Sourcing · tooling cost, ownership, amortisation

How Much Does an Aluminium Extrusion Die Cost?

Q: How long is the quotation valid?

Die quotes are commonly held 30 to 60 days because tool steel and shop time move slower than billet. Production metal quotes beside them follow the shorter 14 to 30 day billet window in 2026. Lock both dates on the same PDF.

In 2026 a custom aluminium extrusion die in China typically costs about US$400–3,500 for common industrial T-slot and solid sections, and more for large hollows. The number is set by three things: the circumscribed circle, whether the section is hollow, and the number of internal features.

Typical band: US$400–3,500 (2026)
Heavy / complex: US$1,800–4,000+
Die lead: 7–12 days
Read: 8 minutes

Short answer

Die cost is a one-off tooling line, not a mystery percentage on the metal. Small solid or single-slot dies for 2020 / 3030 class sections often sit near US$400–900. Mid-size T-slot and semi-hollow tools for 4040 / 4545 commonly land US$700–1,800. Large or multi-void dies for 8080 / 9090 / 100100 class sections run US$1,800–4,000 and up. The die is a consumable with a finite life and a repair record; who owns it after payment is a contract clause, not a courtesy. Amortise the fee across 500 m, 2,000 m and 5,000 m before you judge the per-metre price. New-die orders carry a 500 m MOQ; existing dies release from 150 m. Payment T/T 30/70 or L/C at sight; shipment FOB/CIF/DAP/DDP Shanghai or Ningbo.

Macro close-up of hardened steel extrusion die face with T-slot shaped aperture — Die cost scales with circumscribed circle and cavity complexity; a catalogue T-slot die is cheaper than a thin-wall multi-void custom.

What is the tooling cost for a new 2020 die and who owns it

A new 2020-class T-slot die in 2026 typically quotes about US$400–900; title after payment follows the die-ownership clause you sign, not an industry default.

The same structure applies across the catalogue sizes: the die fee scales with circumscribed circle and hollow class, while ownership is always a written term. GrownParts treats paid tooling as buyer-owned under the standard clause unless a loaner or amortised model is agreed — read who owns the die before the PO. Die making adds 7–12 days. The first production release on a new tool is 500 m; later releases off that owned die drop to the 150 m existing-die floor.

Section class	2026 die band (USD)	First MOQ	Ownership default
2020 / 3030 T-slot	US$400–900	500 m	Buyer-owned after payment*
4040 / 4545 T-slot	US$700–1,800	500 m	Buyer-owned after payment*
4080 / 4590 / 5050	US$1,000–2,400	500 m	Buyer-owned after payment*
8080 / 9090	US$1,800–3,500	500 m	Buyer-owned after payment*
100100 / 16080	US$2,200–4,000+	500 m	Buyer-owned after payment*
Complex multi-void	US$2,500–8,000+	500 m+	Confirm in writing

*Confirm in the quotation. Loaner dies and fully amortised “free tooling” models exist; they change unit price and exit rights.

How much does a custom aluminium extrusion die cost

Across Chinese industrial extrusion in 2026, expect roughly US$400–3,500 for most custom T-slot and solid dies buyers actually open, with complex hollows climbing past US$4,000.

Three geometric drivers explain almost all of the spread. Circumscribed circle diameter picks the press class and the steel blank size. Hollow versus solid decides whether a flat die is enough or a porthole / bridge construction is required. Internal features — slot count, thin tongues, multi-voids — add CNC time and shorten die life, which the quote prices in. Tolerance class and visible-face requirements add tryout cycles before the die is signed off. Alloy matters secondarily: 6063 is forgiving; harder alloys wear tools faster and may need a tougher steel or a spare.

Lead time for die manufacture and first articles is typically 7–12 days for standard industrial sections, longer for large multi-void tools. The die fee is due with the tooling PO; metal for the 500 m first release follows the usual T/T 30/70 or L/C at sight against the production order.

How much does a die cost for a custom section by size

Die cost rises with section size and hollow class; the table is a 2026 planning band for a single-cavity industrial die, not a catalogue price list.

Use it to decide whether a library section at 150 m is enough, or whether a new tool plus 500 m is justified. Amortisation examples sit in the next section. Reference prices are tooling only — metal is separate.

