# Forging Billet Weight and Yield Calculator

> Source: https://netray.co/tools/forging-billet-weight-and-yield-calculator
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Free Tools

## Short answer

Work out the billet weight needed for a forged part given flash, scale and butt losses, then see yield and net material cost per piece.

## Category

manufacturing

## Industry

Forging

## Audience

- Forge process engineer
- Estimator
- Buyer

## Tool

**Kind:** calculator

**Currency:** $

**Inputs:**

#### Finished forging weight

**Key:** finished

**Type:** number

**Default:** 5.2

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 0.1

**Unit:** kg

**Help:** Forging weight before machining

#### Flash loss

**Key:** flash

**Type:** number

**Default:** 12

**Min:** 0

**Max:** 60

**Step:** 1

**Unit:** % of billet

**Help:** Flash is usually higher on complex shapes

#### Scale loss

**Key:** scale

**Type:** number

**Default:** 2

**Min:** 0

**Max:** 10

**Step:** 0.1

**Unit:** % of billet

**Help:** Oxide lost during heating, often about 1 to 3 percent

#### Butt, sprue or punch-out loss

**Key:** butt

**Type:** number

**Default:** 3

**Min:** 0

**Max:** 30

**Step:** 0.5

**Unit:** % of billet

#### Bar cost

**Key:** cost_kg

**Type:** number

**Default:** 1.35

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 0.05

**Unit:** $/kg

#### Scrap value of flash and butt

**Key:** scrap_kg

**Type:** number

**Default:** 0.3

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 0.05

**Unit:** $/kg

**Outputs:**

#### Total loss

**Key:** loss_pct

**Expr:** flash + scale + butt

**Format:** percent

#### Billet weight required

**Key:** billet

**Expr:** finished / (1 - loss_pct / 100)

**Format:** decimal

**Primary:** true

**Description:** Weight of bar to heat for one forging

#### Material yield

**Key:** yield_pct

**Expr:** finished / billet * 100

**Format:** percent

#### Gross material cost per piece

**Key:** gross

**Expr:** billet * cost_kg

**Format:** currency

#### Scrap recovered per piece

**Key:** recovered

**Expr:** billet * (flash + butt) / 100 * scrap_kg

**Format:** currency

#### Net material cost per piece

**Key:** net

**Expr:** gross - recovered

**Format:** currency

**Primary:** true

#### Net cost per finished kg

**Key:** cost_per_finished

**Expr:** net / finished

**Format:** currency

**Chart:**

#### Billet weight and net cost vs flash loss

**Type:** line

**X:** flash

**From:** 4

**To:** 30

**Steps:** 27

**Series:**

- billet
- net

**Disclaimer:** Planning estimate. Loss percentages depend on die design, lubricant, heating method and alloy. Confirm against first article weights.

## Content

**Intro:** Billet weight sets material cost for every forging. Too little bar and the die does not fill. Too much and you pay for metal that becomes flash. This calculator sizes the billet from the finished weight and your loss percentages.

**Sections:**

#### How to use this calculator

**Body:** Enter the forging weight (not the machined part weight), then your flash, scale and butt or punch-out losses as a percent of the billet. Add bar cost and the scrap value of flash. The calculator returns billet weight, yield and net material cost per piece. The chart sweeps flash loss from 4 to 30 percent so you can see how die design changes cost.

#### The formula

**Body:** If losses are percentages of the billet, the finished weight equals the billet times one minus the total loss. So billet weight equals finished weight divided by that factor. Yield is finished weight divided by billet. Scale is oxide lost to the atmosphere with no scrap value. Flash and butt are recovered as scrap and credited at the scrap price. For steel, you can convert a billet volume to weight with a density near 7850 kg per cubic meter.

#### Reading the result

**Body:** Net cost per finished kg shows the real cost of getting metal into the part, including the loss. Compare two die designs by changing flash loss. Reducing flash by a few points saves bar on every piece, which matters at volume. Also check the billet against available bar sizes, since you will round to a standard diameter and a cut length.

#### Common mistakes

**Body:** Mixing loss bases is common: some teams state flash as a percent of the finished part, not the billet. Use one base consistently. Also avoid ignoring saw kerf and the end pieces left when cutting bar, which add to material usage beyond what is calculated here.

**Cta:** If your estimators and planners work from ERP costs and routings, Netray can help compare estimated and actual material usage on your own servers.

**Faq:**

#### What flash loss is typical?

**Answer:** It varies with part shape and die design. Simple compact shapes may lose several percent, while complex forgings can lose a much larger share. Use your own history from weighed first articles.

#### Does this work for aluminum or titanium?

**Answer:** The math is the same for any alloy. Scale loss is lower for aluminum and titanium needs special handling, so enter your own percentages and metal prices.

#### Why is scale loss not recovered?

**Answer:** Scale is oxide that flakes off during heating and forging and is swept away, so it carries no scrap credit, though some shops do collect it.

#### Does it include saw kerf?

**Answer:** No. Add kerf and end piece loss to your bar planning separately, or fold it into the butt loss percentage if you want it included.

## Search terms

forging billet weight calculator, forging material yield, flash and scale loss forging, forging stock weight calculation, forging cost estimate material, billet size for forging, forging yield percent, hot forging scale loss

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