# Shop Capacity: How many dozens can be produced per month?



## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

Hello, I´m wondering if anybody knows approximately how many dozens of one color T´s a small to medium size shop is capable of producing on a monthly basis. I´m looking for a ballpark figure.

Work Area Specs:

-2 Press/Shop Operators
-1 1 Color Press
-1 Four Color Press
-1 Conveyor Dryer
-1 Flash Cure
-Darkroom with washout area

Thanks to anyone that reads and/or replies.
Cheers, 
J.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

A ton. Are the presses manual or auto?


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

Manual. How much would you say a ton is number form?
Thanks, 
J.


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

Really no way to give you a number too many variables.


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

veedub3 said:


> Really no way to give you a number too many variables.


-2 Press/Shop Operators (Experienced, working 8 hour shifts, mon-sat)
-1 1 Color Press
-1 Four Color Press
-1 Conveyor Dryer
-1 Flash Cure
-Darkroom with washout area


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

GatoNegro said:


> -2 Press/Shop Operators (Experienced, working 8 hour shifts, mon-sat)
> -1 1 Color Press
> -1 Four Color Press
> -1 Conveyor Dryer
> ...




You can post that all you want no way anyone can tell you how many shirts you can produce in a month. 
The best anyone can do is guestimate and if you are experienced you should have the answer to this.

Just as the above poster stated too many variables, are you printing dark color shirts that will require a under base? if so what % each month? what % will be flash dried, what % will go through the conveyor. Will the one color prints be text, or will it be all over designs?

Too many variables.


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

taricp35 said:


> You can post that all you want no way anyone can tell you how many shirts you can produce in a month.
> The best anyone can do is guestimate and if you are experienced you should have the answer to this.
> 
> Just as the above poster stated too many variables, are you printing dark color shirts that will require a under base? if so what % each month? what % will be flash dried, what % will go through the conveyor. Will the one color prints be text, or will it be all over designs?
> ...


I think I´ll post it one more time, just for good measure...

-2 Press/Shop Operators (Experienced, working 8 hour shifts, mon-sat)
-1 1 Color Press
-1 Four Color Press
-1 Conveyor Dryer
-1 Flash Cure
-Darkroom with washout area


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## Unik Ink (Nov 21, 2006)

All you have to do is figure out how many shirts your dryer can handle in an hour and multiply that by the number of actual print hours you have during a day. Your dryer will be your bottleneck when printing simple one color designs on two presses.


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## Flagrant-T (Nov 11, 2009)

Those other guys obviously don't know the secret capacity equation. Plugging in your numbers I get 3117 dozen a month. Obviously February would be a little less unless you work a Sunday.


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

Unik Ink said:


> All you have to do is figure out how many shirts your dryer can handle in an hour and multiply that by the number of actual print hours you have during a day. Your dryer will be your bottleneck when printing simple one color designs on two presses.


Thank you. I´ll check that.


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

Flagrant-T said:


> Those other guys obviously don't know the secret capacity equation. Plugging in your numbers I get 3117 dozen a month. Obviously February would be a little less unless you work a Sunday.


Hey, thanks man. Good to know that there are still folks willing to ¨bend the rules¨ in this forum. Kudos on your positive attitude, and thanks for the info. 
Love to get my hands on this ¨secret equation¨you speak of...

Cheers, 
J.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

The answers you have been given are maximum potential. 

You can't get an exact answer without knowing average number of monthly jobs (screen changes). Your dryer and presses will be down while burning/changing out screens and while your pressmen are sorting folding completed items.


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

splathead said:


> The answers you have been given are maximum potential.
> 
> You can't get an exact answer without knowing average number of monthly jobs (screen changes). Your dryer and presses will be down while burning/changing out screens and while your pressmen are sorting folding completed items.


Once again, thanks for reading and/or replying.

I´m looking for a ballpark figure, I´m well aware that it is absolutely impossible to reach an exact value. There are far too many varying values and variables in screen printing, I was merely looking for someone to give me a figure so that I could compare it to what I´ve been getting for the passed 3 months. 

The response given by Flagrant-T is pretty close to what I´ve in fact been getting. I´d say that this is pretty telling in regards to what a lot of folks have replied on this thread. 

Cheers, 
J.


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## Flagrant-T (Nov 11, 2009)

Gato,

Don't take my number too seriously. I was just kidding around and made up that number off the top of my head. You gave us a list of equipment 3 times and asked how many shirts can you run. That would like me telling you I have New Balance shoes and a Nike LiveStrong shirt. How fast can I run 10 miles.

Unik had a great point about the dryer as far as limiting your capacity, but I totally agree with Splathead, without knowing how fast you can run, how fast you can change over, and job size (number of change overs) as well as how fast you do art/pack/ship/fold etc etc...any number that somebody gives you is meaningless.

It sounds like you have a nice setup to do production, so using what everyone suggested, I'm sure you can come up with a more valid number than us knowing your own abilities and limitations.

I think if you figure out a number, and let us know how you figured it out, we could give it an honest critique of your estimate, which would be way more valid than us telling you what we think you could produce know nothing of your operation.

Best regards...Nick


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

Well said Flagrant.


