Die Cutting Pricing

How We Price Your Job

Your custom die cutting quote will be quoted on three basic principles:

• How much is the tooling?
• How much is the raw material?
• How fast can we cut it?

How much is the tooling?
Your job will require a custom steel rule die.  A steel rule die is made from sharpened blades of steel supported by wood to create a pattern from which all of your parts will be stamped.  In short, it is a cookie cutter.  Steel rule dies are used because they are easy to make, hold a tolerance of about +/-.015", are relatively cheap, and last a long time.  Our average die cost per job is about $200 with an typical yield of 15,000+ impressions.  Your price and longevity will vary depending on your design and raw material.  For more information on steel rule dies follow the tooling link.

How much is the raw material?
Many of our customers choose to supply the material to us to save money.  Let's face it, with the advent of the internet, you can find just about anything at a decent price.  Chance are, we will do the same internet search and find a similar price.  However, if we buy it, we will have to mark it up 15% to account for the time and expense of inventorying it.  If you buy it, you save the 15% right off the bat.  There are of course exceptions to this but on average, it pays to shop around for a good deal on raw materials.

How fast can we cut it?
Your job will be based on how fast we can cycle the press and get your parts cut and packed.  For example, if we cut 10 parts with each stroke of the press and have to separate them into different packages, your price goes up.  Conversely, if we can cut those same 10 parts and leave them in the "webbing" and pack all of them in the same box without having them fall out, your price goes way down.  We aim for about $65 per hour press time so the faster we can cut your parts, the cheaper your parts are.