Lean Manufacturing & Operations worked example

Capacity Gap Analysis at 11% uptime loss: a worked example in lean manufacturing & operations

This worked example runs the capacity gap analysis numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: 11% uptime loss instead of the typical 15%. Calculate the capacity gap between current proven output and required demand, including scrap and rework losses, to quantify the improvement or investment needed.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Gross theoretical capacity: 1,000 units/period (held at the documented default)
  • Uptime loss (downtime): 11 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 15)
  • Yield loss (scrap/rework): 5 % (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Good Output Capacity = Gross Capacity x (1 - Uptime Loss%) x (1 - Yield Loss%).
  • Good output capacity (units) works out to 550 units / period at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Gross theoretical capacity works out to 11,000 units / period at these inputs.
  • Uptime loss (%) works out to 10,450 units / period at these inputs.
  • Yield loss (%) works out to 0 units / period at these inputs.

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 26.67% below the baseline at 550 units / period.
  • Use it during capacity planning, S&OP, or new-business quoting to size what a line can truly ship per period. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Good output capacity (units): 550 units / period (headline result)
  • Gross theoretical capacity: 11,000 units / period
  • Uptime loss (%): 10,450 units / period
  • Yield loss (%): 0 units / period

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Capacity Gap Analysis calculator, set uptime loss to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.