In electricity markets, capacity cost must be determined in order to make capacity trading. In this thesis, capacity cost and the factors deriving the capacity cost are studied. First, fixed capacity cost of power plants is examined. Direct and indirect costs of fixed capacity cost are detailed with respect to different types of power plants and the impact of these factors to the capacity cost is given. Second, interconnection and system utilization costs of transmission and distribution system are considered in order to simulate energy flow from the producer to the customer. Finally, a capacity cost calculation program is practiced. By the help of this program, capacity cost of power plants is figured out, different cases are compared and the main factors affecting the capacity cost are discussed in detail.

This essay is a bachelor thesis written for the Degree Program in Constructional Engineering and Design at The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). This thesis was an assignment given by WSP Sweden and their bridge and water department. The purpose of this report is to conduct an examination on the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) on a prestressed glulam deck bridge and a composite bridge in the early stages of the design phase. This report illuminates the factors that are most crucial in a LCC-calculation for the selected overpasses, and provides an overview regarding which overpass is most efficient from an economic standpoint. The LCC has been calculated based on an 80-year lifespan for the prestressed glulam deck bridge and a 120-year lifespan for the composite bridge. The cost of investment, operating, maintaining and finally the demolition cost was all considered as well. The bridge works that were examined are real life projects in an early stage of the design phase with plans to be built. In the results, the LCC-analysis shows a clear difference in life cycle costs between the prestressed glulam deck bridge and the composite bridge and show that the cost of investment is the most decisive cost during the bridges’ lifespans. The LCC-calculations show that the total life cycle cost for a prestressed glulam deck bridge is higher than the composite bridges’ total life cycle cost.

Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka ekonomiska utvärderingar av preventiva metoder som används inom tandvården genom att göra en systematisk litteraturöversikt och besvara frågor om vilka preventiva metoder som analyserats avseende kostnad och effekt samt vilka typer av ekonomiska utvärderingar som analyserats. Material och metod: En sökningsstrategi genomfördes och PubMed, The Cochrane Library och Web of Science utgjorde databaser för litteratursökningen. Inklusions- och exklusionskriterier fastställdes och ett protokoll utgjorde grunden för läsningen av de inkluderade studierna i fulltext. En kritisk granskning av de inkluderade studierna genomfördes genom att använda ett andra protokoll. Resultat: Totalt 38 publikationer om ekonomiska utvärderingar av preventiva metoder som används inom tandvården inkluderades. Studier om kariespreventiva metoder var av övervägande majoritet (n=35) och endast ett fåtal studier utvärderade preventiva metoder för andra sjukdomar (n=3). Den vanligaste preventiva metoden som utvärderades var fissurförsegling (n=8) följt av fluorlackning (n=6) och vattenfluoridering (n=3). Många studier utvärderade kombinerade preventiva metoder (n=12). Typerna av ekonomiska utvärderingar var CEA (n=16) följt av CA/Cost-minimization analysis (n=10), CBA (n=3), en kombination av CEA och CBA (n=5), CUA (n=1) och en kombination av CEA och CA (n=1). Konklusion: Även om studierna om ekonomiska utvärderingar av preventiva metoder som används inom tandvården är betydligt fler än när SBU-rapporterna publicerades så kan ingen generell slutsats beträffande kostnadseffektiviteten dras på grund heterogenitet i design och sätt att analysera. Fler välgjorda studier rekommenderas. / Aims: The aim of this study was to examine economic evaluations of preventive methods used in dentistry by using a systematic review approach and answering questions about which preventive methods used in dentistry that have been analysed regarding costs and effects and what types of economic evaluations that have been conducted. Material and method: A search strategy were conducted and PubMed, The Cochrane Library and Web of Science formed the basis of the literature search. Inclusion- and exclusion criteria were defined and a protocol was made for full-text reading of the included publications. A critical appraisal of the included publications was made using a second protocol. Results: A total of 38 publications on economic evaluations of preventive methods used in dentistry were included. Publications on caries preventive methods were of overwhelming majority (n=35) and only a few publications evaluated preventive methods for other diseases (n=3). The most common evaluated preventive method was pit and fissure sealant (n=8) followed by fluoride varnish (n=6) and water fluoridation (n=3). Most publications evaluated combined preventive methods (n=11). Types of economic evaluations were CEA (n=16) followed by CA/Cost-minimization analysis (n=10), CBA (n=3), a combination of CEA and CBA (n=5), CUA (n=1) and a combination of CEA and CA (n=1). Conclusions: Publications on economic evaluations of preventive methods used in dentistry were considerably more than when the SBU reports were published. Yet, no general conclusions could be drawn regarding cost-effectiveness due to heterogeneity in design and way of analyses. Future well-designed studies are recommended.

