Glossary · Manufacturing systems
Throughput
Also known as: Output rate, Throughput rate
German: Durchsatz
In manufacturing and logistics, throughput is the number of good units, orders or amount of material a system processes per unit of time.
- Manufacturing systems
In one sentence
Throughput is the number of good units, orders or amount of material a system processes per unit of time.
Example
The sorter's throughput is 9,500 parcels per hour, while the packing line downstream handles 1,200 cases per hour.
How it applies
- Engineering: System throughput is limited by the Bottleneck. Design specifications state required throughput, often with a peak factor, and acceptance tests verify it under defined conditions.
- Operation: Throughput, Work in process (WIP) and lead time are linked by Little's law: average WIP equals throughput times average lead time.
- Networking: In communication networks, throughput means data transferred per unit of time, a separate concept from manufacturing throughput.
- Documentation: State throughput values with their conditions: product mix, load dimensions, gaps, operating mode. Performance data in sales and technical documents should match the tested conditions, otherwise they create claims the system can't meet.
Throughput vs. capacity
Capacity is the maximum possible output. Throughput is the actual output achieved, which is usually lower due to losses.