Equipment Cycle Time

N = \frac{60}{t _{cycle}} E Q = N \times V_{pay}

Cycles per hour equal 60 divided by cycle time in minutes, times efficiency E (typically 0.75–0.83 for a 45–50 min hour). Production Q is cycles times payload volume per cycle.

$t_{cycle}$ (min): Minutes per cycle
$E$: Efficiency
$N$: Cycles per hour
$V_{pay}$ (LCY): Payload per cycle

Step-by-step solved example

Cycle = 4.0 min, E = 0.75, payload = 12 LCY. Hourly production?

Load–haul–dump cycle between cut and fill sections.

1. Cycles
N = (60/4)×0.75 = 11.25 cycles/h.
2. Q
Q = 11.25×12 = 135 LCY/h.
$Q = 135 LCY/h$

Answer: 135 LCY/h

10 practice questions

0/10 correct

1.t_cycle = 5 min, E = 1. Cycles/h =

2.A 45-min hour means E =

3.Longer haul distance mainly increases

4.Payload 8 BCY, N = 20/h. Q =

5.Efficiency accounts for

6.If cycle time halves, production (E, V fixed)

7.Load + haul + dump + spot =

8.t = 3 min, E = 0.80. N =

9.Pay volume must use a consistent

10.Spot time is the time to