Scrap Rate & Yield Calculator
Measure scrap and what it costs. Enter units produced, units scrapped, and cost per unit to get your scrap rate, yield, and dollar cost — plus the savings if you hit a target.
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Get itScrap is pure margin lost
Every scrapped unit is material, labor, and machine time you paid for and can't sell. Scrap rate and its inverse, first-pass yield, are core quality metrics. Pricing scrap in dollars — and showing the savings from reaching a target rate — turns an abstract percentage into a number that justifies process improvements.
How it’s calculated
Scrap rate = scrapped ÷ produced; yield = 1 − scrap rate. Scrap cost = scrapped × cost; savings = (rate − target) × produced × cost.
Results update as you type and are estimates, not professional advice — verify important decisions with a qualified professional.
Worked example
30 scrapped of 1,000 at $12 each is a 3% scrap rate (97% yield) costing $360; hitting a 1% target saves $240.
Common mistakes
- Counting recoverable rework as scrap.
- Treating scrap as a percentage instead of dollars.
Where it is used
- Quantifying scrap cost to justify improvements.
- Tracking first-pass yield over time.
Frequently asked questions
Scrap rate vs. yield?
They're complements: a 3% scrap rate is a 97% first-pass yield. Yield counts the good parts; scrap counts the bad.
Should rework count as scrap?
Rework isn't scrap if the part is recovered, but it still costs money. Track it separately and add its cost for a full picture.
How do I cut scrap?
Find the dominant defect, address its root cause (tooling, material, process), and re-measure. Small rate cuts add up fast at volume.
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