Operation Calculators are used to build and represent costing components for each operation. Taking "Laser Profiling" as an example of a quotable Operation, an Operation Calculator will be used to represent each of the "Laser Profiling Costing Components" which can be "Sheet Setup", "Machine Setup", "Labor Running Cost", "Teardown" etc.
Different Operation Calculator Types exist to facilitate the different financial and mathematical approaches to automate and estimate these different Operation Costing Components.
Each calculator consists of the following elements.
- Driver: This is the base value that drives the calculator. This can be a Time/Duration, a Length/Dimension, or Weight.
- Conversion: A conversion can be used to mathematically manipulate or convert the Driver.
- Cost: After the Driver has been through the conversion it is multiplied by a Cost/Rate to yield the $ value estimate.
Time Based Operation Calculators
Time Based Operation Calculators are driven by duration. This can either be a time provided by the Sales Rep during quoting, or a time/duration calculated by the software based on the properties of the quoted item.
* Time
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: A Default value can be used, or can be driven as a Sales Rep Input.
Applied To: The results is estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Fixed Time
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: A Default value can be used, or can be driven as a Sales Rep Input.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred once for the quote line.
* Per Unit Time
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: A Default value can be used, or can be driven as a Sales Rep Input.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Per Sheet Time
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: A Default value can be used, or can be driven as a Sales Rep Input.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for each sheet/linear item required to fulfill the ordered quantity. Until nesting is done to determine the quantity required, a quantity of one will be assumed.
* Per Unit and Time
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds) and a Quantity.
Driver Input: Sales Rep to provide a quantity and duration.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
Weight Based Operations
Weight Based Operation Calculators are driven by weight. This can either be a weight provided by the Sales Rep during quoting, or based on the properties of the quoted item.
* Weight
Driver: Weight (lb, kg, etc.)
Driver Input: The "Weight" of the of the quoted item.
Applied To: The results is estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* True Weight
Driver : Weight (lb, kg, etc.)
Driver Input : The "True Weight" of the of the quoted item.
Applied To : The results is estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
Length Based Operations
Length Based Operation Calculators are driven by a length. This can either be a length provided by the Sales Rep during quoting, a default value, or based on the properties for the quoted item.
* Perimeter
Driver : Length (m, cm, inch, foot, etc.)
Driver Input : The "Perimeter" of the quoted item.
Applied To : The results is estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Length
Driver : Length (m, cm, inch, foot, etc.)
Driver Input : A preset default value, or can be driven as a Sales Rep Input.
Applied To : The results is estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Max Dimension
Driver : Length (m, cm, inch, foot, etc.)
Driver Input : The maximum dimension, between width and length, of the quoted item.
Applied To : The results is estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Min Dimension
Driver: Length (m, cm, inch, foot, etc.)
Driver Input: The minimum dimension, between width and length, of the quoted item.
Applied To: The results is estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
Area Based Operations
Area Based Operation Calculators are driven by area. This can either be an area provided by the Sales Rep during quoting, a preset default, or based on the properties of the quoted item.
* Area
Driver: The driver for this Calculator is an area (sq in, sq ft, sq m, sq mm, etc.)
Driver Input: The Area of the Quoted Item.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Surface Area
Driver: The driver for this Calculator is an area (sq in, sq ft, sq m, sq mm, etc.)
Driver Input: The Area of the quoted item, Sales Rep to determine the sides of the part to be considered (one side, both sides, etc), together with a % yield. Sales Rep can also provide area quantity.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
When "Surface Area" is used the following inputs are presented to the Sales Rep during the quoting process:
Per Unit/Pieces Based Operations
Per Unit/Pieces Based Operations is driven by a single quantity.
* Fixed
Driver: Quantity (# of Items/Units, etc.)
Driver Input: A preset default value, or can be driven as a Sales Rep Input.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred once for the quote line.
* Per Unit
Driver: Quantity (# of Items/Units, etc.)
Driver Input: A preset default value, or can be driven as a Sales Rep Input.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
Batch Operation Calculator
Batch Operation Calculators are used to represent Batch Operation, where the Operation runs at a constant time to process a Batch of parts, but the number of parts in the batch varies.
* Batch
Driver: Quantity (# of Items in batch.)
Driver Input: A preset default value, or can be driven as a Sales Rep Input.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
Specialized Operation Calculators
The following calculators are specialized, each to mimic a typical and specific quoting philosophy used in the industry.
* Profile
This calculator will estimate the time needed to "profile" a part. This is done by the information associated with the profiling equipment.
It will estimate profiling time for Laser, Plasma, Oxy Cut profiling machines based on the Material and Thickness of the material being profiled, and the geometry of the item being quoted.
It will estimate the punching time for Punch machines based on the punch tools and given punch cycle information associated with the Punching machine.
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: The calculated profiling time.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Saw
This calculator will estimate the time needed to saw linear items.
It will estimate the sawing for linear items (bar, pipe, structural, and tube) based on the Cross Sectional Area of the item and the Area/Time information associated with the sawing equipment.
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: The calculated sawing time.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Bend
This calculator will estimate the time needed to bend (Press Brake) items.
The estimation is made by inputs provided by the Sales Rep during the quoting process. Input is "# of Bends" and "Time per Bend".
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds) and Quantity (Number of Bends).
Driver Input: Sales Rep to provide "# of Bends" and "Time per Bend" during the quoting process.
Applied To: The results is estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
*Shear
This calculator will estimate the time needed to shear a rectangular part.
The estimation is made by assuming a preset default time needed to perform a shear hit.
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds) and Quantity (Number of Bends).
Driver Input: One sheer hit per part is assumed.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Mill
This calculator is used to estimate milling operation times.
The estimation is made based on the milling operations defined by the Sales Rep during the quoting process. (See the following image)
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: The estimated milling times based on the Milling Operations specified by the Sales Rep during the quoting process.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Drill
This calculator is used to estimate drilling times.
The estimation is made based on the drill operations defined by the Sales Rep during the quoting process. (See the following image)
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: The estimated drill times based on the Drill Operations specified by the Sales Rep during the quoting process.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.
* Weld
This calculator is used to estimate welding times.
The estimation is made based on the Welds defined by the Sales Rep during the quoting process (See the following image)
Driver: Duration (hours, minutes, seconds).
Driver Input: The estimated welding times based on the Welding Operations specified by the Sales Rep during the quoting process.
Applied To: The results are estimated/incurred for every quoted item.