First Pass Yield (also called Throughput Yield) is a key quality metric used by most manufacturers. It measures the percentage of products that move through a process without any rework, repair, adjustment, or reinspection. It's a simple calculation: the number of good units produced divided by the total number of units entering a given process step.
First Pass Yield = Units that meet all requirements the first time ÷ Total units entering the process
First Pass Yield reveals several critical insights about your manufacturing process, including:
How efficiently the process creates value
How much waste exists due to scrap or rework
How much hidden cost is tied to poor quality
How consistently parts are produced correctly the first time
With Prolink Software, you can automatically collect measurement data directly from metrology equipment such as CMMs, gages, vision systems, scanners, and more. By instantly knowing whether a part passes inspection, you can calculate First Pass Yield in real time.
Built-in trend detection and alarms help identify process drift before parts fall out of specification, alerting engineers and operators to take corrective action sooner. Without Prolink, measurements are often collected manually, increasing the risk of errors and significantly slowing the path to understanding and improving First Pass Yield.
Beyond automatic data collection, Prolink integrates with Minitab to support deeper analysis, from capability studies to control charts. When issues arise, the Minitab Solution Center can use AI to help brainstorm solutions, apply predictive analytics to identify root causes, and suggest data-driven improvements.
Before you implement the changes, use Simul8, which I argue should be a critical part of anyone’s DMAIC process.