Tank, Vessel & Pressure Equipment Fabrication worked example

Documentation Labor at 58% billable capture rate for doc time: a worked example in tank, vessel & pressure equipment fabrication

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop billable capture rate for doc time to 58%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Documentation Labor captures the often-underestimated cost of assembling the code data book for a tank or pressure vessel — MTRs, weld maps, NDE reports, PWHT charts, hydro records, and the U-1 form.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Documentation packages or hours to compile: 100 units (held at the documented default)
  • QA/QC documentation rate: 45 $ / unit (held at the documented default)
  • Billable capture rate for doc time: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed data-book setup cost: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Documentation Labor cost = quantity × rate × capture factor + fixed cost.
  • Weighted cost works out to 2,860 $ 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 billable capture rate for doc time sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 25.71% below the baseline at 2,860 $.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to billable capture rate for doc time, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It assumes a stable documentation rate; it does not model rework to the data book itself, such as re-issuing an MTR traceability package after a material substitution or chasing a missing NDE report.

Results at a glance

  • Weighted cost: 2,860 $ (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 Documentation Labor calculator, set billable capture rate for doc time to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.