How do you calculate electromechanical assembly cost?

Multiply assemblies built by the combined labor and component rate, scale that by first-pass yield, then add fixed tooling and fixture setup. With 250 units at $85/unit, 92% yield and $1,800 tooling, total is $21,350.

Why does first-pass yield raise the cost instead of lowering it?

Yield here weights the effective per-unit spend: at 92% the variable portion is $19,550 rather than the raw $21,250, reflecting that yield loss and the rework it triggers are already priced into the blended rate you enter.

What is the per-unit cost in the example?

Dividing the $21,350 total by 250 assemblies gives $85.40 per unit, which includes the $7.20-per-unit share of the $1,800 tooling adder.

How much does tooling add per assembly?

The $1,800 fixed tooling and fixture setup spread across 250 units adds $7.20 to each assembly. Double the run to 500 and that adder halves to $3.60, which is why batch size matters.

What is a good first-pass yield for electromechanical assembly?

For mixed through-hole and mechanical box builds, 90-95% first-pass is typical; high-reliability connectorized work should target 97%+. The 92% default sits in the normal band for a moderately complex build.

Should I quote from total cost or per-unit cost?

Quote unit price from the per-unit figure ($85.40 here) but always show total ($21,350) so the customer sees how tooling amortizes; at higher volumes your per-unit price should visibly drop.

Wire Harness, Cable & Electromechanical Assembly calculator

Electromechanical Assembly Cost Calculator

Electromechanical assembly cost captures what it truly costs to build a run of populated boards, connectorized modules, or panel-and-harness sub-assemblies once labor, purchased components, and non-recurring tooling are folded together. Estimators and program managers in contract electronics and box-build shops use it to quote fairly and to compare in-house builds against outsourcing. Because it weights the variable cost by first-pass yield, it reflects the reality that rework and scrap inflate real cost above the naive touch-labor estimate. It is the number you defend in a quote review when a customer pushes back on price.

What this calculator does

Estimate the build cost of electromechanical assemblies by combining touch labor, components, yield and line setup into one quoted figure.
An assembly house quoting a connectorized motor-and-bracket subassembly uses it to roll labor, parts and fixture setup into a defensible unit price.
It computes total build cost and cost per assembly by scaling the combined labor-plus-component rate by run quantity and first-pass yield, then adding fixed tooling and fixture setup.

Formula used

Total = assemblies x (labor + component rate) x first-pass yield% + tooling setup
Per assembly = Total / assemblies built

Inputs explained

Assemblies Built:
Labor + Component Rate:
First-Pass Yield:
Tooling & Fixture Setup:

How to use the result

Use it when quoting a new electromechanical build, validating a supplier's price, or deciding a batch size at which tooling amortization becomes acceptable.
The single blended labor+component rate hides which of the two is driving cost, so it will not tell you whether a price increase came from copper, connectors, or slower cycle times.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The producer price index for copper and brass mill shapes stands at 559.593 (BLS, May 2026), up 76.8% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move. Global copper trades at $13,484 per tonne (IMF via FRED, May 2026).
Manufacturing hourly earnings average $30.27 (BLS, Jun 2026), up 4.4% from a year earlier. Median machinist pay is $28.24/hr (OEWS 2025), with state medians on each state page. Manufacturers have 529k open positions nationally (BLS JOLTS).
The U.S. has 5,397 electrical equipment and appliances establishments employing about 369,437 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

How do you calculate electromechanical assembly cost? Multiply assemblies built by the combined labor and component rate, scale that by first-pass yield, then add fixed tooling and fixture setup. With 250 units at $85/unit, 92% yield and $1,800 tooling, total is $21,350.
Why does first-pass yield raise the cost instead of lowering it? Yield here weights the effective per-unit spend: at 92% the variable portion is $19,550 rather than the raw $21,250, reflecting that yield loss and the rework it triggers are already priced into the blended rate you enter.
What is the per-unit cost in the example? Dividing the $21,350 total by 250 assemblies gives $85.40 per unit, which includes the $7.20-per-unit share of the $1,800 tooling adder.
How much does tooling add per assembly? The $1,800 fixed tooling and fixture setup spread across 250 units adds $7.20 to each assembly. Double the run to 500 and that adder halves to $3.60, which is why batch size matters.
What is a good first-pass yield for electromechanical assembly? For mixed through-hole and mechanical box builds, 90-95% first-pass is typical; high-reliability connectorized work should target 97%+. The 92% default sits in the normal band for a moderately complex build.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.