How do you calculate plating rework cost?

Multiply the number of parts by the rework cost per part and by the salvageable share, then add the fixed strip-bath and inspection adder. For 40 parts at $3.75 each with an 85% salvage share plus a $90 adder, that is 40 x 3.75 x 0.85 + 90 = $217.50 total.

What is the cost per salvaged part in this example?

Divide total rework cost by parts stripped and re-finished: $217.50 / 40 = $5.44 per piece. That is higher than the $3.75 per-part rework rate because the fixed adder and the salvage yield are spread across the whole lot.

Why include a salvageable share instead of assuming 100%?

Not every stripped part survives re-finishing — some show pitting, base-metal attack or dimensional loss after stripping. The 85% share means you only pay to re-run parts you realistically expect to recover, so the variable cost is 40 x 3.75 x 0.85 = $127.50.

What goes into the strip-bath and inspection adder?

It captures fixed per-batch costs that do not scale with quantity: chemical stripping bath time and consumption, waste treatment, re-racking setup, and the re-inspection or re-test labor. In the example this fixed adder is $90 regardless of lot size.

When is it cheaper to scrap than to rework?

Compare the per-salvaged-part cost against replacement cost. At $5.44 per salvaged piece, if a new blank plus first-pass finishing costs less than that, scrap and re-run new stock instead of stripping.

Rework cost vs scrap cost — what is the difference?

Scrap cost is the sunk value of a part you discard; rework cost is the added spend to recover it. Rework only makes sense when the salvaged-part cost stays below the cost of a fresh part, and when salvage yield is high enough to avoid re-stripping the same parts twice.

Plating, Anodizing & Surface Treatment calculator

Rework Cost Calculator

Rework Cost tells a finishing shop what it truly costs to strip and re-run parts that failed thickness, coverage, adhesion or color spec on the first pass. Line supervisors, quality engineers and estimators in plating, anodizing and coating shops use it because a rejected rack is not just scrap value lost — it is strip-bath chemistry, re-racking labor, a second pass through the tank line, and re-inspection. Getting this number right keeps rework off the hidden-cost list and forces the question of whether re-finishing or scrapping is cheaper. It also feeds cost-of-quality reporting that justifies process fixes like better masking or bath maintenance.

What this calculator does

Estimate finishing rework cost from parts re-finished, per-part rework rate, the salvageable share, and flat strip-bath or inspection adders.
Use it when a plating or anodizing lot fails inspection and you need to price stripping and re-running the affected parts.
It computes the total dollar cost to strip and re-finish a batch of nonconforming plated or anodized parts, plus the effective cost per salvaged part.

Formula used

Rework cost = parts x rework cost per part x salvageable share% + strip-bath and inspection adder
Cost per salvaged part = rework cost / parts stripped and re-finished

Inputs explained

Parts stripped and re-finished:
Rework cost per part:
Salvageable share:
Strip-bath and inspection adder:

How to use the result

Use it after inspection rejects a rack or lot and you need to decide between re-finishing and scrapping, or to book cost-of-quality for a defect trend.
It assumes a flat rework cost per part and a fixed strip/inspection adder; complex defects with variable strip times or multi-layer re-builds will cost more than a single averaged rate implies.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for industrial chemicals stands at 344.336 (BLS, May 2026), up 16.1% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
The U.S. has 14,543 chemical manufacturing establishments employing about 911,245 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

How do you calculate plating rework cost? Multiply the number of parts by the rework cost per part and by the salvageable share, then add the fixed strip-bath and inspection adder. For 40 parts at $3.75 each with an 85% salvage share plus a $90 adder, that is 40 x 3.75 x 0.85 + 90 = $217.50 total.
What is the cost per salvaged part in this example? Divide total rework cost by parts stripped and re-finished: $217.50 / 40 = $5.44 per piece. That is higher than the $3.75 per-part rework rate because the fixed adder and the salvage yield are spread across the whole lot.
Why include a salvageable share instead of assuming 100%? Not every stripped part survives re-finishing — some show pitting, base-metal attack or dimensional loss after stripping. The 85% share means you only pay to re-run parts you realistically expect to recover, so the variable cost is 40 x 3.75 x 0.85 = $127.50.
What goes into the strip-bath and inspection adder? It captures fixed per-batch costs that do not scale with quantity: chemical stripping bath time and consumption, waste treatment, re-racking setup, and the re-inspection or re-test labor. In the example this fixed adder is $90 regardless of lot size.
When is it cheaper to scrap than to rework? Compare the per-salvaged-part cost against replacement cost. At $5.44 per salvaged piece, if a new blank plus first-pass finishing costs less than that, scrap and re-run new stock instead of stripping.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.