Laser cutting part cost & payback calculator
Enter your own numbers. The calculator shows cost per machine hour, cost per part and payback in months. Every formula is written out below — no hidden assumptions.
Investment
Running costs
Your part
Results
- Operating cost per hour
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- Depreciation per hour
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- Total cost per machine hour
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- Parts per hour
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- Cost per part
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- Monthly margin
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- Payback
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Results appear as soon as the inputs they need are filled. Nothing is sent anywhere; the calculation runs in your browser.
Formulas used
- Electricity per hour = power draw (kW) × electricity price
- Gas per hour = gas consumption (m³/h) × gas price
- Labour per hour = operators × labour cost per person-hour
- Maintenance per hour = maintenance per year ÷ cutting hours per year
- Operating cost per hour = electricity + gas + labour + consumables + maintenance (per hour)
- Depreciation per hour = total investment ÷ (depreciation years × cutting hours per year)
- Total cost per machine hour = operating cost per hour + depreciation per hour
- Parts per hour = cutting speed (m/min) × 60 × beam-on time (%) ÷ cut length per part (m)
- Cost per part = total cost per machine hour ÷ parts per hour
- Monthly margin = (machine-hour rate − operating cost per hour) × cutting hours per year ÷ 12
- Payback (months) = total investment ÷ monthly margin
Simplifications: piercing time, rapid moves and material cost are not included; beam-on time covers them approximately. Financing cost and tax are not included.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the cost per hour of a fiber laser cutting machine?
Add electricity (machine power draw × electricity price), assist gas (gas consumption × gas price), labour (operators × hourly wage), consumables per hour, maintenance per hour (annual maintenance ÷ annual hours) and depreciation (machine price ÷ (years × annual hours)).
How do I calculate the payback period of a laser cutter?
Monthly margin = (machine-hour rate you charge − operating cost per hour) × annual hours ÷ 12. Payback in months = total investment ÷ monthly margin. Depreciation is left out of operating cost here because the investment itself is what is being paid back.
Where do I find cutting speed for my thickness?
Use the cutting capability matrix, or ask for a test cut on your own part for an exact figure.
Want these numbers for a real configuration?
We fill in power draw, gas consumption and cutting speed for the machine we quote you.