Temperature control is a widely researched topic and a common application is in heating systems such as buildings. A temperature control method that is central in ensuring comfort and reduction of energy consumption in modern buildings and other heating systems is based on model predictive control (MPC). Traditionally, the MPC optimal control problem is to track a target, but there are other examples of optimization problems besides tracking problems and one such optimization problem is the economical optimization problem, an optimization based on economical objectives. A heating system with electrical supply may be controlled by an economic MPC such that the economical objective is to consider time-varying prices of electricity.  This thesis studies how time-varying prices of electricity can be utilized as an economical objective in an economical MPC to reduce electricity costs for a double-heater system. This is done using an available model of the double-heater system and an MPC to construct an economical MPC. The performance of the economical MPC is then investigated and compared to the existing MPC.  In the thesis it is found, through a test with six different cost profiles and a test with historical data of forecasts of electricity prices, that the economical MPC can reduce total electricity costs when compared to the existing MPC. Furthermore it is found that the performance of the economic MPC is acceptable when it is compared with and without prediction of setpoint changes, prediction of price changes and an isolating layer between the heaters. The thesis concludes that satisfactory results are attained, as the economical MPC leads to decreased total electricity costs for the double-heater system and notes that the economic MPC is versatile by accepting both user-defined and historical cost profiles.

Vita. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

The primary purpose of this study was to analyze the capability and inclination of the aerospace and electronics industry contractors to abide by the general provisions of the Cost/Schedule Control Systems Criteria (C/SCSC).

Composite structures can lower the weight of an airliner significantly. Due to the higher process complexity and the high material cost, however, the low weight often comes with a significant increase in production cost. The application of cost-effective design strategies is one mean to meet this challenge. In this thesis, a simplified form of direct operating cost is suggested as a comparative value that in combination with multidisciplinary optimization enables the evaluation of a design solution in terms of cost and weight. The proposed cost optimization framework takes into account the manufacturing cost, the non-destructive testing cost and the lifetime fuel consumption based on the weight of the aircraft, thus using a simplified version of the direct operating cost as the objective function. The manufacturing cost can be estimated by means of different techniques. For the proposed optimization framework, feature-based parametric cost models prove to be most suitable. Paper A contains a parametric study in which a skin/stringer panel is optimized for a series of cost/weight ratios (weight penalties) and material configurations. The weight penalty (defined as the specific lifetime fuel burn) is dependent on the fuel consumption of the aircraft, the fuel price and the viewpoint of the optimizer. It is concluded that the ideal choice of the design solution is neither low-cost nor low-weight but rather a combination thereof. Paper B proposes the inclusion of non-destructive testing cost in the design process of composite components, and the adjustment of the design strength of each laminate according to inspection parameters. Hence, the scan pitch of the ultrasonic testing is regarded as a variable, representing an index for the guaranteed material quality. It is shown that the cost for non-destructive testing can be lowered if the quality level of the laminate is assigned and adjusted in an early design stage. In Paper C and Paper D the parameters of the manufacturing processes are upgraded during the cost optimization of the component. In Paper C, the framework is extended by the cost-efficient adaptation of parameters in order to reflect the situation when machining an aluminum component. For different weight penalties, the spar thickness and stringer geometry of the provided case study vary. In addition, another cutter is chosen with regard to the modified shape of the stringer. In Paper D, the methodology is extended to the draping of composite fabrics, thus optimizing not only the stacking layup, but also the draping strategy itself. As in the previous cases, the design alters for different settings of the weight penalty. In particular, one can see a distinct change in fiber layup between the minimum weight and the minimum cost solution. Paper E summarizes the work proposed in Papers A-D and provides a case study on a C-spar component. Five material systems are used for this case study and compared in terms of cost and weight. The case study shows the impact of the weight penalty, the material cost and the labor rate on the choice of the material system. For low weight penalties, for example, the aluminum spar is the most cost-effective solution. For high weight penalties, the RTM system is favorable. The paper also discusses shortcomings with the presented methodology and thereby opens up for future method developments. / QC 20100723 / European Framework Program 6, project ALCAS, AIP4-CT-2003-516092 / Nationella flygtekniska forskningsprogrammet (NFFP) 4, project kostnadseffektiv kompositstruktur (KEKS)

