Wire and Cable Length Cost Calculator for Harness Builds
Wire is often the largest material line on a harness after connectors, and it is also the one that is easiest to under-quote because scrap, twist take-up and reel remnants are invisible on the drawing. This calculator converts drawn length into purchased feet and cost.
Your numbers
Terminal to terminal as drawn, including strip length at each end.
Twisting shortens the assembly, so each conductor starts longer. Use 0 for straight wires, around 5 to 10 for tightly twisted pairs.
Quoted price at your reel size or break.
Cut-and-strip startup waste, bad crimps cut back, reel remnants.
Your results
Cost per foot is quoted for one wire type. Run the calculator once per gauge, color or cable type and add results in your BOM. Cut-length rules vary by customer drawing; confirm whether the drawing length includes strip length.
Wire cost per harness vs scrap allowance
Sweeps Wire scrap and remnant allowance from 0 to 20, holding your other inputs fixed.
Compare quoted and actual wire consumption
Optional: a short review of how theoretical wire usage on harness work orders compares with what was issued and scrapped.
Optional. The tool and every export work without this. No spam.
How to use it
Enter the average drawn length of the wires you are costing, any service loop you add by policy, and a twist take-up percentage if the wires are twisted pairs. Enter the wires per harness, the price per thousand feet and a scrap allowance based on your history. The tool returns cut length, feet per harness, wire cost per unit, total feet for the lot, reels to buy and what is left on the last reel.
- Run it separately for each wire gauge, insulation type or cable
- Use average length only for wires with similar length; cost long runs separately
- Take scrap from actual wire usage versus theoretical in your ERP
- Round reels up when buying whole spools
Formulas used
Cut length equals (finished length plus service loop) times (1 plus twist take-up). Net feet equal cut length times wires divided by 12. Because scrap is a share of what you buy rather than a markup on what you use, gross feet equal net feet divided by (1 minus scrap fraction); 4 percent scrap means dividing by 0.96, not multiplying by 1.04. Wire cost equals gross feet times price per 1,000 feet divided by 1,000. Reels equal total feet divided by reel size, rounded up.
Reading the scrap chart
The chart shows cost per harness as scrap climbs from zero to 20 percent. The line is mildly convex because of the divide-by-(1 minus scrap) form. If moving scrap from 4 to 8 percent adds more than a few percent to the wire line, it is worth investigating cut-and-strip startup waste, short-lot reel changeovers and crimp rejects that force wire cut-back. High scrap on shielded or Teflon-insulated wire is far more expensive than on commodity PVC.
Common mistakes
Treating drawn length as cut length when the drawing excludes strip allowance. Forgetting twist take-up on twisted pairs and twisted-shielded cables. Applying scrap as a markup, which understates cost slightly. Buying whole reels for a small lot and not charging the unused remnant, or the opposite, charging it to every job when it can be reused. Mixing gauges in one average price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should scrap be added as a percent or divided out?
Divide by (1 minus scrap) when scrap is a share of purchased material. Using a simple multiplier of 1 plus scrap slightly understates the purchase quantity, a difference that grows as scrap rises.
What is twist take-up?
When two conductors are twisted together, the finished assembly is shorter than the conductors that went into it. Each wire must be cut longer by the take-up percentage, commonly a few percent for loose twist and more for tight lay, depending on lay length and gauge.
Does the cut length include strip length?
In most harness drawings the length is overall wire length, which already includes the stripped ends. Some customers give length over insulation, in which case add the strip length for both ends before entering it.
How do I cost shielded cable?
Enter it as its own line using the cable price per thousand feet and the same formulas. Add separate time for shield termination, drain wire handling and braid sleeves in your labor estimate.
If wire usage by work order is in your ERP, we can help compare theoretical and actual feet consumed so your scrap allowance is based on posted data, not a rule of thumb.
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