Material Cost per Part Comparator
Two candidate materials priced per finished part, density included.
Aluminium at 3.5ร steel's price/kg is only ~1.2ร per LITRE โ parts are bought by volume, sold by weight. Add machining: aluminium cuts 4ร faster, often flipping the verdict entirely.
Formula
Disclaimer: This tool is for general informational and estimation purposes only and is not professional financial, tax, accounting or legal advice. All figures are estimates โ verify with a qualified professional before making decisions. Read the full disclaimer.
Material Cost per Part Comparator is a free material cost comparison for design engineers, metallurgists and QA inspectors โ instant, accurate and 100% client-side, with the governing formula and reference shown next to the result so the number can be defended, not just quoted.
About Material Cost per Part Comparator
Two candidate materials priced per finished part, density included. The calculation implements cost = volume ร ฯ ร price/kg (Cost-per-function analysis โ Ashby). Aluminium at 3.5ร steel's price/kg is only ~1.2ร per LITRE โ parts are bought by volume, sold by weight. Add machining: aluminium cuts 4ร faster, often flipping the verdict entirely.
How to use Material Cost per Part Comparator
- 1Enter Part volume in cmยณ.
- 2Enter Material A density in kg/mยณ.
- 3Enter Material A price in per kg.
- 4Enter Material B density in kg/mยณ.
- 5Read Material A cost/part, Material B cost/part instantly โ no submit button needed.
- 6Need US units? Flip the SI/Imperial toggle and every field converts.
Why use Material Cost per Part Comparator?
- โImplements the standard formula โ cost = volume ร ฯ ร price/kg
- โReference cited on-page: Cost-per-function analysis โ Ashby
- โOne-click SI โ Imperial toggle โ values convert in place, physics stays in SI
- โBuilt-in engineering verdict flags out-of-range results instantly
- โRuns entirely in your browser โ nothing uploaded, free forever
Frequently asked questions
What formula does the Material Cost per Part Comparator use?+
It computes cost = volume ร ฯ ร price/kg, per Cost-per-function analysis โ Ashby. The formula is displayed under the result.
What should I keep in mind when using this calculator?+
Aluminium at 3.5ร steel's price/kg is only ~1.2ร per LITRE โ parts are bought by volume, sold by weight. Add machining: aluminium cuts 4ร faster, often flipping the verdict entirely.
Where do the material property defaults come from?+
Defaults are standard handbook values (ASM, manufacturer datasheets, the cited standard). Always substitute certified values from your material's test certificate for critical work.
Is the Material Cost per Part Comparator free to use?+
Yes โ completely free, no sign-up, no limits. It runs client-side in your browser, so inputs stay private and results are instant even on slow connections.
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