QuotedPartAnswers · Updated 2026-10-30
How do I quote a turned part on a CNC lathe?
Price one of your own parts: Drop a STEP model or PDF drawing — about 90 seconds, no account.
Your part priced in about 90 seconds, no account.
Price a turned part as bar, setup, cycle and the bench work after the cut. Our pricing engine prices a 3.5 in long, 1.0 in and 0.75 in stepped shaft with one groove in 303 stainless at $272.52 for one piece, $40.61 each for 10, $21.01 for 50 and $14.21 for 250. Most of the difference between one and 250 is the setup (an 81-minute lathe setup, programming and first-article inspection) being spread over more parts. The assumptions are listed at the end of this answer.
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Step 1: bar per part, including what you cut away
Each part uses its own length, about 2 mm to face the end and 3 mm for the parting tool. The shaft is 3.5 in, which is 88.9 mm, so the bar used per part is 88.9 + 2 + 3 = 93.9 mm. The bar is bought round and larger than the biggest diameter: the 1.0 in section comes from 1.25 in (31.75 mm) bar, the next standard size up, so a part weighs 0.56 kg of bought bar. That figure includes a share of the 150 mm the bar feeder or chuck can't use at the end of every 12 ft bar.
At one piece you don't buy 0.56 kg: a distributor cuts a minimum length, which our pricing engine takes as 12 in. That is why the single piece carries $23.99 of material and the 10-piece lot carries $77.02, or $7.70 each. Check your own distributor's minimum cut before copying this.
Step 2: setup and programming, then cycle
The lathe setup is the large fixed block. The catalog uses an 81-minute setup for this two-operation part (65 minutes for the first operation, a quarter of that again for the second), CAM programming of 22 minutes, 5 minutes of bench set-up and 15 minutes of first-article inspection. Together that is $180.12 of the lot, whatever the quantity.
Cycle time comes from the removed volume and the surface to be finished. Our pricing engine gives 2.9 minutes of lathe time per 303 part, plus 0.6 minutes of deburr and 0.5 minutes of inspection. Between 100 and 250 pieces our pricing engine starts to shave run time for a tuned program and the operator's rhythm, which is why 250 pieces cost less than 25 times 10.
| Operation | Work center | Rate | Setup min (lot) | Cycle min (part) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAM programming | CAM programming | $95/h | 22.0 | 0.00 |
| Turn, 2 ops | CNC lathe | $90/h | 81.3 | 2.90 |
| Deburr | Deburr / bench | $55/h | 5.0 | 0.60 |
| Inspect | Inspection | $75/h | 15.0 | 0.50 |
Step 3: price every quantity, then look at what moved
The same part in 12L14 free-machining steel is $13.18 each at 50 pieces, against $21.01 in 303 and $25.99 in 316. The bar is cheaper, and the machinability factor (0.8 for 12L14, 0.4 for 303, 0.28 for 316 in the catalog) cuts the lathe minutes as well. When a buyer asks for a "similar but cheaper" quote, material is the first place to look.
| Quantity | 303 SS cost | 303 SS price each | 12L14 price each | 316 SS price each | Lead days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $209.63 | $272.52 | $248.61 | $287.24 | 9 |
| 10 | $31.24 | $40.61 | $32.15 | $45.99 | 9 |
| 50 | $16.16 | $21.01 | $13.18 | $25.99 | 9 |
| 250 | $10.93 | $14.21 | $8.01 | $18.12 | 11 |
What would change these numbers
Add a hole drilled across the shaft, a keyway or a flat and the part needs a second setup on a mill; our pricing engine adds a milling secondary with its own 45-minute setup. A diameter held to ±0.0005 in or a grind callout adds a cylindrical grind step. A bored hole adds boring-bar time on top of the turning rate. Heat treat, passivation or plating are outside services with their own lot minimums, which will dominate a 10-piece order.
If the part is small, slender and runs in the hundreds, ask whether it belongs on a Swiss lathe instead; that is a different quote with a much longer setup and a much shorter cycle.
Price breaks, 303 stainless stepped shaft
- • Part: 3.5 in long, 1.0 in diameter for 2.0 in, 0.75 in for 1.5 in, one groove, ±0.002 in on diameters, no cross holes.
- • Stock: round bar in the next standard size (1.25 in), 2 mm facing and 3 mm cut-off per part, 150 mm bar remnant shared across a 12 ft bar.
- • Routing: CAM programming, CNC lathe (65 min first operation setup), deburr, inspect. Rates from the US starting catalog: lathe $90/h, programming $95/h, bench $55/h, inspection $75/h.
- • Markup 30%; no outside finish, tax or freight.
| Quantity | Lot cost | Lot price | Price each |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $209.63 | $272.52 | $272.52 |
| 10 | $312.40 | $406.10 | $40.61 |
| 50 | $808.00 | $1,050.50 | $21.01 |
| 250 | $2,732.50 | $3,552.50 | $14.21 |
Sources and limits
Claims are dated where they can change. Product calculations are examples from the stated inputs, not a promise about a customer's quote. Competitor wording is attributed to the source shown.
- All prices on this page are from QuotedPart's pricing engine with the US starting catalog (2026 example rates, 30% markup). They are an example, not a market average or a supplier quote.
Questions
Do I charge for the bar remnant?
Yes, as a share of every part. A 12 ft bar leaves a stub you can't chuck; spread its weight over the parts cut from that bar. Our pricing engine uses 150 mm of a 3,658 mm bar, about 4% on top of the bar weight.
How do I handle a first-article part?
Include the lathe setup, proving time and inspection in the lot (as here) so a one-off pays for the setup it causes. If the buyer wants an inspection report with measured values, add that as its own line.
Price one of your own parts
Drop a PDF drawing or a STEP file. QuotedPart reads the print, measures the model and prices it in seconds, on default shop rates you can change.
Your STEP file or PDF drawingDrop a PDF drawing, a STEP file or both
Free. No account, no email. Priced at our default US rates until you set yours.
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