KEVOS® MAKEOS · Money
Learning Curve Unit Time and Cost
How long will the nth unit take, and what will the batch cost, as the team learns?
Unit time, cumulative time and average time per unit on a Wright learning curve from the first-unit time and learning rate, with labour cost for the batch.
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How this tool works
Inputs, units and where to find them
| Input | Unit | Typical source |
|---|---|---|
| Time for the first unit | h | Time for the first unit, from a trial build or estimate. |
| Learning rate | % | Time for a doubled quantity as a percentage of the earlier time (assembly often 80–90%, machining 90–95%). |
| Number of units | units | Number of units in the batch. |
| Labour rate | AUD/h | Labour cost per hour. |
Method and formulas
- Unit time Tₙ = T₁ n^b, with b = log₂(learning rate).
- Cumulative time = Σ Tᵢ for i = 1…n; average = cumulative ÷ n.
- Batch cost = cumulative time × labour rate.
- Example: at 85%, unit 50 takes 3.9962 h and the batch averages 5.1026 h per unit.
Limitations
- Learning flattens out; production standards eventually limit times.
- Breaks in production cause forgetting and higher times.
- Example values are illustrations. Replace them with values for your actual task.
Typical uses
- Quote new products with falling labour time
- Plan staffing for a ramp-up
- Check whether production times are improving as expected
Who it is for
- Estimators
- Production planners
- Industrial engineers
What you get
- Time for the nth unit
- Cumulative and average time
- Labour cost of the batch
Interpreting the result
- Use average time for quoting a batch and unit time for planning the end of the run.
References
- Machinery’s Handbook, 29th edition (Industrial Press, 2012), printed pp. 146. Topic reference; no source tables or recommended settings are reproduced.
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