Free tool
Bottleneck Calculator
Find your production line’s bottleneck station and its cost in lost throughput.
Production line stations
| Station | Cycle time, sec/unit |
|---|
Additional inputs
Result: line bottleneck
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Request a production line analysisHow the calculation works
You enter the cycle times (seconds per unit) of five stations. Line throughput = 3600 ÷ longest cycle time, because the slowest station limits the whole line. Daily output = throughput × 8 h. Lost value is calculated from the difference between the fastest station’s theoretical throughput and the actual throughput, multiplied by the margin per unit.
Example: cycle times of 30, 45, 38, 52 and 33 seconds – the bottleneck is station 4 (52 s), throughput 69 units/h, daily output 554 units and lost value EUR 406 per hour (at a EUR 8 margin).
Frequently asked questions
What is a bottleneck?
The slowest station on the line, which determines the output of the whole line.
Does removing the bottleneck raise output?
Yes, up to the level of the next-slowest station. That station then becomes the bottleneck.
Does the tool account for stoppages?
No, only cycle times. To assess the effect of stoppages, use the MTBF/OEE calculator.
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