# LaserQuote: full documentation

> LaserQuote is a quoting calculator for laser cutting and engraving businesses. It turns machine time, material, setup labour, design fees and a target profit margin into a customer-ready price. The calculator and the tools below are free and need no account or email.

Free tools run in the visitor's browser. They do not require an account, an email address or a payment, and nothing entered into them is sent to LaserQuote.

## How a quote is priced

Each machine profile has a cost-only per-minute rate (no margin inside it):

```
baseRatePerMin  = round2(((powerDrawKw * electricityRate) + (tubeCost / tubeLifeHours) + overheadPerHour + laborRate + dailyElectricitySupplyCost) / 60)
rapidRatePerMin = round2(((powerDrawKw * 0.7 * electricityRate) + overheadPerHour + laborRate) / 60)
```

Tube wear is the tube price divided by its rated life in hours. Overhead is the share of rent, insurance and maintenance allocated to the machine per hour.

Each layer (one cut or engrave pass) costs:

```
layerMachineCost  = ((cutTimeMins * baseRatePerMin * (laserPowerPercent / 50)) + (rapidTimeMins * rapidRatePerMin)) * sheetsRepeats
layerMaterialCost = rawMaterialCost * sheetsRepeats
layerSetupCost    = (setupTimeMins / 60) * laborRate
```

The base rate is calibrated at 50% laser power, so running at 100% roughly doubles the per-minute machine cost. Setup is a one-off per layer and is not multiplied by repeats.

A layer can instead be billed as a whole stock sheet (dedicated stock). Then rawMaterialCost is the price of the whole sheet and the formula above is unchanged, so the total is the same. The app additionally reports the offcut: wasteFraction = (sheetArea - usedArea) / sheetArea, and absorbedWasteCost = layerMaterialCost * wasteFraction (used area is clamped to the sheet).

Order totals apply the profit margin once, as a margin on price rather than a markup on cost:

```
totalBaseCost = setupLabour + machineCost + materialCost + designFee + assemblyLabour + assemblyMaterials
subtotalExTax = totalBaseCost / (1 - targetProfitMarginPercent / 100)
finalQuote    = max(roundUpTo5Cents(subtotalExTax * (1 + taxRatePercent / 100)), minimumCharge)
```

A 30% margin therefore means profit is 30% of the price before tax, not 30% on top of cost. Tax is not revenue, so profit as a share of the tax-inclusive total reads lower.

## Material Cost & Waste Estimator

Packs parts onto a sheet in a simple axis-aligned grid, optionally trying the part rotated 90 degrees and keeping the better result. Part spacing (kerf plus a safety gap) applies between parts only, and a sheet-edge margin is removed from all four sides first. Cost per part is the cost of the whole sheets you must buy divided by the parts you need. It is an estimate, not a nesting solver; irregular shapes nest tighter in nesting software.

## Machine ROI / Payback Calculator

```
weeklyNetProfit = jobsPerWeek * profitPerJob - weeklyConsumables
paybackWeeks    = machinePrice / weeklyNetProfit   (never, if weeklyNetProfit <= 0)
annualProfit    = weeklyNetProfit * 52
```

It ignores tax and finance costs.

## Laser Test Grid Generator

Builds a speed and power test card for engraving or cutting. Columns are power, rows are speed, and swatches are stars, squares or circles. Output is an SVG, or a LightBurn project (.lbrn2) where every swatch has its own layer carrying its speed and power. LightBurn has 30 layers (C00 to C29); C00 (labels) and C02 (outline) are reserved, so an indexed grid holds at most 28 swatches. Switching Engrave to Cut divides the speed range by 10.

## Custom Shipping Box Generator

Generates cardboard box die-lines from the inside size and board thickness. Cut lines are red (#FF0000, LightBurn layer C02) and score lines are blue (#0000FF, layer C01). Dimensions are millimetres. Walls are made taller by the board thickness so the fold does not shorten the usable depth.

- Multi Crease box: a cross-shaped net with the four corners left open and taped. Each wall has a base crease, then a chosen number of wall creases: the first at the entered height (plus board thickness) and the rest at a set gap. The flap beyond the last crease folds over the top; front and back flaps are long enough to cover the opening and the side flaps are shorter.
- Roll-end tuck-top (RETT) mailer: lid with a tuck flap, front and back walls, side walls with roll flaps. A tongue on each roll flap passes through a slot in the front and back walls, so no tape or glue is needed. Slot height is the board thickness plus 0.2 mm.
- Telescoping two-piece box: a tray with a fold tab at each end of the side walls, and a lid tray whose inside size is the tray's outside size plus 1.2 mm clearance per side. Both pieces are laid out side by side. The corner tabs have no locking feature and need glue or tape.

The flat sheet size is the bounding box of the net. Speed and power in the exported LightBurn file are placeholders and must be set from the user's own test grid.

## Laser Tools Directory

A curated list of 33 tools. Third-party entries are independent of LaserQuote.

### Boxes & Cases

- [Custom Shipping Box Generator](https://laserquote.app/tools/shipping-box-generator) (Official LaserQuote): Cardboard shipping box die-lines with separate cut and score layers.
- [MakerCase](https://www.makercase.com) (Freemium): Quick finger-jointed box plans in the browser.
- [Boxes.py](https://boxes.hackerspace-bamberg.de) (Open Source): Open-source generator with hundreds of box types.
- [TemplateMaker](https://templatemaker.nl) (Freemium): Packaging and box die-line templates.

