AbstractComputer simulation shows that the time required to attain near sedimentation equilbrium is dramatically reduced by a two‐step initial loading in which a macromolecular solution at low or zero concentration is layered above one at a higher concentration. To achieve the minimum time requires a good estimate of the molecular weight, but at least a 50% reduction in time can be achieved if the molecular weight of the macromolecule is known only within a factor of 2. Numerical solutions to the differential equation of the ultracentrifuge are calculated using the finite element method. An efficient Gaussian elimination algorithm can be used to minimize calculation time and computer storage requirement