Calculate print volume

[markembling]

On 3D Hubs, print volumes are calculated by slicing on the server using Cura defaults (20% infill, etc) to work out the total volume for the print. How would I recreate this myself? I can get Cura to tell me many things, but not the volume. All my calculations, which I hope to get the same answer as 3D Hubs, come out way off.

I’ve done much Googling to no avail, so my question is this: how can I get this information out of Cura just like 3D Hubs does? I’d like to have an easy way to update the info for customers based on different infill settings as such, but just can’t crack it. Pure guesswork is not going to work really, and of course basing it on the actual model volume is just wrong.

[czucker]

You can figure it out if you know the filament density. For PLA it is around 1.24 g/cm3 and for ABS it is 1.04g/cm3. You can find the density of most other more exotic filament (NinjaFlex, BronzeFill, Igus Tribo, etc) by looking for datasheets online.

Since Cura does tell you the grams (assuming you’ve entered the density in the preferences), you can easily figure out the cm3.

That being said, I’ve already requested volume be added to Cura and it should be in the next release:

Feature Request - Show filament usage by volume

[markembling]

Hmm, I was hoping there’d be a better (easier) way. I found I could compute it from weight (using density) and from length (using filament diameter) and both give answers in the same sort of ballpark. I do think Cura should tell us this itself though, so am pleased to see your request making it into the next release. Thanks

[TypeR]

Actually, for some reason, the volumes calculated by 3D Hubs are NEVER correct with the printing orders I get.

They are ALWAYS less than what I calculate, even when using the 20% infill setting. So, every time, I have to tell customers that the amount of material used is higher than what they expected.

To be honest, I don’t really understand WHY 3D Hubs is calculating volume instead of weight.

AFAIK, ALL 3D FDM printing filament is sold by weight, not by volume. So, especially, when customers request materials like bronzefill (which is much heavier than standard PLA or ABS), the final price will be higher than what 3D Hubs told them at first.

[Lucika29]

I have a similar, serious problem; the part volume that 3DHubs calculates never matchs with what Z-Suite calculates. My last order for example, 3DHubs says it is 6,3cm3 while Z Suite says it is 13,17cm3. I checked with Meshmixer and the calculation is the same as my software’s, 13,17cm3…

So that is a huge difference (more than double) that I don’t understand. How do you explain that to a client? Please do something about it or I will ruin myself coping with the difference, I am too ashamed to let my clients know they have to pay twice the price they agreed on…

[luca_59]

3rd icon from left in Netfabb.

[MarkHeller]

I just stumbled upon this thread. I too have found the 3D Hubs price quote system deeply flawed, sometimes massively over quoting and other times it quotes way too low.