Industrial Valves, Actuators & Flow Control worked example

Actuator Sizing Workload at 29% review, revision, and coordination overhead: a worked example

What does the result look like when review, revision, and coordination overhead reaches 29%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use this when scoping engineering hours for an automation project that requires sizing pneumatic, electric, or hydraulic actuators to match valve torque or thrust requirements.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Valve-actuator pairs to size: 24 pairs (unchanged)
  • Average engineering hours per sizing: 2.5 hr / pair (unchanged)
  • Review, revision, and coordination overhead: 29 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 25)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Base sizing hours = valve-actuator pairs x hours per sizing) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 12.38 hr for total actuator sizing workload (hours), the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 9.6 hr for base sizing hours (calculation only).
  • At this operating point the engine returns 29 % for review and coordination hours added.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2.5 pieces / min for sizing calculations completed per hour.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where review, revision, and coordination overhead sits at 25% and the headline result is 12 hr, this scenario comes in 3.2% above the baseline at 12.38 hr.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when review, revision, and coordination overhead is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It assumes uniform complexity per pair, so it understates time when the batch mixes simple on/off ball valves with modulating control valves requiring detailed torque-versus-position and stiffness analysis.

Results at a glance

  • Total actuator sizing workload (hours): 12.38 hr (headline result)
  • Base sizing hours (calculation only): 9.6 hr
  • Review and coordination hours added: 29 %
  • Sizing calculations completed per hour: 2.5 pieces / min

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Actuator Sizing Workload calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.