Heat Treatment, Furnaces & Thermal Processing worked example

Hardening Batch Cost at 99% good-part yield after quench cracking: a worked example

This scenario runs the hardening batch cost calculation on the strong side: 99% good-part yield after quench cracking, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when loading a furnace charge to forecast what a through-hardening or case-hardening run will cost and what each accepted part carries.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Parts hardened per batch: 120 parts (unchanged)
  • Hardening processing cost per part: 4.5 $/part (unchanged)
  • Good-part yield after quench cracking: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 95)
  • Setup and quench media adder per batch: 180 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Batch cost = parts x hardening cost per part x yield% + setup and quench adder) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 715 $ for total hardening batch cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 5.96 $ / lb for hardening cost per pound.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 535 $ for captured hardening cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 180 $ for fixed hardening batch adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where good-part yield after quench cracking sits at 95% and the headline result is 693 $, this scenario comes in 3.12% above the baseline at 715 $.
  • Use it when quoting a hardening job, comparing in-house versus outsourced heat treat, or testing whether a larger batch amortizes the fixed adder enough to lower per-part cost. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Total hardening batch cost: 715 $ (headline result)
  • Hardening cost per pound: 5.96 $ / lb
  • Captured hardening cost: 535 $
  • Fixed hardening batch adder: 180 $

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.