QuotedPartCost guides · Updated 2026-10-30
How much does hard anodizing add to a machined aluminum part?
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Type III hard anodizing adds $221.00 per part at one, $22.10 at 10, and $9.79 at 100; the finished quotes are $685.53, $105.87 and $50.96. The lot minimum is why one part carries most of the finish cost, while larger lots spread it. Masking and coating thickness can change fit and outside cost. Confirm whether threads, bores and contact faces need masking or a post-finish size check.
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The 6061-T6 aluminum with Type III hardcoat example part
Hard anodize is a functional finish, not just a color. The drawing should state thickness, color, masking and dimensional allowance. The example part has a pocket and tapped holes where coating buildup or masking may affect fit, but this example does not assume a specific coating thickness or masking price.
How the quantity break works
The lot minimum creates a sharp quantity curve. At one piece, the outside invoice can exceed the raw aluminum. At 100 pieces, the per-part finish charge is closer to its catalog rate. A finisher may quote differently for rack size, sealing, testing or a rush date, so treat the table as a planning number.
What the material or process changes
The machining route itself is unchanged: CAM, milling, deburring and inspection happen before the outside service. If the hardcoat requires post-finish lapping, thread chasing or a plugged hole, add those minutes and risk rather than hiding them in markup.
How to turn this into a firm quote
Ask for the finish specification and the finisher’s current minimum before sending a firm quote. Keeping the finish as a named line lets you swap Type II, hardcoat or no finish without rebuilding the material and cycle arithmetic.
Questions to settle before release
Request the finisher’s current rack minimum, coating thickness, sealing method and masking price. Measure the surfaces that must remain uncoated and leave the correct allowance on bores and threads. Confirm color and test requirements before promising a date. The computed lot minimum is useful for planning a prototype; it should be replaced by the finisher’s written invoice when the job is released.
For this hard anodizing 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 Aluminum 6061-T6 CNC milling example part
- • Material: Aluminum 6061-T6; the US catalog stores its small-lot price and machinability factor.
- • Process: CNC milling; 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 4 × 3 × 1 in milled block; no finish or outside process.
- • Outside finishes: Hardcoat Type III using the catalog lot minimum and lead time.
- • 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 | 191.0 | 13.5 | $527.33 | $685.53 | $685.53 | 18 |
| 10 | 191.0 | 13.5 | $81.44 | $105.87 | $1058.70 | 18 |
| 100 | 191.0 | 13.5 | $39.20 | $50.96 | $5096.00 | 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.
- The figures are computed from the stated example part and US catalog assumptions.
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