Work backward from the finished jewellery casting to estimate how much starting metal is needed after allowing for sprue, runners and process losses.
The calculator first adds the requested sprue/runner allowance to the finished casting requirement and then provides additional material for the specified process loss.
The final jewellery piece is only one part of a casting system. Sprues, runners and process losses mean the initial melt requirement can be larger than the weight of the finished pieces.
An overly large allowance can inflate the starting batch unnecessarily, while an allowance that is too small can leave insufficient metal. Use historical job data to refine the percentages for your own process.
Not necessarily. Some systems recover and recycle sprue material, depending on process and material control.
No. Shrinkage is a separate dimensional/material consideration.
Yes. Enter total finished weight or use the pieces field as a planning reference.