What do custom parts cost?

There is no single price for a custom part, but there is a clear logic behind every quote. Once you understand the six drivers below, you can design and order parts that come in low, and you will never be surprised by a number again.

Why quotes vary so much

Two parts that look almost identical can quote three times apart because price tracks the time and material it takes to make the part, not how it looks. A small change, a tighter tolerance, a harder metal, a fussy feature, can add real machine time. The good news: because the logic is consistent, you can control most of it.

The 6 price drivers

1. Process. Laser-cut flat parts are cheapest. Bending adds a step. Machining costs more because it removes material under tight control. Welded assemblies add labor.
2. Material. Mild steel and aluminum are cheap. Stainless costs more. Titanium and copper are expensive both to buy and to cut.
3. Size and material removed. Bigger parts use more stock, and machining a part from a large block means cutting a lot of metal away, which is time.
4. Complexity. Deep pockets, thin walls, many bends, multiple setups, and 5-axis features all add time.
5. Finish and tolerance. Anodizing, powder coat, plating, and tight tolerances each add cost and steps.
6. Quantity. Setup is a fixed cost. The more parts you order, the more that cost spreads out, so the unit price falls.

How quantity breaks work

The single biggest lever on unit price is quantity. Setup, programming, and fixturing happen once, so ordering more parts spreads that fixed cost thinner. Here is how the unit price typically falls as volume climbs:

If you know you will need more parts soon, ordering them together is often far cheaper per part than ordering one now and more later.

7 ways to cut the price

1. Order in batches. The jump from 1 to 10 parts barely raises the total but slashes the unit price.
2. Loosen tolerances you do not need. Tag only the critical features as tight. Standard tolerances are much cheaper.
3. Pick a cheaper material. If aluminum does the job, do not pay for stainless or titanium. See the materials guide.
4. Simplify the geometry. Remove deep pockets, thin walls, and unnecessary features that add machine time.
5. Use standard stock thickness. Designing around stocked material avoids custom sourcing.
6. Skip finishes you do not need. An as-machined or as-cut part is cheaper than an anodized or coated one.
7. Choose the right process. A flat bracket is far cheaper laser-cut than machined. Our process guide helps you decide.

Get your real number

Ranges only get you so far. For STL, STEP, and IGES files, Darioo gives you a live price with a 3D preview in under a minute, priced on real geometry, not a guess. For everything else, a real engineer sends a quote within 48 hours.