--- title: How Much Do Color Changes REALLY Cost You? description: Discover the hidden costs of color changes in injection molding. Learn how to measure scrap, machine burden, and downtime to boost your profitability. image: https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/Cost%20Savings%20Per%20Purge.jpg --- [ Order Online ](https://asaclean.my.site.com/b2bstore) [ Free Sample ](https://offers.asaclean.com/free-sample) ## [ Asaclean Blog ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog) Browse by Topic " aerospace asaclean asaclean news Asaclean® benefits asahi kasei automotive Best Practices black specks blisters blow molding blown-film extrusion buyers caps and closures carbon contamination cast-film extrusion Chemical Purging Compounds clear applications Color Changeovers Company News compounding consumer products contamination Cost savings custom molders Customer Success Story decreasing scrap defects electronics Energy Efficiency EX Grade extruder cleaning Extrusion fillament glass filled Glitter Grade Selection HDPE High and Low Temp Changeovers hold a bubble Hot Runners Injection Molding Injection Molding Tips LDPE Lightweight automotive components LLDPE low residue maintenance Material Changeovers Mechanical Purging Compounds medical Melt Flow Index NPE 24 nylons on the fly packaging PCR PEEK Polypropylene Post Consumer Resins preventative preventative purging processing tips profile extrusion Purge Program purge programs Purge Training Purge Trial purging purging compounds purging concentrates purging procedures Purging Tips quality recycled resins residue issues scrap reduction Screw Pulls sheet extrusion shutdown and sealing start-up super engineering resins Sustainability Tech Day technical support training trials Troubleshooting Twin Screw twin screw extrusion two step purging U Grade ULTEM venting Viscosity webinars wire extrusion - 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[Twin Screw](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/twin-screw) - [twin screw extrusion](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/twin-screw-extrusion) - [two step purging](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/two-step-purging) - [U Grade](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/u-grade) - [ULTEM](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/ultem) - [venting](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/venting) - [Viscosity](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/viscosity) - [webinars](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/webinars) - [wire extrusion](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/topic/wire-extrusion) [ Subscribe ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/true-cost-of-color-and-material-changes#subscribe-modal) ### Suscribirse Troubleshooting / 3 min read / July 12, 2017 # How Much Do Color Changes REALLY Cost You? - [Facebook Share ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.asaclean.com%2Fblog%2Ftrue-cost-of-color-and-material-changes) - [Twitter Tweet ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.asaclean.com%2Fblog%2Ftrue-cost-of-color-and-material-changes&text=How+Much+Do+Color+Changes+REALLY+Cost+You%3F) - [LinkedIn Share ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.asaclean.com%2Fblog%2Ftrue-cost-of-color-and-material-changes&title=How%20Much%20Do%20Color%20Changes%20REALLY%20Cost%20You%3F&summary=Discover+the+hidden+costs+of+color+changes+in+injection+molding.+Learn+how+to+measure+scrap%2C+machine+burden%2C+and+downtime+to+boost+your+profitability.&source=) - [Pinterest Pin ](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.asaclean.com%2Fblog%2Ftrue-cost-of-color-and-material-changes) - [Email Email ](mailto:?subject=How%20Much%20Do%20Color%20Changes%20REALLY%20Cost%20You%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.asaclean.com%2Fblog%2Ftrue-cost-of-color-and-material-changes) ![How Much Do Color Changes REALLY Cost You?](https://www.asaclean.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Cost%20Savings%20Per%20Purge.jpg?width=640&height=500&name=Cost%20Savings%20Per%20Purge.jpg) ![Cost Savings Per Purge.jpg](https://www.asaclean.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Cost%20Savings%20Per%20Purge.jpg?width=320&name=Cost%20Savings%20Per%20Purge.jpg) When you perform color or material changes with your [injection molding](https://www.asaclean.com/purging-procedures/injection-molding/) press or extruder, what does it cost you?  If you’re not sure, that’s okay. You’d be surprised how many people never actually take the time to figure it out. So let’s take a closer look. The resin and colorant used to go from one color to the next are the most obvious costs.  Using commercial purging compounds can also contribute to the overall cost.  A less obvious, but significant and incredibly costly part of the color change is the parts that are scrapped until the parts are “good.”  These parts are consuming resin, colorant, labor and machine time. Remember, you only get paid for the parts you sell.  The parts that are scrapped are just that.  Scrap.  You should know the cost and time required to go from the last good part on one color to the first good part on the next.  Good part to good part.  The most expensive part of this equation is often the most overlooked: the machine burden.  What does it cost to have the machine and the work cell?  Consider the chiller, thermolater, robot, conveyor, blender, secondary, operator, maintenance, & electricity. Don’t kid yourself—if the machine is not running and producing good parts, it is costing you money.  Lots of money.  Machine burdens vary by tonnage but are commonly $100 per hour for smaller presses and several hundred dollars per hour for large tonnage setups. The faster you can successfully change colors and materials the more profitable you will be. Make sure you plan your changes ahead of time.  Know how many shots are in the blender when you stop it for a color change.  