"How much will it cost?" is the first question almost every customer asks. The honest answer: nobody can give an exact figure before the calculation, and anyone quoting a price "by eye" is either padding it with a margin or will revise it later. Here is how the cost is actually formed, so you understand what you are paying for and where you can save.
What makes up the price
The cost of any order is the sum of four parts.
- Material. The grade and thickness of the metal, and how efficiently the parts nest on the sheet. Sometimes changing a dimension by a few millimetres lets more parts fit and reduces metal consumption.
- Machine time. How many minutes the part occupies the equipment: cutting length, number of piercings, number of bends, length of weld seams.
- Manual labour. Assembly, seam grinding, bench finishing, preparation for painting. It is often this, not the "machine", that makes up the larger share of the price.
- Coating and preparation. Degreasing, priming, powder coating or galvanizing — depending on where the product will be used.
Why a batch is always cheaper than a single part
Every order involves preparatory work: an engineer prepares the files, an operator sets up the equipment, tooling is selected. For a single part this time is charged to that one part — and can end up costing more than the cutting operation itself.
With ten parts, the setup is done once and the sheet nesting becomes more efficient: small elements fit into the gaps between large ones. That is why the unit price drops severalfold, and ordering "with a reserve" is often cheaper than coming back for one part a month later.
What quietly drives the cost up
A few things customers rarely consider that significantly affect the total:
- Overly tight tolerances. If the drawing calls for high precision everywhere "just in case", the part has to be made more slowly and inspected more carefully. Precision is needed where there is a fit or a mating joint, not along the entire contour.
- Many small holes. Every laser piercing takes time. A hundred holes can cost more than the entire outer contour of the part.
- Non-standard thickness or grade. Metal that is not in regular stock has to be ordered separately — that means both cost and lead time.
- Appearance requirements. A seam that must be invisible requires grinding, sanding and polishing — these are separate operations.
How to get an accurate quote faster
The fastest way is to send a drawing in DXF or STEP format: the file immediately shows the cutting length, number of holes and overall dimensions. If you have no drawing, a hand sketch with dimensions or a photo of a sample will do — our engineer will prepare the file.
Besides the geometry, three things matter for the calculation: material and thickness, quantity of parts and where the product will be used — the coating depends on it. The more precisely you describe this, the fewer follow-up questions there will be and the sooner you get an answer.
An even faster route is the online quote: upload a drawing, choose the material and see the cost immediately, without waiting for a manager. Or send your files through the form on the website — we will quote within one business day.
