Pharmaceutical, Biotech & GMP Manufacturing worked example

Capsule Filling Capacity at 65% filling yield: a worked example

Here is what the math looks like when conditions slip. We hold every other input steady and drop filling yield to 65%, then walk the calculation through step by step. Estimate released capsule capacity from filling shifts, capsules per shift, fill yield, and release yield.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Capsule filling shifts: 4 shifts (held at the documented default)
  • Capsules filled per shift: 480 capsules / shift (held at the documented default)
  • Filling yield: 65 % (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 90)
  • QA released yield: 97 % (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Gross capacity = Capsule filling shifts × Capsules filled per shift.
  • Good output capacity works out to 1,211 units at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Gross capsule capacity works out to 1,920 units at these inputs.
  • Uptime loss works out to 672 units at these inputs.
  • Yield loss works out to 37.44 units at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where filling yield sits at 90% and the headline result is 1,676 units, this scenario comes in 27.78% below the baseline at 1,211 units.
  • The practical read: the gap between this scenario and the baseline is entirely attributable to filling yield, so recovering it is worth quantifying in dollars before considering equipment or staffing changes. It multiplies two yield stages as independent factors; if your QA yield already includes filling rejects, applying both will double-count losses.

Results at a glance

  • Good output capacity: 1,211 units (headline result)
  • Gross capsule capacity: 1,920 units
  • Uptime loss: 672 units
  • Yield loss: 37.44 units

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Capsule Filling Capacity calculator, set filling yield to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.