Plating, Anodizing & Surface Treatment worked example

Masking Labor Cost at 110% share of features actually masked: a worked example in plating, anodizing & surface treatment

What does the result look like when share of features actually masked reaches 110%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it when a part has critical threads or faces that must stay bare during plating or anodizing and you need the masking labor priced.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Masked features per part: 6 features (unchanged)
  • Labor cost to mask one feature: 0.85 $/feature (unchanged)
  • Share of features actually masked: 110 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 100)
  • Mask material and demask cost adder: 1.2 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Masking cost = features x labor per feature x maskable share% + material and demask adder) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 6.81 $ for total masking labor cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1.14 $ / piece for masking labor cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 5.61 $ for variable masking labor cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1.2 $ for fixed masking labor cost adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where share of features actually masked sits at 100% and the headline result is 6.3 $, this scenario comes in 8.1% above the baseline at 6.81 $.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when share of features actually masked is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It uses one average labor rate per feature; parts mixing quick plugs with fiddly hand-lacquered edges will need a blended or per-feature-type estimate to stay accurate.

Results at a glance

  • Total masking labor cost: 6.81 $ (headline result)
  • Masking labor cost per unit: 1.14 $ / piece
  • Variable masking labor cost: 5.61 $
  • Fixed masking labor cost adder: 1.2 $

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.