How Long Does a 3D Print Take?
What drives print time
- Object size: bigger = more material = longer
- Layer height: thinner layers = more layers = longer (0.1 mm is 2x longer than 0.2 mm)
- Infill density: 100 percent fills the whole interior; 20 percent is faster and still strong
- Print speed setting: 60 mm/s is normal, 300+ mm/s is high speed
- Material: TPU and nylon need slower speeds than PLA
- Printer capability: modern CoreXY beats older Cartesian for speed
Rough time estimates
| Item | Time (PLA, 0.2 mm, 20% infill) |
|---|---|
| Keychain | 20 to 40 min |
| Phone stand | 2 to 4 hours |
| Mug or cup | 3 to 6 hours |
| D&D miniature (0.1 mm) | 4 to 8 hours |
| Vase (200 mm tall) | 6 to 10 hours |
| Cosplay helmet panel | 10 to 24 hours |
| Full cosplay armour suit | 100+ hours across many prints |
Speeding it up
Larger nozzle (0.6 or 0.8 mm), thicker layers, higher infill speeds, high-speed PLA filament, and a printer that supports high acceleration are the main ways to print faster.
Browse
All PLA. Related: High-speed PLA.