Security, Fire & Life Safety Products worked example

Alarm Panel Assembly Cost at 68% first-pass yield at final test: a worked example

This worked example runs the alarm panel assembly cost numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 68% first-pass yield at final test instead of the typical 94%. Estimate the cost to assemble fire and security alarm panels including board population, wiring, functional test, and one-time line setup.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Alarm panels assembled in the run: 250 panels (held at the documented default)
  • Assembly labor plus PCBA cost per panel: 68 $/panel (held at the documented default)
  • First-pass yield at final test: 68 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 94)
  • Line setup and firmware load cost: 900 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Total = panels x build cost per panel x first-pass yield% + line setup.
  • Total alarm panel assembly cost works out to 12,460 $ at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Alarm panel assembly cost per unit works out to 49.84 $ / piece at these inputs.
  • Variable alarm panel assembly cost works out to 11,560 $ at these inputs.
  • Fixed alarm panel assembly cost adder works out to 900 $ at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where first-pass yield at final test sits at 94% and the headline result is 16,880 $, this scenario comes in 26.18% below the baseline at 12,460 $.
  • Use it when quoting a build lot, comparing insourced versus contract assembly, or evaluating whether a test-yield fix pays back. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Total alarm panel assembly cost: 12,460 $ (headline result)
  • Alarm panel assembly cost per unit: 49.84 $ / piece
  • Variable alarm panel assembly cost: 11,560 $
  • Fixed alarm panel assembly cost adder: 900 $

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Alarm Panel Assembly Cost calculator, set first-pass yield at final test to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.