How do I calculate how many packaging machines a production line needs?
• Measure one machine's cycle time; speed = 60 / seconds per pack.
• Divide daily demand by effective capacity = rated speed × OEE (typically 0.75–0.85).
• Machines = peak demand ÷ effective capacity, round up, add 10%–15% buffer.
• Match machine count to the bottleneck: infeed or case-packing speed if lower.
• For frequent changeover, add machines or choose fast-changeover models to offset lost time.
• Divide daily demand by effective capacity = rated speed × OEE (typically 0.75–0.85).
• Machines = peak demand ÷ effective capacity, round up, add 10%–15% buffer.
• Match machine count to the bottleneck: infeed or case-packing speed if lower.
• For frequent changeover, add machines or choose fast-changeover models to offset lost time.