3D Print · Filament & Cost

3D Print

Estimate filament mass, cost, and print time from volume, infill, and wall thickness. Runs in your browser — no server call, no tracking.

Model Settings

Results

Filament mass—
Cost—
Print time—
Filament length—

Infill Isn't the Whole Story

Most of a print's material actually goes into the outer walls and top/bottom layers, not the infill lattice — which is why doubling infill percentage rarely doubles material cost the way people expect.

PLA's Default Density

1.24 g/cm³ is standard PLA density — the most common consumer filament material. Swap in PETG (~1.27), ABS (~1.04), or nylon (~1.14) here to estimate cost for a different material entirely.

Reference

Reference data

Standards and values to use alongside the tool above.

Filament Comparison

Properties and working parameters for common FDM/FFF filament types.

Material Density Print Temp Bed Temp Strength Flexibility Ease Outdoor Food Safe
PLA 1.24 g/cm³ 190 – 220 ℃ 0 – 60 ℃ Medium Low Easy No Conditional
ABS 1.04 g/cm³ 220 – 250 ℃ 90 – 110 ℃ High Medium Moderate Moderate No
PETG 1.27 g/cm³ 220 – 250 ℃ 70 – 90 ℃ High Medium Easy Good Yes
TPU 1.21 g/cm³ 210 – 230 ℃ 0 – 60 ℃ Medium Very high Moderate Good No
Nylon 1.14 g/cm³ 240 – 270 ℃ 70 – 100 ℃ Very high High Hard Good Conditional
ASA 1.07 g/cm³ 235 – 255 ℃ 90 – 110 ℃ High Medium Moderate Excellent No
PC 1.19 g/cm³ 260 – 310 ℃ 100 – 130 ℃ Very high Medium Hard Good No
PVA 1.23 g/cm³ 180 – 210 ℃ 0 – 60 ℃ Low Low Moderate No No
HIPS 1.04 g/cm³ 220 – 250 ℃ 90 – 110 ℃ Medium Low Easy Moderate No
Carbon Fiber 1.30 g/cm³ 200 – 260 ℃ 50 – 80 ℃ Very high Low Moderate Good No
Wood Fill 1.15 g/cm³ 180 – 220 ℃ 0 – 60 ℃ Low Low Easy No No

Layer Heights & Trade-offs

Choosing the right layer height balances print time, surface finish and mechanical strength.

Layer Height Nozzle Quality Speed Strength Best For
0.05 mm 0.2 – 0.4 mm Ultra fine Very slow Medium Miniatures, detailed figurines, jewelry prototypes
0.10 mm 0.2 – 0.4 mm Fine Slow Medium Display models, visual prototypes, smooth surfaces
0.15 mm 0.3 – 0.4 mm High Moderate Good General purpose, balanced quality and speed
0.20 mm 0.4 mm Standard Fast Good Functional parts, enclosures, everyday prints
0.25 mm 0.4 – 0.5 mm Medium Fast High Structural parts, jigs and fixtures
0.30 mm 0.5 – 0.6 mm Draft Very fast High Rapid prototypes, large models, test fits
0.40 mm 0.6 – 0.8 mm Coarse Fastest Very high Rough drafts, non-cosmetic structural parts

Infill Patterns Reference

Each pattern offers different trade-offs between strength, weight, speed and material usage.

Pattern Strength Print Speed Material Use Flexibility Best For
Grid Medium Fast Medium Low General purpose, balanced performance
Lines Low Fastest Low Medium Visual models, non-structural parts
Triangles High Moderate Medium Low Load-bearing parts, structural pieces
Tri-Hexagon High Moderate Medium Low Strong parts needing even load distribution
Cubic High Moderate Medium Low Equal strength in all directions (3D isotropy)
Gyroid Very high Slow Medium Medium Flexible parts, equal strength in all axes
Honeycomb Very high Slow High Low Maximum strength-to-weight ratio
Concentric Medium Fast Medium High Flexible objects, transparent parts
Lightning Low Fastest Lowest Low Visual models, top-surface support only

Post-Processing Methods

Techniques for improving surface quality, strength and appearance after printing.

Method Compatible Materials Difficulty Surface Improvement Tools Needed Notes
Sanding PLA, ABS, PETG, Nylon Easy High Sandpaper (120 – 2000 grit) Wet sanding prevents dust and clogging. Work through grits progressively.
Acetone Vapor ABS, ASA Moderate Excellent Acetone, sealed container Smooths layer lines by dissolving surface. Requires ventilation. Not for PLA.
Filler Primer All rigid filaments Easy High Spray filler primer Fills small gaps and layer lines. Multiple coats with sanding between.
Painting All rigid filaments Moderate Medium Primer, acrylic or enamel paint Prime first for adhesion. Airbrush gives best results on detailed parts.
Epoxy Coating PLA, ABS, PETG Moderate Excellent Two-part epoxy resin Creates hard glossy shell. Adds waterproofing and UV resistance.
Heat Gun PLA, ABS Hard Medium Heat gun, gloves Risk of warping. Keep moving and use low settings. Good for localized smoothing.
Annealing PLA, PETG, Nylon Moderate Minimal Oven, thermometer Increases crystallinity and heat resistance. Parts may shrink 2 – 5%.
Metal Plating ABS, PLA (with conductive paint) Hard Excellent Conductive paint, electroplating kit Apply conductive layer first, then electroplate with copper, nickel or chrome.
Support Removal All Easy Medium Pliers, flush cutters, files PVA dissolves in water. HIPS dissolves in limonene. Manual for all others.