3D printing cost calculator
Someone asks you for a printed part and you have to name a price. You need three numbers: part volume, infill and filament price. The rest follows.
Why the calculation starts at 35%
Walls, first layers and top layers use material whatever infill you pick. On an ordinary part that solid share is around a third of the total volume.
So a part at 0% infill does not cost nothing: it costs roughly 35% of a solid one. And the difference between 20% and 40% infill is far smaller than it looks - another 13% of the volume.
What to charge
The usual rule in small print services is material x 2.5 to x 4. The multiplier covers your time, failed prints, nozzle wear and the fact that somebody has to take the part off the bed and clean it.
If you print for clients, quote post-processing separately: support removal, sanding, gluing. Those minutes add up and nobody prices them at the start.
How do I find the part volume?
Open the file in the STL viewer on this site: it reports the volume in cubic centimetres and the estimated PLA mass.
Why does it differ from my slicer?
The slicer knows the exact geometry, supports and brim. This is a good estimate for quoting, not a measurement.
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