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Cost Report Question

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Elpwnage20 View Drop Down
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    Posted: Feb/14/2015 at 5:17pm
This is our first year in the competition and I've got a few questions about the cost report.

First of all, how detailed is it supposed to be? As a first year team, we are a bit slow in the whole process and many things have not been finalized yet. Can we give ballpark answers for things like assembly time and manufacturing time?

Also, for the engine category, should we include the fuel spill spout cost in there too along with the throttle assembly?

Lastly, if we've got a company to make our gears for us, where do we input the cost of that in the sheet? Do we need to split it up into material and labor cost?



Edited by Elpwnage20 - Feb/14/2015 at 5:22pm
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rasmuet View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rasmuet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/15/2015 at 10:22am
Assembly times are tough to do if you have not done them already.  Assembly times as well as manufacturing times are costed as "an experienced member" doing the work.  So it doesn't need to account for running around finding tools, but if you have everything you need right in front of you how long would it take to assemble.

Yes you should include the throttle assembly.

We normally cost gears as the material cost, machine run time, heat treat, and any additional labor.  We machine our gear blanks and then ship out for just teeth cutting and heat treat.  You can ask your supplier to give you an appropriate cost or run time for hobbing and heat treat.

Remember, you will want receipts for everything over $30.
Erik
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Elpwnage20 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elpwnage20 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/15/2015 at 4:09pm
Originally posted by rasmuet rasmuet wrote:

Assembly times are tough to do if you have not done them already.  Assembly times as well as manufacturing times are costed as "an experienced member" doing the work.  So it doesn't need to account for running around finding tools, but if you have everything you need right in front of you how long would it take to assemble.

Yes you should include the throttle assembly.

We normally cost gears as the material cost, machine run time, heat treat, and any additional labor.  We machine our gear blanks and then ship out for just teeth cutting and heat treat.  You can ask your supplier to give you an appropriate cost or run time for hobbing and heat treat.

Remember, you will want receipts for everything over $30.


Or online catalog screenshots right? For things like ball joints and wheels I've just gone on Partzilla and took a screenshot of the page and circled the prices.

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Elpwnage20 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elpwnage20 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/15/2015 at 5:29pm
Also, for our frame tubing, should we include a receipt for that or do we use the materials cost table for chromoly and calculate it like that?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Samdaddy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/15/2015 at 7:22pm

I have a question in regards to the cost report as well.  I know in years past that the grading was 15 points for the report and 85 for the prototype cost.  Does this mean that the large excel file is only worth 15 points while the actual cost of the vehicle is worth 85.  Therefore if you did a really bad job on the cost report but your car was the cheapest then you would get a full 85 points?  I am just trying to figure out the scoring.  This is my first year to be a part of this and none of the students in years past know.

Thanks!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote IM31408 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/15/2015 at 9:49pm
Even if your cost is the lowest at a competition, if your cost report is bad enough to get 2 or 3 points, then you probably will have a substantial amount added to the total cost through adjustments. You can get called to cost audit and they will go over your car and report and add any costs that weren't reported, or even add costs for stuff that was removed from the car but is on the cost report. Long story short, if your report is bad enough to warrant getting near zero points, chances are your prototype cost is adjusted to the point where it is no longer competitive or is just a straight zero. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FelixB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/17/2015 at 10:42am
@elpawnage: just use the table
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote crankNpiston Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/17/2015 at 11:26am
Hello, 
We are a team from India,
I had questions regarding the cost report as well:
*It is mentioned in the instructions of the cost report that "Foreign receipts are not acceptable.", if our items are purchased within India, the receipts will naturally be Indian receipts, which receipts are we then supposed to enclose? Also, the prices on the receipts will be in Indian Rupees, even though the costs in the cost report have to be in Dollars.
*As it is required that we enclose receipts for the documentation, how are we supposed to enclose the receipts for the items we haven't procured yet? 
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FelixB View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FelixB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/17/2015 at 11:56am
it clearly states that you'll have to find an equivalent part on a US website, just take a screenshot and circle the retail price
Felix Belanger
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote crankNpiston Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/18/2015 at 3:26am
Alright, thanks.
I had some further questions:
*If we don't find the equivalent parts on mcmaster, polaris and chassisshop websites (the three mentioned in the instructions), what other websites are trusted? Can we get the screenshots of the equivalent items from Amazon.com and similar websites?
*Are we supposed to enclose receipts for the parts we have fabricated? If yes, how?
*Are we supposed to mention the material, density and other details in the cost report of OEM parts?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FelixB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/18/2015 at 10:34am
Alright, thanks.
I had some further questions:
*If we don't find the equivalent parts on mcmaster, polaris and chassisshop websites (the three mentioned in the instructions), what other websites are trusted? Can we get the screenshots of the equivalent items from Amazon.com and similar websites?
Just find american websites that look legitimate, it should'nt be that hard
*Are we supposed to enclose receipts for the parts we have fabricated? If yes, how?
No
*Are we supposed to mention the material, density and other details in the cost report of OEM parts?
No
Felix Belanger
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Aztec Warrior Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/21/2015 at 11:58am
Originally posted by Samdaddy Samdaddy wrote:

