Foundry & Forging worked example

Fettling Labor Load at 14% fettling allowance: a worked example

This worked example runs the fettling labor load numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 14% fettling allowance instead of the typical 20%. Estimate fettling labor hours for cutoff, chipping, grinding, riser removal, flash removal, and final dressing.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Castings or forgings needing fettling: 160 parts (held at the documented default)
  • Fettling completion rate: 18 parts / hr (held at the documented default)
  • Fettling allowance: 14 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 20)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Base fettling labor load = castings or forgings needing fettling รท fettling completion rate.
  • Required fettling labor load works out to 10.13 hr at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Base fettling labor load works out to 8.89 hr at these inputs.
  • Fettling allowance works out to 14 % at these inputs.
  • Fettling completion rate works out to 18 pieces / min at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where fettling allowance sits at 20% and the headline result is 10.67 hr, this scenario comes in 5% below the baseline at 10.13 hr.
  • Use it when planning fettling-bay staffing for a pour schedule, quoting finishing cost on a casting job, or sizing overtime to clear a backlog of as-cast parts. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Required fettling labor load: 10.13 hr (headline result)
  • Base fettling labor load: 8.89 hr
  • Fettling allowance: 14 %
  • Fettling completion rate: 18 pieces / min

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Fettling Labor Load calculator, set fettling allowance to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.