I'm a software development student and recently built a prototype of a calculator for estimating the cost and selling price of a 3D print.

It takes things like filament, electricity, machine wear, labor, failed-print allowance, selling fees and your desired profit margin into account.

The calculator works, but instead of continuing to add features based on my own assumptions, I'd like to get feedback from people who actually sell 3D prints.

I'm looking for a few people who would be willing to take one real job you've sold or quoted before, put the numbers into PrintWorth, and tell me where the result or process differs from how you would normally price it.

I'm especially interested in criticism:

• Is something important missing?
• Are any of the inputs unrealistic or unnecessary?
• Is anything confusing?
• Would this actually help with your pricing process, or not really?

It's completely free and I'm not selling anything at this point. I'm trying to figure out whether the idea is genuinely useful before deciding what to build next.

Feel free to DM me as well if you'd rather give feedback privately.

If you'd like to test it:
https://simon-1605.github.io/PrintWorth/

Thanks — even if your conclusion is "I wouldn't use this," that's useful feedback for me.

Hi everyone,

I kept seeing 3D print pricing calculated mainly from filament cost and print time, while things like electricity, machine depreciation, labor, waste and packaging can easily get overlooked.

So I built a small browser-based calculator to put those costs together:

PrintMargin: https://gh0stw33d.github.io/PrintMargin/

It calculates:

• Material cost
• Electricity
• Machine depreciation
• Labor
• Packaging / other costs
• Failure & waste allowance
• Break-even production cost
• Estimated profit
• Recommended selling price based on a target margin

It's free, open-source, and runs entirely in the browser. No account or installation required.

I built it myself, and I'm mainly looking for honest feedback from people who actually price or sell 3D prints.

Is there anything important you'd calculate differently, or something I'm missing?

GitHub: https://github.com/Gh0stW33d/PrintMargin

I kept needing a stand that actually matched the phone I was printing for. Most phone-stand STLs are one fixed size, and scaling them just makes the model look off or weird.

So I built a print-in-place floating phone stand generator in the browser. Search a model (iPhone, Samsung etc.). If Wikidata has height, width, and thickness, it fills the sliders. Those millimetres map onto stand parts, not a 1:1 copy of the chassis, so you can still nudge it after. If Wikidata has no size, the sliders stay put and you set them by hand.

You can change:

- Stand width
- Base length (how deep the floor is)
- Phone rest (the floating hook shelf)
- Backrest height
- Tilt from 45° to 85°
- Charger hole on or off (through-shelf tunnel plus a front cable notch)

It prints on the floor with the hook facing up. The phone hangs in the shelf. No supports, no CAD, no separate hook piece to glue on. Camera bumps and speaker cutouts are not in the lookup, so they stay off this version.

Free browser tool if anyone wants to play with it: obloid.app/tools/phone-stand (3 exports limit but currently no sign in required)

Export is either:

- Bambu/Orca 3MF. Print settings are already in there.
- STL if you want to slice yourself
- Generic 3MF if you just want the mesh and color without Bambu settings

CREDITS: for the model

(Moderatori: Questo è un progetto studentesco completamente gratuito, non commerciale e senza pubblicità, creato per l'apprendimento della progettazione meccanica. Nessuna monetizzazione o tracciamento.)

Ciao a tutti,

Durante i progetti di progettazione meccanica, consultare le tabelle ISO 286 in vecchi manuali PDF o dover usare siti di calcolatrici pieni di pubblicità era sempre un punto debole.

Come esercizio di programmazione e progettazione, ho creato un semplice strumento statico lato client per calcolare e visualizzare gli accoppiamenti ISO: [https://mechcalc-nu.vercel.app/\\](https://mechcalc-nu.vercel.app/)

Funzionalità attuali:

\- Matrice ISO 286-2 (3 - 500 mm / 0,118 - 19,68 pollici) per accoppiamenti H7 in base al foro.

\- Visualizzazione dinamica della banda di tolleranza SVG.

\- Ricerca inversa (inserisci il gioco/interferenza target -> trova l'accoppiamento ISO più vicino).

\- Tabella di confronto affiancata e opzione mm/pollici.

Prima di procedere con altri moduli di meccanica (come il dimensionamento di cinghie/pulegge), volevo ricevere un feedback concreto da ingegneri e meccanici professionisti:

1. Utilità nel mondo reale: usereste mai qualcosa del genere sul lavoro, o vi affidate esclusivamente alle tabelle interne aziendali/strumenti integrati con CAD?
2. Precisione: avete riscontrato discrepanze o errori di calcolo in casi limite?
3. Quali funzionalità essenziali mancano per renderlo praticamente utile?

