Which hours belong in the denominator?

Use the hours scheduled for production, including stops within that schedule. Keep that definition consistent when comparing periods.

Can I combine multiple machines?

Yes. Add both used and available hours across the same machines and reporting period.

Does high utilization prove good output?

No. Time utilization does not include production rate or first-pass acceptance.

Where does the target come from?

Enter the target from your own production plan. The illustrative default is not an industry benchmark.

Foundry & Forging calculator

Melt Shop Utilization Calculator

Review how much scheduled furnace time was used during the reporting period. Enter recorded operating hours, the matching furnace schedule and your melt-shop utilization target.

What this calculator does

Compare measured furnace hours with scheduled availability and your own utilization target.

Formula used

Utilization = used machine hours ÷ available machine hours × 100
Target gap = target utilization − measured utilization
Unused scheduled hours = available hours − used hours

Inputs explained

Used Furnace Hours: Operating hours recorded for the stated machine group.
Available Furnace Hours: Scheduled hours summed for the same machines and dates.
Target Utilization: Utilization target from your production plan.

How to use the result

Best suited to furnace time review, production target comparison.
The ratio does not measure melt mass, energy efficiency or metal quality.

Current U.S. benchmarks

As of Aug 2026, U.S. manufacturing runs at 75.7% of capacity (Federal Reserve via FRED), down 0.1 points from a year earlier. Enter your own plant's utilization; the national figure is a reference point for how loaded the industry is.
The producer price index for steel mill products stands at 381.162 (BLS, Aug 2026), up 23.4% from a year earlier. Quotes priced off last quarter's material cost miss this move.
The U.S. has 3,569 primary metal manufacturing establishments employing about 354,911 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

Which hours belong in the denominator? Use the hours scheduled for production, including stops within that schedule. Keep that definition consistent when comparing periods.
Can I combine multiple machines? Yes. Add both used and available hours across the same machines and reporting period.
Does high utilization prove good output? No. Time utilization does not include production rate or first-pass acceptance.
Where does the target come from? Enter the target from your own production plan. The illustrative default is not an industry benchmark.

Last reviewed 2026-10-06.