Why is first-pass yield the headline?

It is the number that moves when the process improves and the number that predicts cost. Final yield is stable on most lines because rework absorbs whatever the process does, and it is still shown below.

What is a hidden factory?

The unplanned capacity consumed fixing things. It has people, floor space, material and schedule, and it appears in no routing or standard cost. A loop recovering 10% of panels is a tenth of a factory.

How do I count a panel reworked twice?

As one recovered panel. Yield counts panels, and a panel exists once however many times it goes round. Rework effort belongs on the rework cost page, where operations are the unit.

What about panels shipped on a concession?

Decide once and stay consistent. A concession is not a first-pass acceptance; most plants count it as recovered because it shipped. What you cannot do is let it drift between the two counts.

Acoustic, Noise, Vibration & NVH Products calculator

Acoustic Panel First-Pass and Final Yield Calculator

Split yield into panels that came out right the first time and panels rework recovered. Enter panels started, first-time acceptances, reworked recoveries and the target; the page returns both yields and the gap.

What this calculator does

Separate first-pass yield from final yield so the rework loop that meets the target is visible instead of hidden.

Formula used

First-pass yield = accepted first time ÷ panels started × 100
Final yield = (accepted first time + recovered by rework) ÷ panels started × 100
Rework load = recovered by rework ÷ panels started × 100
Panels scrapped = panels started − accepted first time − recovered by rework
Points short of target = target − final yield

Inputs explained

Panels Started: Every panel the line began, including ones later scrapped.
Accepted First Time: Panels that passed inspection with no rework at all.
Recovered by Rework: Panels that failed, were reworked, and eventually shipped. Count panels, not operations.
Target Yield: Yield the plan is written against, measured against final yield.

How to use the result

Best suited to checking whether a good yield hides rework, setting a first-pass target from scratch, quantifying the rework load before pricing it.
Counts panels, not cost: a two-hour rework and a five-minute one look identical. Says nothing about defect causes or where in the process they arise. Not an acoustic measure: a panel can pass inspection and still miss its absorption rating.

Common questions

Why is first-pass yield the headline? It is the number that moves when the process improves and the number that predicts cost. Final yield is stable on most lines because rework absorbs whatever the process does, and it is still shown below.
What is a hidden factory? The unplanned capacity consumed fixing things. It has people, floor space, material and schedule, and it appears in no routing or standard cost. A loop recovering 10% of panels is a tenth of a factory.
How do I count a panel reworked twice? As one recovered panel. Yield counts panels, and a panel exists once however many times it goes round. Rework effort belongs on the rework cost page, where operations are the unit.
What about panels shipped on a concession? Decide once and stay consistent. A concession is not a first-pass acceptance; most plants count it as recovered because it shipped. What you cannot do is let it drift between the two counts.

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.