Tooling, Fixtures, Dies & Mold Economics worked example

Jig And Fixture Cost at 99% direct-build share: a worked example

What does the result look like when direct-build share reaches 99%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. A manufacturing engineer uses it to budget a workholding or weld fixture before releasing it to the toolroom.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Fixture Build Hours: 60 hr (unchanged)
  • Fabrication Shop Rate: 95 $/hr (unchanged)
  • Direct-Build Share: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 92)
  • Hardware & Plate Stock Cost: 1,400 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Fixture cost = build hours x shop rate x direct-build share% + hardware/stock cost) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 7,043 $ for total jig and fixture cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 117 $ / piece for jig and fixture cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 5,643 $ for variable jig and fixture cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,400 $ for fixed jig and fixture cost adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where direct-build share sits at 92% and the headline result is 6,644 $, this scenario comes in 6.01% above the baseline at 7,043 $.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when direct-build share is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It assumes a single build pass and does not include design engineering time, first-article debug, or ongoing maintenance unless you fold those into build hours.

Results at a glance

  • Total jig and fixture cost: 7,043 $ (headline result)
  • Jig and fixture cost per unit: 117 $ / piece
  • Variable jig and fixture cost: 5,643 $
  • Fixed jig and fixture cost adder: 1,400 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Jig And Fixture Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.