3D Printing Labour (Commercial) Calculator FAQ
Answers to common questions about estimating commercial 3D printing labour hours, labour burden, cost per part, and job costing inputs.
Use these answers to understand what the commercial 3D printing labour calculator includes, how its estimates are calculated, and where separate costing methods may be needed.
General calculator questions
Basic questions about the purpose and scope of the estimate.
What does the 3D Printing Labour (Commercial) Calculator estimate?
It estimates active labour hours, direct labour cost, labour burden cost, fully loaded labour cost, and labour cost per finished part for an order.
Is this a complete 3D printed part pricing calculator?
No. It estimates labour only. Materials, machine use, energy, maintenance, scrap, shipping, taxes, and profit may need separate calculations.
Who can use this calculator?
It can be used by print bureaus, additive manufacturing teams, workshops, and businesses estimating internal labour for 3D printed orders.
Does the calculator provide professional pricing advice?
No. It provides an educational costing estimate based on the time and rates entered.
Hours and workflow inputs
Questions about what to include in setup, handling, and finishing time.
What should I include in job setup time?
Include one-off active work such as file checks, slicing, build preparation, machine setup, material preparation, and job administration.
What belongs in handling time per part?
Handling can include unloading, removal from the build plate or chamber, support removal, washing, routine inspection, labelling, and packing.
What belongs in finishing time per part?
Include hands-on curing, sanding, polishing, painting preparation, machining, dyeing, or other manual work needed to meet the required finish.
Should I include quality inspection?
Include routine inspection in handling or finishing time if it is performed for every part. Use separate estimates if inspection varies significantly by part.
Formula and cost questions
Questions about the calculation sequence and cost components.
How are total labour hours calculated?
The calculator adds setup hours to quantity multiplied by the sum of handling hours per part and finishing hours per part.
How is labour burden calculated?
The burden percentage is multiplied by base labour cost. It is then added to base labour cost to produce the fully loaded labour estimate.
What is base labour cost?
Base labour cost is total active labour hours multiplied by the base hourly labour rate, before the burden allowance.
How is labour cost per finished part calculated?
The calculator divides the fully loaded labour cost for the full order by the number of finished parts.
Accuracy and use of results
Questions about interpreting estimates and improving future calculations.
Why might actual labour cost differ from the result?
Actual results can differ because of print failures, rework, part complexity, changing finish requirements, operator experience, and workflow interruptions.
Why does the cost per part decrease as quantity increases?
One-off setup hours are divided across more parts. However, handling and finishing hours still increase with each additional part.
How can I improve the estimate over time?
Record actual setup, handling, finishing, and rework time by process and finish level, then update inputs using representative historical data.
Can I use different labour rates for different tasks?
This calculator uses one blended rate. For different operator rates, calculate each labour stage separately or use a weighted average rate.
What counts as 3D printing labour?
Labour can include job setup, file preparation, unloading, support removal, inspection, finishing, packing, and other active hands-on work.
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