What rate should I use for inspection checks?

Use the sustained rate from your inspectors' log on comparable parts, including scan, record and recheck time. The defaults of 150 checks at 18 per hour give 8.33 base hours and 10.17 hours with the 22% allowance.

Why does the allowance sit on top of check time?

Setup, documentation and review are not check time but they still consume the inspector's shift. Charging them as a share of base hours keeps the estimate proportional to lot size.

Does this cover a first article inspection?

Not fully. First article and audit inspections carry fixed setup time that this proportional model misses, so plan them as a separate block on the gate.

What should I change when the estimate is over?

The margin row states the overage. Move documentation and review work outside the gate, or add inspector hours, then rerun with the new allowance.

Composites, Fiberglass & Advanced Materials calculator

Composite Inspection Workload Calculator

Convert a lot's inspection checks into hours using the inspector rate and the setup and review allowance. The margin states whether the workload fits the target you enter.

What this calculator does

Inspection hours for a lot from the check count, rate and review allowance, judged against your time target.

Formula used

Base hours = inspection checks ÷ inspection rate
Setup and review hours = base hours × setup and review allowance ÷ 100
Estimated inspection hours = base hours + setup and review hours
Margin to target hours = target inspection hours − estimated inspection hours

Inputs explained

Inspection Checks: Lot checks from the travel card or inspection plan.
Inspection Rate: Sustained checks per hour from the inspection log.
Setup and Review Allowance: Setup and review time as a share of check time.
Target Inspection Hours: Hours the schedule allows for this inspection lot.

How to use the result

Best suited to sizing an inspection sweep on a lot, checking inspector hours against a gate target.
First article, audit and hold point inspections carry fixed time outside this estimate. A new inspector or part family changes the rate you should enter.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for plastic resins and materials stands at 280.569 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 6.6% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
Steel mill PPI stands at 381.162 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 23.4% from a year earlier. New factory orders are up 8.5% year over year (Census).

Common questions

What rate should I use for inspection checks? Use the sustained rate from your inspectors' log on comparable parts, including scan, record and recheck time. The defaults of 150 checks at 18 per hour give 8.33 base hours and 10.17 hours with the 22% allowance.
Why does the allowance sit on top of check time? Setup, documentation and review are not check time but they still consume the inspector's shift. Charging them as a share of base hours keeps the estimate proportional to lot size.
Does this cover a first article inspection? Not fully. First article and audit inspections carry fixed setup time that this proportional model misses, so plan them as a separate block on the gate.
What should I change when the estimate is over? The margin row states the overage. Move documentation and review work outside the gate, or add inspector hours, then rerun with the new allowance.

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.