Cost & Business MODULERESIN

SLA / Resin 3D Print Cost Calculator

Calculate UV photopolymer resin cost per print, IPA washing alcohol consumption, curing station power, and total prints per bottle.

Resin Bottle Price

Bottle Volume

Slicer Estimated Model Volume

From Chitubox, Lychee, or Anycubic Workshop.

Resin Density

g/ml

Standard: 1.10 g/ml • Tough: 1.12 g/ml • Castable: 1.05 g/ml

Wash & Cure Post-Processing Overhead

IPA Wash Cost

UV Cure Station Watts

Cure Time (Minutes)

Electricity Rate ($/kWh)

Failure / Waste Buffer (%)

Total Resin Print CostPost-Processed

$2.30/ 1

Pure Resin Cost

$1.58

$0.035 / ml

Prints Per Bottle

full prints / bottle

Print Weight

49.5 g

$0.032 / g

Wash + Cure + Power

$0.51

IPA + UV

Cost Composition+10% waste buffer

Resin IPA Wash UV Power

Formula: (BottlePrice / Volume) × ModelVol + IPA + UV Power

01 / PROTOCOL

Measurement & Operating Instructions

STEP 01

1. Bottle Specs

Enter the price and volume (ml) of your photopolymer resin bottle.

STEP 02

2. Slicer Volume

Input the model volume in ml reported by Chitubox, Lychee, or Bambu Studio.

STEP 03

3. Post-Processing Overhead

Include your estimated IPA solvent wash costs and UV curing chamber energy.

02 / MATHEMATICS

SLA / MSLA Resin & Chemical Cost Formulation

Accounts for liquid photopolymer consumption, isopropyl alcohol (IPA) bath degradation, and UV curing station electricity.

Print Cost = [(Bottle Price / Bottle Volume) × Slicer Volume] + IPA Wash Cost + UV Cure Power + Waste Buffer

Real-World Worked Benchmark:

A 45ml miniature from a $35/1000ml bottle uses $1.58 of resin, $0.50 of IPA bath allocation, and $0.01 in UV curing power. With 10% failure buffer, total unit cost is $2.30.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is resin 3D printing more expensive than FDM?

Liquid photopolymer resin costs roughly $30-$50/kg compared to $15-$25/kg for standard PLA. Additionally, resin printing requires chemical consumables like Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) and nitrile gloves, making the per-print cost about 30-50% higher than FDM.

How many prints can I get from a 1 liter resin bottle?

For standard 28mm-32mm tabletop miniatures (averaging 15ml to 25ml with supports), a 1000ml bottle yields between 40 and 65 complete figures.

How much does Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) washing add to the cost?

A wash station requires 2 to 4 liters of 99% IPA (costing $20-$35). Depending on resin saturation and recycling frequency, washing adds approximately $0.30 to $0.75 per print.

Why is hollow model resin printing more economical?

Hollowing models to a 1.5mm to 2.0mm wall thickness with internal drain holes typically saves 50% to 75% of liquid resin volume compared to solid prints, reducing print costs dramatically.

How much electricity does an MSLA resin printer and UV cure station use?

Modern MSLA printers draw between 30W and 60W during exposure, while UV cure stations draw 40W to 80W for 5 to 10 minutes. Total electrical cost per miniature print is usually under $0.03.

CALCULATOR SUITE