Cost Analysis of Electronic Systems

Understanding the cost ramifications of design, manufacturing and life-cycle management decisions is of central importance to businesses associated with all types of electronic systems. Cost Analysis of Electronic Systems contains carefully developed models and theory that practicing engineers can directly apply to the modeling of costs for real products and systems. In addition, this book brings to light and models many contributions to life-cycle costs that practitioners are aware of but never had the tools or techniques to address quantitatively in the past.Cost Analysis of Electronic Systems melds elements of traditional engineering economics with manufacturing process and life-cycle cost management concepts to form a practical foundation for predicting the cost of electronic products and systems. Various manufacturing cost analysis methods are addressed including: process-flow, parametric, cost of ownership, and activity-based costing. The effects of learning curves, data uncertainty, test and rework processes, and defects are considered. Aspects of system sustainment and life-cycle cost modeling including reliability (warranty, burn-in), maintenance (sparing and availability), and obsolescence are treated. Finally, total cost of ownership of systems and return on investment are addressed.Real life design scenarios from integrated circuit fabrication, electronic systems assembly, substrate fabrication, and electronic systems managementare used as examples of the application of the cost estimation methods developed within the book.