Thermal Spray, Hardfacing & Wear Coatings worked example

Inspection Cost at 58% sampling coverage factor: a worked example in thermal spray, hardfacing & wear coatings

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop sampling coverage factor to 58%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Inspection Cost totals what quality assurance adds to a thermal spray or hardfacing lot — bond strength pull tests, metallographic cross-sections, thickness gauging, porosity checks, and dye-penetrant or ultrasonic NDT.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Coated parts inspected per lot: 100 units (held at the documented default)
  • Inspection labor and NDT cost per part: 45 $ / unit (held at the documented default)
  • Sampling coverage factor: 58 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 80)
  • Fixed QA setup and calibration charge: 250 $ (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Inspection Cost 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 sampling coverage factor 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 sampling coverage factor, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It assumes a uniform per-part inspection rate; destructive tests like bond pull or cross-section actually consume whole parts and coupons, whose material and re-spray cost this simple model does not separately capture.

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 Inspection Cost calculator, set sampling coverage factor to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.