Economic Life of the Machine - 3.2 | 17. Downtime Cost Calculation | Construction Engineering & Management - Vol 1
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Understanding Downtime Costs

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0:00
Teacher
Teacher

Today, we're diving into downtime costs. Can anyone tell me how we may calculate these costs based on equipment value?

Student 1
Student 1

Is it a percentage of the equipment cost? Like a fixed rate?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! For instance, if the equipment cost is 900 rupees per hour, at 3% downtime, that results in 27 rupees per hour. How much would that add up in a year if the machine operates for 2000 hours?

Student 2
Student 2

That's 54,000 rupees annually, right?

Student 3
Student 3

And if that percentage increases to 6% in the second year, the cost would jump to 1,08,000 rupees!

Teacher
Teacher

Good observations! Remember, downtime costs accumulate and create a significant financial burden over time, which we will track cumulatively. Let's keep this in mind as we proceed.

Teacher
Teacher

In summary, downtime impacts not just our operational expenses but needs to be tracked yearly for better cost management.

Understanding Obsolescence Costs

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Teacher
Teacher

Next up is obsolescence. Can anyone describe what we mean by obsolescence in machinery?

Student 2
Student 2

It refers to the cost that comes from keeping older machines that can't perform as well as newer models.

Teacher
Teacher

Correct! Now, what happens to our obsolescence costs as a machine ages?

Student 4
Student 4

They increase because of wear and tear and rising maintenance costs!

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! For instance, if a machine’s obsolescence factor is 0.05, that translates to an obsolescence cost of 45 rupees per hour. If we calculate for an entire year at 2000 hours, how much would that total?

Student 3
Student 3

That would be 90,000 rupees annually!

Teacher
Teacher

Great job! Remember, these costs add to our cumulative calculations, helping us decide when to replace old machines. Let's summarize: obsolescence costs rise with time and impact our overall machinery costs significantly.

Calculating Economic Life

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Teacher
Teacher

To summarize, how do we determine the economic life of a machine?

Student 1
Student 1

It's the time when the cumulative costs are at their minimum, right?

Teacher
Teacher

Exactly! Initially, we see costs decrease, but they eventually rise due to increasing maintenance and obsolescence. What year do we typically recommend replacing a machine?

Student 2
Student 2

The 4th year, because that’s when costs are lowest!

Student 4
Student 4

So, if we keep it longer, we’ll see rising recurring costs with every hour!

Teacher
Teacher

Yes! Holding onto machinery after its economic life results in unavoidable financial loss. Always remember to evaluate both downtime and obsolescence to make informed decisions for operational efficiency.

Teacher
Teacher

In summary, determining the economic life is crucial for maintaining cost-effective operations, ensuring timely changes to avoid unnecessary expenses.

Introduction & Overview

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Quick Overview

This section discusses the various costs associated with machine downtime, depreciation, obsolescence, and how these affect the economic life of the machine.

Standard

The section explains how downtime costs accumulate annually, considering rates of obsolescence and the impact on productivity. It emphasizes calculating cumulative costs to determine the optimum replacement time for machinery, ultimately highlighting the economic life of machines and the need for timely replacements to minimize operational costs.

Detailed

Detailed Explanation of Economic Life of the Machine

In this section, we explore the critical financial metrics for assessing the economic life of machinery, focusing on downtime costs, obsolescence, and the necessary calculations to arrive at optimal replacement strategies. The cost of downtime per hour is introduced, calculated as a percentage of equipment costs (3% initially, increasing to 6% in the second year), leading to cumulative annual costs that ultimately inform machinery life cycle decisions.
The explicitly outlined yearly costs illustrate how cumulative usage adds significant figures to downtime costs, making it evident that maintaining older machines leads to higher expenses.
Additionally, productivity loss due to machine downtime necessitates further financial outlays to restore original production rates, which is calculated through productivity adjusted cumulative downtime costs per hour.
The subsequent discussion on obsolescence costs underscores the impact of machine age on operational effectiveness, cost efficiency, and rising maintenance needs. Indeed, as competing models enter the market with enhanced features and lower costs, assessing obsolescence becomes crucial for operational success.
The section wraps up with a summary of how assessing these costs leads to understanding a machine's economic life—the period when owning and operating costs are minimal—culminating in the recommendation to replace machinery post the 4th year to optimize operational costs.

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Calculating Downtime Costs

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So, downtime cost per hour equal to 3% of your equipment cost. Equipment cost is nothing but 900 rupees per hour.

Downtime cost per hour = × (900) = 27 rupees per hour

Your machine is going to operate in a year for 2000 hours. So, what is your yearly downtime cost? Yearly downtime costs for the first year is,

Downtime cost per year = 27 × 2000 = 54,000 rupees.

Detailed Explanation

The downtime cost per hour is calculated as a percentage of the equipment cost to understand how much it costs when the machine isn't operational. In this case, 3% of the equipment cost (900 rupees) equals a downtime cost of 27 rupees per hour. If the machine operates for 2000 hours in a year, the total downtime cost for that year would be 54,000 rupees (27 rupees x 2000 hours).

Examples & Analogies

Think of a restaurant that can't serve customers when its kitchen equipment is broken. If the cost of running the kitchen is 900 rupees an hour, and 3% of that represents lost revenue during the downtime, calculating this can help the restaurant understand its potential losses and take measures to minimize them.

Calculating Yearly Downtime Costs

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In the second year the downtime percentage is 6%. So, downtime cost is 6% of your equipment cost, equipment cost is 900 rupees per hour.