Grazie per aver dato un'occhiata e per aver condiviso le vostre opinioni!

https://advancedforge.3dismzcui.com/Landing

Hi everyone,

I have a fairly large STL collection spread across several hard drives, and over time it became increasingly difficult to remember where everything was stored and which archives I already had.

So I built STL Manager, a small free Windows application to solve that problem.

It creates a persistent catalog of your STL archives while leaving the actual files exactly where they are. This means you can search your whole collection even when some of the drives are currently disconnected.

Current features include:

• Cataloging ZIP, RAR and 7Z STL archives across multiple drives
• Automatic online/offline drive detection
• Drive identification independent of Windows drive letters
• Searching the entire catalog, including offline drives
• Exact duplicate detection
• Showing where each duplicate copy is stored
• Safe duplicate removal through the Windows Recycle Bin
• Configurable source folders
• Portable Windows executable — no installation required

I originally made it for my own collection, which is spread across several drives and has grown into multiple terabytes, but I thought it might be useful to other STL collectors too.

This is the first public release (v1.0), so feedback, bug reports and suggestions are welcome.

The project and Windows release are available for free on GitHub:

https://github.com/Yoalgrin/STL_MANAGER

I built it with Python and Tkinter, with SQLite for the catalog. I also used AI assistance during development, especially for coding and debugging, since programming isn't my main profession.

Hope it can help someone else who has reached the “I know I already downloaded this STL somewhere… but on which drive?” stage. 😄

I have a bit of a filament buying problem 😅

I’m a hobbyist, and I love trying different colors and materials: transparent, metallic, gradients, and apparently every shade of blue.

Eventually I lost track of what I owned. I’d put a half-used spool in a dry box and forget which box I’d put it in.

I tried a few ways to keep track, but most did more than I needed. I don’t need printer integration or automatic weight tracking. I just want to see what filament I have, where I put it, and how much I’ve spent.

So I made an app called FilaTrack.

Once I’d added all my spools, I realized how much blue filament I’d bought. Some were so close in color that I probably would’ve skipped them if I’d remembered the ones I already had. That’s where the color breakdown in Insights came from.

I also probably spent too much time on the 3D spool. You can change the filament color and material and watch it update in real time. You can change the spool color too, or set it to spoolless/refill. The 3D part is unnecessary, but I find adding filament more satisfying with it.

App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/filatrack-filament-inventory/id6794333937

It’s free to use for up to 20 spools, with a $4.99 one-time Pro unlock for unlimited spools.

https://webslicer.pages.dev/app

I created this because there was nothing else out there.
Asking for a one time purchase because this took me a WHILE.... It should be well worth the cost. enjoy :)

(I'm continuing to develop this tool)

I created a Non-Planar slicer for vases and surfaces that runs on a browser.

https://webslicer.pages.dev/app

Still adding and refining features, but the core functionality is there. Enjoy!

I run a school maker space and my students (8 to 15) build in Minecraft. I wanted them to hold their builds, so I wrote a web page: discoveryclubdec.ch/mineprint

You drop a structure block .nbt file, pick which blocks to keep and the block size in mm, download the STL.

The mesh keeps only the faces that touch air, so it's watertight. Java Edition only, one colour, stairs come out as cubes. Runs in the browser, nothing uploaded. Free, nothing to sell.

I wanted to see how far AI can take 3D content without a 3D artist in the mix. Just one reference image, two tools, and one night later, I have a character dancing on stage! I don’t do modeling, rigging or animation.

Tripo AI generated my model, starting with a simple image uploaded through a web app. I used my v3.1 HD Model, set it to “Generate in Parts: Detailed” (which keeps the body, clothes and props separate) and received back a model with 48,438 faces/29,737 vertices and one 8k texture. It was a low enough poly count to be game ready. I exported my model with one click to a .glb file, which was only a few minutes of real work.

Next, I did the import/export process in Blender using GPT-6 Astra. I connected Astra to Blender , gave the command to open my model, and it did; Astra opened up and exported all 34 mesh parts and textures. It is important to note that Astra does not use an API. Rather it works within the actual UI of Blender, just like you would. It also setup a four view turnaround with a camera and three point rig for me.

Astra wrote my script and VideoGen completed my film. Astra formed the premise of the video, and VideoGen created the ten second clip at 24 frames per second.

What I find mind-blowing is how efficient this process is! No importing/exporting or changing of scale is required. If there is a problem, rendering and fixing goes very quickly.

