Lasers, Optics & Photonics Manufacturing worked example

Laser Energy Cost at 86% beam-on utilization share: a worked example

What does the result look like when beam-on utilization share reaches 86%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use this when budgeting electricity cost for a fiber laser cell, comparing energy efficiency between laser types (CO2 vs. fiber vs. diode), or including energy in your per-part cost model.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Planned laser operating hours: 176 hours (unchanged)
  • System power draw (all-in): 2.1 $ / hr (unchanged)
  • Beam-on utilization share: 86 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 75)
  • Fixed monthly energy overhead: 180 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Variable energy cost = operating hours x power cost per hour x beam-on utilization share) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 498 $ for total laser energy cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2.83 $ / piece for energy cost per operating hour.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 318 $ for variable energy cost (beam-on).
  • At this operating point the engine returns 180 $ for fixed monthly energy overhead.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where beam-on utilization share sits at 75% and the headline result is 457 $, this scenario comes in 8.89% above the baseline at 498 $.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when beam-on utilization share is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It uses a single all-in power cost per hour, so it does not separate peak versus off-peak tariffs or model how chiller load rises with higher beam duty.

Results at a glance

  • Total laser energy cost: 498 $ (headline result)
  • Energy cost per operating hour: 2.83 $ / piece
  • Variable energy cost (beam-on): 318 $
  • Fixed monthly energy overhead: 180 $

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.