What goes into the cost of a 3D print
Most people think of filament as the only expense in 3D printing, but the actual cost per part is shaped by several factors that are easy to overlook. Understanding these hidden costs is essential whether you are a hobbyist trying to justify your next upgrade, a maker selling products on Etsy, or a small business prototyping parts for production.
**Filament or resin** is the most visible cost. A standard 1 kg spool of PLA typically costs between \$15 and \$30, while specialty materials like PETG, ASA, nylon, or carbon-fiber-filled filaments can run significantly higher per kilogram. Resin for SLA and MSLA printers varies as well. The weight of each print directly determines how much material you consume, so knowing the gram weight from your slicer is critical for accurate costing.
**Electricity** is the second factor. An FDM printer drawing 200 watts for a six-hour print consumes 1.2 kilowatt-hours. At typical residential electricity rates that adds a measurable amount to each part. High-temperature materials like ABS or polycarbonate require heated enclosures, pushing wattage higher. Resin printers generally draw less power, but UV curing stations add to the total.
**Machine depreciation** captures the wear-and-tear cost of the printer itself. A \$300 entry-level printer with an expected useful life of 2,000 print hours adds \$0.15 for every hour of operation. Industrial machines costing thousands more have higher per-hour rates, even with longer lifespans. Factoring in depreciation ensures you recover your hardware investment through the parts you produce.
**Failure rate** is the cost multiplier that catches beginners off guard. Even experienced operators see failure rates of 5 to 15 percent from adhesion problems, stringing, layer shifts, or power interruptions. Each failed print wastes filament, electricity, and time. A 10 percent failure rate means that for every ten parts you intend to produce, you should budget for roughly eleven prints worth of material and machine time.
When you add all four components together you get the effective cost per part, which is the true figure you should use for pricing decisions, break-even analysis, and make-versus-buy comparisons.
How the calculator works
This calculator uses four formulas to compute the true cost of each 3D-printed part:
**Filament Cost:** \`\`\` Filament Cost = (Print Weight in grams / 1000) x Filament Price per kg \`\`\`
**Electricity Cost:** \`\`\` Electricity Cost = (Printer Wattage / 1000) x Print Time in hours x Electricity Rate per kWh \`\`\`
**Machine Depreciation:** \`\`\` Depreciation = (Printer Cost / Expected Lifetime Hours) x Print Time in hours \`\`\`
**Effective Cost Per Part (adjusted for failures):** \`\`\` Effective Cost = (Filament + Electricity + Depreciation) / (1 - Failure Rate) \`\`\`
The failure rate adjustment accounts for wasted material on failed prints. A 10% failure rate means you statistically need 1.11 prints to get one good part, so the effective cost is about 11% higher than the raw subtotal.
For batch production, the total is simply the effective cost per part multiplied by the number of parts in the run.
How to use this calculator
1. Enter your filament price per kilogram, found on the spool label or your supplier's listing 2. Enter the print weight in grams, which your slicer software reports after slicing a model 3. Set the print time using hours and minutes, also reported by your slicer 4. Enter your printer's average power draw in watts, typically listed in the printer's specifications 5. Set your electricity rate per kilowatt-hour, found on your utility bill 6. Enter the purchase price of your printer and its expected total lifetime in print hours 7. Adjust the failure rate slider based on your experience level and material difficulty 8. Set the quantity if you are calculating costs for a batch run 9. Review the cost breakdown including the pie chart showing where your money goes
Tips for reducing 3D print costs
- **Optimize infill density.** Dropping from 100% to 15-20% infill can reduce filament usage by 30-50% with minimal strength loss for non-structural parts. - **Use larger layer heights.** Printing at 0.28 mm instead of 0.12 mm dramatically reduces print time, cutting electricity and depreciation costs proportionally. - **Buy filament in bulk.** Multi-pack spools or larger rolls often cost significantly less per kilogram than single spools. - **Reduce failures.** Proper bed leveling, appropriate temperatures, and good first-layer adhesion can cut failure rates dramatically, saving significant material over time. - **Use tree supports instead of normal supports.** Tree supports use less material and are easier to remove, reducing both filament waste and post-processing time. - **Hollow out models where possible.** For decorative prints, hollowing the interior saves filament without affecting appearance. - **Track electricity rates.** If your utility offers time-of-use pricing, schedule long prints during off-peak hours for lower electricity costs.
FAQs
Q: Does this calculator work for resin (SLA/MSLA) printers? A: Yes. Enter the resin cost per kilogram (convert from per-liter if needed by multiplying by the resin density, typically around 1.1 kg/L for standard resins), the print weight, your printer's wattage including the UV curing station, and your electricity rate. The formulas apply equally to FDM and resin printing.
Q: How do I find the print weight and time for my model? A: Your slicer software (such as Cura, PrusaSlicer, or Bambu Studio) displays the estimated filament weight in grams and total print time after slicing. These figures are usually shown in the summary panel before you export the G-code.
Q: What is a reasonable failure rate to use? A: Beginners typically experience 15-25% failure rates. Intermediate users with calibrated printers average 5-15%. Experienced operators with reliable hardware and well-tuned profiles can achieve failure rates below 5%. When in doubt, start with 10% and adjust based on your actual experience.
Q: Why does the calculator not include labor costs? A: This tool focuses on direct production costs that are measurable and consistent across users. Labor costs vary enormously depending on whether you value your hobby time at zero, your hourly wage, or a shop rate. For business use, add your labor rate separately based on design time, print monitoring, post-processing, and quality inspection.
Q: How do I estimate my printer's expected lifetime in hours? A: Budget desktop printers (under \$500) typically last 1,500 to 3,000 print hours before requiring major repairs or replacement. Mid-range machines (\$500 to \$2,000) often reach 3,000 to 6,000 hours. Industrial printers can exceed 10,000 hours. These are estimates for the full machine, not individual components like nozzles or build plates, which are consumables.
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