The calculation
material total = (part grams + waste grams) × price per gram
waste share = waste grams ÷ all consumed grams × 100
Worked example
An 80 g part and 20 g of waste use 100 g. At 25 currency units per 1,000 g spool, the material cost is 2.50, including 0.50 of waste. Waste is 20% of the consumed material.
A material estimate with visible boundaries
This tool answers how much purchased filament a job consumes. It does not quote a selling price or estimate a business profit. Electricity, machine wear, labor, packaging, tax and shipping are outside the calculation. Keep those items separate if you are preparing a customer quote.
Compare like with like
For multicolor work, compare the same model, size, printer and slicer version. Record the before-and-after part and waste weights rather than assuming every change reduces waste by a fixed percentage. Include support material in one place only.
A lower waste total is useful only when the part still prints correctly. Purge settings affect material transitions. Use your printer and slicer documentation when changing them, and validate the actual part. This calculator budgets measured or sliced material; it does not choose safe purge settings.
Common questions
Does 20% waste mean a 20% markup?
No. Waste share divides waste by all consumed material. A markup on the part alone uses a different denominator.
Can I use euros, pounds or another currency?
Yes. Enter one currency consistently; the tool does not perform exchange-rate conversion.
Further reading
Official or original references for the workflow; these organizations do not endorse this independent tool.