What is Infinite Capacity? Definition & Manufacturing Examples

What is Infinite Capacity?

Infinite capacity is a planning approach that loads work onto machines and work centers without checking whether they have the hours. It is the logic inside classic MRP: each operation is placed by a lead time offset from its due date, and overloads are left for the planner to find.

Example

Two machining centers available 80 hours a week each give 160 hours, or 32 hours a day. MRP plans 45 hours on Monday, 52 on Tuesday, 38 on Wednesday, 60 on Thursday and 25 on Friday, 220 hours in total. Only Friday fits under 32. The week is 220 / 160 = 138 percent loaded, and the plan never says which 60 hours will slip. That is why an infinite plan is a load report, not a schedule.

Read the Full Guides

• Definition in depth: What is infinite capacity planning?
• Compared with finite capacity: Finite vs infinite capacity planning and scheduling, with a side-by-side table and one job scheduled both ways
• The fix: layer finite capacity scheduling on top of MRP with Resource Manager DB (RMDB) or EDGEBIC (RMDB 2.0) by User Solutions

Related Terms

• Finite Capacity - The opposite approach that respects actual resource limits and produces executable schedules
• Capacity Planning - The broader process of matching workload to resources at strategic, tactical, and operational levels
• Loading - The act of assigning work to resources, done with or without capacity constraints

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more in our complete manufacturing glossary or production scheduling guide.