What are cycle time and takt time in lean manufacturing?

Takt Time:

Takt time is defined as the required time to produce one unit as per customer demand. It sets the rate of production to match the rate of customer demand. Takt time is an element of lean manufacturing.

Takt Time = Available Production Time / Rate of customer demand

Cycle Time:

Cycle time is the time taken to produce a final part using different processes. Actually it is a max time taking process time. We can get cycle time by observing the process for a defined time period & counting the number of parts produced in that time period. We should do observations at different times & do an average of all observations.

Takt time formula :

Total shift hours = 10 hrs  (10 x 60=600 min)

( let’s asume company running 1 shift of 10 hours daily)

Lunch = 30 min

Tea Break = 20 min ( 2 x 10 min)

Other Break = 30 min ( 3 x 10 min)

Machine Cleaning = 20 min (2 x10 min)

Net Available Time =600 -(30+20+30+20)=600 – 100 = 500 minutes

Customer demand = 1000 Nos per day

So Takt Time = Available Time / Customer demand

                      = 500 /1000 = 0.5 min = 30 second

So to meet customer demand we have to make two parts per minute.

But in actual operators can never achieve 100 % efficiency, So need to provide some allowances by considering some other stoppages.

What are the benefits of takt time :

• Control of production: Takt time stabilize the system & control to overproduction.
• Performance increase: Feedback of performance works as a motivating factor. When operators work as per takt time, their output increases. They try to achieve takt time & make required planning & solutions.
• Line Balancing: Takt time helps the process designers to make line balancing.

In this case, a sheet metal part is produced through these processes. Cycle Time is just below the Takt Time, So customer demand will meet.

In this case operation Draw exceeds Takt time, So customer demand can not meet.

What are the limitations of takt time:

Takt time is used for simple processes. It is applicable to the processes where is

• Minimum setups
• Single routing
• Similar cycle time for all products

It is difficult to apply on low volume & high variety operations.