How do equipment unit prices compare with total project costs?

When purchasing clean equipment, unit price is the most intuitive comparison indicator. However, a low unit price does not necessarily mean a low total project cost, and a high unit price does not necessarily mean it is more expensive. The number of equipment, installation facilities, operating energy consumption, filter replacement and maintenance costs will all affect the overall investment of the project.

When comparing plans, the unit price should be viewed in the context of the complete cost structure, rather than just comparing a number. The following will start from the functional caliber, initial investment, operating costs, and maintenance costs.

First unify functions and delivery scope

Before comparing unit prices, first confirm whether the delivery contents of each plan are consistent:

• Whether filters and controllers are included;

• Whether installation accessories and structural parts are included;

• Whether it contains factory testing and information;

• Whether transportation and installation services are included.

The scope of delivery is different, and the meaning of the unit price is also different. For the verification method of the quotation range, please refer to Which items need to be listed separately in the quotation of clean equipment? , first unify the range and then compare prices.

The quantity difference affects the initial investment more than the unit price

The number of devices is determined by the protected area, air supply requirements and coverage. If the air volume of equipment with low unit price is insufficient, more units may be needed, and the initial investment will be higher.

When comparing you should confirm:

• The actual air volume of each scheme at the same working point;

• The total number of units required to meet the target;

• Total investment in equipment and accessories;

• Total cost of installation and commissioning.

To determine the number of equipment, please refer to What are the on-site manifestations of insufficient FFU quantity? and How does clean air supply coverage affect the number of equipment?。

Operating energy consumption is calculated based on actual working conditions

Operating costs mainly come from electricity costs for fans and air conditioners. When calculating, the input power of the complete machine at the actual operating point should be used, and accumulated according to the operating time.

Things to note:

• Use the whole machine input power instead of the motor nameplate power;

• Calculated separately according to working and on-duty status;

• Use the actual electricity price of the project;

• Consider the change in power after dust accumulation on the filter.

For the boundaries of power data, please refer to What is the difference between FFU rated power and actual power consumption? , you can refer to it when confirming the working point. Why should we look at the complete performance curve when selecting FFU?。

Filter replacement and maintenance costs

Filters are consumables and need to be replaced regularly. Maintenance fees include:

• Filter procurement and storage;

• Replace labor and leak detection;

• Impact of downtime;

• Fan and controller maintenance.

The filter replacement cycle is related to the pollution load, operating pressure difference and use environment. For relevant judgments, please refer to What are the initial resistance and final resistance used to judge? , for consideration of consumable costs, please refer to How does the cost of filter consumables factor into purchasing decisions?。

Indirect costs of installing and maintaining channels

Insufficient maintenance channels will increase later costs:

• Increased disassembly and assembly hours;

• The scope of shutdown is expanded;

• Temporary isolation or scaffolding may be required;

• Structural change costs.

Maintenance access and installation conditions should be taken into consideration when selecting. Related analysis can refer to What later expenses will be increased due to insufficient maintenance channels?。

Subsequent costs of expansion and compatibility

If the project requires phased expansion or subsequent addition of equipment, the following should be checked:

• Whether the control interface is compatible;

• Whether there is margin for power distribution and structure;

• Whether the new equipment matches the existing system.

Insufficient expansion conditions may lead to increased later renovation costs. For relevant considerations, please refer to What are the expansion conditions for using independent modules in clean systems?。

Compare total costs by unified period and condition

When comparing total costs, be consistent:

• life cycle;

• operating hours and electricity prices;

• Maintenance intervals and costs;

• Filter replacement frequency;

• Installation and service scope.

Data from different cycles or working conditions cannot be directly compared. Comparisons of full-cycle costs should be based on confirmed data and assumptions.

Project judgment example

In a certain project, the price difference between the two FFU units was obvious. The low-priced model had insufficient air volume and the number of units needed to be increased. After comparing the total number of units and total air volume, the initial investment of the two solutions is close. Taking into account operation energy consumption and maintenance, the long-term cost of high-priced models is actually lower.

Another project has a low unit price but limited maintenance access, and later replacement of the filter requires additional disassembly and assembly. Adjustment method: Compare maintenance costs and reselect a model that is easy to maintain. After adjustment, later costs will be more controllable.

These two situations illustrate that the unit price of equipment should be compared together with the quantity, operation, maintenance and expansion costs, and not just the price of a single unit.

Key points for selection and acceptance inspection

Aili industrial equipment supporting support

The unit price of equipment is only part of the project cost. Aili Industrial has collaborative capabilities in fans, motors, filters, control systems and complete machine assembly links. It can check the number of equipment, working point power, filter replacement cycle and expansion interfaces based on the project's protection objectives, operating hours and maintenance conditions, helping to compare the unit price into the full-cycle cost, rather than judging the economics of the solution based solely on the first quoted price.