Skip to main content
Calcimator

Metal AM Powder Calculator

Calculate metal powder usage, recyclable powder, and cost for DMLS/SLM additive manufacturing.

Inputs

%

Results

Part weight (g)

44.3

Net powder consumed (kg)

4.18

Powder cost ($)

$1,254.58

≈ 10 pairs of sneakers

Support weight (g)13.3
Total sintered (g)57.6
Recyclable powder (g)4,124
Buy-to-fly ratio94.4
Sintered Weight Kg0.06
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Part volume (cm³), Support volume (cm³), and Material (1-4).
  2. Set Powder recycle rate (%) and Build height (mm).
  3. Review Part weight (g), Net powder consumed (kg), and Powder cost ($) ($).
  4. Use Support weight (g) and Total sintered (g) to inform your decision.

How the result changes with Part volume (cm³)

Part volume (cm³)Part weight (g)Net powder consumed (kg)Powder cost ($)
1,0004,4306.37$1,912.43
3,50015,50515.52$4,655.49
6,50028,79528.81$8,642.49
9,00039,87039.88$11,964.99

What each input means

Part volume (cm³)
Volume of the final part in cubic centimeters from CAD.
Support volume (cm³)
Volume of support structures. Typically 20-50% of part volume for complex geometries.
Material (1-4)
1 = Ti-6Al-4V (4.43 g/cm³), 2 = SS 316L (7.99), 3 = AlSi10Mg (2.67), 4 = Inconel 718 (8.19).
Powder recycle rate (%)
Percentage of un-sintered powder that can be reused. Typically 40-70% depending on material and sieve quality.
Build height (mm)
Height of the build in the powder bed (Z dimension). Affects total powder volume needed.

What each result means

Part weight (g)
Weight of the finished part.
Support weight (g)
Weight of support structures that will be removed.
Total sintered (g)
Total weight of material fused by the laser.
Net powder consumed (kg)
Virgin powder consumed after accounting for recycling.
Recyclable powder (g)
Amount of un-sintered powder that can be reused.
Powder cost ($)
Cost of net powder consumed at current material pricing.
Buy-to-fly ratio
Ratio of total powder consumed to final part weight. Lower is more efficient.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    4 parameters
    Part volume (cm³) = 10, Support volume (cm³) = 3, Material (1-4) = 1, Powder recycle rate (%) = 50 = 5 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Part weight
    Part weight = partVolumeCm3 * mat.density
    44.3 = 44.3
  3. Calculate Net powder consumed
    Net powder consumed = netPowderConsumedG / 1000
    4.18 = 4.18
  4. Calculate Powder cost
    Powder cost = netPowderConsumedKg * mat.costPerKg
    1254.58 = $1,254.58
  5. Calculate Support weight
    Support weight = round((supportVolumeCm3 * mat.density) * 10) / 10
    13.3 = 13.3
  6. Calculate Total sintered
    Total sintered = totalSinteredVolume * mat.density
    57.6 = 57.6

Related Calculators

The questions that sit next to this one — chosen by subject, including calculators filed under a different category.

Additive Manufacturing

3D Print Cost Per Part Calculator

Calculate total cost per 3D printed part including material, machine time, and post-processing labor.

Additive Manufacturing

3D Printing Material Comparison Calculator

Compare FDM material properties against your requirements for tensile strength, heat resistance, flexibility, and cost.

Additive Manufacturing

3D Print Build Time Estimator

Estimate total print time from part geometry, layer height, and print speed settings.

More in Manufacturing, Industrial & Coatings.