3D Print Time & Cost Estimator
Project how long a print will run and what it will cost. Provide your model volume, slicer settings, filament density, and energy rate to forecast runtime, filament consumption, and overall job expense.
Examples
- 420 cm³ model, 20% infill, 10% supports, 0.2 mm layers, 0.4 mm nozzle, 55 mm/s, PLA density 1.24 g/cm³, $27/kg filament, 220 W draw, $0.14/kWh ⇒ Estimated print time: 9.92 hours. Filament used: 643.1 g. Material cost: $17.37. Energy cost: $0.31. Total job cost: $17.68.
- 185 cm³ model, 35% infill, 5% supports, 0.16 mm layers, 0.4 mm nozzle, 45 mm/s, PETG density 1.27 g/cm³, $32/kg filament, 260 W draw, $0.18/kWh ⇒ Estimated print time: 8.05 hours. Filament used: 340.5 g. Material cost: $10.90. Energy cost: $0.38. Total job cost: $11.28.
FAQ
How accurate is the print time estimate?
The calculation assumes your printer maintains the entered speed continuously. Acceleration limits, travel moves, and pauses can extend real-world time.
What density should I use for flexible materials?
Check the filament spool label. TPU ranges from 1.12–1.22 g/cm³, so enter the closest value for better material usage estimates.
Can I include post-processing labor costs?
Add expected labor as an extra line item after running the calculator, or increase the filament cost input to include markups for sanding and finishing.
Additional Information
- Volumetric multiplier of 0.35 covers perimeters and top/bottom layers; the remaining 0.65 scales with your infill percentage.
- Support overhead lets you approximate rafts, brims, and support pillars that add beyond the model volume.
- Filament mass equals volume × density; divide by 1,000 to convert grams to kilograms for pricing.