How to check a factory's production capacity
Assess capacity available for your order, rather than the factory's advertised maximum. Check the bottleneck process, existing bookings, trained staffing and recent accepted output, then ask the production planner to show where your order fits. Cambridge China Bridge can check these assumptions with its own staff in China.
Define the output you need to assess
Give the factory your product specification, order quantity, product mix and required factory-ready window. Define ready as goods that have completed the agreed checks and packing. Ask the production planner to identify the proposed site, line and production window. A capacity claim for a simpler product or an unspecified future period does not answer your enquiry.
Separate capability from availability. Our guide to verifying factory equipment covers whether the factory can perform the process. This check asks whether the necessary resources are available when your order needs them.
Find the process that limits finished output
Walk the proposed production route through material preparation, manufacture, finishing, testing and packing. Ask which operation limits accepted finished output for your product mix. Check shared moulds, tooling, test equipment and subcontracted processes too. An assembly line can have spare time while the finishing process it depends on is fully booked.
Ask the planner to build the estimate from demonstrated output during staffed operating time. Deduct time already needed for other orders, changeovers, maintenance and expected rework. Check each constrained stage separately rather than adding machine ratings together. Include material availability and any waiting time between operations.
Check what is already booked
Request a dated loading plan covering your proposed production window, including unfinished work carried over from earlier orders. Customer names can be redacted, but retain product type, process allocation, remaining workload and planned completion. Ask the planner to place your order in that schedule and explain which resources it would share.
Distinguish confirmed commitments from enquiries and tentative bookings. Ask what happens if an existing order overruns or another customer requests urgent work. For external finishing or testing, request confirmation of the partner's allocated slot. A plan dependent on somebody else's unconfirmed availability remains conditional.
Match staffing and records to the promise
Check the staffing plan for the actual shifts proposed, including trained operators, setters, maintenance support, inspectors and packers. Ask who covers absences and whether staff are shared with other lines. If the promise depends on recruitment, overtime or additional equipment, establish what is already arranged and what is still an assumption.
Request recent records for comparable work and reconcile the same batches across production, rejects, rework and final acceptance. Count accepted finished goods, not pieces started or repeatedly processed. Compare the records with the loading plan and observed work in progress. A short demonstration supports a process claim but does not establish sustained output.
| Claim | Supporting evidence | Question to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| The line has room | Dated loading plan and remaining booked workload | Where does your order fit without displacing existing work? |
| An extra shift increases output | Staffing allocation and comparable shift records | Are skilled operators and support functions available? |
| The output is achievable | Production records reconciled with final acceptance | Does the estimate allow for rejects, rework and downtime? |
| External processing is available | Partner confirmation tied to the proposed production window | Is the slot allocated or merely requested? |
Make the commitment conditional on evidence
Keep a dated capacity assessment with the agreed product mix, production allocation, staffing assumptions, material readiness and supporting records. Record unresolved dependencies and ask for confirmation before committing. Where output remains unproven, consider a trial run using the intended production route. The broader factory audit checklist covers the surrounding factory checks.
Agree milestones and the evidence expected at each stage, with an update when bookings, staffing or subcontracting change. Recheck availability if your specification, quantity or timing changes. If progress later slips, use the factory production delay guide to establish the blocker and rebuild the remaining schedule.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check a Chinese factory's available capacity?
Ask for a dated loading plan showing your order alongside existing work, then check bottleneck availability, trained staffing and recent accepted output for comparable products.
Does a factory's monthly capacity prove it can take my order?
No. Ask which product mix, operating time and staffing support the claim, and how much of the relevant production window is already committed.
What if the factory will not share its order book?
Request a redacted loading plan that preserves process allocations and remaining workload. If availability still cannot be checked, treat the delivery promise as unverified.
Can extra shifts solve a capacity shortage?
Only if the constrained process has the necessary operators, materials, tooling and support. Ask for evidence that the proposed shift can produce accepted goods, rather than assuming longer hours solve the shortage.