Exercise 2: Comparing materials and process costs

The Part Cost Estimator is a synthesizer model that calculates the total cost of a component based on the material and processing costs.

  1. Use the Part Cost Estimator to compare the cost of a component manufactured in two different ways: as an injection molded polymer, and as a rolled and pressed metal.

    Start the Synthesizer Tool by clicking Synthesizer on the toolbar and in the dialog, select Cost – Part cost estimator.

  2. Set the Component Details:
    Material
    PP (copolymer, 20% talc)
    Value of scrap material
    10%
    Part mass
    6.4
    Part length
    10
    Batch size
    1000 - 1E6
    Number of values
    10
    Note: For this exercise, the units of part mass and part length do not matter.
  3. Set the Primary Shaping Process values:
    Primary process
    Injection molding (thermoplastics)
    Availability
    Custom form
    Part complexity
    Standard

    Use the default values for Load factor, Overhead rate, and Capital write-off time.

  4. Set the Record Naming values
    Material
    PP
    Primary process
    molded
  5. Create the new records

    Click Create. Keep the Part Cost Estimator dialog open.

    The new synthesized records will be shown in the Browse tree and on the Chart Stage.

  6. Add another material process.

    In the Part Cost Estimator window, click Previous and set the Component Details for another material processing chain:

    Material
    YS170 (hot rolled) high strength steel
    Part mass
    10

    Use the default values for scrap material value, part length, batch size, and number of values (retained from the first material processing chain input).

  7. Set the Primary Shaping Process values:
    Primary process
    Hot shape rolling

    Use the default values for the other properties.

  8. Set the Secondary Shaping Process.

    Select Include secondary process, and enter the following value:

    Secondary process
    Press forming

    Use the default values for Part complexity, Amount of scrap, and Scrap recycled.

  9. Set the Record Naming values:
    Material
    Steel
    Primary process
    rolled
    Secondary process
    pressed
  10. Click Create and then Finish to create the synthesized records and close the Part Cost Estimator.

    Synthesized records created using Part Cost Estimator are appended to the MaterialUniverse browse tree under My records > Synthesized > Part cost estimator.

  11. Create a bubble chart to compare the two material processing chains

    Delete any existing selection stages, if there are any. In the Selection Project panel, click Chart/Index and set the following x- and y-axis values:

    Category
    Part cost estimator
    X-Axis Attribute
    Batch size
    Y-Axis Attribute
    Part cost
  12. Change the Record color for easy comparison of the two processing chains

    On the MaterialUniverse browse tree, navigate to My records > Synthesized > Part cost estimator.

    Right-click the PP, molded subfolder, click Record color, and select a color to change the record color for all records in that folder.

  13. Delete the Chart Stage