The market is developing and a growing competition increases pressure on companies to maintain their competitive advantage. Working with cost savings is a way to enhance earnings in a short term but also in a longer perspective. Volvo Powertrain Production Köping has an overall goal; to reduce costs by nine percentages in three years. To achieve the goal, Volvo Powertrain Production Köping works with World Class Manufacturing where the Department of Processing Technology constitutes an important part. Volvo Powertrain Production Köping lacks a standard for how savings within the metal cutting tool area are to be calculated. This makes it difficult to control and monitor their business outcome but it also causes difficulties in controlling the tool suppliers’ outcome. The suppliers’ outcome is later used as the basis in price negotiations which means that Volvo Powertrain Production Köping lacks information that can improve their outcome of a negotiation. The aim of the project is to increase understanding of how activities of processing technology affect productivity through a spreadsheet model. Starting with a current status report and a literature review revealed that many companies are missing an hourly rate designed at machine level. There are theories saying that the machine hourly rate should be allocated for both producing state and downtime, which in subsequent interviews with other companies proves to be far from being reality. Collected information was analyzed and a model was developed. The model has been tested in two improvement projects and the outcome has been compared with existing calculations from tool vendors. The result of the thesis is a standardized savings model with a machine specific hourly rate, taking into account both producing and downtime states. The savings model is based on the currently used Cost Deployment system. The proposed spreadsheet will monitor the outcome of tool suppliers which will result in a better control of cost savings and price negotiations. The savings model is not solely for savings calculations; the model also helps the user to understand how different parameters affect the cost of manufacturing. The expectation is to increase cost awareness and reduce the risk of sub-optimization in Volvo Powertrain Production Köping´s operations. The developed hourly rate is not specific to processing technology but the entire company can benefit from the spreadsheet. From a wider viewpoint, the model is applicable to manufacturing companies that have a detailed loss monitoring system similar to Cost Deployment. / Marknaden utvecklas och konkurrensen ökar vilket medför ett ökat tryck på företagen att behålla sin konkurrensfördel. Att arbeta med kostnadsbesparingar är det säkraste sättet för att öka förtjänsten på kort sikt men även i ett längre perspektiv. Volvo Powertrain Production Köping har ett övergripande mål som innebär att kostnaderna ska reduceras med nio procent på tre år. För att uppnå målet arbetar Volvo Powertrain Production Köping med World Class Manufacturing där bearbetningsteknik utgör en viktig del. Volvo Powertrain Production Köping saknar en standard för hur besparingar inom bearbetningsteknik ska beräknas. Detta medför svårigheter att kontrollera och följa upp den egna verksamhetens utfall men också svårigheter att kontrollera verktygsleverantörernas utfall som ligger till grund för inköpsförhandlingar. Syftet med examensarbetet är att öka förståelsen för hur aktiviteter inom det bearbetningstekniska området påverkar produktiviteten genom en kalkylmodell. Arbetet började med en nulägesbeskrivning och en litteraturgenomgång som visade att många företag saknade en timkostnad framtagen på maskinnivå. Det finns teori som säger att maskintimkostnaden bör finnas både för producerande tillstånd och stillestånd vilket i efterföljande kvalitativa intervjuer med andra företag visar sig vara långt ifrån verkligheten. Insamlad information analyserades och en modell utvecklades. Modellen har testats i två förbättringsprojekt och utfallet har jämförts med befintliga kalkyler från verktygsförsäljare. Resultatet av examensarbetet är en standardiserad besparingskalkyl med en maskinspecifik timkostnad där hänsyn tas till om maskinen producerar eller om maskinen har oplanerat stillestånd. Besparingskalkylen är baserad på Cost Deployment som redan används inom Volvo Powertrain Production Köping. Besparingsmodellen är inte enbart till för att beräkna besparingar utan modellen kan också hjälpa användaren att förstå hur olika parametrar påverkar tillverkningskostnaden i hopp om att öka kostnadsmedvetenheten och minska risken för suboptimering i den egna verksamheten. Den framtagna timkostnaden är inte specifik för bearbetningsteknik utan hela företaget har nytta av kalkylen vid besparingsberäkningar. I ett större perspektiv är modellen applicerbar på tillverkningsföretag som har en noggrann förlustuppföljning liknande Cost Deployment.

