Contract Manufacturing, Job Shop Quoting & Make-to-Order calculator
Prototype Quote Calculator
Use this calculator to scale prototype cost per unit across prototype quantity while accounting for engineering confidence, first-article risk, and expected build yield.
What this calculator does
- Estimate prototype quote cost for a low-volume development build.
- quoting prototypes, samples, development lots, or first articles before production pricing is known
- The result estimates prototype quote value after technical uncertainty and build yield are considered.
Formula used
- gross prototype quote value before risk = prototype cost per unit × prototype units requested
- expected prototype quote value = gross prototype quote value before risk × prototype quote confidence × expected prototype build yield
Inputs explained
- prototype cost per unit: Include material, manual labor, CNC time, additive work, special tooling, inspection, engineering support, and packaging per prototype.
- prototype units requested: Use the sample quantity, development lot, first article count, or customer prototype release quantity.
- prototype quote confidence: Use lower confidence for incomplete drawings, unproven materials, new suppliers, aggressive tolerances, or unknown test requirements.
- expected prototype build yield: Use expected acceptance after scrap, rework, first article learning, and customer evaluation risk.
How to use the result
- Use it to price samples, decide whether to require NRE, and compare prototype pricing with production follow-on value.
- Treat the result as an estimate until the RFQ package, customer drawing revision, material quote, routing, setup standard, shop rate, outside service quote, scrap history, open capacity, due date, and quoted commercial terms are confirmed for the same job, lot size, and customer order.
Common questions
- What is the prototype quote calculator for? Use this calculator to scale prototype cost per unit across prototype quantity while accounting for engineering confidence, first-article risk, and expected build yield.
- What information should I enter? Enter prototype cost per unit, prototype units requested, prototype quote confidence, and expected prototype build yield from the same RFQ, customer order, routing, capacity window, or quote scenario.
- What does the result tell me? The result estimates prototype quote value after technical uncertainty and build yield are considered.
- When is the result only an estimate? Treat the result as an estimate until the RFQ package, customer drawing revision, material quote, routing, setup standard, shop rate, outside service quote, scrap history, open capacity, due date, and quoted commercial terms are confirmed for the same job, lot size, and customer order.
Last reviewed 2026-05-12.