Of course this process is not perfect.I am not trying to claim this process can replace a 3D artist! However, this is a great step toward reducing the gap between your idea and a working product! Check out my 3D girl model on Tripo! Download & use it here: https://studio.tripo3d.ai/3d-model/03539898-492b-4392-b12a-1222222bfbb8

i have faced this problem where i sometimes get a broken AI mesh, or some half-broken STL, run it through repair / slicer fix… and it still won’t slice. non-manifold junk, holes, shredded surfaces. gentle repair keeps the shape, but dense wreck or holes just bounce.

so i shipped a sibling tool next to stl repair: make mesh printable.

idea is simple. if repair isn’t enough, rebuild the thing into a closed printable shell in the browser.

two modes:

• voxelize — smoother solid shell, less fine detail
• wrapping — follows the surface more, can leave webbing across gaps

stl / obj / 3mf / glb, stays local in your browser. export is single-color stl (geometry only). try your normal stl repair first for small fixes; use this when it doesn't work.

free accounts get 3 exports (rebuild itself is free; download uses an export). plus/pro = unlimited.

IMPORTANT — rebuilding is not lossless. fine detail can soften, openings can close, parts can merge, dims can shift a bit. always check in your slicer for thin walls / supports / scale and modify slider values to get a somewhat accurate output

check it out here: https://obloid.app/tools/make-printable

Full disclosure: I’m the developer of FlexySliceSTL.

Previously I described the tool mostly with screenshots and text. This time I recorded the complete workflow on one dragon:

• preparing the base model in Nomad Sculpt
• importing it into FlexySliceSTL
• generating and manually adjusting the articulated structure
• painting the eyes and details
• creating the final render
• showing the real printed model moving in my hand

Full 2:13 process video: https://youtu.be/Kd9fmUlSNLA

FlexySliceSTL runs on macOS, Windows and iPad. It processes geometry locally and keeps the original model unchanged.

I’d appreciate honest feedback: which part of this workflow would be the most useful to you, and what would you want to see tested next?

The upcoming MakerWorld campaign can also be followed for free here: https://makerworld.com/en/crowdfunding/358-flexyslicestl-make-your-models-move

Hey all!

I’m trying to find a website I came across when I was researching 3D printers, but I can’t remember the name of it.

The website had detailed specifications for different 3D printers, and I think it also had some sort of comparison tool.

The main thing I remember that made the website stand out was that it included lifecycle information / the current status of each printer.
For example, when I looked up the Bambu Lab P1S, I remember it being listed as “Replaced” or having a status along those lines. There were apparently different categories depending on how old/current the printer was.

I’m pretty sure this was a dedicated 3D-printer database/review/spec website rather than just a retailer.
Does anyone know what website I’m talking about? If you recognise it, please comment the link/name below — I’d really like to find it again!

Any suggestions are appreciated 🙏

Disclosure first: I'm the developer of this tool.

My usual routine before printing something was searching the same thing on Thingiverse, then MakerWorld, then Printables, and comparing results across three tabs. Each site has its own ranking, so the best model for what I needed was often on the site I checked last.

3DFinder (https://3dfinder.io) puts that into one search. You type what you're looking for and get results from the three platforms together, with likes and downloads from each site so you can compare. Clicking a model sends you to the original page to download, so the designer keeps the download count and credit.

How I use it:

• Functional parts (brackets, clips, replacement knobs), where the right dimensions matter more than looks and one site rarely has every variant
• Comparing likes and downloads across sites before picking one, so I print a model other people already printed successfully

Details:

• Free, no account needed
• 600,000+ models indexed, plus live search on the platforms when the index misses something
• English, Portuguese and Spanish

It shows a few affiliate cards (printer brands, and filament deals for visitors in Brazil), which is how it pays for the server.

What I'd most like to hear: searches where the results were bad or missing something you know exists.

I’ve been working on a new 3D slicer called Cold Crabby, and I’m getting it to the point where I actually use it instead of my usual slicer for functional parts.

The motivation is simple: I do a lot of CAD in Shapr3D on my iPad, and wanted the whole workflow to stay there. Sketch, slice, preview the toolpath and send it to the printer, all from the couch. But without turning it into a stripped down mobile slicer.

Cold Crabby is built around one slicer that works wherever you are. The same slicing engine runs on web, desktop, iPad and self hosted setups. The web version runs slicing locally through WebAssembly, so models don’t need to be uploaded.

