QuotedPartCost guides · Updated 2026-10-30
What should I carry for bar and plate material in a quote?
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For a 4 × 3 × 1-inch 6061 blank, the stock model allocates 0.758 kg per part before quantity purchase effects. The editable catalog uses $9.50/lb for small lots and $4.50/lb for volume. Those are estimating inputs, not independently verified October 2026 distributor offers. Quote the stock you must purchase, not just the finished part's weight.
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Rates are assumptions until tied to a purchase
The table converts the application's material rates into dollars per pound and a one-inch round bar's dollars per foot. A diameter-specific supplier listing may have a completely different effective rate. The computed foot uses cylindrical volume, catalog density and the small-lot rate; it does not include saw charges, packaging, tax or delivery.
No current full-bar or cut-piece distributor offer was independently verified for this table. Treat the volume column as a second catalog input rather than a guaranteed quantity discount. A missing volume tier means the catalog has no separate value, not that a distributor refuses to negotiate. Replace these assumptions with a dated quote for the required form and dimensions before committing to a fixed material price.
| Material | Small-lot $/lb | Volume $/lb | 1 in round, $/ft | Density g/cm³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum 6061-T6 | $9.50 | $4.50 | $8.73 | 2.7 |
| Stainless 303 | $6.24 | $4.37 | $17.00 | 8 |
| Stainless 304 | $6.87 | $4.75 | $18.72 | 8 |
| Stainless 316 | $8.99 | $6.25 | $24.49 | 8 |
| Steel 1018 | $2.46 | $1.40 | $6.59 | 7.87 |
| Steel 4140 pre-hard | $8.42 | $2.10 | $22.50 | 7.85 |
| Titanium Ti-6Al-4V | $71.70 | $28.00 | $108.15 | 4.43 |
The blank and the purchase are different quantities
The worked plate finishes at 4 × 3 × 1 inches, with a 1.25-inch raw thickness. The stock model adds its machining allowances and purchase rules. The quantity table shows the resulting material line, so the reader can compare one part with ten or 100 without assuming each part is bought as an independent retail cut.
For auditability, the engine's full-stock mass for this geometry is 25.776 kg and its minimum-lot purchase mass is 2.149 kg. Those are modeled buying rules. A supplier's actual plate cut can supersede them; enter that price directly instead of simultaneously charging the modeled stock and the purchased blank.
| Qty | Setup min/lot | Run min/part at qty | Stock | Setup | Machine/labor | Outside | Markup + floor | Sell/part |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 128.5 | 7.10 | $45.00 | $195.13 | $9.94 | $0.00 | $75.02 | $325.09 |
| 10 | 128.5 | 7.10 | $15.88 | $19.51 | $9.95 | $0.00 | $13.60 | $58.94 |
| 100 | 128.5 | 7.10 | $9.49 | $1.95 | $9.94 | $0.00 | $6.41 | $27.79 |
Carry drop, kerf and price risk deliberately
Saw kerf disappears from the usable length. An unusable end also belongs to the job unless another real order absorbs it. A clean, identified remnant can receive a credit under a written shop policy, but giving every prototype the benefit of a hypothetical future customer understates cash required to perform the order.
Separate material handling from profit. If receiving, certificate matching, cutting and inventory are covered by the work-center rates, do not add the same labor again under an unexplained material factor. If the shop intentionally marks up purchased material, show the base invoice and chosen markup so someone else can reproduce it.
Use an expiry date when metal cost is a meaningful share of the order. Recheck grade, condition, heat-lot documentation and stock size at purchase release. A cheap nominal rate for the wrong condition is not a saving, and commodity or scrap pricing does not represent certified machining stock delivered in a usable size.
Material calculation inputs
- • Material rates are application inputs, not live quotes. 1 lb =0.45359237 kg; 1 in³ =0.016387064 L; round example Ø1 in ×12 in.
- • Worked plate 4 ×3 ×1 in, 1.25 in raw stock; 6061 density 2.7 g/cm³; default US stock purchasing model.
- • Quantity estimate includes machining at listed US rates, 30% markup and $65 floor; the material rate table itself contains no markup or cut fees. No claimed monthly refresh or supplier price guarantee.
| Material | Small-lot $/lb | Volume $/lb | 1 in round, $/ft | Density g/cm³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum 6061-T6 | $9.50 | $4.50 | $8.73 | 2.7 |
| Stainless 303 | $6.24 | $4.37 | $17.00 | 8 |
| Stainless 304 | $6.87 | $4.75 | $18.72 | 8 |
| Stainless 316 | $8.99 | $6.25 | $24.49 | 8 |
| Steel 1018 | $2.46 | $1.40 | $6.59 | 7.87 |
| Steel 4140 pre-hard | $8.42 | $2.10 | $22.50 | 7.85 |
| Titanium Ti-6Al-4V | $71.70 | $28.00 | $108.15 | 4.43 |
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