Nonconformance Containment and Sort Cost Calculator

How to use the calculator

Enter the number of pieces that must be sorted, including stock, WIP and anything in transit. Set the sort rate per inspector from a trial or time study, the number of inspectors and the loaded labor rate. Estimate the defect rate from the original sample, then split defects between scrap and rework. The results show total labor hours, elapsed time with your team, and the cost of sorting, rework and scrap. The chart shows how total cost climbs with defect rate, which helps you plan for a worse case than the sample suggests.

• Time a real sort to set the rate.
• Include all suspect stock, not only the rejected sample.
• Use loaded labor, not base wage.
• Test higher defect rates on the chart.

Reading the result and common mistakes

Use the total as an order of magnitude figure for a chargeback request or for the cost of quality report. Compare it with the cost of better detection upstream, such as a receiving inspection plan or a gauge at the machine. The common mistakes are using an optimistic sort rate, ignoring parts already in the customer's hands, and forgetting re-inspection after rework. Remember that sorting finds defects but does not remove the cause, so it should be paired with a corrective action.