Construction Machinery & Attachments worked example

Bucket Capacity at 94% machine uptime: a worked example

This scenario runs the bucket capacity calculation on the strong side: 94% machine uptime, with every other input held at its documented default. estimating jobsite bucket output before committing a machine or attachment

The inputs for this scenario

  • Heaped bucket capacity per cycle: 1.75 yd³ / cycle (unchanged)
  • Planned bucket cycles: 52 cycles (unchanged)
  • Machine uptime: 94 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 82)
  • Bucket fill & usable material yield: 90 % (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Rated bucket volume before losses = heaped bucket capacity per cycle × planned bucket cycles) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 76.99 yd³ for usable bucket volume, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 91 yd³ for rated bucket volume before losses.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 5.46 yd³ for bucket volume lost to downtime.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 8.55 yd³ for bucket volume lost to fill factor.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where machine uptime sits at 82% and the headline result is 67.16 yd³, this scenario comes in 14.63% above the baseline at 76.99 yd³.
  • Use it when planning earthmoving or loading production, sizing fleets, or setting shift targets for a specific bucket and material. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • usable bucket volume: 76.99 yd³ (headline result)
  • rated bucket volume before losses: 91 yd³
  • bucket volume lost to downtime: 5.46 yd³
  • bucket volume lost to fill factor: 8.55 yd³

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.