CNC machined — aluminum sensor bracket
Aluminum 6061-T6 · 50 × 40 × 10 mm · 3-axis milled
$92 total
$194 total
$760 total
$3,300 total
Full cost breakdown: CNC machining cost guide
How CNC and sheet metal part pricing works. Real numbers, no demo call.
Every price here was sampled from the engine that quotes real orders — what sets your price, where each process starts, and what we never charge for.
Five inputs set every price
There is no single “price per process.” The quote engine reads your part and prices these five inputs — the same five you can design against to pay less.
≈6×
Geometry
The biggest input. A simple bracket and a 5-axis part in the same size class price ~6× apart on the same engine — features, pockets, and thin walls set the machine time.
0.8–4×
Material
Aluminum 6061 is the baseline. Delrin runs slightly below it; stainless 1.4–1.8×; titanium 2.5–4× — stock price plus how fast the alloy lets you cut.
+5–100%
Tolerance & finish
Tightening ±0.1 mm to ±0.05 mm adds 5–15% on affected features; ±0.01 mm can double them. Finishes add per-lot charges. Only the callouts you tighten cost extra.
−92%
Quantity
Setup amortizes. The reference CNC bracket falls from $92 at one piece to $7.60 each at a hundred — most of the drop happens in the first ten.
24–72 h
Lead time
Standard lead time is the base price. Expedite options are shown up-front in the quote with their surcharge — never as a surprise on the invoice.
Two real parts, priced by quantity
The same reference parts used in our cost guides, priced through the engine that quotes every order. The pattern — setup amortizes, unit price collapses — repeats on almost every part.
Sheet metal — steel mounting bracket
Mild steel · 2 mm · laser cut, 2 bends
$88 total
$240 total
$980 total
$3,600 total
Full cost breakdown: Sheet metal cost guide
Example prices were sampled from the live FabDigit quote engine in September 2026 for the exact reference geometries described, then rounded. They are shown for comparison, not as quotes — your part is priced on its own geometry and confirmed by engineering review before production.
Where prices start, by process
Honest ranges instead of a fake single number — and a full cost guide behind each one showing the real math, crossover quantities, and material tables.
| Process | Where prices start | Best for | Full guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| CNC machining (milling & turning) | From ~$90 one-off; under $8/part by qty 100 | Functional parts, tight tolerance, real materials — the default for most prototypes and production. | CNC cost guide |
| Sheet metal fabrication | From ~$88 one-off; under $10/part by qty 100 | Brackets, enclosures, panels, chassis — batching pays. | Sheet metal cost guide |
| Injection molding & urethane casting | Tooling $1,500–30,000, then ~$0.50–5/part · urethane ~$35–60/part | Production plastics past ~200 units; urethane bridges 10–50 units before tooling pays off. | Molding cost guide |
| Metal casting | Tooling $500–50,000, then ~$0.50–50/part | Cast geometries at volume — sand, investment, or die casting by quantity. | Casting cost guide |
| 3D printing | From ~$20/part | Form studies and visual models — looser tolerance (±0.2–0.5 mm typical) and lower strength than machined billet. | Prototype guide |
Ranges reflect the reference examples and engine samples in each guide. Expedite lead times (24 / 48 / 72 h) are available on most processes — the surcharge is shown up-front in the quote, per quantity.
What you pay for — and what you never do
FabDigit’s revenue is manufacturing revenue. The software exists so you can buy parts, not the other way around.
You pay for
- The parts — the configurator price is the part price.
- Shipping, at carrier rates shown before checkout.
- Expedite, only if you choose it — the surcharge is shown per quantity, up-front, in the quote.
You never pay for
- Platform, seat, or subscription fees — the FabShop workspace is free for every app and every seat.
- Quoting fees — upload, price, and iterate as many times as you like.
- DFM review fees — engineering feedback on manufacturability is part of every quote.
- Per-app upcharges — CAD Cloud, Projects, Analytics, Quality: all included, no premium tier.
Pricing — FAQ
How do I get an exact price for my part?
Upload a CAD file. The quote engine reads your geometry, material, tolerance callouts, and quantity, and returns a price in minutes — for qty 1, 10, 25, 50, and 100 side by side. Every order is then confirmed by an engineering review before production.
Are the example prices on this page real?
Yes — they are sampled from the live FabDigit quote engine for the fixed reference geometries described, rounded for readability. They are shown so you can see how pricing behaves, not as quotes: your part is priced on its own geometry.
Why don’t you list one "starting price" per process?
Because it would be meaningless. Price is a function of geometry, material, tolerance, finish, and quantity — the same process can produce a $20 part and a $2,000 part. The honest version is the ranges and worked examples above, plus a real quote on your actual geometry, which takes about a minute.
Do you charge software or platform fees on top of the part price?
No. There are no seat fees, subscriptions, or platform surcharges anywhere — FabDigit’s revenue is manufacturing revenue. The workspace that produced the quote is free for you and your whole team, and SSO and ITAR controls for qualified programs are provided the same way: no platform fee.
How does quantity change the price?
Fixed setup cost (programming, fixturing, first-piece inspection) spreads across more parts. The reference CNC bracket drops 79% per part between qty 1 and qty 10, and 92% by qty 100. If you need 8 parts, price 10 — the quote shows every break.
What payment methods do you accept?
Credit card and ACH. PO + NET 30 / NET 45 / NET 60 for qualified businesses. International wires for non-US customers. Payments are always for parts — never for the software.
Do you match or beat a lower quote?
Yes. Send the competing quote for the same part, quantity, material, tolerance and finish to sales@fabdigit.com and we can almost always beat it. The offer is printed on every FabDigit quote.
Stop reading pricing pages. Price your part.
Upload a STEP file and the same engine behind every number on this page returns your price — for qty 1, 10, 25, 50, and 100 — in about a minute.