Additive Manufacturing worked example

Support Removal Labor at 99% chargeable labor capture: a worked example

Push chargeable labor capture up to 99% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. a post-processing lead needs to plan support removal labor and quote the finishing burden

The inputs for this scenario

  • Support removal time per part: 6.5 hr (unchanged)
  • Post-processing labor rate: 48 $ / hr (unchanged)
  • Chargeable labor capture: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 90)
  • Support removal setup charge: 35 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Captured support labor = removal hours × labor rate × chargeable capture) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 344 $ for support removal labor cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 52.9 $ / hr for labor rate.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 309 $ for captured support labor.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 35 $ for support removal setup.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where chargeable labor capture sits at 90% and the headline result is 316 $, this scenario comes in 8.89% above the baseline at 344 $.
  • It computes total support removal labor cost as captured removal labor (hours x rate x capture) plus a fixed setup charge. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Support removal labor cost: 344 $ (headline result)
  • Labor rate: 52.9 $ / hr
  • Captured support labor: 309 $
  • Support removal setup: 35 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Support Removal Labor calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.