Refractories, Furnace Linings & Foundry Consumables worked example

Scrap Material Value at 58% usable-metal capture factor: a worked example

This worked example runs the scrap material value numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 58% usable-metal capture factor instead of the typical 80%. Scrap Material Value tells a foundry what its returned castings, gates, risers and refractory-contaminated skulls are actually worth once you account for how much usable metal you can recover.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Scrap castings recovered per heat: 100 units (held at the documented default)
  • Recovery credit per casting: 45 $ / unit (held at the documented default)
  • Usable-metal capture factor: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed handling and remelt cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Scrap Material Value 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 usable-metal capture factor sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • Use it when deciding whether to remelt returns internally, when pricing a scrap sale, or when reconciling melt-shop material variances each heat or shift. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

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 Scrap Material Value calculator, set usable-metal capture factor to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.