Web Extra, September 2010 BioCycle

September 21, 2010 | General

Web Extra, September 2010 BioCycle

Complementing “Controlling Costs In Compost Manufacturing,” BioCycle, September 2010, p. 26. Complete front-end loader cost-accounting analysis – comparing four bucket sizes to conduct tasks related to windrow building, tear down and screening.

Loader time needed to handle material for windrow building

Bucket Size (cy)	CY/ day	Buckets/ Day	Min/ Bucket	Min/ Day	Hrs/ Day	FTEs

4	945	236.25	3.0	720	12	1.6
6	945	157.5	4.6	720	12	1.6
9	945	105.0	6.9	720	12	1.6
15	945	63.0	11.4	720	12	1.6

Loader time needed to handle material for windrow tear down

Bucket Size (cy)	CY/ day	Buckets/ Day	Min/ Bucket	Min/ Day	Hrs/ Day	FTEs

4	945	236.25	1.5	360	6	0.8
6	945	157.5	2.3	360	6	0.8
9	945	105.0	3.4	360	6	0.8
15	945	63.0	5.7	360	6	0.8

Loader time needed to handle screening operation

Bucket Size (cy)	CY/ day	Buckets/ Day	Min/ Bucket	Min/ Day	Hrs/ Day	FTEs

4	945	236.25	6	1417.5	23.625	3.1
6	945	157.5	6	945	15.75	2.1
9	945	105.0	6	630	10.5	1.4
15	945	63.0	6	378	6.3	0.8

Loaders needs analysis

Work to be done

Bucket Size (cy)	Total/Min day	Hrs/ Day	Hrs/ Year	Available Hrs/ Year	#FELs Needed

4	2497.5	41.6	10406.3	2500	4
6	2025	33.8	8437.5	2500	3
9	1710	28.5	7125.0	2500	3
15	1458	24.3	6075.0	2500	2

Note: This assumes each model type doing ALL the materials handling above.
Loaders capital cost analysis

Bucket Size (cy)	Ex. FELs Cost/Year	Used Mach. Cost/Year	New Mach. Cost/Year	No. Needed	Total Annual Cost	Cost /Hr/ FEL	Cost/ Hr

4	$13,139.16		$26,808.48	1 exist, 3 new	$93,564.60	$12.48	$37.43
6	$27,155.52		$28,835.52	1 exist, 2 new	$84,826.56	$11.31	$33.93
9	$26,637.84		$41,474.40	1 exist, 2 new	$109,586.64	$14.61	$43.83
15	—	$53,259.72	$75,743.64	1 used, 1 new	$129,003.36	$17.20	$51.60