Pultrusion & Continuous Composite Profiles worked example

Fiber Cost Per Foot at 58% fiber utilization: a worked example

Suppose fiber utilization falls to 58%. This page works the full calculation at that level so you can see exactly which result moves and by how much. Fiber Cost Per Foot tells a pultrusion line what the glass or carbon reinforcement actually costs for every linear foot of profile it pulls.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Linear feet of profile pulled: 100 units (held at the documented default)
  • Roving and mat cost per foot: 45 $ / unit (held at the documented default)
  • Fiber utilization (net of scrap): 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Creel setup and waste allowance: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Fiber Cost Per Foot cost = quantity × rate × capture factor + fixed cost.
  • Weighted cost works out to 2,860 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Per piece value works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Captured value works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed adjustment works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where fiber utilization sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • It computes the total fiber cost for a production run and the resulting cost per linear foot, weighted by how much of the fiber you buy actually ends up in the finished profile. When the numbers land here, the stressed input is the lever to work; the walkthrough above shows exactly how much each output recovers as it climbs back toward the baseline.

Results at a glance

  • Weighted cost: 2,860 $ (headline result)
  • Per piece value: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Captured value: 2,610 $
  • Fixed adjustment: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Fiber Cost Per Foot calculator, set fiber utilization to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.