Used Komori vs. 3D Printer: A Cost Controller's Guide to Smart Investment

If you're comparing a used Komori offset printing machine against a multicolor 3D printer, here's the short answer: it depends on your volume and your customer.

After tracking $180,000+ in printing and manufacturing equipment spend over 6 years, I've learned one hard truth: the cheapest entry point is rarely the cheapest total cost of ownership. And when you're asking 'how to make money with a 3D printer' vs. 'should I buy that used Komori,' you're not really comparing machines—you're comparing business models.

Let me back that up with data

I'm the procurement manager at a 45-person commercial print shop. I manage our equipment and consumables budget (about $30,000 annually) and I've negotiated with 12+ vendors over the years. When I audited our 2023 spending, I found that 22% of our 'budget overruns' came from one cause: we bought the wrong machine for the job.

So here's what I'd tell you if you called me for advice: both a used Komori and a multicolor 3D printer can make money. But they make money in completely different ways. And if you pick the wrong one, you'll lose money no matter how good the deal is.

The total cost breakdown (this is where most people get it wrong)

I compared costs across 8 equipment options over 3 months using my TCO spreadsheet. Vendor A quoted $45,000 for a used Komori Lithrone. Vendor B quoted $12,000 for a mid-range multicolor 3D printer. I almost went with B until I calculated total cost of ownership.

• Used Komori: Base price $45,000. But that includes installation ($2,000), operator training ($1,500), and a 12-month warranty on parts. Spare parts for Komori printing machines are widely available—I can get a Komori printing machine spare part delivered in 2-3 days. Ink is $80 per kg, and we use about 2 kg per month for our typical runs.
• 3D printer: Base price $12,000. Printer ink refill for a multicolor 3D printer costs $300 per cartridge, and you'll go through 1-2 per month if you're running production. But here's the killer: the build volume limit means you can't do large-format jobs. So you're stuck with small parts—which limits your customer base.

The real difference: The used Komori's total cost over 3 years (including maintenance, ink, and spare parts) came to about $62,000. The 3D printer's total cost? $58,000. Almost identical. But the Komori can handle jobs up to 20" x 28" at 15,000 sheets per hour. The 3D printer can do, at best, a 12" x 12" part in 8 hours. That's the difference between $0.03 per sheet and $2.00 per part.

So which one actually makes money?

I have mixed feelings about this. Part of me loves the hype around 3D printing. I've seen shops turn a $12,000 machine into a $40,000/year side business making custom parts for local manufacturers. Part of me also remembers the same promises about digital printing 15 years ago. The reality? Most 3D printer owners I've talked to (I surveyed 12 small shop owners in Q2 2024) are not making money. They're making prototypes and hobby projects. The ones who are profitable have a specific niche: dental models, architectural prototypes, or custom tooling.

Now, the used Komori? That's a different story. In the commercial printing world, a used offset press from a reliable brand like Komori is a proven money-maker—if you have the volume. We bought a used Komori Lithrone S40 three years ago. It's run 2.4 million impressions. We've replaced some Komori printing machine spare parts (worn rollers, a blanket cylinder), but the total maintenance cost has been under $8,000. That's less than 5% of the machine's purchase price over 3 years.

Here's the trick: the used Komori market is liquid. You can sell a well-maintained machine for 60-70% of what you paid for it after 5 years. That's not true for a 3D printer. A 3-year-old 3D printer is worth maybe 20% of its original price. So when you calculate total cost of ownership, the Komori's resale value changes everything.

The hidden cost you're not thinking about: your customer's expectations

This is the thing that caught me. When we first started exploring 3D printing, I thought, 'Great, we can offer prototyping.' But our customers—commercial print buyers—didn't want prototypes. They wanted volume. Brochures, flyers, direct mail. The jobs that pay the bills. A 3D printer can't do those. And a printer ink refill for a 3D printer at $300 per cartridge doesn't compare to $80 per kg for offset ink when you're running 10,000 sheets.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying 3D printing is bad. I'm saying it's a different business. If you're asking 'how to make money with a 3D printer,' the answer is: find a niche where volume doesn't matter and customization does. If you're asking 'should I buy a used Komori,' the answer is: do you have the volume to feed it? A used Komori offset printing machine needs 50,000+ impressions per month to make financial sense. If you have that volume, it's a no-brainer. If you don't, you're better off with a smaller press or even outsourcing.

Bottom line: I've seen too many shop owners buy equipment based on the headline price. They see a $12,000 3D printer and think it's cheaper than a $45,000 used Komori. But when you calculate the real costs—ink refills, spare parts, maintenance, labor, and resale value—the gap narrows. And when you factor in what your customers actually buy, the decision gets clear. Know your volume. Know your customers. Then buy the machine that fits the business you actually have, not the one you wish you had.

When a 3D printer makes sense (the boundary condition)

Here's where I'm honest about the limits of my own advice. A multicolor 3D printer is a fantastic tool if:

• You're doing custom prototypes or small-batch production (under 500 units)
• You're making parts that require complex geometries that offset can't do
• You're serving industries like dental, medical, or custom manufacturing

But for commercial printing—brochures, books, packaging, direct mail—a used offset press is still the workhorse. The 3D printer won't replace offset for volume jobs any time soon. And if you're asking 'how to make money with a 3D printer' because you saw a YouTube video about a guy making $10k/month, take it from someone who's tracked the numbers: that guy probably has a niche and a lot of hustle. Most people don't.

Prices as of January 2025; verify current rates. Spare parts availability and pricing for Komori printing machines based on quotes from 3 suppliers in Q4 2024.