# Operational availability vs operating rate

Operations · `Operational Availability vs Operating Rate` · verification: source checked

Operational availability is the fraction of time a machine functions properly when it is needed, also called the operable rate. The operating rate is the amount of time within a period such as a shift or a day that a machine is actually used to make something. The document compares the two terms and shows that a high operating rate is not automatically good, whereas the ideal operational availability is 100%.

## Specification

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Kind | metric |

## Connected

- Related: [Overall Equipment Effectiveness](https://machineschema.com/operational/oee.md)

## Study notes

- An automobile illustrates the difference: operational availability is the percentage of time the car runs properly when needed, while the operating rate is the percentage of time per day the car is actually driven.
- From a lean perspective a high operating rate is not necessarily desirable; it is good if the equipment produces just what is needed and bad if it overproduces.
- The ideal operational availability is 100%, because it refers to how well a machine runs when needed.
- A machine can have high operational availability and a low operating rate, or the reverse, since the two measures answer different questions.

## Sources

1. [Operation Availabilty versus Operating Rate - Lean Enterprise Institute](https://www.lean.org/lexicon-terms/operation-availabilty-versus-operating-rate/) (accessed 2026-10-25)

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