# Sheet Metal Part Weight and Material Cost Calculator

> Source: https://netray.co/tools/sheet-metal-part-weight-and-material-cost-calculator
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Free Tools

## Short answer

Enter blank size, thickness, material and price per kilogram to get part weight, total weight with scrap and material cost per part.

## Category

cost-finance

## Industry

Sheet Metal Fabrication

## Audience

- Estimator
- Buyer
- Fabrication owner

## Tool

**Kind:** calculator

**Currency:** $

**Inputs:**

#### Blank length

**Key:** length

**Type:** number

**Default:** 600

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 10

**Unit:** mm

#### Blank width

**Key:** width

**Type:** number

**Default:** 400

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 10

**Unit:** mm

#### Thickness

**Key:** thickness

**Type:** number

**Default:** 2

**Min:** 0.1

**Step:** 0.1

**Unit:** mm

#### Material

**Key:** density

**Type:** select

**Default:** 7.85

**Options:**

##### Mild steel (7.85 g/cm3)

**Value:** 7.85

##### Stainless 304 (7.93 g/cm3)

**Value:** 7.93

##### Aluminum 5052 (2.70 g/cm3)

**Value:** 2.7

##### Copper (8.96 g/cm3)

**Value:** 8.96

#### Quantity

**Key:** qty

**Type:** number

**Default:** 100

**Min:** 1

**Step:** 1

**Unit:** parts

#### Scrap and nesting allowance

**Key:** scrap

**Type:** slider

**Default:** 18

**Min:** 0

**Max:** 50

**Step:** 1

**Unit:** %

**Help:** Typical nesting loss is often in the range of 10 to 25 percent, depending on shapes.

#### Material price

**Key:** price

**Type:** number

**Default:** 1.1

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 0.05

**Unit:** per kg

**Outputs:**

#### Net weight per part (kg)

**Key:** part_weight

**Expr:** length * width * thickness * density / 1000000

**Format:** decimal

**Description:** Blank weight with no scrap.

#### Net total weight (kg)

**Key:** net_total

**Expr:** part_weight * qty

**Format:** decimal

#### Purchase weight with scrap (kg)

**Key:** gross_total

**Expr:** net_total * (1 + scrap / 100)

**Format:** decimal

**Primary:** true

#### Total material cost

**Key:** material_cost

**Expr:** gross_total * price

**Format:** currency

**Primary:** true

#### Material cost per part

**Key:** cost_per_part

**Expr:** material_cost / qty

**Format:** currency

#### Cost of scrap allowance

**Key:** scrap_cost

**Expr:** (gross_total - net_total) * price

**Format:** currency

**Chart:**

#### Total material cost vs thickness

**Type:** line

**X:** thickness

**From:** 0.5

**To:** 6

**Steps:** 12

**Series:**

- material_cost

**Disclaimer:** Nominal densities and a flat scrap percentage give an estimate. Use real nesting yield and current supplier pricing for quotes. Scrap value from offcuts is not credited.

## Content

**Intro:** Material is often the largest cost in a sheet metal part, and it scales directly with thickness and blank size. This calculator turns blank dimensions, material and price into weight and cost, including a scrap allowance.

**Sections:**

#### How to use the calculator

**Body:** Enter the flat blank length and width, thickness, quantity and your price per kilogram. Pick the material, which sets density. Set a scrap and nesting allowance that matches how well your parts nest. The result shows net weight per part, the purchase weight including scrap, and the material cost per part and in total. The chart shows how cost changes if thickness changes.

#### The formula

**Body:** Net weight per part in kilograms equals length (mm) times width (mm) times thickness (mm) times density (g/cm3) divided by 1,000,000. Multiply by quantity for total net weight. Purchase weight is net weight times one plus the scrap percentage. Material cost is purchase weight times price per kilogram.

**Bullets:**

- Net = L x W x t x density / 1,000,000
- Gross = Net x (1 + scrap percent)
- Cost = Gross x price per kg
- Use blank size, not finished size

#### Worked example

**Body:** A 600 by 400 mm mild steel blank at 2 mm weighs 0.6 x 0.4 x 2 x 7.85 x 1000 / 1000, which is about 3.77 kg. For 100 parts that is about 377 kg net. With 18 percent scrap the purchase weight is about 445 kg. At 1.10 per kilogram, material is about 489 in total, or just under 5 per part. Change the material to aluminum and the weight falls by about two thirds, though the price per kilogram will be higher.

#### Common mistakes

**Body:** Using finished dimensions instead of flat blank size understates weight. Using a fixed scrap rate for every job hides the effect of part shape; long thin parts nest differently from squares. Also remember that supplier pricing may be per sheet or per hundredweight, and may include cutting or tolerance upcharges, so convert to a consistent price per kilogram.

**Cta:** If you want material cost to flow from your ERP item cost into quotes automatically, we can discuss how to wire that up.

**Faq:**

#### Does the calculator include laser or brake time?

**Answer:** No. It covers material only. Add laser, forming, welding, finish and overhead in your quote worksheet to reach a full selling price.

#### What scrap percentage should I use?

**Answer:** It depends on part shape and sheet size. Many shops see roughly 10 to 25 percent, but the right number comes from your own nesting reports. Use real yield when you have it.

#### Why does cost scale with thickness?

**Answer:** Weight is proportional to thickness for a fixed blank size, so doubling thickness doubles weight and material cost, assuming the same price per kilogram. Thicker plate can have a different price per kilogram, though.

#### Can I use it for plate or bar?

**Answer:** It works for any flat rectangular blank of uniform thickness. For round bar or tube, use a different volume formula.

## Search terms

sheet metal weight calculator, sheet metal material cost calculator, plate weight calculator, steel sheet weight formula, blank weight calculator, aluminum sheet weight calculator, fabrication material cost estimate

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