Lithophane Calculator — Thickness & Print Settings

A lithophane is a thin translucent panel with varying thickness that reveals an image when backlit. Thicker areas appear darker and thinner areas appear lighter. They are typically 3D printed in white PLA.

Use 0.1mm or smaller for the best detail. Each layer height represents one possible grey level, so thinner layers give more tonal range. 0.08mm gives excellent results but takes longer to print.

Vertical printing gives much better detail because the X/Y resolution of the printer (typically 0.1mm) is finer than the Z resolution (layer height). This means more detail in the image.

A minimum thickness of 0.6-0.8mm and maximum of 2.5-3.2mm works well for most lithophanes. This gives enough range for good contrast while keeping the thinnest areas strong enough not to break.

White PLA is the standard choice because it has excellent translucency and prints reliably at slow speeds. White PETG can also work well. Avoid coloured filaments as they block too much light.