Composites, Fiberglass & Advanced Materials worked example

Autoclave Utilization at 92% target autoclave utilization: a worked example

What does the result look like when target autoclave utilization reaches 92%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. tracking autoclave asset utilization

The inputs for this scenario

  • Productive autoclave cure hours: 116 hr (unchanged)
  • Available autoclave hours: 160 hr (unchanged)
  • Target autoclave utilization: 92 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 80)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Autoclave Utilization = productive autoclave cure hours ÷ available autoclave hours × 100) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 72.5 % for autoclave utilization, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 19.5 points for autoclave utilization gap to target.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 116 count for productive autoclave cure hours.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 160 count for available autoclave hours.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target autoclave utilization sits at 80% and the headline result is 72.5 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 72.5 %.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when target autoclave utilization is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. Hours utilization treats a half-empty autoclave the same as a full load; it does not measure volumetric or shelf packing, so high time-utilization can still hide poor floor-area use inside the vessel.

Results at a glance

  • autoclave utilization: 72.5 % (headline result)
  • autoclave utilization gap to target: 19.5 points
  • productive autoclave cure hours: 116 count
  • available autoclave hours: 160 count

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Autoclave Utilization calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.