Annual performance describes the actually achieved amount of work within a calendar year. In building deconstruction, demolition works, natural stone extraction, as well as tunnel and special foundation engineering, it is a key metric for planning, costing, and schedule control. It links technical performance data of equipment such as concrete demolition shears or rock and concrete splitters with operating times, on-site conditions, and organizational factors such as shift model, logistics, and maintenance.
Definition: What is meant by annual performance
Annual performance is understood as the amount of processed material or completed work packages actually achieved within twelve months under real operating conditions. In contrast to rated performance (laboratory or catalog values), annual performance includes utilization, downtimes, weather, personnel availability and site-specific constraints. It is usually expressed in quantity units, for example:
- m³ of concrete removed in concrete demolition and specialized deconstruction
- t of steel cut or number of components separated/dismantled
- m³ of rock loosened in rock excavation and tunnel construction
- number or t of blocks recovered in natural stone extraction
Device- and tool-specific key figures (splitting force, cutting force, cycle time) act together with on-site workflows (feeding, removal, safeguarding). For Darda GmbH, concrete demolition shears and rock and concrete splitters are particularly common reference points, because they play a key role in many of these applications.
Key figures and formulas for determining annual performance
In practice, annual performance is determined as the product of performance rate, operating time, and utilization: Annual performance = performance rate × operating hours × utilization rate. The performance rate (e.g., m³/h of concrete separation with a concrete demolition shear or m³/h of controlled splitting with a rock and concrete splitter) depends on material strength, reinforcement content, component geometry, hydraulic supply pressure, and tool condition. Operating hours result from the shift plan (working days × shifts × hours). The utilization rate reflects setup, travel, waiting, and downtime (logistics, permit windows, weather, coordination of trades). For robust values, measurement points such as cycle times, actual time on the component, meters drilled (for splitting), and material outflow are recorded and rolled forward over the year.
Relevance of annual performance in the application areas
Depending on the application, target values, bottlenecks, and optimization levers differ. Annual performance results from the interaction of machine, tool, personnel, site logistics, and regulatory constraints.
Concrete demolition and specialized deconstruction
With concrete demolition shears, combination shears, and hydraulic power packs, slabs, walls, and foundations are separated in a controlled manner. Important drivers of annual performance are component thicknesses, reinforcement density, accessibility, working heights, as well as noise and vibration limits. Cycle times of the concrete demolition shear (opening, positioning, closing, crushing) and the alternation between separation and removal determine throughput. Electrically powered hydraulic power units can extend the operational corridor in inner-city areas because they operate with low local emissions; this has a positive effect on usable hours and thus on annual performance.
Strip-out and cutting
In selective deconstruction and strip-out, precise cuts and controlled separation are crucial. Multi Cutters, concrete demolition shears, and steel shears are used depending on the material mix. Here, annual performance is often measured in m, m², or unit counts (e.g., openings, separation cuts), with the pacing of material logistics (removal, sorting) strongly influencing equipment productivity.
Rock excavation and tunnel construction
Rock and concrete splitters as well as rock splitting cylinders enable low-vibration and controlled loosening methods. Annual performance is shaped by the ratio of drilling performance (grid, drilling depth) to splitting steps, the rock class, water ingress, and safeguarding measures. Where low vibrations are required, splitting can secure a constant performance over the year because sensitive time windows (e.g., near infrastructure) become usable in the first place.
Natural stone extraction
In quarries, block quality matters in addition to tonnage. Rock and concrete splitters support geostatically favorable separation planes and reduce damage. Annual performance results from the ratio of blocks recovered to the worked face, influenced by bedding disturbances, spacing of separation planes, drilling pattern, and tool wear. Stable annual performance requires coordinated setup and maintenance windows so that block yield is not reduced by unplanned downtime.
Special operations
In special operations, for example with tank cutters or in severely restricted access situations, safety and permitting requirements dominate. Annual performance is primarily determined by clearances, measurement and protection measures, and specially trained teams. Equipment changes and inspection cycles should be anchored as fixed blocks in the annual plan.
