Metal Cutting Cost Calculator

Estimate what a cut part costs from cut length, cut speed, pierces, your shop rate and material.

Cutting Process
Only changes the example defaults. Use your machine’s own numbers.
Per Part
Outside profile plus all holes.
One per hole plus the outside.
Or use the metal weight calculator.
$
Shop Rates
$
Machine, operator, gas and overhead.
$
Fractions and decimals both work.
–
Price per Part
Machine time per part
Machine cost
Material
Setup per part
Cost per part
Job total
Job Price

Quote Lines

Items you add are saved in this browser.

PartQtyMin. EachEachLine TotalRemove

How to Estimate Metal Cutting Cost

For profile cutting (laser, plasma, waterjet), machine time drives the cost. Add up the time spent cutting and piercing, charge it at your shop rate, then add material, setup and markup.

Cut time (min) = cut length ÷ cut speed + pierces × pierce time ÷ 60
Machine cost = cut time ÷ 60 × hourly rate   Material = weight × price per lb
Price per part = (machine + material + setup ÷ quantity) × (1 + markup)

Worked Example

Tips

Cut speed depends heavily on the machine's power, the material and its thickness; take it from your machine's cut charts. Thick plate, stainless and aluminum cut slower than mild steel. Count material by the sheet area the part uses including skeleton scrap, not just the part's own weight. Setup cost is spread across the quantity, which is why short runs cost much more per piece.