Capacity / WORKSHEET 03

Cycle time and capacity calculator

Translate a repeatable cycle into a practical capacity estimate. Parallel stations increase theoretical rate; utilization applies a planning allowance to that rate.

Output: Theoretical and adjusted hourly rate, net minutes, and whole-unit shift capacity.
Processing: In this browser only
Cost: Free · no account

LIVE WORKSHEET

Define the operating window

Runs locally

Inputs and results stay in this browser. Verify important outputs independently.

APPLICATION NOTES

Use the result on the floor

Estimate hourly and shift production capacity from cycle time, parallel stations, utilization, and net shift time. Keep the input boundary, unit definitions, and time period attached to any recorded result so another person can reproduce it.

Useful for

Check whether a cell can cover a shift requirement.
Explore additional parallel equipment.
Turn an observed cycle into a conservative planning rate.

MODEL BOUNDARY

Assumptions and limitations

Assumptions

Parallel stations have the same cycle and can run concurrently.
Cycle time is stable and stated per good unit.
Utilization summarizes expected operating losses not already removed as planned stops.

Limitations

The estimate does not model starvation, blocking, product mix, changeovers, scrap, or labor interference.
Whole-unit capacity is rounded down.

DECISION CHECK

Verify before changing the process

Treat capacity as a planning estimate. Validate the result with actual production trials, bottleneck behavior, staffing, maintenance, and safe operating limits.

REFERENCE

Frequently asked questions

What is theoretical capacity?

It is available time divided by cycle time, multiplied by identical parallel stations, before the utilization allowance.

Why round shift capacity down?

A partial unit is not a completed unit, so the displayed whole-unit capacity uses a conservative floor.