3D Printing Cost in India (2026): Per-Gram, Hourly & Filament Math
TryAR Labs
Why India Needs Its Own Cost Model
Most pricing guides quote dollars and US energy prices. In India the inputs are rupees: filament is sold per kilogram by local suppliers, electricity is billed in ₹/kWh by your state, and a business quote usually includes GST.
Converting a US guide with an exchange rate gives the wrong answer. The machine rate, the electricity tariff and the material price all move independently.
The estimator ships INR defaults, so you can price a job without converting currency. This guide shows how each number is built, and where to change it.
The Five Inputs the Calculator Uses
| Input | INR default | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Machine time | ₹50 per hour | Printer depreciation, maintenance, space and your time |
| Material | ₹2 per gram | A pricing rate that includes waste and failed prints. Raw filament is cheaper |
| Plate setup | ₹20 per plate | Bed preparation and handling for each plate |
| Multi-colour | ₹30 per extra colour per run | Purge and tool-change overhead |
| Labour | ₹0 | Turn it on when you handle the part after printing |
These values are editable in Pricing Settings. The defaults exist so a new user gets a complete quote without research.
3D Printing Cost per Gram in India
Raw material cost per gram is the spool price divided by 1,000. Standard PLA is usually sold between ₹600 and ₹1,200 per kg, so raw material costs ₹0.60 to ₹1.20 per gram. The selling cost is higher because machine time dominates small parts: the worked example below shows a 100 g, 4-hour part at about ₹3.63 per gram before margin.
$$\text{Cost per gram} = \frac{\text{Spool price (₹)}}{\text{Spool weight (g)}}$$
| Spool price | Cost per gram | 100 g part | 1 kg part |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹600 / kg | ₹0.60 | ₹60 | ₹600 |
| ₹800 / kg | ₹0.80 | ₹80 | ₹800 |
| ₹1,000 / kg | ₹1.00 | ₹100 | ₹1,000 |
| ₹1,800 / kg | ₹1.80 | ₹180 | ₹1,800 |
The estimator's ₹2 per gram default is above raw PLA on purpose. It pays for failed prints, purge waste, storage and the difference between the nominal spool weight and the usable filament.
Register your real spool price in the Filament Configuration field to replace the default for that filament.
Electricity Cost at ₹10 per kWh
The formula is the same in every country:
$$\text{kWh} = \frac{\text{Watts}}{1000} \times \text{hours}$$
$$\text{Cost (₹)} = \text{kWh} \times \text{tariff (₹/kWh)}$$
| Printer | Average draw | 1 hour | 4 hours | 10 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bambu Lab A1 mini | 65 W | ₹0.65 | ₹2.60 | ₹6.50 |
| Bambu Lab A1 | 85 W | ₹0.85 | ₹3.40 | ₹8.50 |
| Bambu Lab P1S / X1C | 115 W | ₹1.15 | ₹4.60 | ₹11.50 |
₹10 per kWh is a round planning number for this example. The estimator leaves the electricity rate at ₹0 by default because the hourly rate already covers power, and it defaults to 120 W printer power. Enter your own tariff in Pricing Settings for an exact figure. A commercial connection usually costs more than a domestic one, which matters on long prints.
The full method, including standby draw and heated-bed duty cycles, is in the electricity cost guide.
Machine Hourly Rate Without Guesswork
The hourly rate must cover wear, not only power. A simple build-up:
- Printer price: ₹60,000
- Useful life: 3 years
- Print hours: 2,000 per year, or 6,000 hours in total
- Depreciation: ₹10 per hour
- Maintenance and spares: ₹3 per hour
- Electricity: ₹1 per hour
- Space, internet and overhead: ₹6 per hour
- Floor cost: about ₹20 per hour
That is the break-even rate. Add profit to reach ₹40 to ₹60 per hour, which is the usual range in the estimator defaults. The machine hourly rate guide explains how to adjust for a used printer or a high-usage farm.
Worked Example: 100 g Part, 4 Hours
A 100 g PLA part, 4 hours, one plate, 20% margin. The estimator column uses 120 W and an entered ₹10/kWh rate.
| Line | Raw-material view | Estimator with ₹10/kWh entered |
|---|---|---|
| Material | ₹80 (₹0.80/g) | ₹200 (₹2/g) |
| Machine time | ₹200 (₹50/h) | ₹200 |
| Plate fee | ₹20 | ₹0 (one plate) |
| Electricity | ₹2.60 (65 W) | ₹4.80 (120 W) |
| Subtotal | ₹302.60 | ₹404.80 |
| Labour | ₹0 | ₹0 |
| 20% margin | ₹60.52 | ₹80.96 |
| Quote | ₹363 → ₹370 | ₹485.76 → ₹490 |
Both answers are valid. The raw view tells you the true cost floor. The default view is a selling price that survives a failed print and a difficult customer. Most Indian print services sit between the two.
GST and the Final Quote
A registered business usually charges 18% GST on 3D printing services. Confirm the rate with your accountant, and show your GSTIN on the invoice.
The estimator does not add tax. Add GST after the estimate:
$$\text{Invoice total} = \text{Quote} \times 1.18$$
Turn the Number into a Quote
- Paste the model link or upload the 3MF file in the 3D printing cost calculator.
- Set your INR rates in Pricing Settings, or keep the defaults.
- Add the margin, then the GST.
- Share the estimate as a card, or paste it into the quote template.
For a full production mix, start at the print farm hub.