Foundry & Forging calculator

Shakeout Capacity Calculator

Plan completed batch shakeout cycles before promising casting output. Enter the batch count, measured cycle, separate stops and matched first-pass inspection counts.

What this calculator does

  • Plan complete castings batches and projected first-pass output from measured time and inspection counts.

Formula used

  • Available cycle time = planned production time − separate stop time
  • Complete cycles = floor(available cycle time ÷ complete cycle duration)
  • Processed units = complete cycles × units per cycle
  • First-pass yield = accepted sample units ÷ inspected sample units
  • Projected accepted units = floor(processed units × first-pass yield)

Inputs explained

  • Castings per Cycle: Qualified count loaded into each complete machine cycle.
  • Planned Production Time: Shift plan for this machine and production window.
  • Separate Stop Time: Recorded stops outside the measured complete cycle.
  • Complete Cycle Duration: Timed start-to-next-start cycle including routine handling.
  • Historical Inspected Castings: Matched inspection sample for the same tooling and process.
  • Historical First Pass Castings: Sample count accepted without repeat processing or repair.

How to use the result

  • Best suited to batch shakeout scheduling, casting discharge planning.
  • Continuous rotary or vibratory drum systems need a measured mass-flow or discharge-rate model. Cooling space and downstream sand handling may constrain the schedule.

Current U.S. benchmarks

  • 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

  • Can I enter molds instead of castings? Use castings throughout this model. Convert mold counts using the actual castings per mold before entering the batch and inspection counts.
  • Does shakeout acceptance mean a casting is sellable? No. It means acceptance at the shakeout checkpoint; later inspection can still find defects.
  • Should cooling time be included? Include cooling only when it occupies this batch station and delays its next cycle.
  • Why exclude a partial batch? A batch that finishes after the planning window contributes no completed output inside that window.

Last reviewed 2026-10-06.