Capacity and manpower planning

In a real company

Production planner, PPC, factory manager

Before accepting an order, the planner checks whether the lines can deliver it on time — and how many operators are needed to hit the daily target.

Key ideas

• Hourly capacity = operators × 60 × efficiency ÷ SMV.
• Operators needed = target × SMV ÷ (hours × 60 × efficiency).
• Add absenteeism: operators ÷ (1 − absenteeism%), then helpers.

Formula

Hourly capacity

= Operators × 60 × Efficiency% ÷ SMV

Operators needed

= Target × SMV ÷ (Hours × 60 × Efficiency%)

With absenteeism

= Operators ÷ (1 − Absenteeism%)

Worked example

40-operator shirt line, SMV 22, 60% efficiency, 8 hours. Separately: you need 1,200 shirts a day with 6% absenteeism and a 20% helper ratio.

1. 1Hourly = 40 × 60 × 0.6 ÷ 22 = 65.5 pcs → 524 pcs/day
2. 2Operators = 1,200 × 22 ÷ (8 × 60 × 0.6) = 91.67 → 92
3. 3With 6% absenteeism = 98 operators
4. 4Helpers 20% = 20 → 118 people

✅ One line gives ~524 pcs/day; 1,200 pcs/day needs about 118 people.

Common mistakes

• Planning at 100% efficiency.
• Forgetting absenteeism, especially after festivals.
• Not leaving buffer days for line set-up of a new style.

Quick quiz

Answer 2 of 3 correctly to complete the lesson.

1. 1. 20 operators, SMV 15, 75% efficiency. Hourly capacity?

   608045100

2. 2. 100 operators needed, 20% absenteeism. How many on the rolls?

   12012580100

3. 3. Which input does NOT affect capacity?

   SMVEfficiencyFabric GSMOperators