How much can this line really make?
Theoretical capacity assumes the line never stops and always runs at rate. Real capacity is what you can actually promise once losses are taken out. Enter your run rate, schedule and OEE to see both, and the hidden capacity sitting between them that you already own but lose to downtime. Numbers update as you type.
Your line and schedule
Use the ideal run rate (the nameplate or best sustained rate), not your current average, so the theoretical figure is a true ceiling.
Capacity you use vs capacity you own
Your capacity split appears here.
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The gap is only a guess until you measure it.
Real capacity moves with your OEE, and OEE is only honest when stops and speed are actually counted. The free OEE Tracker measures them at the line, so the capacity number you plan and promise against is real.
Open the free OEE TrackerReclaim the capacity you already own.
The gap between theoretical and real capacity is not a machine you need to buy, it is time the line loses to breakdowns, small stops and slow cycles. Fabrico uses computer vision to find the true cause of each loss and closes the loop from that PLC-read signal to an auto-routed work order, so the hidden capacity comes back without new capital.
Book a Fabrico demoWhy real capacity is the number you should plan against
It is tempting to plan and quote against theoretical capacity, the figure on the machine's nameplate. Do it and you will over-promise every time, because no line runs every scheduled minute at full rate with zero rejects. Real capacity, theoretical capacity multiplied by OEE, is what you can actually deliver. The difference between the two is not waste you have to accept, it is capacity you already paid for and are not getting. On a line at 65 percent OEE, roughly a third of the scheduled capacity is sitting in that gap, most of it recoverable without a single new machine.
The math
Theoretical capacity = ideal run rate times hours per shift times shifts per day times operating days. Real capacity = theoretical capacity times OEE. Lost capacity = theoretical capacity minus real capacity, which is the same as theoretical times one minus OEE. Because real capacity scales directly with OEE, a ten point OEE gain turns straight into ten points more output from the assets you already run.
Should I use nameplate rate or my average rate?
Use the ideal or best sustained rate for the theoretical figure, so it is a true ceiling. Your current average already has performance losses baked in, so using it would double-count those losses once you also apply OEE, and understate the capacity you are actually leaving on the table.
Does OEE already include the schedule?
No, and that is why they multiply cleanly. OEE measures losses inside planned production time; the schedule (shifts and days) sets how much planned time there is. If you also want to account for unscheduled time, look at TEEP, which extends the idea to all calendar hours.
How do I close the gap?
Measure where the losses are, then remove the biggest ones. The six big losses calculator shows which losses to attack first, the OEE calculator tracks the number that drives real capacity, and Fabrico finds the true cause of each loss so the hidden capacity actually comes back.
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