Cost Analysis and Estimating for Engineering and Management

This popular book supplies readers with the latest principles and techniques for the evaluation of engineering design. The emphasis is on analysis and estimating. Included in this new edition is a chapter that introduces principles that deal with bringing inventions to the marketplace. It analyzes labor, material, accounting, and forecasting; then the theme of estimating is developed, with a study of methods, operations, and products. A versatile and extremely usable book, it's the perfect resource for engineers, managers, and entrepreneurs.

This first edition ofCost Analysis and Estimating for Engineering and Managementprovides the latest principles and techniques for the evaluation of engineering design. The theme for the book begins with four chapters devoted to an analysis of labor, material, accounting, and forecasting. In the next four chapters estimating is developed, and methods, operations, and product chapters are given. With those chapters understood, attention moves to Chapters 9 and 10, "Cost Analysis and Engineering Economy." Chapter 11, "The Enterprise, Entrepreneurship, and Imaginamachina," concludes the book, and it introduces principles that deal with bringing inventions to the marketplace. Wise and calculated risk taking for the entrepreneur (read engineer and manager) are important to the broader understanding of engineering for students. The organization of this book develops these principles in a systematic way. With increasing importance of design over rote skills in contemporary engineering courses, this book can be used for a variety of teaching situations: for lecture only, for lecture with a laboratory menu, or for professional mentoring with business, and developed field trips. Courses that connect to on-line live or delayed video instruction can use this book, as the authors have personal experience with these delivery modes. Furthermore, lifelong learning programs for the professional in either formal or informal settings can use the book. Academic requirements for this book/course may vary, and we believe that the book is suitable for a number of teaching approaches. The book has been written to appeal to engineering/management/technology settings. The student needs a mathematical maturity of algebra and introductory calculus. Typically, this book is used in the later college periods, and sometimes it coincides with the capstone course or other summary courses that occur in the final semesters. It is also suitable for graduate level courses in engineering/technology and management. The instructor will notice Internet requirements that search for information and apply it in practical context. We provide Internet addresses for numerous assignments. (Regrettably, these addresses may change from time to time. Fortunately, many students are adept at finding their own way around the Internet.) In the interactive environment of teaching, this book is a part of modern courseware. Word processing and spreadsheet skills are assumed, and some CAD ability is always helpful. The student must have access to a computer, and system requirements would be typical of more advanced personal or college Pentium computers. Various academic levels, either undergraduate or graduate, and backgrounds are appropriate and the instructor will find that this book is fitting for a variety of teaching styles. The authors have attempted to involve the instructor in the leadership of many exercises, calling on you, the instructor, to localize the assignments to your needs. The book has more material than can be covered in one semester or quarter, and thus chapters can be chosen to meet the objectives of each class. Chapter order can be adjusted. For example, if the students already have an understanding of statistics, then Chapter 5 material can be excluded. Other sections can be dropped depending on student preparation and course objectives. Now and then the term "optional" is used with sectional material, and the instructor can either appropriately overlook that section or include it for enriching purposes. The instructor will find that the book is versatile. This book has a range of difficulty for Questions for Discussion, Problems, Challenge Problems, Practical Applications, and Case Studies. Throughout the book, the authors have attempted to give the instructor the opportunity for outcomes-evaluation of student work with these many exercises. There are 128 Questions for Discussion in the 11 chapters. They are qu