Build Time Estimator
UniversalEstimate wall-clock cycle time for any layer-wise AM process — laydown time, recoat overhead, and warmup/cooldown. Switch between preset starting points or override every parameter.
Inputs
Single-laser system. Multi-laser can 2–4× the rate.
mm³
mm³/s
mm
mm
s
h
Results
Total cycle timeT_total
20.67hours
≈ 0.861 days
Print timeT_print
5.556h
V / Q
Recoat timeT_recoat
11.11h
3334 layers
OverheadT_oh
4.000h
warmup + cooldown
Time breakdown100%
Print 26.9% Recoat 53.8% Overhead 19.4%
Formula
Effective build rate Q already absorbs scan-strategy efficiency, jumps, and dwells. The result is a quoting-grade estimate, not a slicer-accurate prediction.
T_total = V / Q + N_layers · t_recoat + T_overhead
where N_layers = H / t- V
- Total volume to print[mm³]
- Q
- Effective volumetric build rate[mm³/s]
- H
- Build height[mm]
- t
- Layer thickness[mm]
- t_recoat
- Per-layer recoat / dwell[s]
- T_overhead
- Warmup + cooldown[h]
Result in hours when inputs are in the units shown.
When to trust this
- ✓ Quoting and capacity planning
- ✓ Comparing process choices early in design
- ✗ Slot-precise scheduling — use slicer/CAM output
- ✗ Multi-laser or multi-jet builds — adjust Q proportionally
Sources
- [1]Yang, L. et al. — Additive Manufacturing of Metals: The Technology, Materials, Design and Production — Springer (2017), Chapter 5
- [2]Baumers, M. et al. — The cost of additive manufacturing: machine productivity, economies of scale and technology-push — Technological Forecasting & Social Change 102 (2016) 193–201
- [3]Wohlers Report — annual industry survey, process throughput benchmarks
Related tools
- Cost-Per-Part Estimator — feed build time directly into cost
- Volumetric Energy Density — LPBF parameter centering