The present disclosure describes a technique for rendering a pre-visualization image representative of a 3D object to be printed by a 3D printer. The technique accesses a geometric digital model of the 3D object and receives one or more printer characteristics of the 3D printer. The one or more printer characteristics are associated with settlement of added material to the 3D object by the 3D printer. The technique further receives one or more material parameters of a volume of the added material that forms the 3D object. The technique further generates a digital aggregate build-up model of the 3D object using the geometric digital model, the one or more printer characteristics, and the one or more environmental parameters. Then the technique renders a pre-visualization image representative of the 3D object as the 3D object would be printed by the 3D printer based on the generated digital aggregate build-up model.