HiFi Company spent $415,000 in 2019 to inspect incoming components. Of the $415,000, $240,000 is fixed appraisal costs. The variable inspection cost is $0.20 per component. It takes 5 components for each finished product. Internal failure costs average $80 per failed unit of finished goods. In 2019, 5% of all completed items had to be reworked. External failure costs average $200 per failed unit. The company's average external failures are one percent of units sold. The company manufactures all units as ordered and carries no materials inventories.

Seeking to decrease its total cost of quality (COQ), HiFi contracted QT Consultants, Inc. to study ways to improve product quality and to reduce costs. Upon completion of the study, QT recommended automatic inspection equipment that requires a $63,600 annual cost for training related to the inspection/appraisal process and $168,000 for inspection equipment rental and maintenance. The new equipment will eliminate $49,000 of the fixed appraisal costs, reduce the amount of unacceptable product units in the manufacturing process by 10 percent, and cut product failures by half. The company paid the consulting firm $127,000 in early January 2020 for the project. HiFi expects no changes in its operating level in the foreseeable future.

What effect does the new equipment have on total appraisal costs?

$22,600 increase.

$32,600 decrease.

$182,600 increase.

$232,600 increase.

No change.