Prusa 3D Printing Price Calculator

Prusa 3D Printing Cost Equation:

\[ C = (M \times P) + (T \times E) + (T \times L) + (T \times D) \]

Material Weight (M):

grams

Price per Gram (P):

currency/g

Printing Time (T):

hours

Electricity Cost (E):

currency/hour

Labor Cost (L):

currency/hour

Depreciation (D):

currency/hour

Total Printing Cost (C):

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1. What is the Prusa 3D Printing Cost Equation?

The Prusa 3D Printing Cost Equation calculates the total cost of a 3D print by considering material costs, electricity usage, labor, and printer depreciation. It provides a comprehensive view of the actual expenses involved in 3D printing.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Prusa 3D Printing Cost Equation:

\[ C = (M \times P) + (T \times E) + (T \times L) + (T \times D) \]

Where:

$ C $ — Total cost (currency)
$ M $ — Material weight (grams)
$ P $ — Price per gram (currency/g)
$ T $ — Printing time (hours)
$ E $ — Electricity cost (currency/hour)
$ L $ — Labor cost (currency/hour)
$ D $ — Depreciation cost (currency/hour)

Explanation: The equation accounts for all major cost factors in 3D printing, providing a complete picture of the expenses involved in each print job.

3. Importance of Accurate Cost Calculation

Details: Accurate cost calculation is crucial for pricing 3D printing services competitively, managing profitability, and understanding the true cost of prototyping or production.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter material weight in grams, price per gram in your local currency, printing time in hours, and all hourly costs. All values must be non-negative.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How do I determine the material weight?
A: Most slicing software (like PrusaSlicer) will calculate this for you based on your 3D model and print settings.

Q2: What's a typical electricity cost for 3D printing?
A: This varies by location and printer, but a Prusa i3 typically uses about 0.05-0.15 kWh during printing.

Q3: How do I calculate depreciation cost?
A: Estimate your printer's lifespan in hours, then divide the printer cost by that number. For example, a $800 printer with 10,000 hour lifespan would be $0.08/hour.

Q4: Should I include failed prints in the cost?
A: For business purposes, you might want to factor in a failure rate percentage to your overall pricing.

Q5: Are there other costs not included here?
A: This calculator covers major costs but doesn't include ancillary expenses like maintenance, facility costs, or post-processing.