Preparing the published article.
Cycle Time and Takt Time
One is what you achieve; the other is what the line demands.
The difference
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cycle time | Time for one complete process cycle |
| Takt time | Available production time divided by required output |
| Bottleneck | The station that limits output |
| Utilisation | Share of available time the asset is doing useful work |
Why it matters
- A cell meeting cycle time can still miss takt if availability is low.
- Improving a non-bottleneck station adds nothing to output.
- Measured and modelled cycle times must be compared honestly.
Cycle time claims should be verified on the installed cell under production conditions.