Start with your decision
Choose the guide that matches the uncertainty in your quote. Each page pairs a different worked example with a calculator preset, and each preset stays editable. None is a recommended price or a claim about a specific printer.
How should I lay out a batch?
Compare whole plate counts, fixed setup and per-part finishing. Learn why a partly filled final plate should not be silently prorated.
How much do retries add?
Separate expected repeated material and machine time from setup and packaging. See why adding the failure percentage to every cost is a different model.
What does a productive printer-hour cost?
Break energy, depreciation and maintenance into their components. Compare a higher hourly rate with faster completion, using your own measurements.
Am I using margin or markup?
Keep costs the same and change the price equation. Include fees explicitly, then compare the after-fee ratios.
Keep your evidence with your estimate
Record the slicer profile, date of your energy measurement, material invoice and any unusual finishing work outside the calculator. Export project JSON when a quote is approved, and compare it with actual attempts and labour after production. Do not infer model accuracy from a clean-looking result.