Tooling costs

Bottom hole assemblies and certain types of downhole equipment (e.g. logging tools, MWD tools) cost several US 100,000. Some logging tools will have radioactive sources which may need to be recovered or isolated for safety and legal reasons. However, prior to commencing fishing operations, a cost - benefit assessment will have to be made to establish that the time and equipment attributable to the fishing job is justified by the value of the fish or the cost of sidetracking the hole. 

Machining costs (labor and overhead) in the United States have an estimated value of > 300 x 10 /yr. The cost of labor and overhead for machining is based on the estimated number of total metal-cutting machine tools in various metal-cutting industries (1). This value does not take into account the cost of raw stock (work material), cutting tools, and many other support faciUties. An estimated breakdown of cutting tool costs is given in Table 13 (172). Because of the competitive nature of these industries, most prefer to keep cost information proprietary. 

Table 13. Estimated Breakdown of Cutting Tool Costs...

With EBM, compared to IBM, the advantages include lower tooling costs and incor-... 

Relative tooling cost, Lowest. Machined 20 percent more. 20 percent to 25... 

Reduced tooling costs 8. Lower tooling costs ... 

Higher tool costs than 6. Possible internal voids available for various... 

Fixed costs are those elements of piece cost that are a function of the annual production volume. Fixed costs are called fixed because they typically represent one-time capital investments (buildings, silos, processing machines, etc.) or annual expenses unaffected by the number of products produced (building rent, engineering support, administrative personnel, etc.). Typically, these costs are distributed over the total number of products produced in a given period. For plastics processes the principal elements are main machine cost, auxiliary equipment cost, tooling cost, building cost, overhead labor cost, maintenance cost, and the cost of capital. 

Tool costs for all parts (fabrication and handling) are large... 

Economies of production personnel can still be achieved today, and a unit cost reduction of 30-50% is possible. Physical properties of mouldings can be enhanced and the adhesion of the bond in a rubber-metal part is improved. Tool costs can be cheaper than for compression press methods because the throughput is greater. 

Each different design with a profile requiring the machining of a specific tool is charged with the tool cost. 

To clarify the selection of a particular MLR system (ILR, 2LR, or 3LR system) a comparison in terms of process complexity, resolution, aspect ratio, linewidth tolerance, sensitivity and effort required for research and development will be given. Then a comparison between deep-UV and RIE PCM systems in terms of resolution, aspect ratio, substrate patterning processes allowed, temperature stability, resist removal at the alignment sites, tool-controlling parameters, and tool cost will be included. 

There are no simple rules of thumb in defining the cost of reinforced plastic components. Their successful use has resulted from proper design, utilizing the benefits these materials offer, process selection, tooling cost advantages that fit the production needs, and consideration of life cycle economics. Each existing application illustrates the cost-performance advantage of reinforced plastic over the traditional material that is displaced. 

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