Foundry & Forging calculator

Furnace Energy Cost Calculator

Estimate furnace energy cost for melting, holding, heat treatment, or preheat operations. Use it when electricity, gas, induction power, or holding time is material to casting or forging cost.

What this calculator does

  • Estimate furnace energy cost for melting, holding, heat treatment, or preheat operations.
  • Use it when electricity, gas, induction power, or holding time is material to casting or forging cost.
  • Costs furnace energy for foundry and forge operations.

Formula used

  • Total furnace energy cost = furnace connected or metered load × furnace runtime × blended energy rate
  • Furnace Energy Cost cost per processed unit = total energy cost ÷ castings or forgings processed

Inputs explained

  • Furnace connected or metered load: Use furnace nameplate, submeter, demand reading, or average melting/holding power.
  • Furnace runtime: Enter melting, holding, superheat, or heat-treat hours for the heat, lot, or shift.
  • Blended energy rate: Use utility cost including demand charges, fuel equivalent, or plant finance energy rate.
  • Castings or forgings processed: Use accepted pieces, heats, lots, or weight units processed during the same runtime.

How to use the result

  • Use for melt-shop and heat-treat costing.
  • This calculator is an estimating tool. Results can change with alloy chemistry, furnace practice, ladle losses, mold design, gating and riser layout, core condition, pattern allowance, die temperature, press condition, inspection criteria, rework rules, energy rates, labor standards, and actual shop performance. Validate safety-critical, metallurgical, tooling, press-capacity, and customer-spec decisions with qualified engineering, metallurgy, OEM data, and the applicable control plan.

Common questions

  • What information do I need before using the Furnace Energy Cost? Use load, runtime, energy rate, and processed units from the same furnace run.
  • What does the result mean? It estimates total energy cost, energy used, hourly cost, and cost per processed unit.
  • When is the result only an estimate? This calculator is an estimating tool. Results can change with alloy chemistry, furnace practice, ladle losses, mold design, gating and riser layout, core condition, pattern allowance, die temperature, press condition, inspection criteria, rework rules, energy rates, labor standards, and actual shop performance. Validate safety-critical, metallurgical, tooling, press-capacity, and customer-spec decisions with qualified engineering, metallurgy, OEM data, and the applicable control plan.
  • What decision can I make from the result? Use it to quote energy cost, compare furnace settings, or evaluate holding-time reductions.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.