Space Payload & Avionics Manufacturing worked example

Engineering Change Cost at 63% share needing requalification: a worked example in space payload & avionics manufacturing

This scenario runs the engineering change cost calculation on the strong side: 63% share needing requalification, with every other input held at its documented default. A configuration manager pricing the ripple of an ECO through documentation and requalification before a flight build.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Drawings and Documents Affected: 18 documents (unchanged)
  • Update and Review Cost per Document: 1,100 $/document (unchanged)
  • Share Needing Requalification: 63 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 55)
  • Configuration Board Charge: 7,000 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total cost = documents affected x cost per document x share needing requal + configuration board charge) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 19,474 $ for total engineering change cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,082 $ / piece for engineering change cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 12,474 $ for variable engineering change cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 7,000 $ for fixed engineering change cost adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where share needing requalification sits at 55% and the headline result is 17,890 $, this scenario comes in 8.85% above the baseline at 19,474 $.
  • Use it when dispositioning an ECO, ECN, or deviation request so the change board can weigh rework cost against schedule risk and the cost of a waiver. 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 engineering change cost: 19,474 $ (headline result)
  • Engineering change cost per unit: 1,082 $ / piece
  • Variable engineering change cost: 12,474 $
  • Fixed engineering change cost adder: 7,000 $

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.