Takt Time
Takt time is the rate at which you need to complete a product to meet customer demand. It's a fundamental concept in lean manufacturing that helps align production pace with sales.
Where:
- Available Production Time = Total time available for production (minus breaks, maintenance, etc.)
- Customer Demand = Number of units required by customers in that time period
Results
Takt Time: per unit
Interpretation
To meet customer demand, you need to produce one unit every .
Production Requirements
| Time Period | Required Production Rate |
|---|---|
| Per Minute | |
| Per Hour | |
| Per Shift (8 hours) |
Practical Examples
Example 1: Automotive Assembly
Available Time: 450 min | Breaks: 50 min | Demand: 200 cars
Available Production Time = 450 - 50 = 400 min
Takt Time = 400 min / 200 cars = 2 min/car
Example 2: Electronics Manufacturing
Available Time: 480 min | Breaks: 80 min | Demand: 800 devices
Available Production Time = 480 - 80 = 400 min
Takt Time = 400 min / 800 devices = 0.5 min/device (30 seconds)
Example 3: Custom Furniture
Available Time: 2400 min (1 week) | Breaks: 400 min | Demand: 50 pieces
Available Production Time = 2400 - 400 = 2000 min
Takt Time = 2000 min / 50 pieces = 40 min/piece
Takt Time Guidelines
| Takt Time Range | Implications |
|---|---|
| < 1 minute | High-volume production, likely requires automation |
| 1-5 minutes | Moderate volume, manual assembly possible |
| 5-30 minutes | Low to medium volume, craft production |
| > 30 minutes | Low volume, likely custom or batch production |