Additive Manufacturing worked example

Print Failure Cost with failed prints or builds of 10 failures: a worked example

This scenario runs the print failure cost calculation on the strong side: failed prints or builds of 10 failures, with every other input held at its documented default. a quality manager or service bureau owner needs to quantify the cost of failed AM jobs

The inputs for this scenario

  • Failed prints or builds: 10 failures (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 4)
  • Cost per failed print: 185 $ / failure (unchanged)
  • Recovery labor/setup: 220 $ (unchanged)
  • Failure overhead burden: 140 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Failed print cost = failed prints × cost per failed print) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2,210 $ for total failure cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 221 $ / failure for failure cost per print.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,850 $ for failed print cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 360 $ for recovery and overhead burden.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where failed prints or builds sits at 4 failures and the headline result is 1,100 $, this scenario comes in 101% above the baseline at 2,210 $.
  • Use it after a run of failures, when building a business case for monitoring or process improvement, or to set a scrap allowance in quotes. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Total failure cost: 2,210 $ (headline result)
  • Failure cost per print: 221 $ / failure
  • Failed print cost: 1,850 $
  • Recovery and overhead burden: 360 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Print Failure Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.