Conveyors worked example

Shift Capacity at 63% expected shift uptime: a worked example

This worked example runs the shift capacity numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 63% expected shift uptime instead of the typical 88%. Calculate good units per shift from the line's units per cycle, available cycles, uptime, and yield.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Units completed each line cycle: 1 units / cycle (held at the documented default)
  • Planned line cycles per shift: 1,450 cycles / shift (held at the documented default)
  • Expected shift uptime: 63 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 88)
  • Expected first-pass yield: 97 % (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Gross shift capacity = units per cycle × planned line cycles.
  • Good shift capacity works out to 886 good units / shift at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Gross shift capacity works out to 1,450 units / shift at these inputs.
  • Units lost to downtime works out to 537 units / shift at these inputs.
  • Units lost to rejects works out to 27.4 units / shift at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where expected shift uptime sits at 88% and the headline result is 1,238 good units / shift, this scenario comes in 28.41% below the baseline at 886 good units / shift.
  • Use it when committing shift output to a schedule, sizing crews, or quantifying the gap between theoretical and demonstrated capacity. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Good shift capacity: 886 good units / shift (headline result)
  • Gross shift capacity: 1,450 units / shift
  • Units lost to downtime: 537 units / shift
  • Units lost to rejects: 27.4 units / shift

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Shift Capacity calculator, set expected shift uptime to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.