Calculation methodology

Every result should be explainable.

This is the exact cost stack used by the MakerGauge 3D Print Pricing Calculator, including failure risk, selling fees, margin, and markup.

Last updated: July 12, 2026

MakerGauge calculates an order estimate from the values entered by the user. It does not infer your printer, marketplace, tax rate, local power cost, or actual business overhead. Calculations keep full precision internally and round only for display.

1. Material cost

Material per item is increased by the selected waste allowance, multiplied by order quantity, and priced as a share of the spool's material weight.

Material formulamaterial = grams per item × (1 + waste rate) × quantity ÷ spool grams × spool price

2. Electricity, machine time, and labor

Average power is converted from watts to kilowatts. Unattended print time is priced with the machine rate, while hands-on time is priced separately with the labor rate.

Production formulaselectricity = watts ÷ 1,000 × print hours × quantity × price per kWh
machine = print hours × quantity × machine rate
labor = hands-on minutes ÷ 60 × quantity × labor rate

3. Failed-print allowance

The calculator treats the entered failure percentage as the long-run share of production attempts that do not become sellable orders. Material, power, machine time, and labor are divided by the success rate. Packaging, shipping, and successful-order costs stay outside this adjustment.

Risk adjustmentrisk-adjusted production = production cost ÷ (1 − failure rate)

For example, a 10% failure allowance divides repeatable production cost by 0.90. This does not mean every failed print consumes identical labor or material; it is a planning simplification. Replace the allowance with your own recorded results as soon as possible.

4. Break-even price

Percentage selling fees are deducted from revenue, while a fixed selling fee is added to the amount the order must recover.

Break-even formulabreak-even price = (production + order costs + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage fee)

5. Target margin

Gross margin is profit divided by selling price. The calculator solves for the price that leaves the requested share of revenue after the entered production, order, and selling costs.

Margin pricing formulaprice = (cost before selling fees + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage fee − target margin)

6. Cost markup

Markup is profit divided by cost, not selling price. When markup mode is selected, the calculator adds the requested markup to cost, then gross-ups the result so the entered selling fees are still recovered.

Markup pricing formulaprice = (cost × (1 + markup) + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − percentage fee)

What is not included automatically

Income, sales, value-added, or other taxes
Refunds, chargebacks, discounts, and advertising
Currency conversion and regional fee variations
General overhead unless you include it in machine, labor, or other order costs
Shipping charged separately to the customer

Review marketplace terms and your own records before relying on an estimate. The calculator is a planning tool, not accounting, tax, legal, or financial advice.