CNC router cost calculator
For cabinet parts, shopfitting and sign blanks cut from board on a CNC router. The calculator nests your parts for the real number of boards, adds the machining time from every outline and plunge, and gives a price for the job and for each part.
Router cost calculator
The figures it starts with are examples. Put in your board size and price, and your own feed rate, plunge time and rate.
What makes routing different to price
The kerf is the cutter
Every part is cut with the tool, so the gap between parts is the cutter’s diameter, 6mm in the example. Add whatever you leave for tabs or onion skin.
A plunge for every part
Each part starts with the cutter going in. The plunge time stands in for the pierce on a laser; use your own figure, including any ramp in.
Board is cheap, time is not
On MDF and ply the machine time can be a bigger part of the price than on steel. Feed rate and the number of parts move the price as much as the board does.
How the price is worked out
Whole boards at your price plus markup; the outline of every part at your feed rate plus a plunge each; and minutes per board to load it and clear the parts, all at your machine rate. Each part takes its share of the board by area and of the loading by count, plus its own machining time.
If you cut each outline in more than one pass, divide your feed rate by the number of passes. Pockets, holes and grooves add time the outline doesn’t, so allow for them in the rate or the price.
Untick “Parts can turn” for veneered or woodgrain board, and every part keeps the grain the same way.
Questions
Try it on your own job
Free, in your browser, no account. Your cut list stays on your computer.