TLG3D Labs — Materials and Services Rates

Effective September 26, 2026. Every quote = $5 setup + material (x 1.15 waste) + machine time (+ $1/hr energy and wear) + post-processing (optional) + difficult-client surcharge (only if earned). $15 minimum per order.

1. Setup — $5 per job

Slicing, orientation, supports, and a verified first layer before the print runs unattended.

2. Material — per gram, plus 15% waste allowance

Material is weighed with supports, then x 1.15 to cover purge lines, brims, and priming waste on every job.

Abrasive filaments (carbon-filled, glass-filled, glow-in-the-dark) on the X-Max 3: no extra charge — the diamond nozzle handles them.

3. Machine time — rounded up to the nearest half hour

Energy and wear: +$1 per machine hour. Covers electricity plus amortized wear parts (belts, fans, build plates, probes).

4. Post-processing — optional, quoted up front

5. Modeling / design — $60 per hour

Custom modeling, remixing, or repair of customer files.

$60 minimum per modeling job (1 hour). Small tweaks, consultations, and "can you just..." requests bill the full hour.

6. Difficult-client surcharge — +25%, optional, applied at our discretion

Added to the order total when a project involves:

• Renegotiating an already-approved quote
• 3 or more quote revisions — 2 revisions included free, $15 each after that
• Scope changes after printing has started
• Consultation far beyond the quoted modeling time

We flag it up front when we see it coming, never as a surprise on the invoice. Most clients never see this line.

Failed prints and redesigns

• Our machine fails the print — we reprint it free. No redesign charge, no argument.
• Your file can't print as designed (impossible overhangs, walls too thin, bad geometry) — fixing it bills as modeling time at $60/hr, quoted before we start.

Worked examples

• Small PLA bracket, 30 g, 2 hrs on the Plus 4: $5 + (34.5 g x $0.10) + (2 x $5) = $18.45
• PETG functional part, 120 g, 7 hrs on the X-Max 3: $5 + (138 g x $0.12) + (7 x $6) = $63.56
• Large ASA enclosure panel, 250 g, 14 hrs on the X-Max 3, vapor smoothed: $5 + (287.5 g x $0.15) + (14 x $6) + $10 = $142.13

What the mods mean for your print

• AI auto-leveling and a first-layer camera check every print, so failed first layers get caught, not shipped.
• The X-Max 3's diamond nozzle prints abrasive filaments without wearing out — no surcharge, no "we don't do carbon fiber."
• Upgraded cooling and stepper power hold tighter tolerances on long prints.

What is behind these numbers

• Filament cost basis: PLA approx. $16/kg, PETG approx. $18/kg, ASA approx. $25/kg, 95A TPU approx. $28/kg (bulk SUNLU/ELEGOO-class pricing). The per-gram charge runs about 5-6x raw material cost; the spread is the failure reserve that pays for free reprints, plus filament drying and handling.
• 15% waste factor covers physical waste on successful prints — purge, brim, priming. It is separate from the failure reserve.
• $1/hr energy and wear: real draw is roughly 350-500W, about $0.05/hr at local electric rates — the rest is margin and amortized wear parts. The diamond nozzle means zero nozzle-replacement cost on abrasive jobs.
• Machine rates sit inside the going $5-15/hr band for small FDM print services. The X-Max 3 earns the higher rate for its large build volume and diamond nozzle.
• Time estimates come from the slicer before printing; you pay actual print hours.
• Post-processing labor is bench time, billed below the design rate.

Terms

• Send STL or STEP; we confirm material, machine, post-processing, and total price before printing.
• $15 minimum per order. Orders over $100 need a 50% deposit.
• Rush (under 48 hours): +50%.
• Local pickup in Conway, AR; shipping charged at cost.

Source: TLG3D Labs rate sheet, effective September 26, 2026.