Reference tables
Quick answer
256 worked tables covering desktop 3D printing and laser cutting: 154 on the printing side and 102 on the laser side. Every figure is calculated from published material properties and labelled as either a standard or a convention.
Every table here is calculated from the same material data the calculators use, so the two can never disagree. Pick the set that matches what you are working out.
3D printing · 40 tables Filament cost by print weight and spool price
What a print of a given weight costs across the spool prices people actually pay.
- Cost of a 10 g print from a $12 spool
- Cost of a 10 g print from a $16 spool
- Cost of a 10 g print from a $20 spool
- Cost of a 10 g print from a $25 spool
- Cost of a 10 g print from a $35 spool
- Cost of a 25 g print from a $12 spool
- Cost of a 25 g print from a $16 spool
- Cost of a 25 g print from a $20 spool
- All 40
3D printing · 36 tables Print time by layer height and volume
How long a given volume takes at each common layer height.
Laser · 36 tables Engraving time by area and resolution
Raster engraving duration for each combination of panel size and line density.
Laser · 30 tables Laser settings by material and machine
Community starting points for power, speed and passes, per material and machine class.
- 10 W diode settings: basswood plywood, 3 mm
- 20 W diode settings: basswood plywood, 3 mm
- 40 W CO2 settings: basswood plywood, 3 mm
- 10 W diode settings: basswood plywood, 6 mm
- 20 W diode settings: basswood plywood, 6 mm
- 40 W CO2 settings: basswood plywood, 6 mm
- 10 W diode settings: birch plywood, 3 mm
- 20 W diode settings: birch plywood, 3 mm
- All 30
Laser · 24 tables Duct size by airflow and run length
Which duct diameter suits a given extraction rate, and what the run costs you.
3D printing · 24 tables Shrinkage compensation by material and size
How much to oversize a part so it lands on target after cooling.
- PLA shrinkage compensation for a 20 mm dimension
- PLA shrinkage compensation for a 100 mm dimension
- PLA shrinkage compensation for a 200 mm dimension
- PETG shrinkage compensation for a 20 mm dimension
- PETG shrinkage compensation for a 100 mm dimension
- PETG shrinkage compensation for a 200 mm dimension
- ABS shrinkage compensation for a 20 mm dimension
- ABS shrinkage compensation for a 100 mm dimension
- All 24
3D printing · 18 tables Nozzle size and layer height limits
The usable layer range for each nozzle, and what each material does with it.
3D printing · 16 tables Resin volume and cost by model size
Resin use for common model sizes, with supports included.
Laser · 12 tables Focal length, spot size and depth of field
What each lens does to the beam, and which job it suits.
- 1.5 inch lens (38.1 mm) for engraving fine detail and photographs
- 1.5 inch lens (38.1 mm) for general purpose cutting and engraving
- 1.5 inch lens (38.1 mm) for cutting 6 mm and thicker material
- 2.0 inch lens (50.8 mm) for engraving fine detail and photographs
- 2.0 inch lens (50.8 mm) for general purpose cutting and engraving
- 2.0 inch lens (50.8 mm) for cutting 6 mm and thicker material
- 2.5 inch lens (63.5 mm) for engraving fine detail and photographs
- 2.5 inch lens (63.5 mm) for general purpose cutting and engraving
- All 12
3D printing · 12 tables Enclosure temperature by printer size
The chamber temperature a passive enclosure reaches, by machine and wall type.
- 180 by 180 mm bed in a single skin enclosure
- 180 by 180 mm bed in a insulated enclosure
- 220 by 220 mm bed in a single skin enclosure
- 220 by 220 mm bed in a insulated enclosure
- 235 by 235 mm bed in a single skin enclosure
- 235 by 235 mm bed in a insulated enclosure
- 256 by 256 mm bed in a single skin enclosure
- 256 by 256 mm bed in a insulated enclosure
- All 12
3D printing · 8 tables First layer settings by material
Bed temperature, surface and adhesive for every common filament.
- PLA first layer: bed, surface and adhesive
- PETG first layer: bed, surface and adhesive
- ABS first layer: bed, surface and adhesive
- ASA first layer: bed, surface and adhesive
- TPU (95A) first layer: bed, surface and adhesive
- Nylon (PA) first layer: bed, surface and adhesive
- Polycarbonate first layer: bed, surface and adhesive
- PETG-CF first layer: bed, surface and adhesive
Common questions
What is the difference between a standard and a convention here?
A standard is a published specification, a material property or a physical relationship: filament density, laser wavelength, or the fact that airflow equals velocity times area. A convention is a widely used community rule of thumb, such as keeping layer height between a quarter and three quarters of the nozzle diameter. Both are useful, and every page says which it is relying on.
Where do the laser settings come from?
They are community starting points gathered from tested machine profiles, not manufacturer specifications, because almost no machine maker publishes settings for third party stock. Optical power, lens focal length, air assist and the material itself all shift them, so every settings page says to test on an offcut of the same sheet first.
Why does a page sometimes refuse to give a number?
Because there is no correct number to give. A 10 W diode cannot cut 6 mm plywood, and clear acrylic is transparent at the wavelength a diode emits, so publishing a power and speed for either would imply a job that does not work. In those cases the page says what the limit is and what to do instead.
Are these tables specific to my machine?
They are worked for machine classes rather than individual models, because a 20 W diode from one maker is not identical to another. Use them as the starting point, then trust your own machine and your own test cuts over any table, including this one.