Lean Manufacturing & Operations worked example

Bottleneck Output Capacity with net available production time of 1,100 min: a worked example

Push net available production time up to 1,100 min and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. Use this calculator to determine the maximum units your line can produce per shift based on the constraint station, then compare to demand to identify capacity gaps.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Net available production time: 1,100 min (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 450)
  • Bottleneck cycle time: 1.5 min (unchanged)
  • Efficiency factor: 0.9 decimal (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Bottleneck Output = (Available Time / Bottleneck Cycle Time) x Efficiency) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 6.6 units / shift for effective output after efficiency loss, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 733 units / shift for raw throughput.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0.9 % for line efficiency factor.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1.5 hr for net available production time.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where net available production time sits at 450 min and the headline result is 2.7 units / shift, this scenario comes in 144% above the baseline at 6.6 units / shift.
  • It computes effective throughput by dividing net available time by the bottleneck cycle time and multiplying by an efficiency factor. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Effective output after efficiency loss: 6.6 units / shift (headline result)
  • Raw throughput: 733 units / shift
  • Line efficiency factor: 0.9 %
  • Net available production time: 1.5 hr

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Bottleneck Output Capacity calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.