Track filament, costs, and print times for a 3D printer
Users report bots that keep track of filament use, estimate the cost and time of each print, and work out quotes for a small 3D print shop. Printer setups vary, so expect some fiddling.
Last verified: Oct 17, 2026
The problem
Pricing 3D prints by guesswork means losing money on filament and machine time, and nobody remembers how much material went into last month's jobs.
How the bot does it
Users report:
- @Is_Harry_ says his bot keeps track of filament use and can estimate costs and print times. He says the only thing it needs him for is clearing the print bed. That's his own setup.
- @srinimaram shared a 3D print shop helper bot that works out quotes for jobs.
- How a bot connects to a printer differs from printer to printer, so check what yours supports before you start.
Setup steps
- 1Tell the bot your printer, filament types, and what a spool costs you.
- 2Ask it to log each print: filament used and time taken.
- 3Give it your hourly and material rates so it can estimate quotes.
- 4Tell it: don't start or change a print without asking me. Any customer quote is Draft, I send.
Example prompt
Keep a log of every print on my [printer]: filament type, grams used, and print time. Before each new job, estimate the cost and time, and draft a price quote using my rates. Don't start, stop, or change a print without asking me. Any quote to a customer: Draft, I send.
The result
A running log of filament use and a cost and time estimate for each job. These are users' own setups, and your printer may connect differently.
Results are the user's own claim. We haven't checked them.
Templates on this page
Sources
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