MedTech Manufacturing worked example

Sterilization Batch Capacity at 99% sterilizer uptime: a worked example

This scenario runs the sterilization batch capacity calculation on the strong side: 99% sterilizer uptime, with every other input held at its documented default. Use this when planning sterilization capacity for demand forecasting, evaluating whether current sterilizer capacity supports a product launch, or scheduling contract sterilization slots.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Units per sterilization load: 600 devices / load (unchanged)
  • Available cycles per period: 8 cycles (unchanged)
  • Sterilizer uptime: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 92)
  • Sterility release yield: 99 % (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Gross sterilization batch capacity = units per sterilization load × available cycles per period) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4,704 units for released sterile units per period, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4,800 units for gross sterilization capacity.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 48 units for units lost to sterilizer downtime.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 47.52 units for units lost to sterility release failures.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where sterilizer uptime sits at 92% and the headline result is 4,372 units, this scenario comes in 7.61% above the baseline at 4,704 units.
  • Use it for capacity planning, bottleneck analysis, and ship-date commitments on sterilized device lines. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Released sterile units per period: 4,704 units (headline result)
  • Gross sterilization capacity: 4,800 units
  • Units lost to sterilizer downtime: 48 units
  • Units lost to sterility release failures: 47.52 units

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.