Downtime cost per hour = × (900) = 54 rupees per hour

Downtime cost per year = 54 × 2000 = 1,08,000 rupees.

Detailed Explanation

In the second year, the downtime cost increases to 6% of the equipment cost. This results in a downtime cost of 54 rupees per hour (6% of 900). Over the same operational time of 2000 hours, the total downtime cost for the second year would be 1,08,000 rupees (54 rupees x 2000 hours). This shows how increasing downtime percentages can significantly impact yearly operational costs.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a construction company that uses cranes for lifting heavy materials. If the cranes break down more frequently, increasing downtime to 6%, the cost of repairs impacts the company's budget. Understanding these costs helps the company plan better for maintenance and operational efficiencies.

Cumulative Downtime Costs

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Similarly, you calculate a downtime cost for all the years for the entire life of the machine. Now, you find the cumulative downtime cost by adding it. So, 54,000 + 1,08,000 gives you 1,62,000, 1,62,000 + 1,62,000 gives you 3,24,000 for the third year.

Detailed Explanation

Cumulative downtime costs allow you to track the total impact of downtime over multiple years. By adding the yearly costs together (54,000 + 1,08,000), you find that the cumulative cost of downtime for the first two years is 1,62,000. If this trend continues and you add for the third year, you will keep accumulating these costs to reflect the total downtime impact over time. This cumulative approach helps in understanding long-term financial effects.

Examples & Analogies

Consider maintaining a fleet of delivery trucks. If each year, the downtime costs accumulate due to breakdowns, adding these together helps the fleet manager see the total cost of keeping older trucks operational, which can inform decisions about buying new trucks.

Productivity and Its Cost Implications

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Now, you have to account for the loss in productivity. So, the loss in productivity is also going to result in an increase in the downtime cost of the machine. So, as we discussed earlier, the loss of productivity results in increase in production cost because the machine has spent the time in the repair yard.

Detailed Explanation

Loss of productivity due to machine downtime is a significant factor that increases production costs. When a machine breaks down, it not only stops working but also delays the entire production process, causing additional costs as the project is likely to fall behind schedule. The costs associated with this productivity loss must be included in any downtime calculations to give a complete picture of economic impact.

Examples & Analogies

Imagine a factory where a single faulty assembly line machine stops operations. The costs incurred during repairs represent only part of the problem; the factory might have to pay overtime to workers to catch up on lost production, leading to even greater losses. Understanding this can help the factory plan replacements or upgrades more strategically.

Obsolescence Costs

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Every year your obsolescence factor is increasing as the machine is becoming more obsolete. So, here we are trying to calculate the cost increased resulting from retaining the old machine with us, which is producing at a lower productivity rate.

Detailed Explanation

Obsolescence costs arise when machines become outdated and less efficient compared to newer models. These costs can manifest as loss of productivity or increased maintenance and repair fees. The longer a company keeps an outdated machine, the more it may pay in terms of these rising costs, as newer, more efficient equipment might be available at competitive prices.

Examples & Analogies

Think about technology like smartphones. Holding onto an old model may save money initially, but as apps and software updates require more power, the old model can perform poorly. Eventually, continuing to use it could lead to increased costs or missed business opportunities due to slower processing times.

Evaluating Economic Life

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The economic life means the period during which the cost associated with the machine is minimum. So, during the 4th year the cost is minimum. ... If you are going to retain the machine for 5 years, even beyond the optimum replacement time of the 4th year, if you continue use of the machine for more years, beyond the optimum replacement time the loss is reflected in every operating hour till you hold the machine.

Detailed Explanation

The economic life of a machine is defined as the time period during which its operating costs are at their lowest. This is typically identified around the fourth year, where costs are minimal due to initial depreciation balances out increased maintenance costs. Continuing to use a machine beyond this period leads to increased costs reflected in all operational hours, emphasizing the importance of timely replacements to optimize costs.

Examples & Analogies

Consider a coffee shop that uses a high-end espresso machine for making coffee. Initially, it's efficient and not too costly to maintain, but after four years, it starts breaking down more often, leading to higher repair costs. After recognizing that using it longer translates to higher costs, the owner decides it's more cost-effective to purchase a new machine, maximizing profits and efficiency.

Definitions & Key Concepts

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Key Concepts

  • Downtime Cost: The cost incurred during the time equipment is not operational.

  • Obsolescence Cost: The cost arising from keeping outdated machinery compared to new models.

Examples & Real-Life Applications

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Examples

  • If a machine costs 900 rupees and experiences 3% downtime, the cost per hour is 27 rupees. Over a year with 2000 operating hours, the downtime cost totals 54,000 rupees.

  • In the second year, as downtime increases to 6%, the cost per hour jumps to 54 rupees, totaling 1,08,000 rupees for the year.

Memory Aids

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🎵 Rhymes Time

  • Don't let downtime costs unfurl, or it could make your budget whirl.

📖 Fascinating Stories

  • Once there was a machine that thought it was still young. But as years passed, the machine felt tired and costs started climbing. Those costs told a story—it was time for a newer, more nimble model!

🧠 Other Memory Gems

  • D.O.C (Downtime, Obsolescence, Cost) to remember the key factors influencing economic life.

🎯 Super Acronyms

M.O.O. (Minimum Operating Ownership), to remind us of the goal to maintain operation with minimal costs.

Flash Cards

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Glossary of Terms

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  • Term: Downtime Cost

    Definition:

    The financial impact incurred for every hour a machine is not operational.

  • Term: Obsolescence Cost

    Definition:

    The additional costs encountered from retaining outdated machinery compared to modern alternatives.