About the lab
Useful numbers, with every assumption left visible.
3D Print Cost Lab is an independent calculator and education site for makers, small sellers, print services, and product designers.
Why this site exists
Many print-cost tools stop at filament and electricity. Those numbers are useful for hobby comparison, but they are not enough to price a product, plan a print farm, or decide whether a mold is financially justified.
This site connects technical print data to practical business decisions. The calculators include labor, failure allowance, machine replacement, channel fees, utilization, and fixed tooling where those costs belong.
Experience behind the models
The site is operated by a software developer and maker with direct experience designing, printing, and selling physical products. That work includes small-batch FDM production, product costing, vendor quotations, and comparing printed production with injection-molded parts.
Commercial examples are anonymized and amounts may be presented as ranges. No supplier identity or confidential quote is published.
Editorial standard
Every calculator exposes its inputs and explains its formula. We aim to distinguish observed costs, editable assumptions, and general guidance. Pages are reviewed when formulas or examples change, and corrections are incorporated when a material error is identified.
Calculator results are planning estimates, not accounting, tax, legal, engineering, or investment advice. A professional should review decisions where regulation, safety, or a large financial commitment is involved.