When using 3D printing, the (financial) evaluation is the final step in every project.
Besides ensuring functionality and an appealing appearance, the expenses involved in realizing a project, which is usually printed with one or more plates, are also of interest, as are the overall financial costs.
The Bambu forum has been discussing this topic for some time, but the solution offered by the current Bambu Studio hasn’t really convinced users. For this reason, I’ve developed a supplementary solution.
Since Bambu Studio still doesn’t provide satisfactory information about printing costs (filament and electricity(!) as of January 1, 2026, I’ve created an easy-to-use overview (a spreadsheet in MS Excel) of my projects and the costs incurred. This includes links to the print model (Bambu Studio), the printed model, and a video of the printed model. Some of the information is retrieved via a linked copy of the printer’s SD card, which is kept up-to-date on my PC using FTP software.
The current power consumption during printing is monitored by a smart plug on the home network, which is also used to turn the printer on and off.
I’d like to share this solution with other users here.
- Each print job (build plate) can be individually recorded in an Excel spreadsheet and its costs evaluated.
- In my post, the cost factors include the cost of the printed filament, the electricity consumed, and the depreciation of the 3D printing equipment based on printing time.
- The cost evaluation for a project with one model (build plate) or with multiple individual models (build plates) can be expanded by copying and pasting a row from the spreadsheet and adjusting it to suit the requirements.
Note:Of course, you can include other cost factors in such a financial consideration.
For reasons of simplicity, I have initially waived further cost factors that may have to be included.
Procedure:
- The printed plates belonging to a project are combined and the project as a whole is evaluated in terms of cost.
- The following information is required for the 3D cost assessment approach presented here:
- All current prices of the filaments printed in the project in (€/kg).
- The individual masses (g) of the filaments printed in the project. This information is provided/displayed in Bambu Studio after slicing the individual panels of the project.
- The average energy consumption of 3D printing (kW). This can be determined by a simple power meter. I use an intelligent socket in the home network for this.
- The electricity tariff currently used by the electricity supplier (€/kWh). This can be easily determined from the last electricity bill.
This self-determined electricity tariff (€/kWh) is then multiplied by the power consumption of the 3D printer (kW) and the 3D printing time (min) for the respective plate and results in the electricity costs for the 3D printing of the individual plate (€/plate).
- The printing time (min) of the respective panels of the project. This information is provided/displayed in Bambu Studio after slicing the individual panels of the project.
- The printing time-dependent depreciation (€/h) is calculated for the entire 3D printing equipment used (€). The 3D printing equipment includes the 3D printer, accessories, consumables, tools, etc.)
- For the calculation of the depreciation of the 3D printing equipment, the annual expected (real) 3D printing time (h) is required with an assumed useful life of the 3D equipment (in years).
To estimate the expected annual printing time (h), the total previous printing time (h) is currently read on the display of the BambuLab X1C via the display of the operating hour counter. (h)
With the reading time (h) and the previous usage time of the 3D printing equipment, the expected annual printing time (h) is estimated.
Here in my evaluation, for example, the expected annual printing time was estimated at 500 (real) printing hours (h).
With a (my) estimated useful life of the 3D printing equipment of 6 years, this is a total of around 3000 printing hours (h) in my example.
- A current Excel (MS Office Prof. 2024) under Windows 11 is used to evaluate the printing costs.
- The translation was done with Microsoft Translater (MS Office).
- However, I would not want to miss this small cost overview for the evaluation of my projects/models.
- Without having bored anyone in the Bambu community, I hope the post was understandable.
- I have attached the corresponding Excel file in English to this small post.
PS:
For my personal evaluation, I have always supplemented each project (single plate or several plates) with two pictures each. (see screenshot 1 and screenshot 2)
- The first image showing the printed model or models of the project is linked to the corresponding 3mf file and to the Bambu Studio software for direct access.
- The second image, which shows the printed model or models of the project, is not linked.
- The third image, which shows an image of the project (a printed model or several printed models of the project), is linked to a corresponding video (e.g. full video or time-lapse video of the first plate of the 3D print (mp4 format)).
Notes:
- The access to the corresponding video of the 3D print (complete video (SD card, directory …/ipcam) or timelapse video (SD card, directory …/timelapse) is via a copy of the SD card of my BambuLab X1C, outside the BambuLab X1C. (see screenshot 3)
- I can access this copy directly with the Windows system with the assessment program (MS Excel).
- The SD card of the BambuLab X1C itself is accessed via FTP software (e.g. FileZilla., WINSCP) and the said copy, which is now outside the BambuLab X1C and now directly accessible by the Windows system and the evaluation program (MS Excel), is created.
- The cost valuation (MS Excel) can then always access this copy. This copy of the SD card is constantly updated with the FTP software (before switching off the BambuLab X1C).
- This procedure also makes it possible to evaluate costs when BambuLab X1C is switched off (because then no access to the SD card can be made).
- Instead of a video of the 3D print, you can also link to a corresponding video with a second image, which shows the use of the printed model(s) of the project.
Addendum:
There can (must) be a better solution for the financial valuation of 3D prints for the “stressed” user.
Almost all information on the financial valuation of a 3D print is already in Bambu Studio with the corresponding 3mf. Print file.
The user already provides the following information.
- Filaments used for printing
- Prices of the filaments used
- Individual print profile (including the 3mf file)
The Bambu Studio software provides the following information for a project (model).
- individual masses of printed filaments
- Individual printing times of the printed filaments
The user now only has to provide the following additional information.
- Tariff of the electricity provider (€/kWh)
- Power consumption of the 3D printer (kW)
A financial evaluation program for 3D prints to be designed with this information should not be an insurmountable hurdle for the software developers at Bambu or for the AI, should it? So make an effort (!).
In this sense, the hope of the users dies last, doesn’t it?
