Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY)

Understanding Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY) in Simple Terms

Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY) is an important metric used to measure the overall effectiveness of a process. It helps businesses understand how many products pass through an entire process without defects. In simple terms, RTY shows the probability of a product making it through every step of the production process without any errors.

What is RTY?

Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY) is the percentage of units that successfully pass through all the stages of a process without needing rework or being scrapped. It’s a cumulative measure that reflects the overall quality of a process from start to finish.

Imagine a product going through several steps in a manufacturing line. RTY shows how likely it is that the product will come out the other end without needing any fixes along the way.

How Does RTY Work?

RTY is based on the idea that each step in a process has its own First Pass Yield (FPY), which is the percentage of units that make it through that step without any problems. RTY is the product of all these individual FPYs. In other words, it’s the likelihood that a product will pass through every step in a process without needing rework or repair.

How is RTY Calculated?

The formula for calculating RTY is quite straightforward. You simply multiply the First Pass Yield (FPY) of each step in the process together:

RTY=(Yield of Process Step 1)×(Yield of Process Step 2)×…×(Yield of Process Step n)

By multiplying the FPYs of each step, you get the overall RTY for the entire process.

Example of RTY Calculation:

Process Overview:

• Step 1: 100 units enter the process, and 84 pass without issues, while 16 are rejected.
• Step 2: 110 units enter (including rework from step 1), and 82 pass, with 28 rejected.
• Step 3: 138 units enter (including rework from previous steps), and 126 pass, with 12 rejected.

Step-by-Step FPY Calculation:

• Step 1 FPY = 84 /100 = 0.84
• Step 2 FPY = 82 / 110 =0.75
• Step 3 FPY = 126 / 138 =0.91

RTY Calculation:

RTY=0.84×0.75 ×0.91=0.573 or 57.3 %

So, the RTY in this example is 0.573, or 57.3%. This means that only 57.3% of products make it through the entire process without any defects or rework. In other words, for every 100 products that enter the process, only about 57 will come out defect-free.

Why is RTY Important?

RTY is critical because it provides a more complete picture of a process’s efficiency and quality. If each step in a process has a high FPY, the RTY will also be high, indicating that the overall process is efficient and produces high-quality products. On the other hand, if one or more steps have a low FPY, the RTY will drop, highlighting areas where improvements are needed.

By measuring RTY, businesses can:

1. Identify Bottlenecks: A low FPY at a particular step will drag down the overall RTY, signaling that this step is causing issues.
2. Improve Quality: Increasing FPY at each step improves the overall RTY, leading to better product quality and fewer defects.
3. Reduce Waste: A low RTY means that many products are being scrapped or reworked, leading to wasted time, materials, and money.

Improving RTY

If the RTY is low, it’s an indication that the process needs improvement. Here are a few strategies businesses can use to increase their RTY:

1. Increase FPY at Each Step: Focus on improving the quality at each individual step in the process. This might involve better training for workers, improving equipment, or refining the process itself.
2. Reduce Rework and Scrap: Identify why products are failing at each step and take action to reduce rework and scrap. This might include stricter quality control measures or addressing specific defects.
3. Streamline Processes: Look for inefficiencies or unnecessary steps in the process that might be causing defects or delays. Streamlining the process can reduce the opportunities for errors to occur.
4. Invest in Automation: In some cases, automating certain steps in the process can reduce human error and increase the consistency of the production process, leading to higher FPY and RTY.

Conclusion

Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY) is a powerful tool for assessing the overall quality and efficiency of a production process. By looking at the likelihood of a product passing through all stages of production without defects, businesses can identify areas for improvement, reduce waste, and improve product quality.

Understanding and tracking RTY can help you pinpoint where issues are occurring in your process and guide your efforts to make improvements. The higher the RTY, the more efficient and cost-effective the process, and the better the overall quality of the products or services being produced.

So, whether you’re working in manufacturing, service delivery, or any other field that involves multi-step processes, tracking your RTY can be key to driving operational excellence and ensuring customer satisfaction.