QuotedPartCost guides · Updated 2026-10-30
Is Delrin or UHMW cheaper to machine?
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.
For the same turned spacer, UHMW is cheaper than Delrin by $6.71 at one, $1.13 at 10, and $1.13 at 100 pieces ($244.49 for UHMW versus $251.20 for Delrin at one). The difference follows stock price and density; setup and inspection remain shared fixed work.
See how QuotedPart connects to your workflow with its API, MCP server, autonomous quoting and shop-specific learning.
The Delrin (acetal) example part
The worked piece is a two-inch turned spacer with a drilled center and a relief groove. Delrin is stiffer and holds a crisp edge; UHMW is lighter and more forgiving but can string and deflect. Those process observations explain why a shop may choose different feeds or deburring steps even when the CAD dimensions match.
How the quantity break works
At quantity one, the lot setup and CAM line is larger than either polymer blank. At 100 pieces, the per-pound material difference is easier to see. A buyer who only compares resin prices can miss the labor needed to catch a soft edge, clean swarf or package parts without scratches.
| Qty | Setup min (lot) | Cycle min (part) | Cost / part | Quoted / part | Lot price | Lead days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 123.3 | 3.3 | $188.07 | $244.49 | $244.49 | 9 |
| 10 | 123.3 | 3.3 | $23.15 | $30.10 | $301.00 | 9 |
| 100 | 123.3 | 3.3 | $6.94 | $9.02 | $902.00 | 10 |
What the material or process changes
Neither material in this example includes a bought-in certificate, color match, food-contact documentation or post-machining anneal. If the drawing calls for a bushing fit, state the bore tolerance and temperature range; polymer dimensions move with moisture and heat. These are quoting assumptions, not a materials recommendation.
How to turn this into a firm quote
If the application can use either polymer, show both lines and explain the functional tradeoff. The pricing engine lets the shop change its material rate and run the same route, which keeps a substitution discussion grounded in minutes and pounds rather than a blanket markup.
Questions to settle before release
Check the polymer’s grade, color, moisture condition and intended contact before choosing a lower price. UHMW can move under load and may need a different fit allowance; Delrin may be the safer choice for a stable bore. Confirm whether the customer needs a certificate or a clean packaging method. A material substitution is a design decision, so show the two computed routes and let the buyer approve the change.
For this delrin vs uhmw cost estimate, the estimate is strongest when the handoff includes the drawing revision, stock quote date and acceptance plan. Save those details with the quantity break. If the buyer changes one requirement, rerun the affected operation and leave the other lines intact. This keeps a revision discussion factual and prevents an old material or finish assumption from surviving in a new price.
Pricing engine output for the stated Delrin (acetal) CNC turning example part
- • Material: Delrin (acetal); the US catalog stores its small-lot price and machinability factor.
- • Process: CNC turning; setup, machine time, deburring and inspection are generated from the example-part geometry.
- • Markup: 30% default US catalog markup; quantities are 1, 10, 100.
- • Fictional 2 in turned part from 1.5 in bar; one drilled end hole and one groove.
- • No outside finish, tax, freight, or customer-specific rate is included.
- • These are computed examples, not supplier quotes or market averages.
| Qty | Setup min (lot) | Cycle min (part) | Cost / part | Quoted / part | Lot price | Lead days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 123.3 | 3.2 | $193.23 | $251.20 | $251.20 | 9 |
| 10 | 123.3 | 3.2 | $24.02 | $31.23 | $312.30 | 9 |
| 100 | 123.3 | 3.2 | $7.81 | $10.15 | $1015.00 | 10 |
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.
- The figures are computed from the stated example part and US catalog assumptions.
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.
Related QuotedPart guides
Cost guides
Delrin (acetal) price per pound and small-part quote
The catalog’s small-lot Delrin price is $7.50 per pound, but a quote for a polymer spacer includes stock, turning, drilling, deburring, inspection and setu
Cost guides
12L14 versus 1018 machining cost for turned parts
Our pricing engine comparison keeps the turned geometry and shop rates fixed while changing only the steel assumption. 12L14 usually wins on cycle time and bar pri
Cost guides
17-4 PH stainless machining cost with a quantity-break example
A small turned 17-4 PH stainless part in this estimate starts with slow cutting and a relatively expensive bar. The pricing engine computes setup, cycle, m
Cost guides
17-4 PH stainless price per pound for a machining quote
The US catalog starts 17-4 PH stainless at $7.30 per pound for a small lot and a lower volume price for full-bar quantities. On the sample turned pin, the