Gypsum, Drywall & Interior Panel Manufacturing worked example

Dryer Energy Cost at 92% dryer thermal efficiency: a worked example in gypsum, drywall & interior panel manufacturing

Push dryer thermal efficiency up to 92% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. Use it when building a board cost model and dryer fuel or gas is a significant line item that needs to be tied to board count and dryer efficiency.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Boards dried per run: 100 boards (unchanged)
  • Variable energy cost per board: 45 $ / board (unchanged)
  • Dryer thermal efficiency: 92 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 80)
  • Fixed overhead per run: 250 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Variable dryer cost = boards dried x variable energy cost per board x dryer thermal efficiency) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4,390 $ for weighted cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 43.9 $ / piece for per piece value.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4,140 $ for captured value.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 250 $ for fixed adjustment.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where dryer thermal efficiency sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 14.03% above the baseline at 4,390 $.
  • It computes total dryer energy cost for a run by combining variable energy (boards times cost per board times thermal efficiency) with fixed overhead. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Weighted cost: 4,390 $ (headline result)
  • Per piece value: 43.9 $ / piece
  • Captured value: 4,140 $
  • Fixed adjustment: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Dryer Energy Cost calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.