{
  "slug": "3d-print-cost",
  "title": "3D Printing Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "3D Printing Cost Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/3d-print-cost",
  "summary": "Filament, electricity, and machine wear per print.",
  "description": "Price a print job properly: filament grams, print hours, power draw, failure rate, and a labor/markup layer.",
  "formula": null,
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=3d-print-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "grams",
      "label": "Filament used",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 120,
      "unit": "g",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "spoolCost",
      "label": "Spool cost",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 22,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "spoolGrams",
      "label": "Spool weight",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1000,
      "unit": "g",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "hours",
      "label": "Print time",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 9,
      "unit": "hr",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "watts",
      "label": "Printer power draw",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 120,
      "unit": "W",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "kwh",
      "label": "Electricity rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0.16,
      "unit": "$/kWh",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "failRate",
      "label": "Failure rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 8,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 60
    },
    {
      "id": "markup",
      "label": "Markup",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 120,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": null,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "price",
      "label": "Suggested price",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "base",
      "label": "True cost per print",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "filament",
      "label": "Filament cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "power",
      "label": "Electricity cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Filament used: 120 g",
      "Spool cost: 22 $",
      "Spool weight: 1000 g",
      "Print time: 9 hr",
      "Printer power draw: 120 W",
      "Electricity rate: 0.16 $/kWh",
      "Failure rate: 8 %",
      "Markup: 120 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Suggested price: $7.80",
      "True cost per print: $3.55",
      "Filament cost: $2.64",
      "Electricity cost: $0.17"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter filament used (g).",
      "Enter spool cost ($).",
      "Enter spool weight (g).",
      "Enter print time (hr).",
      "Enter printer power draw (W).",
      "Enter electricity rate ($/kWh).",
      "Enter failure rate (%).",
      "Enter markup (%).",
      "Read your suggested price on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "grams": 70,
        "spoolCost": 13,
        "spoolGrams": 600,
        "hours": 5.3999999999999995,
        "watts": 70,
        "kwh": 0.096,
        "failRate": 5,
        "markup": 70
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "grams": 120,
        "spoolCost": 22,
        "spoolGrams": 1000,
        "hours": 9,
        "watts": 120,
        "kwh": 0.16,
        "failRate": 8,
        "markup": 120
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "grams": 190,
        "spoolCost": 35,
        "spoolGrams": 1600,
        "hours": 14.4,
        "watts": 190,
        "kwh": 0.256,
        "failRate": 13,
        "markup": 190
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the 3d printing cost calculator work?",
      "a": "Price a print job properly: filament grams, print hours, power draw, failure rate, and a labor/markup layer."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "8 values: filament used, spool cost, spool weight, print time, printer power draw, electricity rate, failure rate, and markup. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the suggested price result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a money amount in US dollars and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/laser-cutting-cost",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/craft-pricing"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — 3D Printing Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/3d-print-cost)"
}