Refractories, Furnace Linings & Foundry Consumables worked example

Furnace Downtime Cost at 58% share of lost output actually attributable: a worked example in refractories, furnace linings & foundry consumables

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop share of lost output actually attributable to 58%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Furnace Downtime Cost puts a dollar figure on an idle furnace by combining the lost-output value of every down hour with the fixed cost of the repair or reline that caused it.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Furnace downtime hours: 100 hr (held at the documented default)
  • Lost-output cost per downtime hour: 45 $ / hr (held at the documented default)
  • Share of lost output actually attributable: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed reline or repair cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Furnace Downtime Cost cost = quantity × rate × capture factor + fixed cost.
  • Weighted cost works out to 2,860 hr at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Per piece value works out to 28.6 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Captured value works out to 2,610 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed adjustment works out to 250 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where share of lost output actually attributable sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 hr, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 hr.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to share of lost output actually attributable, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. The hourly lost-output rate is an estimate of contribution margin at risk — get that wrong and the total is wrong, so validate it against actual lost sales or displaced production, not just standard cost.

Results at a glance

  • Weighted cost: 2,860 hr (headline result)
  • Per piece value: 28.6 $ / piece
  • Captured value: 2,610 $
  • Fixed adjustment: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Furnace Downtime Cost calculator, set share of lost output actually attributable to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.