Section	Circumscribed circle	Type	Reference price (USD)	Notes
2020	~28 mm	Light T-slot die	US$400–900	Often already in library
3030	~42 mm	Light T-slot die	US$500–1,000	Simple slot geometry
4040	~57 mm	Standard T-slot die	US$700–1,500	Highest request volume
4080	~89 mm	Rectangular T-slot	US$1,000–2,200	Larger blank, more slot work
4545	~64 mm	45-series die	US$800–1,800	Confirm slot standard
4590	~101 mm	45-series wide	US$1,200–2,600	Watch tongue ratio on slots
5050	~71 mm	50-series die	US$900–2,000	Heavier slot lips
8080	~113 mm	Heavy T-slot die	US$1,800–3,200	Press class steps up
9090	~127 mm	Heavy T-slot die	US$2,000–3,500	Longer tryout common
100100	~141 mm	Heavy structural	US$2,200–4,000	Confirm press availability
16080	~179 mm	Wide structural	US$2,400–4,500+	Large circumscribed circle

What the price is actually made of

Die price is steel, CNC/EDM time, heat treatment, tryout metal and the expected repair life — not a round number invented for the quotation.

A die is a consumable. Bearing surfaces wear, slots erode, and a well-run tool still needs recorded corrections and eventual replacement. Ask for the expected shot life or metre life and for a repair log once the tool is in service. Spreading a US$1,200 die across metres is simple arithmetic: at the 500 m new-die MOQ the tooling adder is US$2.40/m; at 2,000 m it is US$0.60/m; at 5,000 m it is US$0.24/m. That adder sits on top of the metal and conversion price, which itself steps at 500 / 2,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 m. A “free die” offer usually hides the same cash in a higher unit rate until a stated volume is reached; demand the break-even metres in writing.

Compare that path with keeping a library section at 150 m and no die fee. Many frames accept a standard 4040 envelope once the hardware is checked. When the drawing truly needs a new section, pay the die, own it under contract, and plan the first 500 m so the per-metre adder is intentional rather than accidental.

RFQ checklist — die cost

Dimensioned section drawing — with hollows and critical tolerances marked.
Alloy and temper — 6063-T5 default unless load needs otherwise.
Annual metres — so amortisation at 500 / 2,000 / 5,000 m is honest.
Ownership model — buyer-owned, loaner, or amortised into price.
Spare die — whether a second tool is required for continuity.
First release — 500 m new-die MOQ, Incoterm and port.

Ask for die fee, expected life, and ownership in three separate sentences. If any sentence is missing, the quote is incomplete.

Four tooling traps

Die treated as a permanent assetIt is a wear part. Budget repair and eventual replacement inside the programme cost.

Ownership left unspokenIf the PO is silent, exit and second-source rights are unclear. Put title in the tooling clause.

Amortisation ignored at 500 mA US$2,000 die is US$4/m at 500 m and US$0.40/m at 5,000 m. Quote both.

Library die skipped for habitIf a standard 4040 meets the hardware test, the cheapest die is the one you do not cut.

Related on this site

how die cost amortises per meter— unit rate after the tooling line
minimum order with a new die— 500 m first release
die making adds 7–12 days— before first metal
who owns the die— title, loaners and exit

Terms used in this article

Circumscribed circle: Diameter of the smallest circle enclosing the section; selects press class and blank size.
Porthole / bridge die: Two-part die construction used to form hollows; costlier than a solid die.
Tryout: First extrusion trials used to correct the die before production sign-off.
Die life: Expected metres or shots before major repair or replacement; a consumable metric.
Amortisation: Die fee divided by metres ordered; falls sharply from 500 m to 5,000 m.

Questions buyers ask

What is included in the quoted price?

A die quote should include design, CNC/EDM, heat treatment, tryout and the first dimensional report. It does not include production metal, finishing or freight. Production metres are quoted separately under FOB, CIF, DAP or DDP from Shanghai or Ningbo, with T/T 30/70 or L/C at sight. State whether a spare die or nitride treatment is inside the number.

Do you charge for samples?

First articles off a new die are part of tryout; extra sample lengths beyond that are usually charged as short-run metres plus freight. Sample approval does not waive the 500 m production MOQ on a new tool. Existing-die samples follow the MOQ page rules.

How long is the quotation valid?

Die quotes are commonly held 30–60 days because tool steel and shop time move slower than billet. Production metal quotes beside them follow the shorter 14–30 day billet window in 2026. Lock both dates on the same PDF.

Can the price be fixed for a contract?

The die fee is fixed once the tool is paid and accepted. Production conversion can be indexed to billet under a call-off, with MOQ rules at 150 m existing / 500 m new and steps at 500 / 2,000 / 5,000 / 10,000 m. Ownership and repair responsibility should be fixed in the same contract as the die fee.

Also searched as: aluminium extrusion die cost 2026, custom extrusion tooling price China, how much does a T-slot die cost, die amortisation per metre, who owns extrusion die, new die MOQ 500 m.

Send the section drawing for a die quote

Include the circumscribed size, hollows, alloy and planned metres at 500 / 2,000 / 5,000 m. We will return the die band, ownership terms and the per-metre amortisation before you cut steel.

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