A Dynamic Cost Estimation Framework for Customized Manufacturing: A Case Study of the Ambulance Assembly Industry

The customized manufacturing industry faces a major challenge in achieving accurate and rapid cost estimation. The difficulty arises from product complexity and diverse data generated across multiple departments. This often results in scattered and outdated information that causes operational delays and reduces competitive advantage. The study proposes an Engineering Framework for Dynamic Cost Estimation through data integration with Power BI serving as the core platform. The framework was implemented and validated through a case study in the ambulance assembly industry, which represents a highly complex manufacturing sector. The quantitative results show that the proposed framework reduces the time required for ambulance type determination by 54.7% and decreases cost estimation time by 61.6%. These improvements address the specific challenges identified in the case study and also enhance overall operational efficiency. The findings provide a significant contribution to the advancement of manufacturing engineering. The research also delivers a validated model and knowledge that can be adapted to improve efficiency in other customized manufacturing sectors.