Direct answer
Compare suppliers using sustained good packs per minute under named conditions. Catalogue maximums, dry cycles and short bursts are not equivalent to saleable output after rejects, replenishment, normal stops and changeovers.
Why this matters
Speed claims often use different boundaries. One supplier may quote a mechanism cycle, another an input rate and another a complete-line accepted output. A common test definition prevents false comparisons.
Decision table
| Claim | What it may mean | What to request |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum speed | Best-case mechanical or single format rate | Conditions and duration |
| Nominal speed | Expected rate under stated assumptions | Assumptions and evidence |
| Input rate | Products entering the machine | Good output and rejects |
| Good output | Accepted packs leaving the boundary | Acceptance criteria |
| Average shift rate | Output including planned and unplanned losses | Loss breakdown |
Information to collect
- Ask where the count is taken.
- Record the exact product, pack and material batch.
- Include the required run duration.
- Define reject and rework treatment.
- Include replenishment and normal operator tasks.
- State whether changeover is inside or outside the figure.
Practical method
- 1
Convert business demand into required good packs per hour.
- 2
Agree one comparable test for all suppliers.
- 3
Use a difficult and a representative format.
- 4
Apply capacity headroom only to named uncertainty.
- 5
Compare lifecycle cost at the accepted rate.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using dry-cycle speed as production capacity.
- Averaging incompatible SKUs.
- Ignoring reject rate.
- Assuming the fastest machine creates the fastest line.
- Adding arbitrary safety factors without explaining the risk.
Questions people also ask
What speed should be written in a quotation?
Prefer sustained good output for a named product and pack, with a separate maximum mechanical rate if useful.
How much capacity headroom is sensible?
Base headroom on demand variation, observed losses and future plans rather than a standard percentage.
Can speeds from different suppliers be compared?
Yes only after aligning product, format, boundary, duration, quality criteria and operator tasks.
Why does a line run below each machine rating?
Interfaces, micro-stops, accumulation, feeding, quality and the slowest effective constraint determine the complete-line result.
Continue from the requirement to the equipment
Use the specialist route that matches the product, pack and process. Final suitability requires representative samples, output targets and site information.