How to use the production capacity calculator
Nameplate speed on a machine datasheet is not capacity. Real capacity only appears once stoppages and scrap are taken out. This calculator multiplies daily operating hours by uptime to get net run time, divides that by the bottleneck cycle time, then applies first-pass yield and the number of parallel lines to give daily and monthly good-unit capacity.
Always enter the bottleneck cycle time rather than an average across stations, because the slowest operation governs the pace of the whole line. For yield, use first-pass yield rather than final yield after rework, which keeps the estimate conservative.
When the number feeds a quotation or a capital request, hold some margin back instead of promising the calculated figure. High-mix lines lose additional time to every changeover, so months with frequent product switches need a lower uptime assumption to match reality.
If you have no measured uptime history, start at 80 to 85 percent, then recalculate once a few months of actual run data exist.
Frequently asked questions
Use the bottleneck station, because the slowest operation sets the pace of the whole line. Entering an average across stations overstates capacity, sometimes badly.
Uptime is the share of scheduled time the line actually runs after breakdowns, changeovers, and material waits. Without history, start conservatively at 80 to 85 percent and replace it with measured data once you have it.
Usually changeovers, minor stops, and shift handover gaps are not fully reflected in the uptime figure. High-mix production needs setup time deducted for every product changeover in the month.