CNC cutting cost calculator
Upload a DXF drawing, or type in the cut length and number of piercings, then choose the material and thickness. You get a rough price range for cutting your parts from steel sheet. Your file is read in your own browser and is never uploaded.
What makes CNC cutting cost more, or less
Cut length
The machine is paid by the metre it cuts. Fewer and simpler outlines mean a lower price.
Piercings
Every hole and every separate outline starts with a piercing, which takes time and wears consumables. Many small holes add up quickly.
Thickness
Thicker plate cuts more slowly, so the price per metre rises with thickness.
Material
Stainless steel and aluminium cost more to cut than mild steel, and the sheet itself is charged by weight.
Quantity & nesting
Larger batches nest tighter on the sheet and spread the setup cost, so the price per part drops.
How to prepare a DXF for cutting
- Draw at 1:1 in millimetres. Don't scale the drawing, or the price and the parts will be wrong.
- Keep only cutting lines. Delete dimensions, text, centre lines and title blocks, or put them on their own layer.
- Close every outline. Gaps between lines make the machine stop and pierce again.
- Remove duplicate lines. Lines drawn on top of each other get cut twice and cost twice.
- Save as ASCII DXF. Most CAD programs (AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Fusion, LibreCAD) can export it. DWG and binary DXF won't open here.
CNC cutting cost questions
How is CNC cutting cost calculated?
CNC cutting is usually priced on the total length of cut, the number of piercings (every hole or separate outline needs one), the material and its thickness. Thicker and harder material cuts more slowly, so the price per metre rises with thickness. Material, if supplied by the cutter, is charged separately by weight.
What is a piercing in CNC cutting?
A piercing is the point where the cutting head first breaks through the sheet before it starts cutting a profile. Every hole, slot and outer outline needs one piercing, so a part with an outline and four bolt holes needs five piercings.
What file do I need for CNC cutting?
A DXF file drawn at 1:1 scale in millimetres is best. Keep only the cutting lines, close every outline, and remove dimensions, text and title blocks, or put them on separate layers. A PDF or a sketch with dimensions also works for a quote.
Is my DXF file uploaded to your server?
No. The calculator reads the DXF in your own browser to measure cut length and count piercings. The file is not sent anywhere unless you choose to send it to us on WhatsApp or by email for an exact quote.
Why is the result a price range and not an exact price?
The final price depends on how parts nest on the sheet, the exact grade, edge quality, quantity and current material rates. The calculator gives an indicative range; send us the drawing for a firm quote.
Which DXF entities does the calculator read?
Lines, polylines (including arcs drawn with bulges), arcs, circles, ellipses, splines and block inserts. Text, dimensions, hatches and points are ignored. Binary DXF and DWG files are not supported; save as ASCII DXF instead.
Want a firm price?
Send us the DXF with the material, thickness and quantity. We cut from mill-certified steel sheet in Okara and can bend the parts too.