I have a question in regards to the cost report as well.  I know in years past that the grading was 15 points for the report and 85 for the prototype cost.  Does this mean that the large excel file is only worth 15 points while the actual cost of the vehicle is worth 85.  Therefore if you did a really bad job on the cost report but your car was the cheapest then you would get a full 85 points?  I am just trying to figure out the scoring.  This is my first year to be a part of this and none of the students in years past know.

Thanks!




Yes, this sort of happened in Utep last year. The "cheapest" car only got 8 out of 15 on the report score, but got 85 on the prototype cost score. Was good enough for 3rd place trophy.


"To finish first, you must first finish"

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elpwnage20 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/21/2015 at 1:35pm
Does anyone know what the typical costs are for top ten cars?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FelixB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/22/2015 at 7:03pm
About 7k IIRC
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Elpwnage20 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elpwnage20 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/22/2015 at 11:41pm
Originally posted by FelixB FelixB wrote:

About 7k IIRC


sh*t... we've got ours in at 14k
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote zglazer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/22/2015 at 11:50pm
Don't worry too much about the absolute cost of your car; you should be more concerned with making sure your cost report is in the right format and has everything costed correctly. You'll take even more of a points hit if you get audited and mistakes are found in your accounting. You won't land in the top ten of any event in your first year competing, so just try and avoid losing points due to carelessness, and once you get to the competition, focus on learning everything you can about what to improve for next year.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FelixB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/23/2015 at 9:42am
Yep, what Zack says is true... This is your first year competing, so your priority should be to last 4h on the endurance race. Once you do that, and you're more experienced, you can start designing and fabricating your own parts, this should give you a baja that's lighter, faster and cheaper(it's often cheaper to have fabricated parts than bought for cost report) 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote crankNpiston Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/27/2015 at 1:37pm
In the cost report, we're supposed to mention the vendors in form A. Should we mention the names of the vendors who we actually have bought our parts from, or do we mention the names of the American websites that we have used for the screenshots as receipts?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Aztec Warrior Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/27/2015 at 5:50pm
At this point you are already 8 days late with the cost report. You should probably go ahead and skip turning it in to make room for teams that can figure this kinda stuff out!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Elpwnage20 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/27/2015 at 8:37pm
Originally posted by Aztec Warrior Aztec Warrior wrote:

At this point you are already 8 days late with the cost report. You should probably go ahead and skip turning it in to make room for teams that can figure this kinda stuff out!


Does the SAE send out confirmation emails for the cost report? Or do we hear any feedback before the competition on it from them? If so, when?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sweeneyp Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/27/2015 at 11:30pm
^you'll hear nothing about it
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote FelixB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Feb/27/2015 at 11:58pm
@crank: no you don't have to say where you bought it... but as aztecwarrior says, you are pretty late... if you're 10 days late, they consider that you forfeit

@Elpwnage: yes and no... basically, you don't want to hear about it as it would mean you're cost audited, should'nt be a problem for you as long as you've have'nt forgot wheels, engine, and such
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