### Living Hinges

- [Atomm Living Hinge Generator](https://www.atomm.com/creativetools/community/living-hinge-generator) (Freemium): Browser living-hinge pattern designer with a bend preview.
- [Living Hinge Creator for Inkscape](https://inkscape.org/~drphonon/%E2%98%85living-hinge-creator-for-inkscape-10) (Open Source): Free Inkscape extension that draws hinge cut lines.
- [Cuttle](https://cuttle.xyz) (Freemium): Browser design tool with a library of parametric templates.

### Text & Stencils

- [Cuttle Connected Text](https://cuttle.xyz/learn/connected-text) (Freemium): Type text and download it with every letter joined.
- [Cuttle Block of Text](https://cuttle.xyz/blog/block-of-text-generator-for-coasters-signs-and-more) (Freemium): Fit text into a rectangle with score lines between letters.
- [Hershey Text (Inkscape)](https://wiki.evilmadscientist.com/Hershey_Text) (Open Source): Single-line fonts for engraving and scoring.
- [Google Fonts](https://fonts.google.com) (100% Free): Thousands of open-licensed fonts.
- [MyLaserTools](https://mylasertools.com) (Freemium): Free design tools for laser cutting and 3D printing.

### Generators & Art

- [Gear Generator](https://geargenerator.com) (Freemium): Interactive gear trains you can export as vectors.
- [Woodgears Gear Template Generator](https://woodgears.ca/gear_cutting/template.html) (100% Free): Printable and cuttable gear templates.
- [Draradech Jigsaw Generator](https://draradech.github.io/jigsaw/jigsaw.html) (Open Source): Parametric jigsaw puzzle cut files.
- [QR Code Monkey](https://www.qrcode-monkey.com) (Freemium): QR codes with SVG export.
- [Vectorizer.AI](https://vectorizer.ai) (Freemium): Turn raster images into clean vectors.
- [Openclipart](https://openclipart.org) (100% Free): Public-domain vector clip art.
- [SVGnest](https://svgnest.com) (Open Source): Free nesting that packs parts onto a sheet.
- [Deepnest](https://deepnest.io) (Open Source): Desktop nesting for laser and CNC.

### Control Software

- [LightBurn](https://lightburnsoftware.com) (Freemium): The standard layout and control software for diode and CO2 lasers.
- [LaserGRBL](https://lasergrbl.com) (Open Source): Free Windows software for GRBL lasers.
- [xTool Creative Space](https://www.xtool.com) (100% Free): Design and control software for xTool machines.
- [Inkscape](https://inkscape.org) (Open Source): Free vector editor for preparing cut files.
- [LibreCAD](https://librecad.org) (Open Source): Free 2D CAD for DXF work.
- [FreeCAD](https://www.freecad.org) (Open Source): Parametric 3D modelling that can export flat patterns.
- [Universal G-code Sender](https://winder.github.io/ugs_website) (Open Source): Cross-platform G-code sender for GRBL machines.
- [VisiCut](https://github.com/t-oster/VisiCut) (Open Source): Open-source laser job preparation with material profiles.
- [LaserWeb4](https://github.com/LaserWeb/LaserWeb4) (Open Source): Open-source CAM and control for lasers and CNC.

### Costing & Benchmarks

- [Laser Test Grid Generator](https://laserquote.app/tools/laser-test-grid-generator) (Official LaserQuote): Speed and power test grids with LightBurn settings built in.
- [Material Cost & Waste Estimator](https://laserquote.app/tools/material-estimator) (Official LaserQuote): Parts per sheet, cost per part and waste percentage.
- [Machine ROI / Payback Calculator](https://laserquote.app/tools/machine-roi-calculator) (Official LaserQuote): Weeks to pay off a laser and projected annual profit.
- [LaserQuote Free Quote Calculator](https://laserquote.app/#calculator) (Official LaserQuote): Price a whole laser job: machine time, material, labour and margin.

## Pages

- [Material Cost & Waste Estimator](https://laserquote.app/tools/material-estimator): How many parts fit on a sheet, what the material costs per part, and how much you throw away.
- [Laser Test Grid Generator](https://laserquote.app/tools/laser-test-grid-generator): Generate custom speed and power test grids for laser cutting & engraving, with a LightBurn file that has the settings built in.
- [Custom Shipping Box Generator](https://laserquote.app/tools/shipping-box-generator): Cardboard shipping box die-lines with cut and score lines on separate layers, ready for LightBurn.
- [Machine ROI / Payback Calculator](https://laserquote.app/tools/machine-roi-calculator): Weeks to pay off a laser and projected annual profit, from price, jobs per week and profit per job.
- [The Best Free Online Tools & Generators for Laser Cutters (2026 Directory)](https://laserquote.app/blog/best-free-laser-cutting-tools-generators)
- [Sheet Offcuts vs. Nested Pricing: How to Stop Losing Money on Custom Laser Cuts](https://laserquote.app/blog/sheet-offcuts-vs-nested-laser-pricing)
- [How to Laser Cut Custom Cardboard Shipping Boxes: Cut vs. Score Die-Lines, Flute Direction & Zero-Waste Packaging](https://laserquote.app/blog/how-to-laser-cut-cardboard-shipping-boxes)
- [The Hours You Don't Bill: Pricing the Time Away From the Laser](https://laserquote.app/blog/hours-you-dont-bill-laser-job-pricing)
- [How to Price Laser Engraving Jobs (Without Guessing)](https://laserquote.app/blog/how-to-price-laser-engraving-jobs)
- [The Real Cost of Running a Laser Cutter](https://laserquote.app/blog/real-cost-of-running-a-laser-cutter)
- [Common Pricing Mistakes Laser Engravers Make (And What They Cost You)](https://laserquote.app/blog/common-laser-engraving-pricing-mistakes)
- [Spreadsheet vs. Laser Quote: Why We Built a Dedicated Tool](https://laserquote.app/blog/spreadsheet-vs-laser-quote)