Packaging Automation & End-of-Line Systems worked example

End-of-Line Bottleneck at 92% share of output truly lost: a worked example

What does the result look like when share of output truly lost reaches 92%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it when an end of line constraint is throttling shipments and you need to size the cost before approving a fix.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Cases delayed by the bottleneck: 100 cases (unchanged)
  • Value per delayed case: 45 $ / case (unchanged)
  • Share of output truly lost: 92 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 80)
  • Fixed expedite and overtime cost: 250 $ (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Variable bottleneck cost = cases delayed by the bottleneck × value per delayed case × share of output truly lost) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4,390 $ for total bottleneck cost, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 43.9 $ / case for bottleneck cost per case.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 4,140 $ for variable bottleneck cost.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 250 $ for fixed expedite and overtime cost.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where share of output truly lost sits at 80% and the headline result is 3,850 $, this scenario comes in 14.03% above the baseline at 4,390 $.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when share of output truly lost is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It treats lost output as a flat fraction of delayed cases; in reality recovery depends on downstream buffer, remaining shift time, and whether the order ships that day, so validate the loss share against actual fulfillment data.

Results at a glance

  • Total bottleneck cost: 4,390 $ (headline result)
  • Bottleneck cost per case: 43.9 $ / case
  • Variable bottleneck cost: 4,140 $
  • Fixed expedite and overtime cost: 250 $

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live End-of-Line Bottleneck calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.