How do you calculate total terminal cost?

Multiply terminations by unit price, divide by first-pass yield because failed crimps scrap the terminal, then add the setup charge. 120 crimps at $0.14, 96% yield, plus a $45 setup gives a $62.50 total.

What is the cost per termination?

Divide the total by the number of terminations. Here $62.50 across 120 crimps is about $0.5208 per termination, most of which is the spread of the $45 setup charge.

Why does the setup charge dominate cost per crimp?

The variable terminal spend is only $17.50, while the fixed setup adder is $45. On small runs the setup fee swamps the per-crimp price, so volume matters.

How does first-pass yield affect terminal cost here?

Yield scales the variable cost directly, 96% yield trims the raw terminal spend before the setup charge is added. Lower yield in this model lowers the scaled figure, so treat it as a costing factor rather than a scrap count.

How do I lower cost per termination?

Spread the $45 setup over more crimps by batching, negotiate a lower per-crimp price, or reduce setup fees with common applicators. Volume is the biggest lever.

Variable vs. fixed terminal cost, what's the split?

Variable is the yield-loaded terminal spend that grows with quantity ($17.50 here); fixed is the one-time setup adder ($45). The tool reports both so you can see the breakeven.

Wire Harness, Cable & Electromechanical Assembly calculator

Terminal Cost Calculator

Terminal cost totals the money tied up in crimp terminations for a harness job: the per-crimp terminal price scaled by first-pass yield, plus a fixed applicator setup charge. Estimators and buyers use it to price the termination content of a quote and to see how yield and setup fees move the landed cost per crimp. Because setup is a fixed charge, its per-unit impact shrinks on larger runs, this tool makes that visible by reporting both total and per-termination cost. It separates the variable terminal spend from the fixed adder so you know exactly what a run costs.

What this calculator does

Estimate the cost of crimped terminals on a harness including terminal piece price, crimp cycle and applicator setup.
Use it when a job has high termination counts and you need to capture both the per-crimp cost and the applicator changeover.
It computes total terminal cost as terminations times unit price times first-pass yield plus a setup charge, and divides by count for cost per termination.

Formula used

Total = terminations x cost per termination ÷ crimp first-pass yield% + applicator setup charge
Cost per termination = total terminal cost / terminations

Inputs explained

Number of terminations:
Terminal price per crimp:
Crimp first-pass yield:
Applicator setup charge:

How to use the result

Use it when quoting the termination content of a harness or comparing suppliers and applicator fees.
First-pass yield here scales cost directly; it does not model rework labor or scrapped terminals separately, so treat it as a costing factor, not a quality metric.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for copper and brass mill shapes stands at 542.853 (BLS, Jul 2026), up 52.8% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move. Global copper trades at $13,543 per tonne (IMF via FRED, Jul 2026).
Manufacturing hourly earnings average $30.35 (BLS, Jul 2026), up 4.2% from a year earlier. Median machinist pay is $28.24/hr (OEWS 2025), with state medians on each state page. Manufacturers have 481k open positions nationally (BLS JOLTS).
The U.S. has 5,397 electrical equipment and appliances establishments employing about 369,437 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

How do you calculate total terminal cost? Multiply terminations by unit price, divide by first-pass yield because failed crimps scrap the terminal, then add the setup charge. 120 crimps at $0.14, 96% yield, plus a $45 setup gives a $62.50 total.
What is the cost per termination? Divide the total by the number of terminations. Here $62.50 across 120 crimps is about $0.5208 per termination, most of which is the spread of the $45 setup charge.
Why does the setup charge dominate cost per crimp? The variable terminal spend is only $17.50, while the fixed setup adder is $45. On small runs the setup fee swamps the per-crimp price, so volume matters.
How does first-pass yield affect terminal cost here? Yield scales the variable cost directly, 96% yield trims the raw terminal spend before the setup charge is added. Lower yield in this model lowers the scaled figure, so treat it as a costing factor rather than a scrap count.
How do I lower cost per termination? Spread the $45 setup over more crimps by batching, negotiate a lower per-crimp price, or reduce setup fees with common applicators. Volume is the biggest lever.

Last reviewed 2026-08-12.