Life Cycle Costing in 3D Printing: A Literature Review

This literature review investigates the current state of Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) in the context of 3D-Printing, synthesizing findings from 20 peer-reviewed studies published between 2019 and 2024. While 3D Printing introduces efficiencies such as reduced material use and labor costs, these benefits are often counterbalanced by elevated energy consumption, particularly in energy-intensive techniques like powder-bed fusion. The analysis reveals several key limitations in existing LCCA practices, including inconsistent cost categorization, limited availability of long-term maintenance data, and a lack of analytical tools suited to additive manufacturing (AM) specific factors such as printer depreciation and digital modeling requirements. Although general-purpose LCCA software like Tally and SimaPro has been applied, their accuracy is constrained by the absence of comprehensive cost benchmarks specific to 3D printing in construction. To advance the field, the review highlights three critical research priorities: establishing standardized cost reporting frameworks, developing open-access databases for AM construction costs, and integrating probabilistic modeling with Building Information Modeling (BIM) to better handle uncertainties. These improvements are essential for conducting robust economic assessments and supporting data-driven decision-making as 3D-printing moves from experimental use to mainstream adoption in the construction industry.