Calculator
Enter motions, handling times, and utilization to estimate one full hoist cycle.
Formula used
This calculator estimates one complete cycle using motion time, handling time, and utilization.
Up time = Height ÷ Up speed
Down time = Height ÷ Down speed
Travel time = (Distance ÷ Travel speed) × Legs
Legs = 2 when return travel is included, otherwise 1
Motion time = (Up time + Down time + Travel time) × (1 + Motion loss % ÷ 100)
Handling time = (Load + Unload + Rigging + Spotting + Delay) ÷ 60
Base cycle time = Motion time + Handling time
Adjusted cycle time = Base cycle time ÷ Efficiency
Cycles per hour = 60 ÷ Adjusted cycle time
Total time (planned) = Planned cycles × Adjusted cycle time
Efficiency is entered as a percent and internally converted to a fraction.
How to use this calculator
- Select a unit system and keep all motion inputs consistent.
- Enter lift height and average up/down hoisting speeds.
- Enter horizontal travel distance and travel speed.
- Choose whether each cycle includes return travel.
- Provide handling times for loading, unloading, and rigging tasks.
- Add spotting and expected delay per cycle to reflect site reality.
- Set a motion loss factor for starts, stops, and positioning time.
- Set an efficiency percentage to convert base time to actual time.
- Enter planned cycles, then calculate to see totals and productivity.
- Optionally enable payload planning to estimate required cycles.
Example data table
Sample inputs and outputs for quick reference.
| Scenario | Height | Up / Down speed | Travel (one-way) | Handling + delays | Efficiency | Adjusted cycle time | Cycles per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical site lift | 18 m | 24 / 28 m/min | 12 m (return included) | 145 s | 85% | ≈ 3.00 min | ≈ 20.0 |
| Short travel, higher efficiency | 12 m | 26 / 30 m/min | 6 m (return included) | 110 s | 92% | ≈ 2.10 min | ≈ 28.6 |
| Long travel, more delays | 22 m | 22 / 26 m/min | 20 m (return included) | 220 s | 80% | ≈ 4.60 min | ≈ 13.0 |
Replace the sample values with your hoist and site parameters.
Hoist cycle time planning article
1) Why cycle time matters
Hoisting output is controlled by the full cycle: hook, lift, travel, set, and reset. Estimating only vertical motion hides real bottlenecks such as signaling, congestion, and fine positioning. A consistent cycle estimate improves crew planning, trade coordination, and daily production targets.
2) Typical field shares
Site logs commonly show vertical motion at 35–55% of time, horizontal travel at 10–25%, and handling plus delays at 25–45%. Use measured averages where possible; even ten cycles of timing creates a useful baseline.
3) Worked example using this calculator
With a 18 m lift, up speed 24 m/min gives 0.75 min up. Down speed 28 m/min gives 0.64 min down. One‑way travel 12 m at 20 m/min is 0.60 min; including return makes 1.20 min. Motion total is 2.59 min. A 10% motion loss raises it to 2.85 min. If loading, unloading, rigging, spotting, and delay total 145 s, handling adds 2.42 min. Base cycle becomes 5.27 min.
4) Efficiency and productivity
Efficiency converts base time to realistic time. At 85% efficiency, 5.27 min becomes 6.20 min, which is about 9.7 cycles per hour. If you plan 30 cycles, the estimate is roughly 186 minutes of hoisting, before breaks and shift change.
For planning lifts per day, compare modeled cycles per hour to recorded output. If the gap is large, review which component is driving it: motion settings, handling steps, or delays. Small process fixes often beat equipment changes when the site is constrained across the shift.
5) Improvement actions
Reduce cycle time by staging loads close to the pick point, standardizing rigging, and keeping landing zones clear. Use call‑ahead rules to cut waiting, and limit unnecessary return travel. Re‑time after changes; saving 20 seconds per cycle can recover 10 minutes every 30 cycles.
FAQs
1) What is a hoist cycle?
A hoist cycle includes hooking, lifting, horizontal travel, placing the load, unhooking, and any return travel plus typical short delays.
2) Should I include return travel?
Include return travel when the hoist usually goes back to the pick point after each set. If work is one‑way, turn it off.
3) Why are loading and rigging entered in seconds?
These activities are usually measured with a stopwatch. Seconds are easier to capture in the field and are converted to minutes internally.
4) What does motion loss factor represent?
It adds allowance for starts, stops, soft landings, and fine positioning that reduce average speed compared with the nameplate speed.
5) How do I choose an efficiency value?
Start with 85–95% for well‑organized lifts and 70–85% for congested zones. Adjust after comparing predicted time to observed cycles.
6) Can this estimate total time for a shift?
Yes. Use “Planned cycles” to compute minutes for the target number of lifts, then add breaks, meetings, and shift change allowances.
7) What is payload planning used for?
Enable it to estimate how many cycles you need when you know total quantity to move and the average payload moved per hoist cycle.