How many shots are in the screw and barrel?  Be prepared for the change.  Get the machine back into production as soon as possible.  Get back to making money. Finally, it’s crucial to perform a [Cost Savings Analysis](https://www.asaclean.com/why-asaclean/cost-savings-calculator/) on each color change in order to calculate the total cost.  How much purge material did you use?  How much resin and colorant did you use?  How many parts did you scrap before they were “good”?  Most importantly, how long was the machine down?  What is the hourly machine burden for this machine?  This is the cost of your purge.  Knowing this cost is the key to making informed decisions to optimize this process.  Once you know that, you’ll be amazed at your results. **Learn how to reduce machine downtime with five quick purging compound tips for your injection molding application.** [![](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/468726/interactive-161626752518.png) ](https://www.asaclean.com/hs/cta/wi/redirect?encryptedPayload=AVxigLL0Q1AZcRSITo%2F4j8%2FjHFzgc95ACxcCxXyQtojLpGJ22ixkmmdQTfXDD5HFhALUjB1M5hVS0uY8d3NqiOusI9eYUWU%2BR%2BXmKT5Vlf979wMMlmCImUyPIOuhPnrEYyIJ4zSdSllFEDbfQ5ft%2FoJGAfXKTYA2Re6bfxWvcUhqJ83w8pWtcCezOrwJC4HLK5xZeiPIQjnbex%2BCEsI5fIZU7SYvAV8FG5D3SU3vdpi8DjaE82h7&webInteractiveContentId=161626752518&portalId=468726) ![Chris Melchiore](https://www.asaclean.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Head_Shots/Chris%20Head%20shot.jpg?width=150&name=Chris%20Head%20shot.jpg) #### [ Chris Melchiore ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/author/chris-melchiore) Chris Melchiore, serving as Business Development Manager at Asaclean Purging Compounds, excels with his specialized knowledge in Chemical Purging Compounds and Concentrate Grades. His industry journey, extending over two decades, includes a notable 16-year stint at NOVACHEM before joining Asaclean in 2015. Beyond his core role, Chris is actively involved in speaking engagements at webinars and tradeshows, showcasing his expertise and contributing to the broader industry dialogue. His insights and experience make him a pivotal figure in both business development and educational outreach for Asaclean. - [Share On LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-melchiore-19abb2a1/) ## Related Posts [![3_Easy_Ways_To_Stop_Your_Purging_Compound_From_Leaving_Residue.jpg](https://www.asaclean.com/hs-fs/hubfs/3_Easy_Ways_To_Stop_Your_Purging_Compound_From_Leaving_Residue.jpg?width=450&height=250&name=3_Easy_Ways_To_Stop_Your_Purging_Compound_From_Leaving_Residue.jpg) 3 Expert Tips for a Faster Color Change Troubleshooting / 3 min read / October 11, 2017 ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/3-expert-tips-for-a-faster-color-change) [![Purchasing Best Practices for Purging Compounds](https://www.asaclean.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asaclean%20Shopping%20Cart.jpg?width=450&height=250&name=Asaclean%20Shopping%20Cart.jpg) Purchasing Best Practices for Purging Compounds Troubleshooting / 2 min read / October 08, 2019 ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/purchasing-best-practices-for-purging-compounds) ## Comments Get Started ## Ready to start improving your efficiency and increasing your profitability? - [Request a Consultation](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/true-cost-of-color-and-material-changes#) - [Contact Sales](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/true-cost-of-color-and-material-changes#) ![](https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/assets/images/icons/icon-layers.svg) #### Free Sample Request a free sample of Asaclean® Purging Compounds for your plant and start saving today. [Request your free sample](https://offers.asaclean.com/en/free-sample?hsLang=en) ![](https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/assets/images/icons/icon-calculator.svg) #### Cost Savings Calculator Use our free calculator to see how much you could be saving with Asaclean® Purging Compounds. [See your savings](https://www.asaclean.com/cost-savings-calculator) [ Back to Top ](https://www.asaclean.com/blog/true-cost-of-color-and-material-changes#top) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Chris Melchiore", "url" : "https://www.asaclean.com/blog/author/chris-melchiore" }, "dateModified" : "2025-05-06T17:07:09.826Z", "datePublished" : "2017-07-12T12:40:00.000Z", "headline" : "How Much Do Color Changes REALLY Cost You?", "image" : [ "https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/Cost%20Savings%20Per%20Purge.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.asaclean.com/blog/true-cost-of-color-and-material-changes", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.asaclean.com/hubfs/Asaclean%20Logo%20TM.jpg" }, "name" : "Asahi Kasei Plastics North America" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "http://schema.org", "@type" : "Article", "articleBody" : "When you perform color or material changes with your injection molding press or extruder, what does it cost you? If you’re not sure, that’s okay. You’d be surprised how many people never actually take the time to figure it out. So let’s take a closer look. The resin and colorant used to go from one color to the next are the most obvious costs. Using commercial purging compounds can also contribute to the overall cost. A less obvious, but significant and incredibly costly part of the color change is the parts that are scrapped until the parts are “good.” These parts are consuming resin, colorant, labor and machine time.", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Chris Melchiore" }, "datePublished" : "July 12, 2017", "headline" : "How Much Do Color Changes REALLY Cost You?", "image" : "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/468726/Cost%20Savings%20Per%20Purge.jpg", "name" : "How Much Do Color Changes REALLY Cost You?", "url" : "https://www.asaclean.com/blog/true-cost-of-color-and-material-changes" } ```