Gesamtdurchsatzleistung

Gesamtdurchsatz, or total throughput, is a term used in operations management and related fields to describe the actual rate at which a system produces finished output over a given period. It reflects the real performance under current conditions, including all processes, resources, and constraints, and is often expressed as units per hour or as value per time.

Definition and scope: Throughput measures the flow of value-adding work that completes and leaves the system, rather than the maximum possible output. Gesamtdurchsatz emphasizes the combined output across all subsystems or stages in a production line, project, or service process. It can apply to manufacturing, logistics, telecommunications, or computing, depending on the domain.

Measurement and calculation: Throughput is typically calculated by dividing the number of finished units by the observation period. In multi-stage systems, bottlenecks often determine the achievable Gesamtdurchsatz, since the slowest stage limits overall flow. Improving throughput involves reducing cycle times, eliminating waste, smoothing flow, minimizing downtime, and addressing quality issues.

Relation to other concepts: Throughput differs from capacity, which denotes the theoretical maximum output under ideal conditions. Throughput efficiency compares actual throughput to capacity or utilization. Variability, setup times, downtime, and scrap can reduce Gesamtdurchsatz. Analytical tools such as value stream mapping, line balancing, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) analysis help identify bottlenecks and improvement opportunities.

Applications: The concept is central to manufacturing and supply chain optimization but is also relevant in services, logistics, and IT networks, where it can refer to the rate at which completed services, shipped orders, or successfully transmitted data are produced or delivered.