Printing, Labels & Industrial Converting worked example

Matrix Waste at 99% expected die-station uptime: a worked example

Push expected die-station uptime up to 99% and the picture changes. This example computes every intermediate figure at that operating point. Use it when matrix waste in printing, labels and industrial converting is being asked to take on more work and you need to know if there is room.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Matrix skeleton scrapped per die cycle: 4 units / cycle (unchanged)
  • Available die-cutting cycles in the run: 480 cycles (unchanged)
  • Expected die-station uptime: 99 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 90)
  • Expected matrix-strip first-pass yield: 97 % (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

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

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where expected die-station uptime sits at 90% and the headline result is 1,676 units, this scenario comes in 10% above the baseline at 1,844 units.
  • It computes good die-cut capacity from matrix output per cycle and available cycles, discounted by uptime and first-pass yield. The value of this scenario is the size of the gap it exposes: that gap, priced out over a year, is the budget you can justify spending to close it.

Results at a glance

  • Good matrix waste capacity: 1,844 units (headline result)
  • Gross matrix waste capacity: 1,920 units
  • Matrix waste downtime loss: 19.2 units
  • Matrix waste yield loss: 57.02 units

Run it with your numbers

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

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.