How do you calculate cure press capacity?

Multiply good cavities per cycle by available cycles for gross capacity, then multiply by uptime and first-pass yield. With 64 cavities, 38 cycles, 88% uptime and 96% yield, good capacity is 2,432 × 0.88 × 0.96 ≈ 2,055 units.

What is the difference between gross and good capacity?

Gross capacity is cavities times cycles, ignoring losses; in the example that is 2,432 units. Good capacity applies uptime and yield to get the shippable number, about 2,055 units.

How much capacity does press downtime cost?

In the example, 88% uptime alone removes about 292 units from the gross 2,432. That loss is mold changes, demolding delays and unplanned stops eating into available cycles.

How much does molding scrap cost in capacity?

At 96% first-pass yield, molded defects remove roughly 86 more units after uptime is applied. Flash, undercure and trapped air are the usual culprits.

What is a realistic cure press uptime?

Well-run rubber molding presses commonly run 85 to 92% uptime once mold changes and demolding are counted. The 88% in the example is typical for a multi-cavity compression or transfer press.

Why not just plan off cavity count?

Because cavity count times cycles ignores the two biggest real-world losses. Planning off the 2,432 gross figure instead of the 2,055 good figure would overcommit the press by nearly 400 parts.

Gaskets, Seals, O-Rings & Elastomer Components calculator

Cure Press Capacity Calculator

Cure press capacity estimates how many good molded seals a press can actually deliver once cavity count, cycle availability, uptime and first-pass yield are all factored in. Production planners and mold shop managers in elastomer molding use it to commit realistic build quantities instead of quoting off raw cavity math that ignores downtime and scrap. The gross figure (cavities times cycles) almost always overstates reality; the good figure tells you what leaves the press fit to ship. Seeing the uptime loss and yield loss broken out separately shows whether your constraint is press availability or molding quality.

What this calculator does

Estimate good seal, gasket, or molded elastomer output from a cure press using cavity output, available cure cycles, press uptime, and first-pass yield.
Use it when a molding cell needs to check whether compression, transfer, or injection cure press capacity can support a gasket, O-ring, diaphragm, grommet, or custom seal schedule.
It computes net good molded output by multiplying gross cavity capacity by press uptime and molded first-pass yield, and splits out the uptime and yield losses.

Formula used

Gross cure press capacity = good cavities per cure cycle × available cure cycles
Good cure press capacity = gross capacity × cure press uptime × molded seal first-pass yield

Inputs explained

Good cavities per cure cycle:
Available cure cycles:
Cure press uptime:
Molded seal first-pass yield:

How to use the result

Use it when sizing a build, scheduling a press or quoting a lead time for molded gaskets, seals or O-rings.
It assumes steady cavity count and cycle time; a partially blocked mold or variable cure time will make the gross figure optimistic.

Current U.S. benchmarks

The U.S. has 11,391 plastics and rubber products establishments employing about 815,988 workers (Census County Business Patterns, 2023).

Common questions

How do you calculate cure press capacity? Multiply good cavities per cycle by available cycles for gross capacity, then multiply by uptime and first-pass yield. With 64 cavities, 38 cycles, 88% uptime and 96% yield, good capacity is 2,432 × 0.88 × 0.96 ≈ 2,055 units.
What is the difference between gross and good capacity? Gross capacity is cavities times cycles, ignoring losses; in the example that is 2,432 units. Good capacity applies uptime and yield to get the shippable number, about 2,055 units.
How much capacity does press downtime cost? In the example, 88% uptime alone removes about 292 units from the gross 2,432. That loss is mold changes, demolding delays and unplanned stops eating into available cycles.
How much does molding scrap cost in capacity? At 96% first-pass yield, molded defects remove roughly 86 more units after uptime is applied. Flash, undercure and trapped air are the usual culprits.
What is a realistic cure press uptime? Well-run rubber molding presses commonly run 85 to 92% uptime once mold changes and demolding are counted. The 88% in the example is typical for a multi-cavity compression or transfer press.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.