One lost interval, one primary line cause
When the packer stops and the filler blocks, retain both machine states but identify the originating line event. Do not add their overlapping minutes as separate line downtime.
Practical plant planning
OEE Loss Codes for a Water Bottling Line
OEE becomes useful when the production-time boundary, ideal rate, good-count definition and stop reasons are consistent. Keep the line result separate from machine diagnostics so the same lost minute does not appear several times in a total.
Answer first
How should a water bottling line classify OEE losses?
Use availability for stopped time within planned production, performance for running below the ideal rate including small stops under the chosen recording rule, and quality for units that fail first-pass requirements. Record the primary line-stop cause once and keep machine symptoms as supporting detail.
- A fixed planned-production-time rule
- Ideal rate for each bottle and pack format
- Reconciled total, first-pass good and reject counts
01
Define the measurement boundary
Specify the line entry and exit, counting point, clock and SKU. Keep the ideal rate tied to the actual format. A line score should describe the same product boundary as its good count.
| Measure | Definition used in this guide |
|---|---|
| Availability | Run time ÷ planned production time |
| Performance | Total count ÷ (run time × ideal rate), with consistent time units |
| Quality | First-pass good count ÷ total count |
| OEE | Availability × performance × quality |
02
Worked bottling-shift example
Illustrative data: an eight-hour shift has 60 minutes during which production is not scheduled. The remaining 420 minutes include 60 minutes of stops. The format has an ideal rate of 100 bottles/minute; 32,400 bottles are produced and 324 fail first-pass requirements.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Run time | 420 − 60 | 360 minutes |
| Good count | 32,400 − 324 | 32,076 bottles |
| Availability | 360 ÷ 420 | 85.71% |
| Performance | 32,400 ÷ (360 × 100) | 90.00% |
| Quality | 32,076 ÷ 32,400 | 99.00% |
| OEE | 32,076 ÷ (420 × 100) | 76.37% |
03
Keep the reason-code list short enough to use
Use a small set of primary reasons and add detail only when it changes the action. The following codes are an editable starting point for a bottling operation, not an industry-mandated taxonomy.
| Code | Reason | Useful detail |
|---|---|---|
| A01 | Equipment failure | Originating machine, alarm and component |
| A02 | Format change | From/to SKU and timing milestone |
| A03 | Material unavailable | Bottle/preform, cap, label, film or other supply |
| A04 | Utility interruption | Service affected and observed condition |
| A05 | Cleaning or quality hold during planned production | Required activity or hold reason and authorization |
| P01 | Small stops or reduced running speed | Event count, duration threshold and suspected mechanism |
| Q01 | Startup rejection | Rejected quantity and defect |
| Q02 | Production rejection | Rejected quantity, format and defect |
04
Reconcile time and counts before discussing the score
Choose a stop-duration threshold appropriate to the data collection method. Short events assigned to performance must not also be deducted from availability. Keep the underlying event data so a changed reporting rule can be evaluated transparently.
Do not hide planned stops after the fact
Document which time is outside planned production before comparing periods. A changeover within planned production remains part of the loss model; removing it only to improve the score breaks comparability.
Count first-pass quality consistently
Identify rejected and reworked units without counting the same physical bottle again as newly produced. Retain the first-pass result even if material is later recovered.
Investigate impossible results
Performance above 100% can indicate an incorrect ideal rate, time-unit mismatch, counter duplication or reset. Fix the underlying definition or data rather than capping the number silently.
05
Turn the largest verified loss into an action
Review the biggest time or good-output losses with the people who can change them. Assign an owner, hypothesis and check date. Compare the next period on the same format and time basis, and look at good output, rejects and each OEE factor together.
Use score and volume together
A higher OEE on a smaller production schedule does not necessarily mean more bottles delivered. Keep planned hours and saleable output visible.
Protect the trend
Record changes to ideal rates, stop thresholds and reason codes. Keep a bridge between old and new definitions so an administrative change is not mistaken for a physical improvement.
R
Method references
These sources explain the underlying method. The examples and project worksheets on this page are editorial planning aids; use the agreed equipment, site and test conditions for a real project.
Vorne: calculating OEE ↗
Definitions of availability, performance and quality. The bottling examples here use independently chosen illustrative inputs.
Buyer questions
Questions to settle before the next project gate
Should planned changeovers count in OEE?
When they occur inside the defined planned production time, treat their stopped time consistently within the availability model. State the schedule rule before comparing periods.
Is 85% OEE a required acceptance target?
No universal target proves a bottling line meets its contract. Establish the output and loss basis for the actual product, format and operation.
Should I calculate OEE for every machine or the line?
Both can be useful for different questions. Use the line measurement for delivered good output and machine measurements to locate losses; do not combine them by simply averaging or adding downtime.
Move this project question forward
Need to resolve OEE Loss Codes for a Water Bottling Line for your water bottling plant?
Inconsistent stop reasons, planned-time rules or rejected-unit counts can make OEE improve on paper while output does not.
Not sure which data matters? Send what you have and state the decision you need to make.
2. Attach the decision inputs
- A fixed planned-production-time rule
- Ideal rate for each bottle and pack format
- Reconciled total, first-pass good and reject counts
Send shift pattern, operating days, staffing plan, production records and recurring downtime or maintenance issues.
3. Confirm the next planning step
The project desk can identify missing inputs and a practical next step. Final engineering, configuration, compliance and commercial terms remain project-specific.
Email the project desk
Submit a plant brief
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Allot Tech (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. · sales@allottech.com · Project telephone: +86 186 6213 1120 / +1 818 262 0958