ |
| Tools & accessories | ~$75 | Deburring, cutters, calipers, etc. |
| Software | $0 | Free options cover everything |
| Total | ~$2,255 |
Let’s break down each category.
Step 1: Choose Your Printers
For a budget lab, you want printers that are cheap per unit, reliable under heavy use, and easy enough that non-technical users can operate them.
Our Pick: Bambu Lab A1 (~$400 each)
The Bambu Lab A1 is the best value for lab environments right now:
- Auto bed leveling — no manual calibration needed
- 500mm/s print speeds — faster throughput means shorter queues
- Built-in camera — monitor prints remotely
- Network connectivity — send jobs over Wi-Fi, no SD cards
- Bambu Cloud — free fleet management for monitoring all printers from one dashboard
Five A1 printers cost ~$2,000 and give you enough capacity for a medium-use lab (engineering department, active makerspace).
Why five printers instead of two expensive ones? In a lab, the bottleneck is almost always print time. A single complex print can occupy a machine for 8-20 hours. More printers mean more jobs running in parallel, which means shorter wait times for users.
Budget Alternative: Creality Ender-3 V3 (~$200 each)
If $2,000 is still too much for printers alone, the Ender-3 V3 gets you more machines for less money. The trade-off is more maintenance and a steeper learning curve. Five Ender-3 V3 printers run ~$1,000-1,400 total.
Step 2: Stock Your Filament
Don’t buy 20 colors. Start with the basics and expand based on actual demand.
Starter Filament Order
- SUNLU PLA+ 2.0 — Black/White/Blue/Red (4KG) — The four essential colors. This covers 80% of requests. ~$45.
- SUNLU PLA+ 2.0 — 4KG Bundle — Stock up on your most-used color (usually white or black). Buy two bundles. ~$90.
- OVERTURE PLA+ — Keep one or two backup rolls in case your primary brand is out of stock. ~$20/kg.
Total filament cost: ~$180 for 16KG. At typical lab usage, that’s roughly 1-2 months of printing.
Why PLA+ Instead of PLA?
PLA+ costs roughly the same as PLA but is significantly stronger and less brittle. There’s no reason to stock standard PLA in a lab. PLA+ is the default.
For more details, check our filament comparison guide.
Step 3: Get Your Tools
You need a small set of post-processing and maintenance tools. Don’t overbuy — you can always add more later.
Essential kit:
- AFA Deburring Tool Kit (~$15) — For cleaning edges and removing support marks
- Flush cutters (~$8) — For snipping supports
- Digital calipers (~$15) — For checking dimensional accuracy
- Glue stick (~$3) — Bed adhesion for PETG
- IPA spray + microfiber cloths (~$10) — Bed cleaning between prints
- Spare brass nozzles (~$8) — Keep spares so a worn nozzle doesn’t shut you down
- Airtight storage container + desiccant (~$15) — Keep filament dry
Total: ~$75. See our full tools and accessories guide for details on each item.
Step 4: Set Up Software (Free)
You don’t need to spend anything on software. Here’s the free stack:
Slicer: Bambu Studio or PrusaSlicer
- Bambu Studio — Free, works perfectly with Bambu printers, includes built-in profiles
- PrusaSlicer — Free, open source, works with any printer
Both are excellent. If you’re using Bambu printers, use Bambu Studio for the tightest integration.
Fleet Management: Bambu Cloud
If you’re running all Bambu printers, Bambu Cloud gives you:
- Remote monitoring of all printers from one dashboard
- Send print jobs over the network
- Camera feeds from each printer
- Print history and usage tracking
All free, no subscription.
For Mixed Fleets: OctoPrint
If you have printers from different brands, OctoPrint is the gold standard for remote management. It’s free and open source, but requires a Raspberry Pi (~$35) per printer.
Step 5: Space Planning
You need less space than you think. Here’s a minimal layout:
Furniture
- Sturdy table or shelving unit — Printers generate vibration. Use a solid surface, not a wobbly folding table. IKEA KALLAX shelving or similar works well for stacking printers vertically.
- Power strip with surge protection — One per 2-3 printers. Don’t daisy-chain power strips.
- Finishing station — A dedicated area (even just one end of a table) with tools, trash bin, and good lighting for post-processing.
Electrical
Five printers draw roughly 150-250 watts each at peak. That’s 750-1,250 watts total — well within a standard 15A circuit (1,800W). You should be fine on a single outlet with a quality power strip, but avoid plugging in other heavy-draw equipment on the same circuit.
Ventilation
PLA and PLA+ produce minimal fumes. If you’re only printing those materials, standard room ventilation is fine. If you ever plan to print ABS, ASA, or resin, you’ll need dedicated ventilation — but that’s a bridge to cross later.
The Complete Shopping List
Here’s your one-page lab setup checklist:
Printers
- 5x Bambu Lab A1 — ~$2,000
Filament
- 1x SUNLU PLA+ Starter Colors (4KG) — ~$45
- 2x SUNLU PLA+ 2.0 Bundle (4KG) — ~$90
- 1x OVERTURE PLA+ — ~$20
Tools
- 1x AFA Deburring Tool Kit — ~$15
- Flush cutters, calipers, glue stick, IPA, spare nozzles — ~$60
Software
- Bambu Studio (free)
- Bambu Cloud (free)
Total: ~$2,230
Scaling Up
Once your lab is running and demand grows:
- Add printers in batches of 2-3 — don’t buy 10 upfront, scale with demand
- Track what people print — data on usage helps justify budget requests
- Diversify materials gradually — add PETG once your team is comfortable with PLA+
- Consider workflow software — once you’re past 5-8 printers and managing queues manually gets painful, dedicated print management software saves operator time
The goal is to prove the lab’s value quickly with minimal investment, then scale based on real usage data.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, PrintPathLab earns from qualifying purchases. We only recommend products we’d use in our own lab. See our full affiliate disclosure.