Calculate the cost of a sheet-metal part, bend by bend.
A sheet-metal part costs what its blank, its cut path and its bends cost. ARCNM recognises the sheet discipline from the wall thickness and bends in the STEP model, unfolds the part to a flat blank, prices the contour on the cutting machine your fleet has — fibre laser, plasma, waterjet, turret punch or guillotine shear — and adds every press-brake bend with its handling and rotation time. Tubes and closed sections route to tube bending. Setup amortises with the lot, so the unit price falls with quantity and the curve says by how much.
At a glance
- Inputs
- STEP model with bends and constant wall thickness; PDF drawing optional
- Machine classes
- fibre laser · CNC plasma · abrasive waterjet · turret punch · guillotine shear · CNC press brake · rotary-draw tube bender
- Standards applied
- DIN 6935 bend allowance · ISO 2768 · DIN 8580
- DfM checks
- bend relief required, bend radius too small, hole too close to bend, hole too close to edge, hole diameter below thickness
- You get
- flat blank size, cutting operation on your environment's cutter, bend list with setups, unit cost per lot size
What do you get for a sheet-metal part?
The flat blank with its material line, the contour timed on your laser, plasma, waterjet, punch or shear — every hole and pierce counted — and every press-brake bend and part rotation as its own line on the routing. Roll bending and tube bending are priced on their own machine classes. Setup and cycle time per operation, the unit cost at every lot size, and your own machines' cutting data taking over as soon as you enter it.
What drives the price of sheet-metal parts?
Sheet thickness and material first: thicker and harder sheet cuts slower. Then contour length and hole count — every hole is another pierce — and each bend adds fixed time, each re-orientation more. Tight bend tolerances, small flanges and hardware add checks and cost. Material is priced from the blank the part occupies on the sheet, including edge margin and web, not from the finished volume.
Which sheet-metal processes are covered?
- Cutting: fibre laser, CNC plasma, abrasive waterjet, CNC turret punch, guillotine shear.
- Forming: CNC press brake (per bend), roll bending, rotary-draw tube bending for tube and profile parts.
- Features: bends, cutouts, sheet holes, slots, flanges recognised from the 3D model with stable IDs; DfM checks for bend relief, minimum bend radius, hole-to-bend and hole-to-edge distance.
- Follow-on treatments from the drawing: powder coating, galvanising, anodising and heat treatment priced as subcontract steps with order minimums.
Which cutting process for which sheet?
| Process | Thickness sweet spot | Edge and heat | Cost character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fibre laser | 0.5–12 mm steel, thinner stainless and aluminium | clean edge, small heat-affected zone | fast on thin sheet; every hole is a pierce |
| CNC plasma | 6–40 mm mild steel | wider kerf, dross, larger HAZ | lowest cost per metre on thick mild steel |
| Abrasive waterjet | any thickness, any material | no heat, no HAZ, fine edge with quality factor | slow; wins on reflective or heat-sensitive material |
| Turret punch | 0.5–6 mm | punched edge, nibble marks | hits per contour; wins on many standard holes and forms |
| Guillotine shear | straight cuts only | sheared edge | cheapest straight cut; cannot start an internal contour |
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Can ARCNM calculate laser-cut and bent parts from a STEP file?
Yes. The bends and wall thickness in the STEP model are enough to classify the part as sheet metal, unfold it and price cutting and bending. A drawing adds tolerances and surface treatments.
How much does one bend cost?
A bend is fixed time on the press brake — positioning, the stroke, and any rotation of the part — at the machine-hour rate, plus its share of setup. ARCNM lists every bend and rotation in the routing, so the cost per bend is visible rather than a lump sum.
Does the price include the sheet material?
Yes. Material is costed from the blank footprint on the sheet, with margins and web, at your environment's price for the grade and thickness.