Robotics & Automation worked example

Robot Idle Time with scheduled cell minutes of 240 min: a worked example

This worked example runs the robot idle time numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: scheduled cell minutes of 240 min instead of the typical 480 min. Estimate robot idle time per shift by subtracting cycle time, blocked time, and starved time from scheduled cell minutes.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Scheduled cell minutes: 240 min (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 480)
  • Robot in-cycle minutes: 360 min (held at the documented default)
  • Blocked-by-downstream minutes: 45 min (held at the documented default)
  • Starved-by-upstream minutes: 30 min (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

  • The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Tracked robot time = robot in-cycle minutes + blocked-by-downstream minutes + starved-by-upstream minutes.
  • Remaining robot idle time works out to 0 min idle at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
  • Tracked robot time works out to 435 value at these inputs.
  • Scheduled cell minutes works out to 240 value at these inputs.
  • Utilization works out to 0 % at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where scheduled cell minutes sits at 480 min and the headline result is 45 min idle, this scenario comes in 100% below the baseline at 0 min idle.
  • Use it during a cell time study or Kaizen when you have logged some idle causes but want to size the unaccounted-for remainder. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

  • Remaining robot idle time: 0 min idle (headline result)
  • Tracked robot time: 435 value
  • Scheduled cell minutes: 240 value
  • Utilization: 0 %

Run it with your numbers

  • To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Robot Idle Time calculator, set scheduled cell minutes to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.