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

Flagrant-T said:


> Gato,
> 
> Don't take my number too seriously. I was just kidding around and made up that number off the top of my head. You gave us a list of equipment 3 times and asked how many shirts can you run. That would like me telling you I have New Balance shoes and a Nike LiveStrong shirt. How fast can I run 10 miles.
> 
> ...


Hey Nick, 
I´d like to thank you for your previous ¨flagrantly¨sarcastic response, serves me well for asking a question and expecting some helpful feedback and insight.
Guess I look like are real jerkoff since the number you pulled out of your *** somewhat matches my production figures.

As far as the rest of the folks that replied on this thread, I say thanks; even if you didn´t give me the answer that I was looking for, at least your commentary was somehow cohesive to what I was asking. So if my commentary was backhanded during this exchange I apologize, now as far as ¨flagrant-t nick¨ is concerned I say F-U.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

GatoNegro said:


> somewhat matches my production figures.


Probably would have been easier to have given us those numbers from the get along with average number of monthly jobs and we could have told you if your peeps were slacking or are workhorses. 

You also have to understand your original question was unrealistic, so some posters took that to make fun of your post. If you really wanted an exact number, we would have needed a lot more info:

Number of 1 color jobs vs. 4 color
How long is lunch
How many breaks
Vacations
Sick days
Other down time
Etc,


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## taricp35 (Dec 10, 2008)

John,
That ain't right, be nice. You asked a question that was impossible to answer and after many people said it was impossible to give you an answer, you kept posting the question. 
To me it seemed like you wanted someone to pull a number out of their azz and that is what Flagrant did. You got what you wanted..a made up number so don't get mad at flagrant. We are here to help and the only way to answer your question was to say that their were too many unknowns.

Step back and breathe. Their is no real way possible for anyone to give you a "ballpark figure" based on the information you gave us. It would ne meanigless and would do you no good.


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

splathead said:


> Probably would have been easier to haven given us those numbers from the get along with average number of monthly jobs and we could have told you if your peeps were slacking or are workhorses.
> 
> You also have to understand your original question was unrealistic, so some posters took that to make fun of your post. If you really wanted an exact number, we would have needed a lot more info:
> 
> ...


I see how it could be interpreted as unrealistic, it makes plenty of sense. I´m simply collecting data from several people in the business of screenprinting to see if their numbers look anything like what I´m getting. Looking for averages. 
I recently got into mass production here in Jersey and I want to see how my production matches up with shops in different places. 
The reason I posted this was to simply compare. 
I rarely work the machines, but I am familiar with screenprinting and its process. 

Now, I don´t really see any reason to make fun of a post. Hey, a post is post, right? If you can´t contribute to it then don´t, but actually going out of the way to leave snide commentary... man, that´s real prick-like. 
This to me is the equivalent of when someone pulls over next to you to ask for directions and just for laughs you give ´em bum-directions to the most dangerous neighborhood in town. 

Thanks for the info, next time I´ll be more clear, point taken.
Cheers, 
J.


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## out da box (May 1, 2007)

It's an impossible question to answer. My press can _theoretically_ run 700pcs per hour. That's 3500 pcs per day in a 5 hour run day plus set-up clean up time. 200*3500=700,000 prints per year. We did 100k prints last year. 
Theoretical maximum output has nothing to do with real life. Better question is how many jobs can you bring in per month vs. how long it takes you vs. profit per job.


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## crazymike (Aug 18, 2008)

John, you need to lose that Jersey attitude and be more respectful 
of others who give you free advice.


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## GatoNegro (Apr 28, 2009)

crazymike said:


> John, you need to lose that Jersey attitude and be more respectful
> of others who give you free advice.


"Jersey attitude", do I hear slur? Do I smell a xenophobe?!! 
Crazymike, I think your ¨Jersey Attitude¨ reply may have a little to do with you watching too much of that miserable show on TV that has given ALL folks from Jersey a horrible reputation? Trust me, nobody knew nottin´ bout no Jersey attitude before that ´ting aired, ´nowattamean? Said ´tude was always credited to New Yorkers. 
Ever since that TV show caught the attention of the rest of america, I´ve been stripped of my right to be bothered or upset by something. My reactions brought on by unease are always attributed to my being from Jersey, sheesh! 
Trust me there Crazymike, you´re not the only one using, or should I say "trowin´" that line around these days. 

Anyhow can we get back on track. I don´t think I´m in the market for lessons on how not to talk to other folks. 

Thanks for the free advice though. 

Whaddaya say, 
J.


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## Flagrant-T (Nov 11, 2009)

This is my last post here because I have no interest in starting a flame war or talking to a wall. I like this forum because I love talking printing and I learn a LOT here, I am not here to talk trash.

If you re-read my post which apparently got you so mad, I think you will see I was trying to help you out. I was goofing on you a little because you choose to repeatedly ignored the advice of taricp35, inked, splathead, and a bunch of others who combined have thousands of post of which I've learned tons from. I wasn't giving a joke answer because of the vague question, it was because of the repeated disrespectful replies to very good answers.

When I ask a question, I am thrilled when posters of that caliber answer. Apparently you already knew the answer to your question so you didn't read or digest any of the answers given.

Good luck with your couple dozen shirts a month. Feel free to flame away because this is a waste of my time and I am unsubscribing to this thread.

Nick


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