An FDM quote needs to reflect the way you will print and finish the part. Filament weight is one input, but machine time, preparation, support removal, and the agreed print settings can change the economics substantially.
A useful quoting system also carries those choices into production. If an operator has to reconstruct the infill, material, or revision from an email after the order is accepted, the price is only part of the problem.
Define the FDM service you are selling
List the materials, available machines, layer heights, infill options, finishes, and lead times you are prepared to offer. Decide which settings customers can select and which your team controls.
Keep the distinction between geometry and print preparation clear. A CAD model does not specify every wall, top layer, support, orientation, or speed setting. Two jobs with the same model can consume different material and machine time when those settings change.
Before offering automatic prices, agree how your shop estimates those missing inputs and which jobs need a slicer check or manual review.
Build a cost model around your print process
Use material consumption and machine time from your validated preparation method. Then add work that happens outside the print: setup, unloading, support removal, inserts, inspection, and packing as applicable.
Batch cost = preparation + shared setup
Running cost = filament + machine time + per-part labor + finishing
Total cost = batch cost + quantity × running cost
Use consistent units. If filament costs €30 per kilogram, 120 grams costs 0.120 × €30 = €3.60. Do not multiply grams directly by a kilogram rate.
For an illustrative one-part job, suppose printing takes four hours at €6 per hour, material costs €3.60, preparation takes 15 minutes at €40 per hour, and removal and inspection take another 15 minutes at the same rate. Total estimated cost is €24 + €3.60 + €10 + €10 = €47.60. At an illustrative 30% target margin, the selling price is €47.60 ÷ 0.70 = €68, excluding shipping and tax.
This is not a recommended price or a claim about typical print duration. It assumes the machine rate excludes the separately listed labor. Replace the inputs with your own costs and avoid counting overhead twice.
Be careful with quantity discounts
Preparation may be shared across ten parts, but ten parts do not necessarily print in the same time as one. A larger order may require multiple plates or runs. Machine time and handling still need to be recovered.
Compare the proposed price at quantities on either side of a capacity boundary. If a plate holds eight parts, test seven, eight, and nine. Check whether the ninth part introduces another setup or production slot. Let actual batch economics justify a discount.
Configure the customer and operator workflows
Phasio's storefront quote workflow lets customers upload models and select the manufacturing options you make available, including infill, layer height, finishing, quantity, and lead time where configured.
The pricing equations apply your process and post-processing logic. Their editable variables can expose estimates for an operator to adjust. A calculated duration remains an estimate; it is not evidence that the part has been sliced or that the printer's toolpath has been generated.
Define who may override a quote and what reason should be recorded. Keep nonstandard requirements visible to the person responsible for production.
Route uncertain work for review
Examples include oversized parts, unfamiliar materials, critical tolerances, unclear print orientation, or support removal that is difficult to estimate. Use your own validated limits and test the review-required workflow before opening automatic pricing to customers.
A geometry check can help identify a concern. It does not guarantee printability, strength, or suitability for the customer's application. Confirm those requirements with the customer and the production team.
Carry the specification into production
Retain the quoted revision, material, settings, finishing instructions, and quantity. Define the sequence from print preparation through printing, unloading, finishing, inspection, and dispatch as applicable to your shop.
Phasio's production routing tracks each run through its operations. For recurring work, a saved routing template can provide the agreed sequence; new or unusual jobs may need a different route.
Pilot with known work
Have sales, estimating, and production review a small set of completed jobs together. Compare the calculated price and time with actual experience, then test the upload-to-order journey. Revisit the model when you change a material, machine, or print profile.
The value of an additive manufacturing platform is the connection between the customer's request, your pricing policy, and the work your team must execute. Start with a clearly defined offering and expand it as the model proves reliable.
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