How many meters in a spool of filament? In this blog post, we’ll answer this question and more!
We’ll start with an introduction to filaments and then look at filament size and quantity questions.
We’ll also give tips on choosing the right spool size for your needs.
What Are Filaments?
Filaments are long, thin strands of material used in various manufacturing processes.
In additive manufacturing, filaments are fed into a printer, where they are melted and extruded onto a build platform to create three-dimensional objects.
The most common filament used in desktop printers is thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which can easily be found in various colors and finishes.
Check out this video explaining the different types of 3D filaments:
How Much Does an Empty Filament Spool Weigh?
This is an important question when considering how much filament you need for a print job because filaments are sold by weight rather than volume or length.
The weight of the spool will vary depending on the material of the filament and the size of the spool.
For example, a spool of ABS plastic filament may weigh significantly more than a spool of PLA filament.
When it comes to the weight of the filament itself, there are two things to consider:
- The net weight, or the actual weight of the filament on the spool
- The gross weight, or the weight of an empty spool.
For example, if you have a spool of PLA filament that weighs 500 grams, the net weight of the PLA filament is 500 grams, but the gross weight (including the empty spool) may be closer to 550 grams.
When buying filament in bulk, it is essential to know how much filament you are getting in terms of meters and how much it will weigh.
This information can help you estimate shipping costs and ensure that your order arrives safely.
How to Find Out Spool Filament Length
The quickest way to find the length of a spool of filament is to check the product listing or packaging if you’re not sure how much filament is on your spool.
The manufacturer should list the net weight of the filament (in grams). But, if they do not, you can use a kitchen or postal scale.
Once you know the net weight of the filament, you can estimate how many meters are in a spool by dividing the weight by the density of the filament.
For example, if you have a spool of PLA filament that weighs 500 grams and has a density of 0.91 grams per cubic centimeter, there are approximately 550 meters of PLA filament on the spool.
It is important to note that these estimates are just that – estimates.
The actual length of filament on a spool can vary slightly from the estimate, depending on the density of the filament and the weight of the spool itself.
By Measuring Tape
Another popular method of finding how many meters of filament there are in a spool is to use a measuring tape or ruler to measure the circumference of the spool, then divide that number by pi (approximately 3.14).
This will give you an estimate of the diameter of the spool.
Once you have the diameter, you can then multiply it by pi to get the total filament length on the spool.
By Digital Kitchen Scale
Outside of looking at the package, the next easiest way to measure how many meters in a spool of filament is by weight.
All you need is a digital kitchen scale or postal scale.
Place the empty spool on the scale and zero it out (or tare it). Then wind the filament onto the spool until it’s complete.
Once the spool is full, weigh it again and subtract the weight of the empty spool. This will give you the net weight of filament on the spool.
For example, if your empty spool weighs 100 grams and your full spool weighs 700 grams, you have 600 grams of filament on the spool.
If you know the density of your filament, you can use the net weight to estimate the length of filament on the spool.
For example, if your PLA filament has a density of 0.91 grams per cubic centimeter and you have 600 grams of PLA on your spool, there are approximately 655 meters of PLA filament.
Of course, these estimates are just that – estimates.
Estimating How Much Filament You Need for a Project
Once you know how many meters are in a spool of filament, you can estimate how much filament you will need in a 3D printing project.
This is especially important if you are buying bulk or ordering filament online.
To estimate the amount of filament you will need, start by finding the volume of your print job using a tool like Cura or Simplify3D.
Once you have the volume (in cubic centimeters), multiply it by 0.91 (the density of PLA) to get an estimate of the amount of PLA you will need in grams.
For example, let’s say you want to print a model that has a volume of 100 cubic centimeters. To find out how much PLA you’ll need, multiply 100 by 0.91.
Next, divide the amount of PLA you need in grams by the net weight of your filament (in grams).
This will estimate the percentage of the spool you will need to complete your project.
For example, if your spool has 600 grams of PLA and 91 grams for your project, you’ll need approximately 15% of the spool.
Finally, divide the total length of filament on the spool (in meters) by 100 and multiply by the percentage of the spool you will need.
This will give you an estimate of the length of filament you’ll need for your project.
For example, if there are 655 meters of PLA on your spool and you need 15% of the spool for your project, you will need approximately 98 meters of PLA.
Conclusion
How many meters in a spool of filament? The answer depends on the type of filament, the brand, and even the color of the filament.
Most filament spools will have between fifty and one hundred meters of filament, but this is just a general answer.
If you want to get a more specific answer, you will need to do more research. But this should give you a good starting point!
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