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How to use this calculator

PrintMyCost breaks common 3D printing expenses into five modules: materials, power, risk, labor, and depreciation. Work through the inputs from left to right to fill values or drag sliders. In FDM mode, choosing a filament preset auto-fills price per kilogram and suggested wattage. Switch to resin mode to see resin pricing and print volume so you can focus on the parameters that matter. Advanced options cover printer depreciation and labor so hidden production costs stay visible.

Every input stays synced with the live cost summary on the right. When values change, Nano Stores instantly recompute totals, pushing the latest numbers into the breakdown, overall cost, and suggested price. Even complex quotes take only a few seconds, helping you respond faster than competitors.

Understand the components of 3D printing costs

A resilient pricing strategy depends on understanding where each cost comes from and how they interact. Profit often disappears in overlooked details such as low material yield or ignored failure rates. PrintMyCost factors these signals into its formulas so your quotes stay both precise and competitive.

Material cost (filamentCostKg, printWeightG)

Material pricing is usually the most visible part of a 3D printing quote. For FDM projects, filament is sold by the kilogram, so you estimate model weight. PrintMyCost keeps slider and numeric inputs in sync to match slicer estimates. Resin projects focus on volume instead, automatically converting milliliters to liters before multiplying by resin price.

Power cost (electricityCostKwh, printerWattageW)

Long print runs draw significant electricity, a hidden cost many shops overlook. Enter your local kWh rate and printer wattage to compute total consumption based on runtime. Configure wattage separately for FDM and resin rigs to reflect real hardware performance, and rely on persisted inputs to keep up with energy price swings.

Print duration (printHours, printMinutes)

Time is the backbone of production efficiency. Dual inputs for hours and minutes let you set coarse schedules and fine adjustments without manual conversions. Minutes automatically convert to hours before power and labor costs update in real time.

Failure rate (failureRatePercent)

Even the best machines encounter failed jobs. Set a failure percentage and PrintMyCost multiplies it by material cost to account for reruns. This keeps potential losses covered inside every quote.

Labor cost (laborCostHour, laborHours)

Post-processing, maintenance, handling, and QA all consume valuable time. Enter hourly labor rates and expected hours to capture these hidden expenses and maintain a transparent pricing structure your clients can trust.

Depreciation (printerCost, printerLifespanH)

Printers are capital investments. Ignoring wear slowly erodes profitability. Input machine purchase cost and estimated lifespan so PrintMyCost calculates hourly depreciation and rolls it into the total, ensuring every job funds future upgrades.

Profit margin (profitMarginPercent)

Margin is the final step from cost to price. Adjust the slider to see suggested pricing respond instantly and craft offers for different clients or batches. Pair margins with market context and customer expectations to build flexible quote strategies.

Comparing FDM and resin costs

FDM and resin workflows differ in materials, handling, and finishing. FDM keeps material costs low with high volume efficiency but may require extra finishing. Resin achieves ultra-fine detail yet carries higher material prices and cleaning/curing overhead. With PrintMyCost’s dual-mode layout you can input both sets of parameters side by side, retain each mode’s state, and quickly judge which path aligns with budget and timeline.

Pricing your 3D printing services

Accurate pricing blends hard numbers with positioning, competition, and perceived value. Use PrintMyCost as your baseline, then refine quotes with three steps: assess how much clients value speed versus quality and adjust margins accordingly; benchmark competitors with similar capabilities and highlight your advantages such as finishing or design support; finally, create a review loop by logging actual material usage, failures, and labor after each job so default inputs stay fresh and forecasts keep improving.

Frequently asked questions

Why capture both hours and minutes?

Print runs rarely end on the hour. Separate hour and minute inputs avoid manual decimal math and are perfect for combining multiple segments.

How should I set the failure rate?

Base it on historical success rates. Increase the percentage when testing new materials or printing complex models to keep risk covered.

How do I estimate printer lifespan?

Use manufacturer maintenance guidance or track the past year’s runtime. Update the figure after swapping critical components so depreciation stays accurate.

Does the suggested price include taxes?

Taxes aren’t included yet. Add tax estimates to your margin or list them separately when sharing quotes with clients.

Combine these best practices with PrintMyCost’s live insights to run a profitable and efficient 3D printing business. Bookmark the tool and review parameters before every job to keep margins healthy and clients satisfied.