Worked Example
How to Price a 100g PLA Print
A worked 100g PLA print pricing example with material, electricity, labor, failure allowance, and markup.
Open 3D Printing Cost CalculatorWhat This Example Shows
This example starts with the same values a slicer and a small shop note would provide: material weight, estimated runtime, a manual electricity rate, labor time, and a markup target. It shows why the filament line is only one part of a customer-ready price.
The material cost is small compared with labor and failure allowance. If you remove labor, the quote drops sharply; if you raise failure allowance for a long or risky print, the pricing floor moves even when the slicer weight stays the same.
Inputs
| Material price | $24/kg |
|---|---|
| Print weight | 100 g |
| Print time | 6 hours |
| Printer power | 120 W |
| Electricity rate | $0.16/kWh |
| Labor | 0.25 h at $20/h |
| Failure rate | 10% |
| Markup | 30% |
Outputs
| Material cost | $2.40 |
|---|---|
| Electricity cost | $0.12 |
| Labor cost | $5.00 |
| Total cost | $8.27 |
| Suggested quote | $10.75 |
Formula Explanation
Material = 24 / 1000 × 100. Electricity = 120 / 1000 × 6 × 0.16. Total adds labor and a 10% failure allowance, then applies 30% markup.
Use This Example When
- You want a quick sanity check for a small PLA bracket, enclosure part, fixture, or cosplay accessory.
- You need to explain why a 100 g job costs more than the raw filament used.
- You are moving from internal cost math into a customer quote.
Before You Use the Number
- Use the 3D print quote generator if tax, shipping, validity terms, or batch quantity need to appear in the customer summary.
- Replace the labor and failure allowance with your own workflow before reusing the final quote.
Assumptions
- PLA price is user-entered.
- Machine hourly cost is set to $0 in this example.
- The quote is an estimate, not a guaranteed shop price.
FAQ
Does this example use live prices?
No. The example uses fixed sample inputs. Replace them with your own rates.
Can I run the calculator with my own values?
Yes. Open the 3D Printing Cost Calculator and enter your own assumptions.