Count plates, not just parts
Order quantity is divided by good parts per plate and rounded up. Print time, electricity and machine cost follow the number of plates actually required.
MULTI-COLOR JOB COST AND PRICE
3D Printing Cost Calculator
Build a defensible quote from slicer estimates, plate capacity, multiple materials and failure risk, then compare it with what the finished job actually consumed.
Method and edge cases reviewed
JOB AND PLATE
Build the estimate
Materials per successful plate
Add model, support and purge materials separately when their prices differ.
For an AMS/MMU job, include the slicer's purge tower and flushed material. “Actual total” is optional and is used only in the job review.
Machine, labor and failure assumptions
Overhead, fees and selling price
Enter the fees that actually apply to your shop. The calculator does not silently insert changing marketplace or tax rates.
AFTER THE JOB
Compare the quote with actual usage
Fill the “Actual total g” cells above, then add the completed runtime and total hands-on minutes. These values should include failed attempts and reprints.
Add actual material, runtime or labor values to compare the completed job.
- Actual job cost
- $0.00
- Variance from estimate
- $0.00
- Actual margin at current price
- 0%
How the 3D print cost is calculated
Keep material prices separate
Each material uses its own spool price, spool weight and sliced grams. This makes multi-color, support-interface and purge material visible instead of hiding it in one blended guess.
Price through fees
The suggested selling price is solved backwards so the payout after percentage and fixed fees still covers cost and the target margin.
Material cost per plate
sum of (grams / spool grams × spool price)
Machine rate(purchase − resale + lifetime maintenance) / useful print hours
Expected failed attemptssuccessful plates × failure rate / (1 − failure rate)
Failure reservefailed attempts × [(material + energy + machine) × average failed progress + plate labor]
Target-margin order price(order cost + fixed fee) / (1 − percentage fee − target margin)
The failure reserve is an expected-value allowance, not a prediction that this particular order will fail. Setup labor and packaging are not repeated in that reserve; plate handling is. Sales tax, VAT, shipping charged to the buyer and income tax are excluded because their treatment depends on location and marketplace.
For an order that does not fill its last plate, the calculator deliberately reuses the entered plate values. Re-slice that smaller plate and run it as a separate estimate when the difference is material.
Worked multi-color batch example
The starting example is twelve parts printed four per plate. Each successful plate uses 180 g of model filament and 45 g of purge/support material and takes eight hours. That becomes three successful plates before the failure allowance. One-time setup spreads across twelve units, while machine time and energy follow the three plates.
Changing “good parts per plate” from four to three forces an additional plate. The result immediately shows why batch layout can matter more than shaving a few cents from a spool: an extra plate repeats print time, energy, machine wear and plate handling.
Sources and assumptions
- Prusa Research: 3D Printing Price Calculator — documents material, electricity, labor, machine/upkeep and G-code-derived time and weight as pricing inputs.
- PrusaSlicer purging volumes — documents the extra material deposited during color changes through a wipe tower, infill or another object.
- PrusaSlicer tool and extruder assignment — shows that model features, support material, support interfaces and wipe-tower perimeters can use different tools.
Default values are editable examples, not market averages or recommendations. Verify the slicer's final estimates, utility rate, measured printer power, material invoices, maintenance history and selling fees for your operation.
3D printing cost and pricing questions
Should purge waste be included in 3D printing cost?
Yes. If the slicer reports flushed filament, a purge tower or separate support material, add it as another material row. It may use a different spool price from the visible model material.
Why use parts per plate?
A batch does not scale smoothly one part at a time. If ten parts fit four per plate, the printer needs three plates, and the partly filled final plate still consumes its complete sliced time and plate-level material estimate.
What is the difference between margin and markup?
Margin is profit divided by selling price. Markup is profit divided by cost. This calculator solves for target margin because entering the same percentage as markup would produce a lower price.
Can an STL calculate exact print cost?
No. Geometry does not specify layer height, walls, infill, supports, purge, speed or the selected printer profile. Slice the model first and enter the resulting time and material values.
How should failed prints be included?
Use a measured long-run failed-plate rate when possible, plus the average completion point when a failure is detected. The calculator spreads that expected loss across successful work without multiplying one-time setup or packaging.
Does the suggested price guarantee a profit?
No. It is only as accurate as the inputs and excludes taxes and unentered costs. The actual-job comparison is designed to show whether the assumptions held after production.