3D Printing Filament & Time Estimator
Estimate filament length, weight, cost and print time for a 3D print from its bounding-box dimensions, material and slicer settings — plus a cost comparison across 8 common filaments.
Input
Object Dimensions (Bounding Box)
Filament & Material
Slicer Settings
Typical: 15-25% for visual prints, 50%+ for functional parts
Number of perimeter walls
Solid layers per side (top + bottom)
Output
Estimate
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| No data yet | |
Material Comparison
Same geometry and settings, different filaments — useful for picking the cheapest material for a job.
| Material | Length | Weight | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| No data yet | |||
Guides
What does this tool estimate?
Enter your model's bounding-box dimensions (length × width × height), pick a filament material and diameter, and set your slicer settings — infill, wall count, layer height, nozzle width, print speed, and top/bottom solid layers. The tool estimates:
- Filament length and weight needed for the print
- Estimated material cost, from your filament price per kg
- Estimated print time, from a volumetric flow-rate model
- Bounding box vs. printed volume, so you can see how much infill saved you
- A material comparison table showing length, weight and cost for 8 common filaments (PLA, ABS, PETG, TPU, Nylon, Polycarbonate, ASA, HIPS) using the same geometry and settings — handy for picking the cheapest material for a job.
How the estimate works
The printed volume is approximated as a hollow shell: your bounding box, minus an inner cavity sized by wall thickness (wall count × nozzle width) and top/bottom solid layers (layer count × layer height), with that inner cavity filled to your chosen infill percentage. Filament length comes from dividing that volume by the filament's circular cross-section area; weight comes from volume × material density. Print time is estimated from a volumetric flow rate (print speed × layer height × nozzle width) with a 10% buffer for acceleration, travel moves and retractions.
This is a pre-slice sanity check, not a slicer replacement — it doesn't model supports, brims, skirts, purge towers, non-planar geometry, or travel-heavy toolpaths. For a final, accurate print time and filament usage, always slice the actual model in your slicer.
How to use it
- Enter your model's bounding-box dimensions in millimeters (measure in your slicer or CAD tool, or estimate from the model's overall size).
- Choose a filament material and diameter, and enter your cost per kg if you want a price estimate.
- Adjust slicer settings — infill, walls, layer height, nozzle width, print speed and top/bottom layers — to match your actual print profile.
- Results update instantly. Check the material comparison table to see what swapping filaments would cost for the same job.
FAQ
Why don't the numbers match my slicer exactly? This tool uses your bounding box as a stand-in for the actual mesh volume. A model with lots of empty space inside its bounding box (like a tall, thin figurine) will print with far less material than the box suggests. Use your slicer's own volume/weight estimate for precise numbers — this tool is for a quick pre-slice ballpark.
What if my object isn't a simple box? Use the smallest bounding box that fully contains your model. The estimate will run high for irregular shapes with a lot of negative space, since it can't see the actual geometry — only the outer envelope.
Does infill affect print time? Yes, indirectly — this tool's print time is derived from the printed volume, which shrinks as infill percentage drops (less material to extrude means less time, all else equal).
Is my data uploaded anywhere? No — every calculation runs locally in your browser. Nothing about your model or settings is sent to a server.