Does higher edge quality change the cost?

A slower quality setting increases jet time for the same contour. Enter that program’s time and abrasive feed rate to update both garnet and pump cost.

Can I use this for water-only cutting?

Set abrasive mass flow to zero and enter the water-only jet time. Confirm the nonabrasive pump rate represents that operating setup.

Where should operator labor go?

Include all allocated operator labor in setup and operator batch cost. Keep it out of the pump operating rate to prevent counting the same labor twice.

Do I charge reused abrasive at the new price?

Use a measured delivered cost and feed rate for the abrasive actually consumed. Reuse performance and recovery expense need separate evidence before changing the fresh-garnet allowance.

Welding & Fabrication calculator

Waterjet Cutting Cost Calculator

Price the waterjet batch with abrasive consumption shown as purchased pounds. You need cut quantity, jet time, garnet feed and price, nonabrasive pump rate, and setup plus operator cost.

What this calculator does

Estimate abrasive waterjet batch cost from jet-on time, garnet mass flow and separate pump operating expense.

Formula used

Jet minutes = parts cut × jet-on minutes per part
Abrasive consumed = jet minutes × abrasive mass flow
Abrasive cost = abrasive consumed × delivered abrasive price
Pump operating cost = jet minutes ÷ 60 × nonabrasive pump rate
Total waterjet cost = abrasive cost + pump operating cost + setup and operator batch cost

Inputs explained

Parts Cut: Completed waterjet-cut blanks including later rejects.
Jet-On Time per Part: Program or timer jet-on minutes including abrasive piercing.
Abrasive Mass Flow: Measured garnet feed rate for the programmed quality setting.
Delivered Abrasive Price: Delivered invoice price per pound of fresh garnet.
Pump Operating Rate Without Abrasive: Power, water and wear cost per jet hour; excludes abrasive and labor.
Setup and Operator Batch Cost: Pump preparation, programming, handling and all operator labor for this batch.

How to use the result

Best suited to garnet allowance for a waterjet batch, comparing programmed edge quality costs.
Excludes stock material, disposal and secondary finishing. Mixed abrasive-on and water-only segments need a separately weighted abrasive feed rate.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for steel mill products stands at 381.162 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 23.4% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
Industrial electricity averages 9.77 cents per kWh across the U.S. (EIA, Jul 2026), up 4.7% from a year earlier. Energy-intensive steps carry this directly into unit cost.
U.S. iron and steel import customs value ran $2.2B in Aug 2026 (Census International Trade). The U.S. ran a trade deficit of $0.6B in the category that month. This dollar total mixes price, quantity, product mix, origin, and timing; it does not measure physical import volume or prove a tariff or reshoring effect.
The U.S. has 53,790 fabricated metal products establishments employing about 1,441,471 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

Does higher edge quality change the cost? A slower quality setting increases jet time for the same contour. Enter that program’s time and abrasive feed rate to update both garnet and pump cost.
Can I use this for water-only cutting? Set abrasive mass flow to zero and enter the water-only jet time. Confirm the nonabrasive pump rate represents that operating setup.
Where should operator labor go? Include all allocated operator labor in setup and operator batch cost. Keep it out of the pump operating rate to prevent counting the same labor twice.
Do I charge reused abrasive at the new price? Use a measured delivered cost and feed rate for the abrasive actually consumed. Reuse performance and recovery expense need separate evidence before changing the fresh-garnet allowance.

Last reviewed 2026-10-06.