Per Hour Rate
Updated over a week ago

The per hour rate can be applied to all types of technologies but there are different factors that affect how this rate is used for each option.

It is recommended to calculate a price per hour for the machine in question which allows you to write off the machine before it becomes obsolete (2-5 years).

DigiFabster calculates the time it takes to make your part based on either the size of the part and/or it's bounding box and a combination of the following.

SLA

  • Nominal growth rate

    This is the speed the machine can print in the Z-Axis using your default layer thickness. This could be taken from the machine specs or calculated over a period of time using data from previous prints. In order to calculate this use the following formula.

    Average print height mm / Average print time (hours)

    Example 200/4 = 50 mm per hour in Z-Axis

  • Layer thickness

    This is used if your customer selects a different layer thickness from your standard default option. For example, if you default layer thickness is 200 but your customer chooses a thickness of 100 microns, the print time will be roughly twice as long.

    Example Calculation

    Part Height = 230mm
    Nominal Growth Rate = 50mm per hour
    Cost per hour $10
    Layer thickness = 200 microns

    230/50 = 4.6 hours

    Total cost = $46

SLM

  • Nominal growth rate

    This is the speed the machine can print in the Z-Axis using your default layer thickness. This could be taken from the machine specs or calculated over a period of time using data from previous prints. In order to calculate this use the following formula.

    Average print height mm / Average print time (hours)

    Example 200/4 = 50 mm per hour in Z-Axis

  • Layer thickness

    This is used if your customer selects a different layer thickness from your standard default option. For example, if you default layer thickness is 200 microns but your customer chooses a thickness of 100 microns, the print time will be roughly twice as long.

    Example Calculation

    Part Height = 230mm
    Nominal Growth Rate = 50mm per hour
    Cost per hour $10
    Layer thickness = 200 microns

    230/50 = 4.6 hours

    Total cost = $46

  • Melting rate

    This is the amount of material the machine can melt in cm3 per hour. You can take this number from the manufacturer specs or use data from previous prints. To calculate this use the following formula.

    Average volume of melted material (cm3) / Average print time (hours)

    Example 12,000/14 = 857 cm3 per hour

    If using the Melting Rate and the Nominal Growth rate, the calculation that results in the longest time will be used in the cost calculation.

    Example Calculation

    Part Volume = 3000cm3
    Nominal Melting Rate = 857cm3 per hour
    Cost per hour - $10

    3000/857 = 3.5 hours

    Total Cost = $35

    If using the Melting Rate and Nominal Growth rate, the calculation that results in the longest time will be used in the cost calculation.

MJF & SLS

  • Nominal growth rate

    This is the speed the machine can print in the Z-Axis using your default layer thickness. This could be taken from the machine specs or calculated over a period of time using data from previous prints. In order to calculate this use the following formula.

    Average print height mm / Average print time (hours)

    Example 200/4 = 50 mm per hour in Z-Axis

  • Layer thickness

    This is used if your customer selects a different layer thickness from your standard default option. For example, if you default layer thickness is 200 microns but your customer chooses a thickness of 100 microns, the print time will be roughly twice as long.

    Example Calculation

    Part Height = 230mm
    Nominal Growth Rate = 50mm per hour
    Cost per hour $10
    Layer thickness = 200 microns

    230/50 = 4.6 hours

    Total cost = $46

  • Fusing rate

    This is the amount of material the machine can fuse in cm3 per hour. You can take this number from the manufacturer specs or use data from previous prints. To calculate this use the following formula.

    Average volume of melted material (cm3) / Average print time (hours)

    Example 12,000/14 = 857 cm3 per hour

    Example Calculation

    Part Volume = 3000cm3
    Nominal Melting Rate = 857cm3 per hour
    Cost per hour - $10

    3000/857 = 3.5 hours

    Total Cost = $35

    If using the Fusing Rate and Nominal Growth rate, the calculation that results in the longest time will be used in the cost calculation

FDM

  • Nominal growth rate

    This is the speed the machine can print in the Z-Axis using your default layer thickness. This could be taken from the machine specs or calculated over a period of time using data from previous prints. In order to calculate this use the following formula.

    Average print height mm / Average print time (hours)

    Example 200/4 = 50 mm per hour in Z-Axis

  • Layer thickness

    This is used if your customer selects a different layer thickness from your standard default option. For example, if you default layer thickness is 200 microns but your customer chooses a thickness of 100 microns, the print time will be roughly twice as long.

    Example Calculation

    Part Height = 230mm
    Nominal Growth Rate = 50mm per hour
    Cost per hour $10
    Layer thickness = 200 microns

    230/50 = 4.6 hours

    Total cost = $46
  • Horizontal Print Speed

    This is the default speed at which you print each layer. For example, a single layer has 2000mm of extruded filament and the printer is set to print that layer at 100mm/s. It would take roughly 20 seconds to print.

    Example Calculation

    Horizontal Print speed = 100mm/s
    Total horizontal printing length= 864,000mm
    Print Time = 2.4 hours
    Cost per hour $10

    864000/100 = 8640 seconds = 2.4 hours

    Total Cost $24

    If using both the horizontal printing speed and the nominal growth rate. The calculation that results in the longest time will be used in the final cost calculation.

3-Axis, Multi Axis & Turning

  • Roughing Speed

    Roughing speed is the speed at which you can remove the majority of material from the block and approximately shape the part before finishing the part at a slower, more controlled speed. This figure should be based on a material with 100% machineability. This figure varies by machine so you can use either the standard specs from the manufacturer. The general speed your machinists use for roughing or calculate the average of a number of parts.

    Example Calculation

    Bounding Box Volume = 1000cm3
    Part Volume = 300cm3
    Roughing Speed = 500cm3 per hour
    Price per hour = $50

    1000-300 = 700cm3
    700/500 = 1.4 hours

    Total Cost = $70

  • Finishing Speed

    Finishing speed is the speed at which you run your machine during the more refined, slower process of finishing the part. This figure should be based on a material with 100% machineability. This figure varies by machine so you can use either the standard specs from the manufacturer. The general speed your machinists use for roughing or calculate the average of a number of parts.

    Example Calculation

    Surface Area of part = 580cm2
    Finishing Speed = 200cm2 per hour
    Price per hour = $50

    580/200 = 2.9 hours

    Total Cost - $145

Cutting

  • Feed rate (material settings)

    This is the speed at which your machine can cut through the thickness of material. For example. A sheet with a thickness of 10mm may have a feed rate of 1400cm per hour but a thicker material with a thickness of 15mm may have a slower feed rate around 1000cm per hour.

    This can vary by machine and technology and is just an example.

    Example Calculation

    Part perimeter = 1300cm
    Feed Rate = 400cm per hour
    Price per hour = $10

    1300/150 = 3.25 hours

    Total Cost = $32.50

You can use any and all of the other pricing parameters in combination with this one, the results of each type of calculation will simply be added to the sum total of the model production costs. 

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