Engraving pricing
Laser engraving pricing calculator
The practical answer: price engraving from time and setup, not just material. Engraving jobs often look cheap because the blank item is inexpensive, but setup, proofing, alignment, cleaning and batching can dominate the real cost.
What changes for engraving?
- Engraving time can dominate the job.
- Batch size matters because setup time spreads across more pieces.
- Cleaning, masking and finishing should be added when relevant.
- Proofing and customer approval time should not disappear into the margin.
Batch example
| Input | Example |
|---|---|
| Blank items | 10 units at USD 2 each |
| Engraving time | 4 minutes each = 40 minutes |
| Setup/proofing | 20 minutes |
| Machine rate | USD 35/hour |
| Labor rate | USD 28/hour |
The per-piece price should include both engraving time and a share of setup. If the order drops from 10 pieces to 1 piece, the price per piece should rise because the setup cannot be spread across the batch.
Assumptions and limits
Use actual engraving time whenever possible. Area-based pricing is only a proxy because resolution, power, speed, material response, number of passes and finishing requirements can change the run time.
FAQ
Should engraving price be based on area?
Area can help estimate time, but actual engraving settings, resolution, material and passes matter. Use time as the pricing anchor whenever possible.
For the final customer quote, apply the cost, risk and margin sequence in how much to charge for laser cutting.