Commercial 3D Printing Feed Formula
Learn how commercial 3D printing feed, production cost, revenue, gross profit and gross margin are calculated for an order.
This formula estimates the material needed for a production run after waste, then combines material cost with per-part labor and overhead. Comparing those costs with expected sales helps estimate the order's gross profit and gross margin before unlisted business costs.
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Estimated Gross Profit
Where:
Calculate sales for all parts, then subtract material cost, labor and overhead. Material weight is increased by the waste allowance and converted from grams to kilograms before pricing it.
Variables Explained
| Variable | What It Means | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| materialPerPart - Material per part | Estimated material in one finished part before supports, purging, failures and other waste. | g |
| quantity - Number of parts | Number of identical finished parts in the order. | number |
| wasteRate - Waste and support allowance | Expected extra material for supports, purging, failed prints and process waste. | percent |
| materialCostPerKg - Material cost per kg | Landed cost of the filament, resin or other print material per kilogram. | currency |
| laborAndOverheadPerPart - Labor and overhead per part | Allocated direct labor, machine operation, finishing, electricity and overhead for one part. | currency |
| salePricePerPart - Sale price per part | Expected selling price for one finished part before sales taxes, discounts and payment fees. | currency |
Step-by-Step Calculation
Calculate base material weight
Multiply the estimated material for one finished part by the order quantity.
baseMaterialWeight = materialPerPart * quantity
Add the waste allowance
Increase the base material requirement for supports, purging, expected failed prints and other planned waste.
totalMaterialWeight = baseMaterialWeight * (1 + wasteRate / 100)
Calculate material cost
Convert total feed from grams to kilograms, then multiply by the material cost per kilogram.
materialCost = (totalMaterialWeight / 1000) * materialCostPerKg
Calculate labor and overhead cost
Apply the entered per-part labor and overhead amount across the order.
laborAndOverheadCost = laborAndOverheadPerPart * quantity
Calculate total production cost
Add the included material cost and labor and overhead cost.
totalProductionCost = materialCost + laborAndOverheadCost
Calculate expected revenue
Multiply the selling price of one part by the number of parts ordered.
totalRevenue = salePricePerPart * quantity
Calculate gross profit and margin
Gross profit is the remaining revenue after included production costs. Gross margin expresses that amount as a percentage of revenue.
grossProfit = totalRevenue - totalProductionCost; grossMargin = (grossProfit / totalRevenue) * 100
Worked example: 50-part filament order
Base material weight
120 g × 50
6,000 g
Total material feed
6,000 g × (1 + 12 ÷ 100)
6,720 g
Material cost
(6,720 ÷ 1,000) × $25.00
$168.00
Labor and overhead cost
$8.00 × 50
$400.00
Total production cost
$168.00 + $400.00
$568.00
Revenue and gross profit
($35.00 × 50) − $568.00
$1,182.00 gross profit
Gross margin
($1,182.00 ÷ $1,750.00) × 100
67.5%
Final Result
Plan for 6,720 g of material feed. The order has estimated revenue of $1,750.00, production cost of $568.00, gross profit of $1,182.00 and a 67.5% gross margin.
Assumptions
- ✓Each part in the order uses the same finished-part material weight, per-part cost and sale price.
- ✓The waste percentage combines supports, purging, material handling losses and expected failed prints into one estimate.
- ✓The material cost per kilogram represents the applicable landed cost for the selected material.
- ✓Labor and overhead are represented by one fixed amount per completed part.
- ✓Revenue excludes sales taxes, discounts, shipping charges and payment processing fees.
Limitations
- !Actual material use can change with orientation, infill, supports, slicer settings, resin drainage and calibration.
- !A fixed per-part overhead amount may not capture setup time, batch-level post-processing or machine downtime accurately.
- !Gross profit is not net profit because it excludes unlisted expenses such as rent, administration, financing, tax and shipping.
- !The calculation does not check printer capacity, lead time, quality-control yield or contractual requirements.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Entering spool retail price instead of the actual cost per kilogram used for the job.
Using finished-part weight only and setting the waste allowance to zero for a support-heavy print.
Forgetting to include setup, finishing, machine time or electricity in labor and overhead per part.
Using a sale price that includes sales tax even though revenue is intended to be before sales taxes.
Treating gross margin as the same measure as markup or net profit.
Mixing grams and kilograms when estimating material use outside the calculator.
Related Formulas
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you calculate material feed for a 3D printing order?
Multiply material per finished part by the quantity, then multiply by one plus the waste rate divided by 100. This gives total feed in grams.
Why is total material feed higher than the combined weight of the finished parts?
The difference is the waste and support allowance. It can represent supports, purge material, failed prints, handling losses and other expected process consumption.
How is 3D printing material cost calculated from grams?
Divide total feed in grams by 1,000 to convert it to kilograms, then multiply by the material cost per kilogram.
What is included in gross profit for this calculator?
It is expected revenue minus the calculated material cost and the entered labor and overhead cost. Other expenses are not automatically included.
How is gross margin calculated for a 3D print order?
Divide gross profit by total revenue and multiply by 100. For example, $500 gross profit on $1,000 revenue is a 50% gross margin.
Can the formula be used for resin printing?
Yes, if material per part is entered in grams and the material cost is entered per kilogram. Set the waste allowance to reflect resin supports, losses and failed prints.
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