Traceability, Serialization & Lot Genealogy worked example

Recall Exposure Radius at 40% confirmed defect prevalence: a worked example

Push confirmed defect prevalence up to 40% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. A quality director uses it to size recall exposure when traceability data defines the affected lot window.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Units in suspect window: 8,000 units (unchanged)
  • Recall handling cost per unit: 22 $/unit (unchanged)
  • Confirmed defect prevalence: 40 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 35)
  • Notification and admin adder: 15,000 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Recall exposure = suspect units x handling cost per unit x defect prevalence% + admin adder) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 85,400 $ for total recall exposure radius cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 10.68 $ / piece for recall exposure radius cost per unit.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 70,400 $ for variable recall exposure radius cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 15,000 $ for fixed recall exposure radius adder.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where confirmed defect prevalence sits at 35% and the headline result is 76,600 $, this scenario comes in 11.49% above the baseline at 85,400 $.
  • It computes total recall exposure as suspect units × per-unit handling cost × defect prevalence, plus a fixed notification/admin adder, and the cost per suspect unit. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Total recall exposure radius cost: 85,400 $ (headline result)
  • Recall exposure radius cost per unit: 10.68 $ / piece
  • Variable recall exposure radius cost: 70,400 $
  • Fixed recall exposure radius adder: 15,000 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Recall Exposure Radius calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.