Metal Recycling, Scrap Processing & Salvage worked example

Shear/baler Throughput at 99% shear and baler uptime: a worked example

What does the result look like when shear and baler uptime reaches 99%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it when shear/baler throughput in metal recycling, scrap processing and salvage is being asked to take on more work and you need to know if there is room.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Material processed per shear/baler cycle: 4 units / cycle (unchanged)
  • Cycles available this shift: 480 cycles (unchanged)
  • Shear/baler uptime: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 90)
  • First-pass yield (clean bales): 97 % (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Gross shear/baler throughput capacity = shear/baler throughput output per cycle × available shear/baler throughput cycles) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,844 units for good shear/baler throughput capacity, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,920 units for gross shear/baler throughput capacity.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 19.2 units for shear/baler throughput downtime loss.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 57.02 units for shear/baler throughput yield loss.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where shear and baler uptime sits at 90% and the headline result is 1,676 units, this scenario comes in 10% above the baseline at 1,844 units.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when shear and baler uptime is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. Uptime and yield are estimates from history; a single major breakdown or a run of contaminated feed can move actual output far from the prediction.

Results at a glance

  • Good shear/baler throughput capacity: 1,844 units (headline result)
  • Gross shear/baler throughput capacity: 1,920 units
  • Shear/baler throughput downtime loss: 19.2 units
  • Shear/baler throughput yield loss: 57.02 units

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Shear/baler Throughput calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.