Carton Tooling Amortization Calculator
Allocate carton dies, printing plates, foil tooling, embossing tooling and other setup costs over the expected production volume.
Use a saved product specification (optional)
Enter your values
First time using this calculator?
Replace the example values with figures from your supplier sheet or measurements. Choose the unit beside each value. Results update as you type; fix any highlighted field before using the result.
GSM means grams per square metre. Net weight excludes the core and other packaging. MOQ means the minimum order quantity. An optional field can stay blank unless the result you need depends on it.
Prices keep the selected currency; changing its label does not convert an exchange rate. Save or export the result after checking your inputs.
Help with foil tooling
Enter one-time plates, dies, cylinders, moulds or setup charges for the first order. Keep this separate from repeat-order cost.
Help with embossing tooling
Enter one-time plates, dies, cylinders, moulds or setup charges for the first order. Keep this separate from repeat-order cost.
Help with other setup
Enter one-time plates, dies, cylinders, moulds or setup charges for the first order. Keep this separate from repeat-order cost.
Unit label only. No currency conversion.
Cost per carton
Assumes the entered lifetime quantity is produced. Later replacement tooling is not included.
Tooling/unit = (die + plates + foil tooling + embossing tooling + setup) ÷ lifetime cartons
(1,200 + 600 + 0 + 0 + 0) ÷ 1,000,000 = 0.0018/carton; × 1,000 = 1.8Saved calculations stay in this browser. No account or cloud backup is created.
Save to a product project (optional)
Choose or create a saved product project ↗This is an illustrative example. Saved or transferred values must be checked against your job.
Calculated from your inputs. Confirm specifications with your supplier.
How sensitive is this result to your assumptions?
Vary one input and inspect cost per carton
All other entered inputs stay fixed. Ranges are your scenarios, not statistical confidence or supplier performance predictions. This uses the same validated calculator engine.
The formula, made clear.
Different finishing operations can carry separate upfront charges. Summing them before dividing by the planned allocation volume gives the tooling contribution per carton and per 1,000. The allocation horizon should reflect the production expected to use that exact artwork and tool set; future design changes may reduce the realized volume.
How to use this calculator
- 01
Enter each applicable one-time tooling or setup amount.
- 02
Enter the carton quantity over which those charges should be amortized.
- 03
Use the result alongside recurring board and converting costs.
A calculation you can check
The example spreads a carton project’s separate die, printing and finishing setup charges across its planned production volume.
- Cutting die
- 1200 EUR
- Printing plates
- 600 EUR
- Foil tooling
- 0 EUR
- Embossing tooling
- 0 EUR
- Other setup
- 0 EUR
- Expected lifetime cartons
- 1000000 units
(1,200 + 600 + 0 + 0 + 0) ÷ 1,000,000 = 0.0018/carton; × 1,000 = 1.8Check the displayed formula and units against your quotation. Use measured GSM, net weight and actual layout dimensions where available. Default densities are planning assumptions, not certified material properties. Calculated cost does not certify strength, compatibility or safe loading.
Method, units and material assumptions ↗