Resin 3D Print Volume Calculator

Resin 3D printing (SLA/MSLA/DLP) uses liquid photopolymer resin cured by UV light to build objects layer by layer. Unlike FDM (filament printing), resin is sold by volume (typically in 500 mL or 1000 mL bottles), so knowing the volume of your print is essential for cost estimation.

Volume of a 3D Object (general): For a solid box: V = Length × Width × Height For a cylinder: V = π × r² × H For a sphere: V = (4/3) × π × r³

Resin Cost formula: Cost = Print Volume (mL) × Resin Price per mL × (100% / Fill %)

The fill percentage accounts for infill density — hollowed resin prints can reduce material use by 60–90%.

What each variable means:

• Print Volume: the total displaced volume of the model as reported by the slicer software (e.g., Chitubox, Lychee Slicer), in mL or cm³ (1 cm³ = 1 mL)
• Resin Price per mL: standard resins cost $20–$40 per kg (1 liter weighs ~1.1–1.2 kg); premium/engineering resins cost $50–$200/liter
• Fill %: hollow prints with drainage holes use only shell material; a 5 mm shell on a 50 mm cube saves ~75% resin
• Support material: additional resin consumed by support structures; typically 5–20% of model volume

Worked example: Print a figurine with a slicer-reported solid volume of 45 mL. Using standard resin at $25/500 mL = $0.05/mL. Print is hollowed (30% fill + 5 mm shell):

Effective fill rate: ~25% → Effective volume = 45 × 0.25 = 11.25 mL Support material (~15% of model): 45 × 0.15 = 6.75 mL → (no hollowing on supports) → 6.75 mL Total resin used ≈ 11.25 + 6.75 = 18 mL Cost = 18 × $0.05 = $0.90

Resin density note: Resin is denser than water (~1.1 g/mL). A 500 mL bottle weighs ~550 g, not 500 g. Slicer software usually reports volume in mL — verify units before purchasing.