Hourly Machine Rate in 3D Printing: Depreciation and Maintenance
A printer wears out someday: the nozzle degrades, belts loosen, the bed surface fails, and the machine itself loses value. A seller who ignores this has no money left when it is time to replace the printer. The fix is to find the printer's real hourly cost.
The hourly machine rate formula
Hourly machine rate = (printer price − estimated resale value) ÷ lifetime (hours)
+ spare parts and maintenance (per year) ÷ print hours per year
The first line is depreciation, the second is maintenance and consumables. It is cleaner to calculate electricity as a separate item; see the power consumption guide.
A step-by-step example
| Item | Calculation | Per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Depreciation | $800 ÷ 5,000 hours | $0.160 |
| Spare parts and maintenance | $50 per year ÷ 1,500 hours per year | $0.033 |
| Machine rate | about $0.19/hour |
For a 3.5-hour print the machine rate is 0.1933 × 3.5 ≈ $0.68. These numbers are only an example: use your own printer's price, realistic lifetime and yearly maintenance spend.
Why utilization matters
If your printer runs only 300 hours a year, depreciation per hour stays the same in this formula, but a machine that sits idle still ages and loses value. For a rarely used printer, think in years: estimate its useful life in years, divide the yearly depreciation by the yearly print hours. For a heavily used printer the hourly-lifetime method is more consistent.
Which costs belong to the machine?
- Wearing parts: nozzle, hotend, belts, bearings, bed surface, fans.
- Consumables: lubricant, cleaning supplies, spare plates.
- Maintenance time: time you spend on maintenance (can also be counted as labor).
- Space and environment: a share if you dedicate a room or cabinet to the printer.
Hourly rate or material + margin when selling?
Some sellers price directly per hour (especially for custom designs and print services). That is valid too, but the hourly rate must include machine depreciation, electricity, failure margin and labor. Whichever method you use, knowing each item gives you confidence in price negotiations.
How to enter it in Filanomy
Enter the amount you found in Machine wear (per hour) under "Advanced settings" (0.19 in the example). The calculator multiplies it by print time and adds it to the cost. The field also works in Simple mode; for hobby prints you can leave it at zero.
Frequently asked questions
Should hobbyists include a machine rate?
It is not required. If you only print your own parts, most people leave it at zero. But printers have a limited life, so if you want the true cost, adding a small hourly amount makes sense.
How many hours of life should I assume?
It depends on the model and conditions; there is no single number. The 5,000 hours in this guide is an example. Make a realistic estimate for your own printer from maintenance history and parts wear, and update it over time.
How does the machine rate reach the price?
The hourly machine rate is multiplied by print time and added to the cost, and the margin is applied to that total. In Filanomy just enter it in "Machine wear (per hour)".
Calculate for your own part: upload your file and weight and time fill in automatically.
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