CNC Machining Cost Calculator — Per Part at Any Batch Size
Who this is for: For engineers budgeting machined parts and job shops sanity-checking quotes — where the 10-piece vs 100-piece price gap is all setup math.
Cycle time, shop rate, setup and stock in — get the per-part cost at your batch size, tooling included.
Quick answer: CNC per-part = (cycle ÷ 60 × rate) + (setup ÷ 60 × rate ÷ batch) + stock + tooling. Example: 22 min at $60/h + 90-min setup ÷ 50 + $8 stock + $1.20 tooling = $33/part. Setup is the batch lever: $9/part at 10 pieces, $0.90 at 100.
From CAM
1–3 h typical
30–50 shops
| Rates | 3-axis $40–75/h · lathe $50–90 · 5-axis $90–150 |
|---|---|
| Setup | 1–3 h typical ÷ batch quantity |
| Stock | 20–60% of part price; 303 SS $4–6/lb |
| Example | 22 min + 90min/50 + $8 + $1.20 = $33/part |
| Lever | Batch size amortizes setup |
| Status | Quotes use standard shop math: machine-hour rate × cycle time + materials + setup amortization. SFM/chipload figures are conservative HSS starting points (carbide runs 3–4× SFM). Compiled September 2026 — estimates for budgeting; real quotes come from the shop that runs the job. |
How is CNC machining priced?
Per-part cost = (cycle minutes ÷ 60 × machine rate) + (setup minutes ÷ 60 × rate ÷ batch size) + stock + tooling. Machine rates: 3-axis mills $40–75/hour, lathes $50–90/hour, 5-axis $90–150. Setup is the batch lever: 90 minutes of fixturing and program proofing is $90 at a $60 shop rate — $9/part at ten pieces, $0.90 at a hundred. Stock is the second surprise: bar cutoffs and plate remnant pricing often exceed the machining time on simple parts. Example: a 22-minute part at $60/h with 90-min setup, $8 stock and $1.20 tooling at 50 pieces: $22 machine + $1.80 setup + $8 + $1.20 = $33 per part.
Common uses
- Budgeting machined prototypes before requesting quotes
- Checking shop quotes line by line (setup vs cycle vs stock)
- Deciding what batch size makes a part affordable
- Job shops quoting repeat work with amortized fixturing