How do you calculate 3D printing powder usage?

Multiply the build quantity by the powder per part for the net powder, then divide by your recovery efficiency. 120 parts at 0.055 kg is 6.6 kg of net powder; at 88% recovery the build needs 6.6 / 0.88 = 7.5 kg, with 0.9 kg lost, the Powder Usage calculator's own example.

What is recovery efficiency?

The share of the powder a build needs that is not lost: net fused powder divided by powder required. It folds in your refresh ratio, sieving losses and powder too aged to reuse, so measure it per powder and machine from your own powder log. The example figures are invented.

What should powder per part include?

Everything that leaves the powder bed with the part: the part itself, its supports and, for SLS and MJF, the cake that cannot be recovered around it. Take it from the build file or by weighing finished parts and supports.

How is powder cost per part worked out?

Powder required x price per kg, divided by the parts in the build. In the example a titanium build of 36 bone plates needs 3.33 kg at 380 per kg: 1,264 of powder, or 35.11 a plate.

How does the stock check work?

For each powder the workbook adds the powder every build needs and compares it with the stock you typed: Under capacity at 90% of stock or less, Near capacity up to 100%, Over capacity above it. Deliveries during the plan are not added.

Does it cost machine time too?

No. It plans and costs powder only. The 3D Printing Cost template costs a whole job, with machine time, labour, post-processing and failed prints.

Industry Cost Kits

3D Printing Powder Usage Excel Template

Powder required = build quantity × powder per part ÷ recovery efficiency. Plan every SLS, MJF, binder jet or metal powder bed build and see the powder it needs, the recovery and handling loss, the powder cost per part, and by powder whether your stock covers the plan.

Free, and a plain .xlsx with no macros to enable. A CSV with live formulas and a printed how-to guide come with it.

Overview

This 3D printing powder usage template is a working Excel planner for additive manufacturing engineers, machine operators, service bureau managers and buyers. Every build is one row with its part count, the powder that ends up in each part and your recovery efficiency for that powder; the workbook gives the powder the build needs, what is lost to refresh and handling, and the powder cost per part. It ships with twelve builds of a fictional service bureau on three machines and four powders, so every tile and chart is filled in when you open it.

In the example the twelve builds make 1,356 parts and need 120.6 kg of powder, 36.3 kg of it lost to recovery and handling, for 11,526 of powder or 8.50 a part. The PA11 builds on the MJF machine need 49.1 kg against 45 kg in stock, so that powder is Over capacity and an order must land before the last builds; titanium bone plates carry the highest powder cost, 35.11 a part.

Each build agrees with the Powder Usage calculator. The download is a plain .xlsx with no macros. A CSV with live formulas is also included for other tools; the dashboard, charts, dropdowns and self-check are in the .xlsx.

What this template includes

Builds table, one row per build: date, build ID, machine, material, build quantity, powder per part and recovery efficiency, with a Check column
Per build: price looked up from Setup, net fused or cake powder, powder required, recovery and handling loss, powder cost and cost per part
Setup lists of machines and powders, each powder with its price per kg and the stock on hand
Dashboard with four tiles (powder required, powder cost, recovery loss, powders short of stock), powder required against stock by material, powder cost per part by build, and tables by powder and by build
Method sheet with every formula, and a Verify sheet that re-checks the formulas against an independent reference and the Powder Usage calculator (Self-check: PASS)
CSV with live formulas for the Builds table; the dashboard, charts, dropdowns and self-check are in the .xlsx

Suggested use case

Use it to plan powder orders for the coming weeks of builds, to price powder into quotes per part, or to see how much a better recovery rate would save.

How to use it

On Setup, type your lab and currency, list your machines, and list your powders with their price per kg and stock on hand.
On Builds, add one row per build: date, build ID, machine, material, build quantity, powder per part and the recovery efficiency you measure for that powder.
Fix anything the Check column names.
Open the Dashboard: powder needed against stock by material, powder cost per part by build and the recovery loss.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calculate 3D printing powder usage?: Multiply the build quantity by the powder per part for the net powder, then divide by your recovery efficiency. 120 parts at 0.055 kg is 6.6 kg of net powder; at 88% recovery the build needs 6.6 / 0.88 = 7.5 kg, with 0.9 kg lost, the Powder Usage calculator's own example.
What is recovery efficiency?: The share of the powder a build needs that is not lost: net fused powder divided by powder required. It folds in your refresh ratio, sieving losses and powder too aged to reuse, so measure it per powder and machine from your own powder log. The example figures are invented.
What should powder per part include?: Everything that leaves the powder bed with the part: the part itself, its supports and, for SLS and MJF, the cake that cannot be recovered around it. Take it from the build file or by weighing finished parts and supports.
How is powder cost per part worked out?: Powder required x price per kg, divided by the parts in the build. In the example a titanium build of 36 bone plates needs 3.33 kg at 380 per kg: 1,264 of powder, or 35.11 a plate.
How does the stock check work?: For each powder the workbook adds the powder every build needs and compares it with the stock you typed: Under capacity at 90% of stock or less, Near capacity up to 100%, Over capacity above it. Deliveries during the plan are not added.
Does it cost machine time too?: No. It plans and costs powder only. The 3D Printing Cost template costs a whole job, with machine time, labour, post-processing and failed prints.