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Shrinkage Compensation Calculator

Adjust your model scale to compensate for material shrinkage after printing and cooling.

Inputs

mm

How Shrinkage Works

  • Thermoplastics shrink as they cool below their glass transition temperature.
  • Shrinkage is anisotropic (varies by axis) but we use an average percentage here.
  • Measure actual parts and adjust calibration curve if needed.
  • Heated beds and enclosures reduce cooling rate and can decrease shrinkage.
  • Recalibrate for each new filament batch or spool brand.

Compensation

Material Shrinkage
0.30%
Typical for PLA
Scale Factor
1.0030
Scale by +0.30% in your slicer or CAD
Design/Model Dimension
100.30mm
Use this dimension when creating or scaling your model

Workflow

  1. Choose your material from the dropdown (or enter custom shrinkage %).
  2. Enter your target final dimension after the part has cooled.
  3. Use the Design/Model Dimension value in your CAD software or slicer.
  4. Many slicers support XY scale factor settings.
  5. Print, cool completely, and measure actual dimension to verify.
  6. Adjust custom shrinkage % if your parts still don't match target.

Tips

  • Bed temperature: Higher bed temps and enclosures slow cooling → less shrinkage.
  • Cooling time: Allow parts to cool to room temperature before measuring (24+ hours for thick parts).
  • Anisotropic shrinkage: XY shrinkage typically differs from Z shrinkage. May need different scale factors per axis.
  • Calibration prints: Print 100 × 100 × 100mm cubes to measure shrinkage per axis.
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