Enter Throughput Inputs
Example Data Table
| Scenario | Resources | Shifts | Hours | Cycle Time | Units/Cycle | Uptime | Efficiency | Quality | Demand | Practical Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline weekday run | 8 | 2 | 8 | 6 min | 1 | 92% | 88% | 97% | 820 | Approx. 823 units |
| Extra overtime push | 8 | 3 | 8 | 6 min | 1 | 92% | 88% | 97% | 1200 | Approx. 1,235 units |
| Lower quality week | 8 | 2 | 8 | 6 min | 1 | 92% | 88% | 90% | 820 | Approx. 764 units |
Formula Used
1) Productive minutes per shift
Productive Minutes = (Hours per Shift × 60) − Break Minutes − Changeover Minutes
This removes planned non-working time from each shift.
2) Total scheduled minutes for the period
Scheduled Minutes = Productive Minutes × Shifts per Day × Days in Period × Resources
This captures all staffed production time across the selected planning window.
3) Theoretical capacity
Theoretical Capacity = (Scheduled Minutes ÷ Cycle Time) × Units per Cycle
This is the ideal output before real-world losses are applied.
4) Practical capacity
Practical Capacity = Theoretical Capacity × Uptime × Efficiency × Quality
Convert percentages to decimals first, such as 92% = 0.92.
5) Throughput rate
Throughput per Hour = Practical Capacity ÷ Scheduled Hours
Throughput per Day = Practical Capacity ÷ Days in Period
These rates help compare performance across time horizons.
6) Demand fit
Demand Coverage % = (Practical Capacity ÷ Demand) × 100
Surplus / Shortfall = Practical Capacity − Demand
Positive values indicate spare capacity. Negative values indicate a gap.
How to Use This Calculator
Step 1: Enter available resources
Type the number of people, machines, or stations working in parallel. Use the count that directly adds output capacity.
Step 2: Define the work schedule
Add shifts per day, hours per shift, break minutes, changeover minutes, and the number of days in the planning period.
Step 3: Enter process performance values
Provide cycle time, units per cycle, uptime, efficiency, and quality. These inputs translate ideal production into realistic output.
Step 4: Add period demand
Enter how many units you must complete during the same time window. This allows the calculator to show coverage and any shortfall.
Step 5: Review results and chart
Click the calculate button. The page shows practical capacity, losses, coverage, required resources, and a Plotly chart above the form.
Step 6: Export when needed
Use the CSV button for spreadsheet work and the PDF button for reporting, sharing, or archiving calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does throughput capacity mean?
Throughput capacity is the realistic number of finished units your system can produce in a selected period after accounting for schedule, speed, downtime, and quality losses.
2. Why is practical capacity lower than theoretical capacity?
Theoretical capacity assumes perfect operation. Practical capacity adjusts for downtime, slower actual speed, and rejects, so it better reflects what you can truly deliver.
3. What is the difference between uptime and efficiency?
Uptime measures how often the resource is available to run. Efficiency measures how fast it runs compared with the ideal cycle time while operating.
4. When should I change units per cycle?
Change units per cycle when one full cycle produces multiple finished items, such as a tray, batch, kit, or multi-cavity process.
5. Can I use this for service teams?
Yes. Replace units with tickets, orders, approvals, calls, or tasks. Use average handling cycle time and accepted completion quality for service workflows.
6. What does the largest constraint tell me?
It points to the biggest output loss area. That helps you target improvement efforts where they can produce the largest capacity gain.
7. Why include demand units?
Demand gives context. It shows whether available throughput is enough, how large the surplus or shortfall is, and how many resources may be needed.
8. Is this calculator useful for weekly planning?
Yes. Set days in period to the number of working days in your week. The output will then represent total weekly throughput capacity.