3D Printing Cost Calculator

How to Use This Calculator

1. Enter the filament weight in grams (found in your slicing software or by weighing).
2. Enter the filament price per kilogram (check your filament purchase price).
3. Enter the print time in minutes (from your slicing software).
4. Enter your electricity rate in $/kWh (default: $0.12).
5. Enter your printer power consumption in watts (default: 200W).
6. The calculator displays total cost, filament cost, and electricity cost.

3D Printing Cost Formula

Total printing cost is calculated from filament and electricity:

Example: 50g filament at $25/kg, 2 hours at 200W, $0.12/kWh: Filament = (50/1000) × 25 = $1.25. Electricity = (0.2) × 2 × 0.12 = $0.048. Total = $1.30.

Full Description

Understanding 3D printing costs helps you budget projects, price prints for customers, and compare different printing methods. The two main cost components are filament (material) and electricity (power consumption). Filament cost depends on material type, quality, and purchase price. Electricity cost depends on print time, printer power consumption, and local electricity rates.

Most desktop 3D printers consume 150-300W while printing, with the heating bed and hotend being the main power consumers. Print time varies greatly depending on layer height, infill percentage, print speed, and model complexity. Filament weight can be estimated from your slicing software or calculated from the model volume and material density.

This calculator helps you estimate total printing costs. Enter filament weight, price, print time, electricity rate, and printer power, and it calculates both filament and electricity costs. Use it to budget projects, compare printing costs, or understand the economics of 3D printing. Remember that actual costs may vary based on material waste, failed prints, and printer efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions