ABS print cost calculator
ABS is a tough, heat-resistant plastic used for car parts, tool handles and enclosures. It is the lightest common filament, which makes it one of the cheapest per part. Drop an STL to calculate grams, meters and cost.
- File
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- Size (X × Y × Z)
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- Volume
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- Surface area
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- Triangles
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- Mesh check
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- Build volume
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Cost estimate
| Cost | How | Amount | Share |
|---|
Printer, time & electricity
Labor, failures & markup
ABS at a glance
| Density | 1.04 g/cm³ |
|---|---|
| Typical price | $16.00–$30.00 per kg (calculator default $22.00) |
| Cost per gram | $0.02 at $22.00/kg |
| Meters per kg | 400 m (1.75 mm) · 151 m (2.85 mm) |
| Nozzle | 230–260 °C |
| Bed | 95–110 °C |
| Enclosure | Recommended |
What common prints cost in ABS
Estimated with 15% infill, 1.2 mm walls and 5% waste on a fast bed slinger, including electricity, machine wear and a 10% failure buffer:
| Model | Weight | Filament | Time | Material | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 mm calibration cube | 4.0 g | 1.59 m | 12 min | $0.09 | $0.15 |
| 50 mm sphere | 19.5 g | 7.78 m | 37 min | $0.43 | $0.62 |
| 70 mm twisted planter (sample) | 44.2 g | 17.68 m | 1 h 17 min | $0.97 | $1.38 |
| 50 mm ring (torus) | 6.0 g | 2.40 m | 16 min | $0.13 | $0.21 |
| 100 × 100 × 3 mm plate | 28.5 g | 11.40 m | 52 min | $0.63 | $0.90 |
With a density of only about 1.04 g/cm³, ABS is roughly 16% lighter than PLA. The same STL printed in ABS uses fewer grams, and a 1 kg spool contains around 400 meters of 1.75 mm filament instead of about 335 meters for PLA.
ABS needs a hot bed (95–110 °C) and ideally an enclosure to avoid warping and layer splitting. That means more electricity per hour than PLA — budget roughly 20–40% more energy — and a slightly higher failure rate when you are dialling it in. Raising the failure buffer to 15–20% gives more realistic quotes.
ABS releases styrene fumes while printing. Print it in a ventilated room or an enclosure with a filter, and factor the filter replacement into your machine-wear rate if you print ABS often.
Best for
- Automotive interior parts and functional housings
- Parts that need acetone vapor smoothing
- Heat-exposed parts up to around 95 °C
Compare materials side by side in PLA vs PETG vs ABS vs TPU vs resin, or convert ABS weight to length with the ABS filament length calculator.
FAQ
What is the density of ABS?
About 1.04 g/cm³, so 1 cm³ of solid ABS weighs 1.04 g. Exact values vary a little by brand and additives.
How many meters are in a 1 kg spool of ABS?
About 400 m of 1.75 mm ABS, or 151 m of 2.85 mm filament.
How much does ABS cost per gram?
At $22.00 per kg, ABS costs $0.02 per gram (typical range $16.00–$30.00 per kg). A 44 g print uses about $0.97 of material.