Fastening, Torque & Joint Assembly worked example

Fastening Labor Cost at 72% chargeable labor capture: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop chargeable labor capture to 72%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate direct fastening labor cost from assembly labor hours, loaded hourly rate, chargeable labor share, and fixed support labor.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Direct fastening labor hours: 18 hr (held at the documented default)
  • Loaded fastening labor rate: 52 $ / hr (held at the documented default)
  • Chargeable labor capture: 72 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 100)
  • Fixed setup or support labor cost: 180 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Variable fastening labor cost = direct labor hours × loaded labor rate × chargeable labor capture.
  • Total fastening labor cost works out to 854 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Average cost per labor hour works out to 47.44 $ / hr at these inputs.
  • Variable fastening labor cost works out to 674 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed setup/support labor works out to 180 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where chargeable labor capture sits at 100% and the headline result is 1,116 $, this scenario comes in 23.48% below the baseline at 854 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to chargeable labor capture, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It models labor as a flat rate and does not capture rework from cross-thread, stripped joints, or failed torque audits, so error-prone joints can run above the estimate.

Results at a glance

  • Total fastening labor cost: 854 $ (headline result)
  • Average cost per labor hour: 47.44 $ / hr
  • Variable fastening labor cost: 674 $
  • Fixed setup/support labor: 180 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Fastening Labor Cost calculator, set chargeable labor capture to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.