3 Formulas for Calculating Laser Engraving Costs

Cost control in laser marking directly affects corporate profits.It provides three common pricing formulae based on time, area, and quantity, and combines industry experience with applicable scenarios to help users choose the most suitable solution based on material, technique, and order quantity, thereby reducing costs by more than 20 %.

Why should the method of calculation affect the cost?

Many users who are just starting out with laser marking tend to overlook a detail: suppliers 'pricing formulas differ, and the final cost can vary greatly.For example, if a company processes 1,000 metal plates, it would pay 30 % more in hourly wages than in piecework wages.The key to choosing the right method is to know your own special needs--is the order large? Is the process complex? Or is the material special?

Three mainstream pricing methods.

The price is determined by the amount of time needed to process the order.

Formula: Total cost = hourly rate x processing time.

Suitable scenarios: Complex patterns (such as high-precision QR codes), difficult-to-etch materials (such as ceramics).But be careful, some suppliers will include the time it takes to warm up the machines or change materials in the time they give you, so be sure to confirm the rules of the game in advance.

The fee is calculated by the number of trees marked.

Formula: Total cost = Unit Price (NT $ / cm2) x total area.

Recommended for: Small and medium orders of simple logos and text.There is a money-saving trick here--to make the layout as compact as possible, to minimize the waste of blank space.One client was able to reduce the cost-per-unit of a single item by 18 % through the use of optimized layout.

They charge according to the amount of work done.

Formula: Total cost = unit price x order quantity.

Best suited for: Large-volume, standard orders (e.g. 5,000 pieces or more).With large orders, you can bargain aggressively, and many suppliers will give you a price break.We have a customer who makes key rings. He split an order of 10,000 into two, and as a result, he ended up paying an extra NT $ 0.20 per piece. We have to avoid these kinds of pitfalls.

This would save 20 %.

1. Test with a small sample: Take 20-50 pieces of a product and offer them at different prices.

2. A combination of area and number pricing: The main pattern is priced by area, while the smaller text is priced by quantity.

3. Beware of hidden costs. For example, some companies quote prices per quantity that do not include the cost of replacing consumables.

Last week I helped a client that makes stainless steel cups reevaluate their costs. We changed the original system of charging by the hour to one of charging by area plus volume, and this cut the monthly cost by more than NT $ 2300.Remember, there is no best formula--there is only the formula that is best for you.