Mechanical Advantage Calculator
Enter the load force a machine moves and the effort force you apply to find its actual mechanical advantage, AMA = load / effort. Add the ideal mechanical advantage to see efficiency.
How to find mechanical advantage
- Enter the load (output) force the machine overcomes, in newtons.
- Enter the effort (input) force you apply, in newtons.
- Add the ideal mechanical advantage if you also want efficiency.
Examples
Lever lifting a load
load = 500 N, effort = 100 N
AMA = 5
Efficiency with friction
load = 500 N, effort = 100 N, IMA = 6
efficiency = 83.33 percent
Frequently asked questions
What is actual mechanical advantage?
Actual mechanical advantage (AMA) is the load force divided by the effort force, AMA = load / effort. It tells you how many times a machine multiplies your input force.
How is efficiency calculated?
Efficiency is the actual mechanical advantage divided by the ideal mechanical advantage, times 100. Friction makes the actual value lower than the ideal, so efficiency is below 100 percent.
What is the difference between actual and ideal advantage?
Ideal mechanical advantage comes from geometry alone and ignores friction. Actual mechanical advantage is measured from real forces, so it is always equal to or less than the ideal value.
Can mechanical advantage be less than 1?
Yes. A value below 1 means the machine trades force for speed or distance, so the effort force is larger than the load it moves.
What units should I use?
Use the same force unit for both load and effort, such as newtons. Mechanical advantage and efficiency are ratios, so the units cancel out.
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