Conveyors worked example

Starved/Blocked Time at 5.75% maximum acceptable flow-loss time: a worked example

What does the result look like when maximum acceptable flow-loss time reaches 5.75%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. a line performance team needs to quantify flow losses between machines

The inputs for this scenario

  • Starved or blocked minutes: 48 min (unchanged)
  • Total observed line minutes: 480 min (unchanged)
  • Maximum acceptable flow-loss time: 5.75 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 5)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Starved/blocked time = starved or blocked minutes ÷ total observed minutes × 100) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 10 % flow loss for starved/blocked time, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns -4.25 points for flow-loss gap to target.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 48 min for starved or blocked minutes.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 480 min for observed line minutes.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where maximum acceptable flow-loss time sits at 5% and the headline result is 10 % flow loss, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 10 % flow loss.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when maximum acceptable flow-loss time is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It treats all starved/blocked minutes equally and won't tell you which station caused the loss — pair it with per-station state logging to locate the root constraint.

Results at a glance

  • Starved/blocked time: 10 % flow loss (headline result)
  • Flow-loss gap to target: -4.25 points
  • Starved or blocked minutes: 48 min
  • Observed line minutes: 480 min

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Starved/Blocked Time calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.