Calculate cost of 3d printing – Avoid this mistake immediately when calculating your 3D printing costs!

3D printing calculator

Calculate cost of 3d printing

The world of 3D printing is fascinating and constantly growing. As 3D printers become more advanced and error-free, more and more people have the opportunity to make money with 3D printing.
However, with the first customer inquiry comes the crucial question: „How much should I charge?“ How do I approach pricing 3D printed parts?
This question is often taken too lightly, especially by inexperienced and new (small) 3D printing businesses. Calculate cost of 3d printing is often underestimated.

The result?
The business starts to take off, only to come crashing down soon after—simply because no money was made for reserves and growth.
One of the most critical mistakes? Undervaluing hidden costs or even ignoring your own labor costs involved in production.

Want to avoid this mistake and gain a solid understanding of how to calculate cost of 3d printing?
Keep reading to dive deeper into the topic of 3D printing cost calculation!

The first step: Checking the internet

How to calculate cost of 3d printing

For your calculation, you have several options:
From 3D printing online calculators and 3D printing cost estimators to dedicated apps to calculate cost of 3D printing.

However, calculate cost of 3d printing with free tools come with a major drawback:
They are generic and don’t really care whether you make a profit or not. They calculate profit using broad standard parameters, which may not reflect your actual costs.

Most 3D printing online calculators also lack the key values crucial for success:

• Correct overhead costs
• Additional part-related costs
• The right profit margin—how much markup should you even apply when calculating 3D printing costs?

With our years of experience and proven success, we have preconfigured the Addictiv3D Calculator with optimized values—so you can start pricing profitably right away! 🚀

The Hidden Costs of 3D Printing

Calculating the Price of 3D Printed Parts – the Right Way.

What to Consider When Calculating 3D Printing Costs?
While the obvious costs like materials and equipment are easy to identify, the hidden expenses are often overlooked. These include energy consumption, wear and tear on parts, post-processing time, and the risk of failed prints.

These factors are crucial for pricing and can ultimately determine whether you make a profit or incur a loss.

Orient yourself to the market price, but don’t follow it blindly.

Marketability means being able to position yourself in the market.
Your perfectly calculated price is only considered successful once your sales reflect it.
To offer your 3D printed projects in the best possible way, scan the market and analyze your competitors.

Develop a sense of where your competitors‘ pricing stands and what features they offer.
For a 1:1 3D printed product, also consider the additional services provided (e.g., Same-day shipping? Best customer service ever?).

Use the market as a guideline, not a rule.
Always aim for your 3D product to be at either the higher or lower end of the market price spectrum—not in the middle.

This means, make your 3D printed product either the cheapest (it’s important not to be cheap) or the most exclusive.
We recommend not choosing the average price range for your 3D printed product, as this will severely limit your visibility.

The logic behind calculating 3D printing costs.

The mathematician would say: „It’s a game with numbers.“
The business economist would say: „This is 1st semester stuff, you can do it on the side.“
However, the entrepreneur would say: „Between growth and bankruptcy lies the ability to cover my costs.“

A simple logic for calculating 3D printing costs:

1. Production Costs:
   All my fixed costs for producing the 3D printed product.
2. Cost of Goods Sold (Production Costs + Overhead Costs):
   All indirect costs that arise but cannot be directly attributed are considered.
3. Profit Margin:
   Once all costs are covered, we have reached the „break-even“ point.
   Now we want to make money for our 3D printing (small) business.

Cost of Goods Sold + Profit Margin = Offer Price.

When logic ends, experience begins.

Arrogantly speaking, you could get a blank calculation from us for free and calculate the price of 3D printed parts. And with the highest probability, the business would still not thrive.
Logic can only interpret the knowledge that is available.

The following questions cannot be solved with a calculation logic:

• „How many percent should I allocate for manufacturing overhead costs?“
• „How many hours of labor per year do I allocate to my 3D printer?“
• „How much profit margin should I apply?“
• „Is this profit enough for my 3D printing small business?“

Summary

Of course, you can simply type „calculate 3D printing costs“ into Google and use the next 3D printing online calculator.
As you can see, calculating 3D printing prices is a topic that involves much more than just entering numbers.
It requires a well-thought-out strategy tailored to your 3D printing (small) business.
In addition to solid cost determination, it’s also important to plan for a competitive profit margin.

This is why we founded Addictiv3D.com, to provide you with a guide for your own 3D printing (small) business.

Feel free to contact us!
We are here for you as supporters of successful 3D printing (small) business owners.