Robot Cycle Time Calculator

Work out robot cycle time instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Robot Cycle Time Calculator

Cycle time is the sum of every serial element — moves, gripper actuation and process dwell — divided by availability to account for stoppages. Parts per hour is 3,600 divided by that figure, and the biggest gains usually come from overlapping the process dwell with robot motion rather than speeding the robot up.

Formula

Cycle time

effective cycle = (moves + grip + process) / availability; rate = 3600 / cycle

Worked example

With the default values below, Robot Cycle Time Calculator returns Effective cycle time of 4.57. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Total move time per cycle: 2.4 s
Grip and release time: 0.6 s
Process dwell time: 1.2 s
Availability: 92 %

Results

Effective cycle time: 4.57 s
Parts per hour: 789 parts/h
Ideal cycle time: 4.20 s
Output per 8 hour shift: 6,309 parts

Step by step

1Values used
2Cycle time
3Effective cycle time= 4.57 s
4Parts per hour= 789 parts/h
5Ideal cycle time= 4.20 s
6Output per 8 hour shift= 6,309 parts

Assumptions and limits

The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
Figures are rounded for display to 2 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is cycle time usually lost?

In gripper actuation and settling, and in waiting for the process. Robot motion is often already near its acceleration limit.

Why divide by availability?

Because micro-stoppages, part jams and reject handling consume real time. Ideal cycle times never match measured throughput.