Читать книгу Fabrication of Metallic Pressure Vessels - Maan H. Jawad - Страница 15

The cost of a pressure vessel is a function of many parameters. In areas where labor is costly, it is often the biggest single factor, but many decisions by both the designer and fabricator influence overall cost. The most effective design from a cost standpoint will be one in which schedule, cost and availability of materials, cost and capability of labor, inspection options, and available equipment and tooling are all considered. In addition, short versus long term product cost considerations may need to be discussed with the customer.

It follows that the designer will either have some experience in all of these areas or will work closely with people who do. Similarly, the shop management will be familiar with a wide range of production techniques, including means of cutting and machining, forming, fixturing and fit up, welding, heat treatment, inspection and testing, cleaning, painting and other surface treatments, and packaging and shipping options and requirements.

If large numbers of vessels of the same or similar designs are fabricated, design and fabrication choices will be different from those involving fabrication of a single unit.

The particular capabilities of a vessel fabricator often make one variation of a design more cost effective than another, and if the designer is not directly associated with the fabricator, it makes sense for these two parties to discuss design options with an eye on cost reduction.

This book is not about fabrication cost estimating, and this chapter does not address actual product cost. It, however, addresses a number of considerations affecting the cost of an overall pressure vessel fabrication to help the user, designer, and fabricator make judicious choices regarding design and fabrication approaches.