Takt Time

Business / By / September 6, 2023

Takt Time is a Lean manufacturing concept that calculates the available production time per unit to meet customer demand. It guides the optimization of production processes, ensuring a continuous flow, waste elimination, and improved efficiency. Use cases include balancing production lines and synchronizing assembly processes. However, challenges may arise in workforce training and handling production variability.

Principles

  • Customer Demand: Understanding customer demand to set the production pace.
  • Continuous Flow: Achieving a continuous flow of production to meet takt time.
  • Waste Elimination: Eliminating waste to optimize production processes.

Formula

Takt Time = Available Production Time / Customer Demand.

Use Cases

  • Production Line: Balancing production line activities to meet customer demand.
  • Manufacturing Cell: Applying Takt Time in a manufacturing cell for optimized production.
  • Assembly Process: Using Takt Time to synchronize assembly processes.

Benefits

  • Improved Efficiency: Enhanced production efficiency by meeting customer demand.
  • Waste Reduction: Reducing waste and optimizing resources in the production process.
  • Better Workflows: Improved workflows and coordination in the production line.

Challenges

  • Workforce Training: Providing training to workers for adapting to Takt Time.
  • Variability: Dealing with production variability and demand fluctuations.
  • Equipment Maintenance: Ensuring equipment maintenance to meet Takt Time requirements.

Examples

  • Automobile Manufacturing:
    • Scenario: An automobile manufacturing plant produces cars in line with customer demand.
    • Takt Time Calculation: If the plant operates for 8 hours a day (480 minutes) and customer demand is 60 cars per day, the Takt Time is 480 minutes / 60 cars = 8 minutes per car.
    • Application: The production line is synchronized to produce one car every 8 minutes, ensuring efficient and timely manufacturing.
  • Electronics Assembly:
    • Scenario: A company assembles smartphones based on customer orders.
    • Takt Time Calculation: With 6 hours of daily production time (360 minutes) and a daily demand of 120 smartphones, the Takt Time is 360 minutes / 120 phones = 3 minutes per smartphone.
    • Application: Assembly workers follow a 3-minute cycle to assemble each smartphone, maintaining production pace with customer orders.
  • Food Packaging:
    • Scenario: A food packaging company packages snacks for distribution to retailers.
    • Takt Time Calculation: With 4 hours of daily packaging time (240 minutes) and a daily demand of 4800 snack packs, the Takt Time is 240 minutes / 4800 packs = 3 seconds per pack.
    • Application: Packaging machines are set to package a snack pack every 3 seconds to meet customer demand efficiently.
  • Textile Production:
    • Scenario: A textile factory produces clothing items in various styles and sizes.
    • Takt Time Calculation: With 5 hours of daily production time (300 minutes) and a daily demand of 600 clothing items, the Takt Time is 300 minutes / 600 items = 30 seconds per item.
    • Application: Sewing and production stations follow a 30-second cycle to produce each clothing item, ensuring the factory meets customer orders.
  • Medical Equipment Manufacturing:
    • Scenario: A medical equipment manufacturer produces surgical instruments.
    • Takt Time Calculation: With 7 hours of daily production time (420 minutes) and a daily demand of 140 instruments, the Takt Time is 420 minutes / 140 instruments = 3 minutes per instrument.
    • Application: Assembly and quality control processes are synchronized to ensure an instrument is produced every 3 minutes to meet customer demand.

Takt Time Highlights:

  • Concept: Takt Time is a Lean manufacturing concept that calculates production time per unit to meet customer demand.
  • Principles: Based on understanding customer demand, achieving continuous flow, and waste elimination.
  • Formula: Takt Time = Available Production Time / Customer Demand.
  • Use Cases: Balancing production lines, synchronizing assembly processes, optimizing manufacturing cells.
  • Benefits: Improved efficiency, waste reduction, better workflows.
  • Challenges: Workforce training, handling production variability, equipment maintenance.

Connected Agile & Lean Frameworks

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AgileSHIFT

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Agile Methodology

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Agile Program Management

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Agile Program Management is a means of managing, planning, and coordinating interrelated work in such a way that value delivery is emphasized for all key stakeholders. Agile Program Management (AgilePgM) is a disciplined yet flexible agile approach to managing transformational change within an organization.

Agile Project Management

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Agile Modeling

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Business Model Innovation

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Constructive Disruption

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Leaner MVP

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Jidoka

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Spotify Model

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Scrum At Scale

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Stretch Objectives

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Toyota Production System

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The Toyota Production System (TPS) is an early form of lean manufacturing created by auto-manufacturer Toyota. Created by the Toyota Motor Corporation in the 1940s and 50s, the Toyota Production System seeks to manufacture vehicles ordered by customers most quickly and efficiently possible.

Total Quality Management

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Waterfall

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Read Also: Continuous Innovation, Agile Methodology, Lean Startup, Business Model Innovation, Project Management.

Read Next: Agile Methodology, Lean Methodology, Agile Project Management, Scrum, Kanban, Six Sigma.

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About The Author

Gennaro is the creator of FourWeekMBA, which reached about four million business people, comprising C-level executives, investors, analysts, product managers, and aspiring digital entrepreneurs in 2022 alone | He is also Director of Sales for a high-tech scaleup in the AI Industry | In 2012, Gennaro earned an International MBA with emphasis on Corporate Finance and Business Strategy.
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