Idle time is the period when your equipment sits available but unproductive, which directly impacts your facility's operational efficiency and bottom line. For maintenance professionals and operations leaders managing complex manufacturing environments, understanding the difference between idle time and downtime is critical for making data-driven decisions that improve throughput and reduce costs. This article explores what idle time means for your operations, how to measure it accurately, and practical strategies to minimize its impact on production capacity.
Key takeaways
- Idle time refers to periods when your equipment is available but not producing, which is different from downtime where equipment is broken or unavailable.
- The idle time formula (Scheduled Production Time – Actual Production Time) provides a baseline metric for tracking the financial impact of operational inefficiencies.
- Categorizing idle time as either normal (planned changeovers) or abnormal (material shortages) helps focus reduction efforts on avoidable waste.
- Root causes of idle time include poor communication, production bottlenecks, and inadequate planning which can all be addressed with systematic process improvements.
- A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) centralizes work instructions, tracks asset performance, and streamlines maintenance tasks to reduce idle time.
What is idle time?
Idle time in manufacturing operations refers to periods when your equipment is available and functional, but remains unproductive due to operational delays, material shortages, or workflow interruptions. This differs from equipment downtime, where machinery is broken or offline for maintenance. Companies also use the term for full-time employees who are on the clock but can't work due to similar delays.
Several scenarios create idle time, including shipment delays, overstaffed scheduling, and employee confusion over standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Example of machine idle time
A CNC machine finishes a batch at 10:00. The next job can’t start until new tooling arrives and the program is approved, so the machine sits powered on but not cutting metal until 11:15. Therefore, the idle time is 75 minutes and can be logged as “waiting on materials/tooling” or “waiting on setup/approval”).
Example of labor idle time
An assembly operator is ready at their station, but upstream welding is behind schedule, so no parts arrive for 30 minutes. That 30 minutes is labor idle time and can be logged as “waiting on parts”.
What is the difference between idle time and downtime?
Though both phrases point to an asset that is out of order, they have distinct meanings. Idle time refers to any period when facility equipment is available, but not in use. Downtime means an asset is not in working order and unavailable. The difference between the terms is the reason why an asset is unproductive.
While equipment malfunctions are a common cause of downtime, they aren't the only reason. Facility managers often schedule downtime to assign preventive maintenance tasks to maintenance technicians during non-business or non-peak production hours. That's why smart facility managers track idle time and downtime separately.
How to calculate idle time
The formula is:
Idle Time = Scheduled Production Time – Actual Production Time
Scheduled production time refers to the duration of time that management plans to run given equipment throughout a day, week, month, and year. Actual production time is the amount of time that equipment is actually running as intended.
Calculation example
A maintenance technician clocks six hours of productive work over the course of an eight-hour shift on Monday. That means he experienced two hours of idle time.
Additionally, the warehouse needs to use a conveyor belt for 10 hours every day. The conveyor belt requires 15 minutes to power up and another 15 minutes to shut down. Operators also need to turn off the machine for one hour during a routine shift change. In this scenario, the conveyor belt would ideally run for 8.5 hours of scheduled production time every day.
However, if the second-shift operator arrives one hour late to work on Monday, his delay results in an hour of idle time for the conveyor belt.
What are the types of idle time?
Idle time breaks down into two categories:
- Normal idle time: Refers to idle time that's within management's expectations. It includes planned downtimes for preventive maintenance activities. Such tasks are standard practices that employees must engage in to keep operations running. It is also referred to as planned idle time.
- Abnormal idle time: Also called unplanned idle time, this represents unexpected delays outside management's control. It includes causes such as employee strikes, material shortages, and equipment waiting for repairs.
The best facilities actively work to cut abnormal idle time through targeted process improvements.
What are the causes of idle time?
An asset may be unproductive for several reasons, even though it's technically available for use. These delays stem from factors you can control and those you can't.
Controllable causes
- Administrative failures: Poor planning and decision-making that results in overstaffing or unclear work assignments
- Production line bottlenecks: Material shortages, delayed instructions, or quality control backlogs that halt operations
- Communication gaps: Inefficient onboarding processes or unclear SOPs
External factors
- Market dynamics: Reduced demand, supply chain disruptions, or competitor actions affecting production schedules
- Personnel issues: Unexpected absences due to illness or personal emergencies
- Environmental factors: Weather emergencies affecting industries like mining, trucking, and shipping
Examples of idle time in production
1. Vehicle assembly
A vehicle assembly factory produces 100 cars within an eight-hour shift. But on some days, the quality inspection and testing team processes only 50 cars per shift. When this happens, the assembly line remains idle until the facility's quality inspection team catches up.
2. Shipping containers
A shipping company experiences a delayed delivery at the port because of a sea storm. As a result, its transportation network experiences idle time until calmer waters return. At this point, workers move the ship's containers as planned.
3. Food processing facility
A food processing plant runs three production lines that must coordinate for packaging operations. When the packaging line processes only 80% of what the production lines output, the upstream equipment experiences idle time until packaging capacity catches up. This idle time costs the facility both in lost throughput and potential product spoilage during extended wait periods.
How to reduce idle time
No facility runs at 100% efficiency—too many variables affect daily operations. But targeted actions can cut idle time and boost your profitability.
Here are three proven strategies to reduce idle time:
- Define what constitutes idle time: Start by establishing baseline metrics for your facility. Track when equipment sits available but unproductive, then analyze patterns monthly alongside other key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify problem areas.
- Improve communication systems: Teams need clear, accessible work instructions at all times. A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) with chat functionality, like MaintainX, centralizes messaging, work orders, and team communication in one platform.
- Proactively maintain your assets: Well-maintained equipment runs more efficiently with fewer unexpected interruptions. A CMMS platform organizes asset data, schedules preventive maintenance, and tracks equipment performance trends.
Other approaches include streamlining workflows, better employee training, and stronger preventive maintenance.
The final word on reducing idle time
Every minute of idle time costs you production capacity and profit. The key to reducing idle time lies in systematic tracking, proactive maintenance, and streamlined communication. Many facilities still rely on outdated, paper-based systems that limit visibility and slow response times.
MaintainX addresses this gap with a mobile-first platform designed specifically for frontline maintenance professionals. Our customers report significant reductions in unplanned downtime and substantial savings in monthly maintenance costs by centralizing work orders, asset data, and team communication in one intuitive system. Sign up for free to start reducing your facility's idle time and boost production capacity today.
Idle Time FAQs
Idle time represents lost production capacity that directly impacts facility profitability and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). For maintenance professionals, tracking idle time helps identify patterns that lead to operational inefficiencies and unplanned equipment interruptions.
Most facilities track idle time by recording when equipment is available but not actively producing. This involves monitoring scheduled production time versus actual runtime, often through CMMS software or production tracking systems.
Industry benchmarks suggest 5–10% idle time is typical for most manufacturing operations, though this varies by sector. Food and beverage facilities often target lower percentages due to continuous production requirements, while discrete manufacturing may accept slightly higher levels during planned changeovers.
Idle time can be a concern because it represents unutilized potential and can lead to decreased overall productivity, missed opportunities, and inefficiencies.
Yes, striking a balance involves implementing proactive maintenance practices to ensure equipment longevity while minimizing unnecessary breakdowns and machine idle time through efficient checklists and operations.
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