PrintCalc
Filament usage, print cost, estimated time, layer height selection, and infill strength. Plan your prints before you slice.
Filament Usage Calculator
Estimate filament weight and length from your slicer's volume estimate.
Print Cost Calculator
Calculate total cost per print including material, electricity, and depreciation.
Print Time Estimator
Estimate print time from dimensions, layer height, and print speed.
Layer Height Guide
Choose the right layer height for quality vs. speed. Nozzle compatibility check.
Infill Strength Guide
Compare infill percentages, patterns, and their strength-to-weight tradeoffs.
About PrintCalc
PrintCalc provides free 3D printing calculators for FDM and resin printers. Estimate filament usage, calculate print costs, compare layer heights, and understand infill strength tradeoffs.
All tools run in your browser. Share results via URL — great for quoting print jobs or planning material purchases.
Print resolution and image size: for sharp prints, source images should supply at least 300 PPI (pixels per inch) at the target print size. A photo printed at 8×10 inches needs at least 2400×3000 pixels (7.2 megapixels). For billboard viewing distances (10+ feet), 150 PPI or even 72 PPI is sufficient — viewing distance reduces the perceived resolution requirement. The DPI vs PPI distinction: DPI refers to the printer's ink dot density (typically 1200–2400 dpi for modern inkjets); PPI refers to the image pixel density at print size.
Paper weight and calliper: paper weight in the US is measured in pounds per ream of 500 sheets at the parent sheet size (not letter size). A "20 lb bond" paper is lighter than a "60 lb offset" paper even though 60 > 20 — different categories use different parent sizes. The universal comparison is GSM (grams per square meter). Office copy paper is typically 75–90 GSM; brochure paper is 100–170 GSM; card stock is 200–350 GSM.
Color mode: use CMYK for print documents, not RGB. RGB is an additive color model (for screens); CMYK is subtractive (for ink on paper). The same color values look different when converted, and dark colors in RGB — particularly rich blacks — need careful CMYK formulation. A rich black in print is typically 60% Cyan + 40% Magenta + 40% Yellow + 100% Black (CMYK 60/40/40/100) to avoid a flat, inky appearance.
Bleed and safe zone: standard bleed is 0.125 inches (3mm) beyond the trim edge on all sides. Content that must stay visible should be kept at least 0.125–0.25 inches inside the trim line (safe zone). Elements that extend to the edge must extend fully into the bleed area — if an image stops at the trim line, a white gap appears when cut tolerances vary by ±1–2mm.