3D Printer (Dental) Calculator

Print time and resin cost for dental models and guides.

Medical Disclaimer

This calculator is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of results from this tool.

Inputs

Build height (mm)

Layer thickness (um)

Layer exposure time (sec)

Total resin for job (mL)

Resin cost ($/L)

Platform utilization (%)

Electricity ($/kWh)

Printer wattage (W)

FEP film cost ($)

Prints per FEP film

Wash + cure time (min)

Tab to move between fields

Results

Print time (min)

170

Total job cost ($)

$12.43

≈ 2 cups of coffee

Print time (hrs)2.8

Total job time (min)185

Total layers906

Resin cost ($)$12.00

Electricity cost ($)$0.03

FEP wear cost ($)$0.40

Cost per mL printed ($/mL)0.16

Jobs per 8-hr day2

Wasted Platform (%)30%

How to Use This Calculator

Enter Build Height (mm) and Layer Thickness for the print job.
Input Layer Exposure Time (sec) to calculate total print time.
Enter Total Resin for Job (mL), Resin Cost per Liter, and Platform Utilization (%).
Set Electricity ($/kWh), Printer Wattage, FEP Film Cost, and Prints per FEP.
Review total print cost and per-unit cost to evaluate in-house printing economics.

How the result changes with Build height (mm)

Build height (mm)	Print time (min)	Total job cost ($)
21	82	$12.41
71	265	$12.44
130	482	$12.48
180	665	$12.51

What each input means

Build height (mm): Tallest point of the print job in mm (dental models ~30-50 mm).
Layer thickness (um): Layer height in micrometers (50 um standard for dental, 25 um for high detail).
Layer exposure time (sec): UV exposure time per layer (varies by resin, typically 4-10 sec).
Total resin for job (mL): Total resin volume for all parts + supports on the build platform.
Resin cost ($/L): Cost per liter of dental resin.
Platform utilization (%): How full the build platform is (packing efficiency).
Electricity ($/kWh): Local electricity rate per kilowatt-hour.
Printer wattage (W): Power consumption of the 3D printer.
FEP film cost ($): Cost of a replacement FEP/nFEP release film.
Prints per FEP film: Expected number of print jobs before FEP replacement.
Wash + cure time (min): Post-processing time: IPA wash + UV post-cure.

What each result means

Print time (min): Estimated printing time (excluding post-processing).
Print time (hrs): Print time in hours.
Total job time (min): Print + wash + cure total time.
Total layers: Number of layers including bottom exposure layers.
Resin cost ($): Cost of resin consumed.
Electricity cost ($): Power cost for the print job.
FEP wear cost ($): Prorated FEP film replacement cost.
Total job cost ($): All-in consumable cost per job.
Cost per mL printed ($/mL): Effective cost per milliliter of cured resin.
Jobs per 8-hr day: Maximum jobs completable in an 8-hour workday.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Build height (mm) = 45, Layer thickness (um) = 50, Layer exposure time (sec) = 6, Total resin for job (mL) = 80 = 11 input(s) provided
Calculate Print time
Print time = totalPrintTimeSec / 60
170 = 170
Calculate Total job cost
Total job cost = resinCost + electricityCost + fepCostPerPrint
12.43 = $12.43
Calculate Print time
Print time = totalPrintTimeMin / 60
2.8 = 2.8
Calculate Total job time
Total job time = totalPrintTimeMin + washCureTimeMin
185 = 185