Jewelry, Watches & Precision Luxury Goods worked example

Casting Tree Utilization at 61% target tree fill rate: a worked example

Suppose target tree fill rate falls to 61%. This page works the full calculation at that level so you can see exactly which result moves and by how much. Calculate how efficiently you are filling your casting trees (wax trees or sprues) in investment casting. Measures the ratio of wax patterns actually placed on the tree versus the maximum capacity, helping casting technicians optimize flask usage, reduce per-piece casting cost, and minimize wasted flask and burnout cycles.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Wax patterns mounted on tree: 18 pieces (held at the documented default)
  • Maximum sprue tree capacity: 24 pieces (held at the documented default)
  • Target tree fill rate: 61 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 85)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Casting tree utilization = patterns placed ÷ maximum tree capacity × 100.
  • Casting tree utilization rate works out to 75 % at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Utilization gap to target works out to -14 points at these inputs.
  • Patterns placed on tree works out to 18 count at these inputs.
  • Maximum tree capacity works out to 24 count at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where target tree fill rate sits at 85% and the headline result is 75 %, this scenario lands almost exactly on the baseline at 75 %.
  • It computes the percentage of a sprue tree's maximum pattern capacity that is actually occupied, plus the point gap to your target fill rate. When the numbers land here, the stressed input is the lever to work; the walkthrough above shows exactly how much each output recovers as it climbs back toward the baseline.

Results at a glance

  • Casting tree utilization rate: 75 % (headline result)
  • Utilization gap to target: -14 points
  • Patterns placed on tree: 18 count
  • Maximum tree capacity: 24 count

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Casting Tree Utilization calculator, set target tree fill rate to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.