How laser cutting prices are calculated
AllTerra Calculator has two live pricing models: Business plan and Hourly rate (norm-hour). Both start from the same machine time, built from the nested parts. Below are the formulas in plain language, as used at calc.1cterra.ru.
Machine time (both models)
Machine time is not just cut length. The calculator builds the hours roughly like this:
- Base cut hours = cut length ÷ cut speed ÷ 60 (then × a complexity factor when one is set).
- Corner extra: for each corner, the time for the corner zone at reduced speed minus the time for the same zone at full speed. It uses the corner zone length and corner slowdown factor from the cutting mode.
- Pierce hours = number of pierces × pierce time (seconds) ÷ 3600.
- Idle hours = rapid travel length ÷ rapid speed. Machine time = cut time + idle. Gas is not charged on idle: the beam and assist gas are off between cuts.
Pierces come from the outer contours and holes in the DXF. Cut length comes from the nest. Speeds and pierce times come from the cutting mode for the material and thickness. Without those shop values, the calculator cannot give a realistic time.
Business plan (full cost model)
In Business plan the calculator adds up itemised cost lines, then applies margin. Your machine hourly rate is not used as a simple multiplier here. Labour and equipment already have their own cost lines.
Cost lines you can switch on in settings:
- Material — always included, from sheets and catalogue prices.
- Labour lines (operator, assistant, engineer) when switched on.
- Gas during cut time plus gas per pierce. Energy from power and duty cycle settings.
- Equipment depreciation and maintenance when switched on.
- Premises and rent (machine, common, loading), logistics, administration.
- Margin percent on top of cost, then optional VAT on the selling price.
Hourly rate / norm-hour model
In Hourly rate mode the quote is simple: material plus Hourly rate × billable time. Billable time is machine time plus sheet handling (loading and similar) and bridge-break work, as set up. It is the time the machine is tied up and cannot cut another job.
Gas, energy, depreciation and rent are set to zero in this mode, so they are not paid twice on top of an all-in hourly rate. Sheet repositioning can still show as its own line, and is still counted as machine time.
Outside the hourly rate: CAM and nesting office work, delivery and packaging. They are not folded into the machine hour. Delivery and packaging can appear as separate sums when used.
VAT
If VAT is on in company settings, VAT = price without VAT × VAT percent ÷ 100, added on top. The default is 20% when you turn VAT on. If VAT is off, no tax amount is added.
What is and is not included
Included when set up: material, the machine-time factors (length, speed, corners, pierces, idle) and the cost lines for your pricing model. The calculator applies your numbers. It does not fill a missing price list with invented average prices.
- Not invented by the calculator: your sheet prices, Hourly rate, gas prices and cutting speeds. You enter them.
- Not in the hourly rate: separate CAM and nesting labour, delivery, packaging (extra sums if used).
- Not on calc.1cterra.ru today: multi-currency international billing. Money is in RUB.
The live calculator interface is in Russian, English and German. This marketing site has more languages. Do not assume every screen text of the calculator exists in every language of this site.
Side-by-side
| Topic | Business plan | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Main drivers | Itemised cost lines + margin | Material + rate × billable hours |
| Machine hourly rate | Not used as the main multiplier | Central to cutting labour |
| Gas / energy / rent lines | Calculated when switched on | Zero (covered by the rate) |
| Best when | You need a full cost breakdown | You quote from a shop hourly rate |
If you are moving from a spreadsheet, map your cells to these terms once. Sheet price → material catalogue. Minutes under the beam → machine time. All-in shop rate → Hourly rate. Itemised overheads → Business plan. The calculator does not guess missing cells. An empty rate gives an empty or zero line, not an invented average.
Once you understand the formulas, set up cutting modes for each thickness you quote often. Pierce time and cut speed matter most on small parts. Idle travel matters on nests with many separate contours. Revisit VAT and margin only after the cost core matches a job you already understand on paper.
To present the same numbers to a customer, go to the quoting software page. To see how geometry becomes cut length, read DXF nesting and the nesting engine pages. This page claims no universal euro-per-metre price. Money on calc.1cterra.ru is in RUB.
Corner slowdown is worth a second look on thick plate with many sharp corners. The extra seconds are small per corner, but they add up on ornamental parts. Idle travel is worth a look on nests with dozens of separate pieces spread over a large sheet. Both are part of machine time today.