Thermoforming & Vacuum Formed Products worked example

Plastic Sheet Cost at 58% sheet-to-part yield factor: a worked example

This worked example runs the plastic sheet cost numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 58% sheet-to-part yield factor instead of the typical 80%. Plastic sheet cost is usually the largest single line in a thermoformed part's cost — extruded roll or cut sheet in materials like PET, HIPS, or PP typically drives 50-70% of piece price.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Parts formed from the sheet order: 100 units (held at the documented default)
  • Sheet material cost per part: 45 $ / unit (held at the documented default)
  • Sheet-to-part yield factor: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed setup and trim-die cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Plastic Sheet Cost 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 sheet-to-part yield 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 quoting a run, comparing sheet suppliers or gauges, or testing whether a yield improvement changes piece price enough to matter. 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 Plastic Sheet Cost calculator, set sheet-to-part yield factor to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.