Should I fix stops or add a lane to reach the rate?

Fix stops if uptime needed is under 100%, since that closes the gap without new hardware. Above 100%, even perfect uptime falls short, so you need more speed, another lane or more parts per carrier.

How do I measure conveyor uptime?

Divide run time by scheduled time, from the downtime log or PLC run signal. Count starved minutes as stops, but not minutes the next station blocks the conveyor.

Why start from speed and pitch instead of a counted rate?

Speed and pitch give the rate the conveyor can carry and point at the setting to change. A discharge count already includes stops and empty positions; use it to check the delivered row.

What pitch do I enter for a plain belt with no flights?

Enter part length plus the gap between parts, leading edge to leading edge. PackagingConveyor.com's design guide defines product pitch the same way; if the gap varies, measure several parts and average them.

Conveyors calculator

Conveyor Parts per Hour Calculator

Turn the conveyor speed and carrier pitch into parts delivered per hour, and see whether that keeps the next station fed. You need lanes, speed, pitch, parts per carrier, uptime and the rate needed.

What this calculator does

Parts per hour a conveyor delivers from its speed, pitch, lanes and measured uptime, and whether that feeds the next station.

Formula used

Carriers per lane-hour = conveyor speed (ft/min) × 720 ÷ carrier pitch (in); 720 = 12 in/ft × 60 min/hr
Parts at full uptime = lanes × carriers per lane-hour × parts per carrier; parts delivered = parts at full uptime × uptime %
Parts lost = parts at full uptime − parts delivered; margin = parts delivered − parts needed
Uptime needed = parts needed ÷ parts at full uptime; speed needed = conveyor speed × parts needed ÷ parts delivered

Inputs explained

Active Lanes: Parallel lanes or carrier strands actually loaded with parts.
Conveyor Speed: Measured at the belt or chain with a tach, not the nameplate.
Carrier Pitch: Center to center of carriers, flights or parts along one lane.
Parts per Carrier: Parts on each carrier or pitch position; 1 for single parts.
Uptime: Run time ÷ scheduled time, from the downtime log.
Parts Needed per Hour: The rate the next station or the schedule needs.

How to use the result

Best suited to checking a conveyor feed against a packer's rate, resetting belt speed after a demand increase.
An hourly average: accumulation ahead of the next station covers short stops, not a sustained shortfall. Treats lanes as equal; a lane that jams more than the others needs its own uptime.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The U.S. has 21,668 machinery manufacturing establishments employing about 1,086,146 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

Should I fix stops or add a lane to reach the rate? Fix stops if uptime needed is under 100%, since that closes the gap without new hardware. Above 100%, even perfect uptime falls short, so you need more speed, another lane or more parts per carrier.
How do I measure conveyor uptime? Divide run time by scheduled time, from the downtime log or PLC run signal. Count starved minutes as stops, but not minutes the next station blocks the conveyor.
Why start from speed and pitch instead of a counted rate? Speed and pitch give the rate the conveyor can carry and point at the setting to change. A discharge count already includes stops and empty positions; use it to check the delivered row.
What pitch do I enter for a plain belt with no flights? Enter part length plus the gap between parts, leading edge to leading edge. PackagingConveyor.com's design guide defines product pitch the same way; if the gap varies, measure several parts and average them.

Last reviewed 2026-10-01.