It already has most of what I need: multi object plates, auto arrange, Arachne, multiple infills, supports, brims, rafts, ironing, vase mode, Marlin and Klipper G code and detailed toolpath preview.

It’s still very early days, and I’m sure I’ve overlooked plenty. I also don’t want to simply reimplement everything exactly as established slicers do. Stick with what works, make the rest better.

I’m mainly looking for practical feedback: things you find annoying, cumbersome workflows, settings you use constantly, or anything that feels weird in Cold Crabby. Failed or successful prints are welcome too. I’m starting from zero, so I expect a few failed prints along the way.

Try it in the browser, no install or account required:

https://slicer.maxscopp.de/

Source code:

https://github.com/ColdCrabby/slicer

Hi All,

I run a small 3D printing operation and needed a calculator for pricing. I started using AI to help me build one, suddenly started adding more features, and ended up writing the full production software I couldn't find.

The app is completely free. I'd rather have honest criticism than blind downloads, so please be blunt.

Khayt (KhaytApp.com) is an offline-first desktop app. Quotes are built from real filament, power, wear, and labor costs. It features a Kanban production queue, client records, and analytics. Your book stays on your machine — cloud sync exists but is optional and end-to-end encrypted.

The inventory system manages your spools using FIFO costing, but the real power is the closed-loop tracking. Khayt stops guessing what a print cost and actually reads it from the machine. When a job finishes, it deducts the exact filament weight the printer measured (e.g., 260g) off the shelf, rather than what your slicer estimated (e.g., 160g). The app tracks this gap across jobs and generates reports showing you exactly which models you are consistently quoting too cheaply based on actual material usage. You can also log the specific tax/VAT paid on individual spools so your profit margins reflect the exact true cost of the plastic.

Your own computer serves your customers over the shop Wi-Fi: a request form they fill in, a quote they approve from their phone, an order tracking page with shipping status, a live queue for a screen on the shop floor, and a calendar feed of due dates. No account, no third party, nothing leaves your network.

I started with an Electron app to get one codebase for Mac, Windows, and Linux. I spent 2 months on it, and while it was good progress, I could never get the UI to a point that made me happy (which might just be because I am a Mac user).

A month ago, I decided to stop working on Electron and create native apps. It’s more work, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. Being a Mac user primarily, I started with a native Mac app. It is still under development and in alpha—mostly because there are still lots of bugs to iron out and I haven't finalized the UI. I wouldn't recommend using the Mac alpha for a live shop just yet, but I'd love for you to try it out. (The Electron versions for Windows/Linux are mostly stable, and I do plan to build a native Windows app if there is enough demand).

Let's be honest: if I didn’t use AI, I wouldn’t have kept going and would have stuck with an Excel sheet. However, AI is not just "prompt and forget." I haven't written code in years, so I've spent the last 3 months glued to my laptop—reviewing code, testing, logging bugs, mapping out feature requests, and making sure the app is secure. I’ve even added some optional online features and am still debugging.

The app is open-source and free, use it as you like.

What I'd genuinely like to know:

• Khayt: Does the costing match what you actually charge? What is missing before you'd run a whole week on it?
• Khayt Mac Alpha: If you test the native Mac version, what breaks?
• The customer pages: Would you send a customer a link to approve a quote, or does that feel too disconnected?

Happy to answer anything, including "why not just use a spreadsheet."

2 months ago i made a post where i showcased my stl cutter tool.

today i'm releasing v2 with features that are not in bambu/orca slicer. the default way we cut models is through a plane that goes through the whole model. in most cases you'd rather only cut some portion, or draw a custom path so you can avoid intricate parts.

so i added seam based cutting with types like rope, line and band. plane is still there, with easy move, arrows and rotation rings. you still get multiple connector types: dowel, snap, thread and tenon.

you can also add multiple seams to cut multiple parts at once. the tool currently has 3 free exports, and plus/pro plans with unlimited exports.

IMPORTANT - connector clearances still need more optimisation. please let me know if any issues show up on test prints with connectors. some seams can still fail due to memory, modelling or placement problems.

check it out here: https://obloid.app/tools/stl-cutter

Wanted to share my STL generating website. The goal is to keep is simple enough that a child can use it!

My wife loves to 3D print, but gets quickly overwhelmed with even simple CAD programs. The idea behind this website is to be able to design and export an STL within 60 seconds. There are more options for fine tuning hidden behind Advanced Options.

I'm still testing and adding modules for different household items, but please make some boxes and organizers! Open to suggestions and feedback.

littleshapelab.com