Lean Manufacturing & Operations worked example

Capacity Gap Analysis at 17% uptime loss: a worked example in lean manufacturing & operations

What does the result look like when uptime loss reaches 17%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use this calculator during capacity planning to determine whether your current capability can meet projected demand, and if not, how large the gap is.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Gross theoretical capacity: 1,000 units/period (unchanged)
  • Uptime loss (downtime): 17 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 15)
  • Yield loss (scrap/rework): 5 % (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Good Output Capacity = Gross Capacity x (1 - Uptime Loss%) x (1 - Yield Loss%)) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 850 units / period for good output capacity (units), the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 17,000 units / period for gross theoretical capacity.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 16,150 units / period for uptime loss (%).
  • At this operating point the engine returns 0 units / period for yield loss (%).

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where uptime loss sits at 15% and the headline result is 750 units / period, this scenario comes in 13.33% above the baseline at 850 units / period.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when uptime loss is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It treats uptime and yield losses as independent and stable; in practice they vary by product mix and interact, so it is a planning baseline, not a guaranteed ceiling.

Results at a glance

  • Good output capacity (units): 850 units / period (headline result)
  • Gross theoretical capacity: 17,000 units / period
  • Uptime loss (%): 16,150 units / period
  • Yield loss (%): 0 units / period

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.