Machine Vision & Industrial Inspection AI worked example

False Accept Cost at 0.46% defect escape rate: a worked example

This scenario runs the false accept cost calculation on the strong side: 0.46% defect escape rate, with every other input held at its documented default. Use it when evaluating the risk of a detection threshold that is too permissive and you need to put a dollar value on defects reaching customers each month.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Monthly inspection volume: 50,000 parts / month (unchanged)
  • Average cost per escaped defect: 38 $ / defect (unchanged)
  • Defect escape rate (defective parts passing inspection): 0.46 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 0.4)
  • Fixed monthly investigation and response cost: 1,200 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Monthly defect escapes = monthly inspection volume x escape rate / 100) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 9,940 $ for total monthly false accept cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.2 $ / piece for false accept cost per inspected part.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 8,740 $ for variable escape cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,200 $ for fixed investigation and response cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where defect escape rate sits at 0.4% and the headline result is 8,800 $, this scenario comes in 12.95% above the baseline at 9,940 $.
  • Use it during vision-system business cases, threshold tuning reviews, or after a customer escape to size the financial exposure of your current escape rate. 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 monthly false accept cost: 9,940 $ (headline result)
  • False accept cost per inspected part: 0.2 $ / piece
  • Variable escape cost: 8,740 $
  • Fixed investigation and response cost: 1,200 $

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.