Life Cycle Assessment and Costing of Metal Plating Processes on Resin-Based 3D Printed Components

The adoption of additive manufacturing, particularly resin-based 3D printing, has enabled rapid production of complex geometries for industries such as automotive, aerospace, electronics, biomedical devices, and increasingly in jewelry applications. Metal plating of 3D printed resin components is increasingly used to enhance mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties, extending their applicability in demanding industrial environments. However, the environmental and economic impacts associated with these processes remain largely unexplored. This study presents a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and preliminary Life Cycle Costing (LCC) of electroless metal plating on resin-based 3D printed articles. Two 3D printing methods were considered, followed by post-printing treatment (curing and cleaning), pre-treatment, and a multi-step etching and activation process before electroless deposition of metals including Cu, Au, Ag, and Ni-P. The etching process, particularly sensitive to metal type and resin formulation, was analyzed as a critical contributor to both environmental impact and production cost.

The LCA framework (following ISO 14040/44 guidelines, implementing the Environmental Footprint (EF) 3.1 (2022) methodology) is applied and compares scenarios involving different printing technologies, metal types, and etching conditions, identifying environmental “hot spots”. The LCC analysis complements the LCA by evaluating material consumption, processing steps, energy use, and waste management for each scenario, aiming to identify trade-offs between environmental performance and economic feasibility and highlighting key cost drivers. Life Cycle inventory (LCI), apart from available secondary data, is also supported by primary ones (real pilot-scale data) provided by CREATIVE NANO, ensuring practical relevance and validation of the results.

By integrating LCA and LCC, this study provides a holistic understanding of the sustainability and cost drivers of metal plating on 3D printed resin substrates. The results are expected to support industrial process optimization, sustainable material selection, and economically responsible adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies.