Foundry & Forging worked example

Melt Loss Calculator at 72% share of loss treated as unrecoverable: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop share of loss treated as unrecoverable to 72%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate the cost of melt loss from oxidation, slag, dross, furnace hold loss, ladle loss, returns, and alloy trim waste.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Metal lost per melt cycle: 380 lb (held at the documented default)
  • Charge metal price per pound: 1.85 $ / lb (held at the documented default)
  • Share of loss treated as unrecoverable: 72 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 100)
  • Fixed furnace and flux handling cost: 120 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total melt loss calculator = melt loss weight × metal cost per weight unit × recoverable loss included + fixed melt handling cost.
  • Total melt loss calculator works out to 626 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Melt loss cost per weight unit works out to 1.65 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable melt loss calculator works out to 506 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed melt handling cost works out to 120 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where share of loss treated as unrecoverable sits at 100% and the headline result is 823 $, this scenario comes in 23.92% below the baseline at 626 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to share of loss treated as unrecoverable, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It treats price and loss rate as flat averages; actual oxidation loss varies heat-to-heat with charge cleanliness, holding time, and turbulence, so use representative figures, not best-case ones.

Results at a glance

  • Total melt loss calculator: 626 $ (headline result)
  • Melt loss cost per weight unit: 1.65 $ / piece
  • Variable melt loss calculator: 506 $
  • Fixed melt handling cost: 120 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Melt Loss Calculator calculator, set share of loss treated as unrecoverable to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.