Resin volume and cost

Researched from published specifications and material data · Standard formula, convention inputs

Quick answer

A 30 cm3 resin model with typical supports uses roughly 39 mL of resin and costs about $1.37 from a $35 one kilogram bottle. One millilitre of resin is one cubic centimetre.

Volume to mass uses a resin density of about 1.1 g/cm3, which is a convention because few vendors publish density. Override it if your data sheet gives a figure.

Resin volume and cost Standard formula, convention inputs

Model volume (cm3) Your slicer reports this, often in millilitres. They are the same unit.

Supports and raft (%) Heavily supported miniatures can exceed 50 percent.

Bottle price ($)

Bottle weight (kg)

Resin density (g/cm3)

Failure rate (%)

Resin cost per finished print $1.67

Model only30.0 mL

With supports and raft39.0 mL

Per good part, after failures43.3 mL

Mass of resin47.7 g

Prints per bottle20

Isopropyl alcohol for washing is a real running cost on top of this, and it is not included here.

Formula: volume_with_supports = model_volume x (1 + support_pct) ; grams = volume x density ; cost = grams / 1000 x price_per_kg

Resin and washing supplies

ANYCUBIC
ANYCUBIC 3D Printer Resin, 405nm SLA UV-Curing Resin with High Precision and Quick Curing & Excellent Fluidity for LCD 3D Printing (Clear Blue, 1kg)

$15.19 Check price
Prices change often
ANYCUBIC
ANYCUBIC Water Washable ABS-Like Resin 3.0, 3D Printer Resin, High Toughness and High Precision, Easy to Post-Process, Low Odor, Wide Compatibility for All LCD 3D Printers (Gray, 1kg)

$18.99 Check price
Prices change often
FIVE STAR MATERIALS RESOURCES
99% Isopropyl Alcohol, 99 Percent IPA Pure, 1 Gallon (128 fl oz) 4 Quarts

$26.99 Check price
Prices change often
SUNLU
SUNLU 2kg Water Washable 3D Printer Resin, Fast Curing Low Shrinkage, High Precision Photopolymer Resin for LCD/DLP/SLA Printers,395 to 405nm UV Resin, 2000g Grey

$28.49 Check price
$28.49 for 2 kg, $14.25/kg Prices change often
FIVE STAR MATERIALS RESOURCES
99.9% Pure Isopropyl Alcohol, Concentrated IPA, 1 Gallon 4 Quarts Pack

$28.99 Check price
Prices change often
MAXTITE
MaxTite Isopropyl Alcohol 99.9% (1 Gallon (32oz, 4 Pack))

$29.99 Check price
Prices change often

Safety

Common questions

Is one millilitre of resin one gram?

No, and the difference is about ten percent. Resin density is typically around 1.1 g/cm3, so a 100 mL print weighs roughly 110 g. That matters when you are working out how many prints a one kilogram bottle gives you, because the bottle is sold by mass and the slicer reports volume.

How much resin do supports actually add?

For a flat functional part printed directly on the plate, very little. For a miniature printed at an angle on a full support raft, supports commonly add 30 to 60 percent of the model volume, and for a small, heavily undercut figure they can exceed the model itself. The default of 30 percent here is a middling figure for typical angled prints.

Why is my resin bottle sold in litres?

Some vendors sell by volume and some by mass, which makes direct price comparison misleading. A one litre bottle at a density of 1.1 holds about 1.1 kg, so it contains ten percent more material than a one kilogram bottle at the same headline price. Convert both to a price per kilogram before deciding which is cheaper.

What do I do with used isopropyl alcohol?

Do not pour it down a drain. The usual practice is to leave the contaminated alcohol in a clear container in sunlight or under a UV lamp until the dissolved resin fully cures and settles, then filter out the solid, cure it hard, and dispose of it as solid waste. The remaining alcohol can often be reused for a first wash.