Cycle Time & Throughput Feasibility Calculator — Motion Profile, Dwell Time and Utilization Validator
Calculate minimum achievable cycle time and throughput using stroke length, maximum velocity, acceleration, dwell time, and motion type.
Enter the known values and review the calculated result
Input parameters
Use consistent values and select the intended engineering units.
Motion parameters
Cycle parameters
Results
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Method, application and limitations
Review the calculation method, intended application and engineering assumptions before using the result in a design decision.
Formula and calculation method
Minimum achievable cycle time formula:
For one-way motion: k = 1
For reciprocating motion: k = 2
stotal = s · k
stri = v² / a
If stotal ≤ stri:
- vpeak = √(stotal · a)
- tacc = vpeak / a
- tdec = tacc
- tv = 0
If stotal > stri:
- vpeak = v
- tacc = vpeak / a
- tdec = tacc
- sconst = stotal − stri
- tv = sconst / vpeak
tmotion = tacc + tv + tdec
t = tmotion + tdwell
Throughput formula:
Q = 60 / t
where:
- t — Minimum achievable cycle time [s]
- Q — Throughput [1/min]
- s — Stroke length [m]
- k — Motion stroke factor [-]
- stotal — Total evaluated stroke length [m]
- stri — Triangular profile distance limit [m]
- v — Maximum velocity [m/s]
- a — Maximum acceleration [m/s²]
- vpeak — Peak velocity [m/s]
- tacc — Acceleration time [s]
- tv — Constant velocity time [s]
- tdec — Deceleration time [s]
- tmotion — Motion time [s]
- tdwell — Dwell time [s]
When to use this calculator
When to use this calculator:
- Checking whether a target cycle time is achievable for a given stroke length, velocity limit, acceleration limit, and dwell time.
- Comparing one-way and reciprocating motion by applying a stroke factor of 1 or 2 to the evaluated travel distance.
- Identifying whether the motion profile is triangular or trapezoidal from the stroke length, maximum velocity, and acceleration limit.
- Estimating throughput from the minimum achievable cycle time expressed in seconds.
- Evaluating whether the required velocity or required acceleration is close to the available motion limits.
How to interpret the result
Minimum achievable cycle time is defined as the shortest calculated cycle duration from the selected motion profile plus dwell time.
Throughput is defined as 60 divided by minimum achievable cycle time. Increasing minimum achievable cycle time decreases throughput.
The result depends on stroke length, motion type, maximum velocity, maximum acceleration, dwell time, and target cycle time. Increasing stroke length or dwell time increases minimum achievable cycle time. Increasing maximum velocity or maximum acceleration can reduce minimum achievable cycle time when that limit controls the motion profile.
- Safe — target cycle time is greater than or equal to minimum achievable cycle time, required velocity is not above 85% of maximum velocity, and required acceleration is not above 85% of maximum acceleration.
- Warning — required velocity is above 85% of maximum velocity or required acceleration is above 85% of maximum acceleration.
- Limit — required velocity is above 95% of maximum velocity or required acceleration is above 95% of maximum acceleration.
- Unsafe — target cycle time is lower than minimum achievable cycle time, required velocity is greater than maximum velocity, or required acceleration is greater than maximum acceleration.
- Invalid — input data violates one of the model limits, such as non-positive stroke length, velocity, acceleration, target cycle time, negative dwell time, target cycle time not greater than dwell time, or unsupported motion type.
The result is used to evaluate whether the requested cycle time can be achieved within the available velocity and acceleration limits.
Calculation example
Example:
A user wants to check whether a one-way actuator move can meet a 1.00 s target cycle time with a short dwell at the end of the stroke.
- s — Stroke length = 0.40 m
- v — Maximum velocity = 2.00 m/s
- a — Maximum acceleration = 4.00 m/s²
- Motion type = One-way
- t — Target cycle time = 1.00 s
- tdwell — Dwell time = 0.10 s
The calculated minimum achievable cycle time is 0.733 s, and the throughput is 81.91 cycles/min.
The target is feasible because the target cycle time is greater than the calculated minimum achievable cycle time.
Assumptions and limitations
- The motion is evaluated as either one-way motion with stroke factor 1 or reciprocating motion with stroke factor 2.
- The motion profile is selected as triangular when the evaluated stroke length is less than or equal to the triangular profile distance limit.
- The motion profile is selected as trapezoidal when the evaluated stroke length is greater than the triangular profile distance limit.
- Dwell time is added directly to calculated motion time.
- Throughput is calculated from the minimum achievable cycle time, not from the target cycle time.
- The jerk limit input is not used in the calculation logic.