Heat Exchanger, Coil & Radiator Manufacturing worked example

Cost Per Coil at 58% cost capture factor: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop cost capture factor to 58%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate cost per coil or radiator assembly from build quantity, variable cost per unit, cost capture factor, and fixed setup or tooling cost.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Coils in quote lot: 100 coils (held at the documented default)
  • Variable cost per coil: 45 $ / coil (held at the documented default)
  • Cost capture factor: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed setup or tooling cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total captured coil cost = coils in quote lot × variable cost per coil × cost capture factor + fixed setup or tooling cost.
  • Total captured coil cost works out to 2,860 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Estimated cost per coil works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Captured variable cost works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed setup or tooling cost works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where cost capture factor sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to cost capture factor, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. The capture factor is a blended estimate of how much variable cost you actually book against the job; it does not replace a true bill-of-materials cost roll or activity-based costing.

Results at a glance

  • Total captured coil cost: 2,860 $ (headline result)
  • Estimated cost per coil: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Captured variable cost: 2,610 $
  • Fixed setup or tooling cost: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Cost Per Coil calculator, set cost capture factor to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.