3D Print Time & Cost Estimator

Provide your part volume, slicer settings, and operating costs to estimate how long the print will run, how much filament it will consume, and the full energy-adjusted job cost—perfect for quoting clients or planning maker projects.

Net solid volume of the part exported from your CAD or slicer
Average infill used inside the model
Percentage of extra material consumed by supports, rafts, and brims
Typical range for FDM printers is 0.10–0.28 mm
Use your slicer’s line width setting—usually close to the nozzle diameter
Average material deposition speed (exclude travel moves)
PLA ≈ 1.24 g/cm³, PETG ≈ 1.27 g/cm³, ABS ≈ 1.04 g/cm³
Price per kilogram of usable filament including waste allowance
Average wattage while the printer is heating and extruding
Rate from your utility bill or workshop energy contract

Actual print times depend on travel moves, acceleration limits, and slicer behaviour—always validate with a test print for critical jobs.

Examples

  • Professional PLA job: 420 cm³ model, 20% infill, 12% supports, 0.20 mm layers, 0.40 mm nozzle, 55 mm/s, 1.24 g/cm³ PLA, $27/kg filament, 220 W draw, $0.14/kWh ⇒ Estimated print time: 9.92 hours • Volumetric flow: 4.400 mm³/s • Filament used: 643.1 g • Material cost: $17.37 • Energy cost: $0.31 • Total job cost: $17.68.
  • Engineering-grade PETG: 185 cm³ model, 35% infill, 8% supports, 0.16 mm layers, 0.45 mm line width, 45 mm/s, 1.27 g/cm³ density, $32/kg material, 260 W, $0.18/kWh ⇒ Estimated print time: 8.05 hours • Volumetric flow: 3.240 mm³/s • Filament used: 340.5 g • Material cost: $10.90 • Energy cost: $0.38 • Total job cost: $11.28.
  • Draft-speed ABS prototype: 310 cm³ model, 12% infill, 5% supports, 0.28 mm layers, 0.60 mm line width, 70 mm/s, 1.04 g/cm³ density, $24/kg filament, 350 W, $0.21/kWh ⇒ Estimated print time: 5.09 hours • Volumetric flow: 11.760 mm³/s • Filament used: 337.0 g • Material cost: $8.09 • Energy cost: $0.37 • Total job cost: $8.46.

FAQ

How accurate is the runtime compared with my slicer?

This estimate assumes constant extrusion at the entered speed. Acceleration limits, travel moves, and slow perimeter settings from your slicer will usually add extra minutes, so use this as a baseline and compare with slicer previews for fine-tuning.

What filament density should I enter?

Check the material data sheet or spool label. PLA averages 1.24 g/cm³, PETG around 1.27 g/cm³, ABS roughly 1.04 g/cm³, and nylon 1.08–1.14 g/cm³. Using the correct density keeps mass and cost projections accurate.

Can I include operator labour or machine depreciation?

Yes. After you receive the totals, add a fixed labour rate or amortised equipment cost separately to produce a final quote or to model profitability.

How should I handle multi-material prints?

Run the calculator once per material with the relevant density and filament price, then add the costs together. Increase the support overhead to reflect purge towers or wipe walls if your slicer uses them.

Additional Information

  • The model volume is multiplied by a perimeter allowance of 0.35 plus an infill scaling factor so sparse infill prints do not underestimate plastic usage.
  • Support overhead lets you budget for rafts, brims, and dissolvable pillars. Adjust based on slicer previews for more accuracy.
  • Volumetric flow (mm³/s) indicates whether your nozzle can keep up—compare it with your printer's rated extrusion throughput.
  • Energy cost multiplies average wattage by runtime; if your printer has idle cooling cycles, bump the power draw to account for heaters cycling on and off.
  • Add labour, markup, or maintenance surcharges after running the calculation to create a fully-loaded customer quote.

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