Caterpillar Inc. would like to upgrade current fabrication techniques on its Excavator assembly line. Upgrades include state of the art equipment designed to automate specific portions of fabrication which have been very labor intensive in the past. To meet current floor plan space, four equipment design alternatives have been considered, which will have capital investment and annual operating expenses as shown in the table below. Assuming a useful life of 8 years for each design, no end-of-life market (salvage) value, and a desired before-tax MARR of 12% per year, determine which design should be selected based on: a) the PW method, and b) the IRR method.

Design -525,000 Design 2 -850,000 Design 3 -1,135,000 Design 4 1,420,000 1 Capital investment Annual expenses: Power Labor Maintenance Taxes and insurance -168,000 -20,000 -345,000 -12,000 -180,000 -25,000 -200,000 -15,000 -220,000 65,000 -320,000 -25,000 -235,000 -50,000 370,000 -30,000