Question 1

How is usable filament output per month calculated?

Accepted Answer

Usable kg/month = scrap kg/month × (yield % ÷ 100). For example, 10 kg scrap at 75% yield produces 7.5 kg of usable recycled filament.

Question 2

How are monthly gross savings calculated?

Accepted Answer

Gross savings = usable kg/month × new filament price per kg. This represents the cost of new filament you avoid buying.

Question 3

How is electricity cost factored in?

Accepted Answer

Electricity cost = usable kg × kWh per kg × electricity price ($/kWh). The typical scenario uses 1.2 kWh/kg as a default.

Question 4

How is net monthly savings calculated?

Accepted Answer

Net savings = gross savings − electricity cost − consumables/month − time cost. Time cost = usable kg × hours per kg × hourly labor rate.

Question 5

How is the payback period calculated?

Accepted Answer

Payback months = (machine cost + shipping & taxes) ÷ net savings per month. A result of 12 months or less is generally considered a strong investment.

Question 6

How is break-even volume calculated?

Accepted Answer

Break-even kg = total upfront cost ÷ (net savings per month ÷ usable kg per month). This tells you how many kg of recycled filament you must produce before recovering your investment.

Question 7

What is a realistic yield rate for filament recycling?

Accepted Answer

Typical real-world yield is 70–80% for clean, single-material scrap. Conservative estimates use 60%; optimistic estimates assume 85%. Yield above 90% is unlikely for mixed real-world scrap.

Filament Recycler ROI Calculator

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