Energy is increasingly becoming more important in today&rsquo / s world. Ascending of energy consumption due to development of technology and dense population of earth causes greenhouse effect. One of the most valuable energy sources is hydro energy. Because of limited energy sources and excessive energy usage, cost of energy is rising. There are many ways to generate electricity. Among the electricity generation units, hydroelectric power plants are very important, since they are renewable energy sources and they have no fuel cost. Electricity is one of the most expensive input in production. Every hydro energy potential should be considered when making investment on this hydro energy potential. To decide whether a hydroelectric power plant investment is feasible or not, project cost and amount of electricity generation of the investment should be precisely estimated. This study is about cost estimation of hydroelectric power plant projects. Many design parameters and complexity of construction affect the cost of hydroelectric power plant projects. In this thesis fifty four hydroelectric power plant projects are analyzed. The data set is analyzed by using regression analysis and artificial neural network tools. As a result, two cost estimation models have been developed to determine the hydroelectric power plant project cost in early stage of the project.

This study was an investigation into the cost-effectiveness of using re-usable instrumentation in laparoscopic surgery. The model used for the study was the laparoscopic cholecystectomy which is the commonest laparoscopic procedure performed by the general surgeons. The study was done at KZNGOV Hospital in Kwazulu Natal, one of the largest tertiary hospitals in the province. The research done was both qualitative and quantitative. An exploratory study was conducted initially by drawing up the case study, and then quantitative and qualitative research was conducted to evaluate the use of re-usable instrumentation in laparoscopic surgery. In order to conduct a more focused design, the three most commonly used laparoscopic instruments were evaluated. These were the trocars (sizes 11.0mm and 5.0mm), the endoshears / scissors and the clip applicators. The study aimed to assess whether the use of the re-usable instruments was more cost-effective, whether their use in minimal access surgery was feasible, and whether the use of re-usable instrumentation compromised patient well-being. Information for the case study was obtained from the hospital notes of the patients who had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy at KZNGOV Hospital, and from interviews with experienced surgeons. The study found that the re-usable instrumentation used at KZNGOV Hospital had no adverse effects on the patients. The Department of Surgery and the theatre committee at this hospital have chosen an excellent and cost-effective protocol for laparoscopic surgery, and the choice of instrumentation cannot be faulted. Analysis of the results showed a large cost saving obtained by using the re-usable laparoscopic instrumentation, with no adverse patient outcomes. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2003.