Modular Unit Count Calculator

Modular origami builds a polyhedron or decorative form out of many identical folded units (commonly Sonobe-style modules) that lock together with no glue, so the first thing any folder needs to know is exactly how many units a given design requires. This calculator looks up that count from a small library of common modular shapes — 6 for a Sonobe cube, 12 for an octahedron, 30 for an icosahedron or a typical kusudama, 90 for a truncated icosahedron (buckyball) — or accepts a custom unit count for anything outside that list. It then adds a practice-and-waste allowance on top (10% by default) to arrive at a realistic total sheet count to cut before starting, since folding extra units in reserve saves a shopping trip mid-project when a fold goes wrong.

Paper size per unit, together with a fixed diameter factor unique to each polyhedron's geometry (for example an icosahedron's finished diameter scales at roughly 1.9x the unit's folded edge length), gives a rough estimate of the finished model's size — useful for checking it will fit wherever it's meant to display before committing paper. A suggested color count and units-per-color breakdown help plan a balanced color distribution across faces, and a folding-time estimate (3 to 5 minutes per unit depending on model complexity) helps budget a session. All diameter factors and per-unit timings here are reasonable approximations for planning purposes — the exact finished size and time will vary with your specific paper weight, unit variant, and folding speed.