Additive Manufacturing Service Bureau Quoting worked example

Finishing Subcontract Cost at 130% billable pass-through markup: a worked example

Push billable pass-through markup up to 130% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. an estimator needs to include outside finishing cost in a 3D printing quote

The inputs for this scenario

  • Subcontracted parts or finishing hours: 40 parts or hr (unchanged)
  • Vendor finishing rate: 12 $ / part or $ / hr (unchanged)
  • Billable pass-through markup: 130 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 115)
  • Handling and coordination charge: 95 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Captured subcontract value = subcontracted quantity × vendor rate × billable pass-through) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 719 $ for finishing subcontract quote cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 17.98 $ / part or $ / hr for vendor finishing rate.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 624 $ for captured subcontract value.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 95 $ for handling/coordination charge.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where billable pass-through markup sits at 115% and the headline result is 647 $, this scenario comes in 11.13% above the baseline at 719 $.
  • It computes the quoted subcontract cost by multiplying subcontracted parts or hours by the vendor's rate and a billable pass-through markup, then adding a flat handling/coordination 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

  • Finishing subcontract quote cost: 719 $ (headline result)
  • Vendor finishing rate: 17.98 $ / part or $ / hr
  • Captured subcontract value: 624 $
  • Handling/coordination charge: 95 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Finishing Subcontract Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.