Program cost

[[Cl...]]

All I need is a rough estimate on what would you as a programmer charge to write this CMM program based on the following information.

A parametric (PCM) program with 6 sizes. This is a medical implant. Geometry is exactly the same. Parts just get bigger. Fairly complex geometry.

Four datums. Characteristics include, six separate position callouts including hole size, various angles, cartesian distances. Nine surface and line profile callouts.

 

Thanks in advance.

Edited December 10

[[Cl...]]

My thought was 20 minutes all in per characteristic at $100 per hour. 

[[Ri...]]

I use a formula for engineer prepped and non-engineer prepped for the last 20 years.

The typical time to create features and characteristics is 3.8 minutes max (Non PCM) per feature. (This is evaluated on the maximum number of characteristics created that could be required for a feature).

The PCM requirement, depending on complexity, I would add at least one hour of prep. Assuming you want the parametrics on the fly.

I would need to know a lot more information before fully quoting this.

[[Cl...]]

I'm retiring soon and am thinking about buying an off-line seat of Calypso to contract program as a supplemental income. If I understand what you're saying, it doesn't sound very profitable at 3.8 minutes per feature and characteristic? So, a program (no PCM) with 30 characteristics would be $228?

[[Cl...]]

Zeiss wrote us a program. Probably 40+ characteristics w/PCM and I was told they charged over 10 grand.

[[Ke...]]

(Non-PCM) I always estimate 15 minutes per Characteristic (presuming multiple Features per Char., due to how often profile & position are used)... as a minimum amount of base programming time. (this would not include proofing the program in real time or in simulation, stylus creation, etc).

Edited December 16

[[An...]]

My assumption with that price tag is that the ZEISS name comes with a premium.

 

When one of the engineers at my company asks for a program and ask how long it will take, I use 10 minutes per characteristic, an hour for assorted prep, and two hours for proofing and assorted issues (Because I always miss something) as a guideline. I end up over estimating a bit for most jobs, but I'd rather over under promise and over deliver than vice versa. This is not 1:1 to contract programming, but I would think that you would charge for the prep and troubleshooting

[[Cl...]]

What to charge for an hourly rate? 

[[Ke...]]

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When I worked for an accredited lab, it was $100/hr. 

You would probably want to undercut that price point, though,

[[Je...]]

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Keith, how long ago was that?  I imagine that inflation-adjusted pricing would be significantly more now.

Also, I do not think an undercut is necessary, since the accredited lab is not in direct competition.  What is needed is the skill set for programming and metrology, which is in high-demand.



 

[[Ke...]]

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Fair point... it was almost 10 years ago 😅

[[Je...]]

Clarke and everyone,

CMM programming isn’t basic—It's an engineering service with technical depth and long-term impact.  It's also greatly in demand, so don't sell yourself short. I've seen several offline programmers get stuck at the $100/hour mark because it's a "nice-round number," but that rate is over a decade outdated. Comparable technical services (automation, robotics) charge $150-$250/hour. 

Let’s approach this practically by breaking down time, cost, and complexity.
 

Job Itemization

• Initial CAD/Print Study
  • Always a requirement and perhaps the most important step in measurement programming
• Probe & Fixturing Setup
• Program Development
• Simulation & Verification
• Report Creation

 

Cost Breakdown  (PCM-Enabled for 6 Sizes)

• CAD/Print Review: 2 hours x $175 = $350
• Probe & Fixture Planning: 4 hours x $175 = $700 (optional if customer provides)
• Program Development: 10 hours x $175 = $1,750
• Validation & Cycle Optimization: 5 hours x $175 = $875
• Report Creation: 2 hours x $175 = $350
• Total: $4,025

[[Cl...]]

Very detailed and informative. Thank you, Jeff!

[[Ma...]]

My rate is $125 to $150 an hour normally 

[[Ro...]]

I worked for a Med Device company for several years, we made surgical implants for knees and hips and spines and such. 

Most of our parts were a basic shape, then there would be a 1mm offset in Z for each additional part number -01 -02 -03 -04 and so on.

Then the general shape would grow in X-Y, and the same thing with the 1mm offsets in Z

Problem 1 is that some of the "Base Programs" were a day to program, some several days, so its hard to say how long the base program for each size will take to program.

Problem 2 is that Free Form surface cant easily be offset. i spent a majority of my time in the subsequent child programs recreating FF scans. For this customer they wanted scan grids to be nice and tight to each other, so the articulated surface was just a mess of individual scan lines.

Problem 3 Free Form is cad model dependent, so even if you were able to find a way to offset the free form, you still need a current model for each size.

(update, i remember now i found a way to offset the ff scans, it involved creating a secondary alignment and then assigning each offset feature to the new alignment, using "Special" to put a 1mm Z offset for the selected features, then changing the feature alignment back to Base.)