How does scaling affect material usage?

Material usage scales with the cube of the linear scale factor. Doubling the size (200%) uses 8x the material. Halving (50%) uses only 1/8th. This is because volume = length x width x height, and all three dimensions change.

Will my scaled model still fit the build plate?

Check the new X and Y dimensions against your build plate size, and the new Z against your maximum build height. Remember to account for any brim or raft that adds to the footprint.

Does scaling affect print quality?

Scaling up generally improves quality as details become larger relative to layer height and nozzle size. Scaling down may cause loss of fine details and thin features that fall below the printer resolution.

How does scaling affect print time?

Print time scales roughly with volume (cube of scale factor), assuming the same layer height and speed. Scaling to 200% will take approximately 8x longer. You can partially offset this by using a thicker layer height on larger prints.

3DPrintCalcs

Scale Calculator — Resize Models & Volume Changes

Scale a model up or down and see the resulting dimensions and volume change.

Original X

Original Y

Original Z

Scale Factor

100% = original size

How We Calculate This

Scaling Formulas

New dimension = Original dimension x (Scale% / 100)
New volume = Original volume x (Scale / 100)^3
Material ratio = (Scale / 100)^3

Linear dimensions scale proportionally, but volume (and therefore material usage, weight, and print time) scales with the cube of the scale factor. This is why even small scale increases result in significantly more material use.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify settings with test prints before committing to final prints.