2.3.2. Phase 2 of Cost Calculation

After machining strategy definition, the part complexity level is attributed based on three main parameters of selection:


**Figure 6.** Flow chart of the developed model, for the second cost calculation step.


**Table 6.** Number of operations for each level of detail, considered for the definition of part complexity level.

As previously mentioned, the part complexity level influences each of the production steps, from CAD to finishing operations. For the CAD, CAM, and machine setup production steps, the influence of the part complexity level in the estimated time is applied in the same manner. As with an increase in part complexity level, comes an increase in detail and number of machining operations, more operations imply more drawing, programming, and setup steps. The determined times can be observed in Table 7. These should then be added to the base times to obtain the production times for each of mentioned steps and are presented as minutes per detail added to the drawing (min/detail).

**Table 7.** Time increment that should be applied to the production steps for each part complexity level.


Regarding the influence of the part complexity level on the machining and finishing operations estimated time, this is applied in the same manner. An inflation factor was devised for each part complexity level, and this value should be multiplied by the estimated times for these operation steps. Table 8 presents the inflation factor for each of the parts' complexity levels.

**Table 8.** Inflation factors applied to machining and finishing operation estimated times for the different part complexity levels.


With all this defined, the tool can estimate the total production time of a certain part, and these times can then be used to calculate the total operation cost of the process. This value will also be added to the amount of raw material determined in step 1 of cost calculation, to determine the total cost of part production.
