Input Parameters

Ceramic: $2–8/kg | Steel: $4–12/kg
Total media weight in the machine bowl
Ceramic: 0.5–2% | Steel: 0.01–0.05%

How Media Cost is Calculated

Per-Part Media Cost

Formula: (Media Load × Wear Rate × Media Cost) / Parts Per Cycle. This tells you how much media is consumed per finished part.

Daily Media Cost

Formula: Per-Part Cost × Parts Per Cycle × Cycles Per Day + (Compound + Water) × Cycles Per Day. Includes all consumables.

Annual Media Cost

Formula: Daily Cost × Operating Days. This is your annual budget for media, compound, and water.

💡 Pro Tip

Steel media has a higher upfront cost but dramatically lower wear rate. Over a year of high-volume production, steel media can be 40–70% cheaper per part than ceramic despite costing more per kilogram. Use the ROI Calculator to see the breakeven point.

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