Influencing factors on annual performance
- Material and components: compressive strength of concrete, reinforcement ratio, concrete cover, rock class, stratification
- Geometry and accessibility: component thicknesses, edges, working heights, lifting and positioning options
- Tool and equipment selection: concrete demolition shears, rock and concrete splitters, combination shears, Multi Cutters, steel shears, tank cutters; suitable hydraulic power pack
- Operating parameters: hydraulic pressure, oil temperature, cycle time, tool change intervals
- Weather and environmental conditions: temperature, precipitation, dust and noise limits, vibration limits
- Logistics: material outflow, intermediate storage, transport routes, disposal contingents
- Organization: shift model, qualification, briefings, communication with adjacent trades
- Maintenance and availability: planned service windows, spare parts stock, inspection intervals
Planning, capacity control, and utilization
Robust annual performance arises from forward-looking capacity planning. The key is to realistically integrate technical performance and operational boundary conditions.
- Build a data foundation: historical performance data per device (e.g., concrete demolition shear), material profiles, typical cycle times, causes of disruptions.
- Develop scenarios: baseline, ambitious, conservative; consider holidays, weather periods, and permitting windows.
- Set risk buffers: time and quantity buffers for uncertainties (e.g., unknown reinforcement, unexpected embedded parts).
- Fix the maintenance plan: preventive maintenance, tool changes, calibrations; bundle seasonally to support peak periods.
- Spare parts and tool management: blades, jaws, cylinder seals, couplings; availability reduces downtime.
- Training and takt: well-practiced teams, clear hand signals/procedures, standardized setup sequences.
- Monitoring and correction: monthly planned/actual comparison; bottleneck analysis (equipment, logistics, constraint) and countermeasures.
Measurement and documentation over the year
Transparent recording is the basis of realistic annual performance. Daily and shift reports with the following are useful: on-component operating hours, number of work cycles, material quantity (m³/t), meters drilled for splitting, tool changes, waiting and disruption reasons. From these data, key figures analogous to OEE can be derived: availability (planned vs. used operating time), performance (actual vs. target rate), and quality (e.g., proportion of separations/blocks meeting the target). For Darda GmbH devices such as concrete demolition shears or rock and concrete splitters, this system provides robust statements on the annual output across different project types.
Safety, emissions, and boundary conditions
Safety and environmental requirements significantly influence annual performance. Noise, dust, and vibration limits can restrict operational windows; corresponding measures (wet cutting, extraction, shielding) should be factored into time planning. Different regulations and permitting procedures apply depending on the region. The information provided here is general in nature; project-specific requirements must be checked separately. Electrically powered hydraulic power packs often extend the usable hours in sensitive areas and thus stabilize annual throughput.
Typical goal conflicts and optimization levers
- Speed vs. component preservation: Higher takt can lead to more rework; optimized jaw geometry on concrete demolition shears reduces follow-up steps.
- Tonnage vs. quality in natural stone extraction: Maximizing quantity can sometimes reduce block quality; appropriately set splitting grids increase yield.
- Emission limits vs. productivity: Strict requirements limit operations; alternative time windows, electric hydraulic power packs, and sequenced tasks provide compensation.
- Tool life vs. cutting speed: An overly aggressive approach increases wear and downtime; tuned pressure and flow rates safeguard annual performance.
Example calculation from practice
An inner-city deconstruction section is processed predominantly with concrete demolition shears. Per shift, eight net working hours on the component are available; this results in a measured performance rate of X m³/h for the given component thickness and reinforcement. Considering a realistic utilization (setup, waiting, and coordination times) of Y %, the throughput per shift is X × 8 × Y %. With 200 planned working days and two shifts per day, an annual value is obtained, which is then adjusted for planned maintenance days and weather-related downtime. A similar approach applies to rock excavation with rock and concrete splitters: The hourly rate depends on the drilling pattern, rock class, and splitting sequence; using net operating hours and utilization, the annual output is reliably extrapolated. Concrete figures must be determined on a project-specific basis and should be based on on-site measurements.
Tool and equipment selection in the context of annual performance
The choice between concrete demolition shears, rock and concrete splitters, combination shears, Multi Cutters, steel shears, and tank cutters depends on the material, target separation, and environmental requirements. Decisive for annual performance are compatible hydraulic power packs, suitable jaw or blade selection, ergonomic lifting points, and short setup paths. Standardized changeover processes, well-maintained couplings, and consistent hydraulic care (oil quality, filters, seals) significantly increase availability over the year.
Terminology delimitation in everyday operations
Annual performance denotes the actual amount delivered per year. Distinct from this are annual capacity (theoretically possible quantity at ideal utilization) and annual throughput (material actually processed, often logistics-driven). In projects with equipment from Darda GmbH, it is advisable to use the terms consistently and to clearly record them in reporting and calculations to support decisions on number of shifts, maintenance windows, and equipment provisioning.