How much does it cost · CNC machining
Short answer: for a 120 × 80 × 45 mm housing in 6082 aluminium, machined in two setups with 13 hole operations, RFQdecoder calculates €22.62 (price as of 5 October 2026) per part at 200 parts. The largest item is material (€7.72), ahead of machine time (€4.76 for the two setups) and overheads (€3.59).
By the RFQdecoder team · updated 5 October 2026
Price as of 5 October 2026. Not included: anodising, dedicated tooling, shipping.
The routing, told
| No. | Step | Machine | Time | Cost | Running price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | I start from a 125 × 85 × 50 mm block of 6082 aluminium (1.43 kg) | material purchase | €7.72 | €7.72 | |
| 20 | I cut the blank on the band saw | band saw | 1.6 min | €1.58 | €9.30 |
| 30 | I machine the first face and the 96 × 56 mm pocket, 30 mm deep (setup 1 of 2) | 3-axis machining centre | 2.0 min | €2.34 | €11.64 |
| 40 | I flip the part and machine the second face (setup 2 of 2) | 3-axis machining centre | 2.0 min | €2.42 | €14.06 |
| 50 | I drill 7 holes, tap 4 × M5 and ream 2 × Ø22 H7 | 3-axis machining centre | 2.6 min | €2.84 | €16.90 |
| 60 | I deburr and inspect the part | deburring station | 0.5 min | €0.80 | €17.70 |
| I add the scrapped parts (1.4%) | €0.25 | €17.95 | |||
| I add overheads (20%) | €3.59 | €21.54 | |||
| I add the margin (5%) | €1.08 | €22.62 | |||
| Selling price, excl. VAT | €22.62 |
Not included in this price: dedicated tooling, subcontracted clear anodising 15 µm, shipping.
On this housing, material weighs €7.72 out of €22.62 (price as of 5 October 2026). Then come the two setups (€4.76), overheads (€3.59), then holes, threads and reamed bores (€2.84).
Sensor housing BTC-120-80-45, aluminium (prices as of 5 October 2026, daily material quotes)
Fixed order costs
Paid once, whatever the quantity.
Variable price per part
Unit price by batch size
= variable price + fixed costs ÷ quantity
| Quantity | Unit price |
|---|---|
| 1 part | €152.03 |
| 10 parts | €34.98 |
| 50 parts | €24.57 |
| 200 parts | €22.62 |
| 1,000 parts | €22.10 |
Beyond a few dozen parts, the price tends towards the variable price: the fixed costs are amortised. If the part needs long programming or a dedicated fixture, small batches rise accordingly. Prices follow daily material quotes.
Between 50 and 1,000 parts, the unit price drops by €2.47, about 10%. Material and cutting time stay the same per part; it is the setups, spread over a larger batch, that weigh less.
| Item | Cost | Share of price |
|---|---|---|
| Material (6082 aluminium blank) | €7.72 | 34.1% |
| Cutting, two setups, holes, deburring and inspection | €9.98 | 44.1% |
| Scrap 1.4% | €0.25 | 1.1% |
| Overheads 20% | €3.59 | 15.9% |
| Margin 5% | €1.08 | 4.8% |
| Part price, excl. VAT | €22.62 | 100% |
Shares calculated on the real costing of housing BTC-120-80-45 at 200 parts. Another part, material or quantity gives another split.
The process alone does not make the price; what matters is hourly rate × time. A part of revolution is usually turned, on machines whose rate is often lower than a machining centre. A prismatic part such as the example housing is milled, with one setup per machined side. A 5-axis centre has a higher hourly rate, but it can machine several faces in one clamping: it removes setups, and with them adjustments and rework. For a part with many faces it can cost less per finished part, while costing more per machine hour.
Start with the scope: material supplied or not, treatment included or not, inspection, shipping. Then check the quantity and batch size the price is based on, and the number of setups stated or implied. Finally, bring the price back to time: at €78 per hour all-in (shop rate of a 3-axis machining centre), each euro is about 46 seconds of machine time with an operator. A €10 gap between two offers is nearly eight minutes of work more or less, or a different assumption on the material.
It depends on the machine and the operator. The hourly rate is rebuilt item by item: depreciation, energy, maintenance, cutting tools, operator. On the example housing, the 3-axis machining centre is counted at an all-in shop rate of €78 per hour (machine, operator and overheads).
Add the material, the time of each operation multiplied by the machine rate, the setups divided by the batch, then scrap, overheads and margin. The RFQdecoder tool does it from the drawing.
The number of setups, the hourly rate, scrap, and above all what is or is not included: tooling, surface treatment, shipping.
A setup is one clamping of the part on the machine. Each flip adds a setup and clamping time, so it adds cost.
Yes, twice: through the price of the blank per kilo, and through the cutting conditions, which change the time of every operation. The same geometry does not take the same machine time in aluminium and in stainless steel.
Upload your PDF, DXF or STEP drawing: the same told routing, for your part.