How this calculator works
Takt time is the maximum time each unit may take if the line is to meet demand exactly. It comes straight from the customer: take the working time that is actually available and divide by the units required. A plant running two eight-hour shifts with half an hour of breaks has 15 hours of work, or 54,000 seconds. If customers want 1,000 units, each unit may take 54 seconds on average. Takt is a target rhythm, not a measured cycle time. Compare the actual cycle time of the slowest station with takt: if it is longer, the line cannot keep up and that station is the bottleneck.
Formula
available time per day = (shift length - breaks) x shifts. takt time = available time / daily demand. required output per hour = 3600 / takt time in seconds. demand per shift = daily demand / shifts.
Worked example
Two shifts of 8 hours with 30 minutes of breaks each give 2 x 7.5 = 15 hours, which is 54,000 seconds. A daily demand of 1,000 units gives a takt time of 54,000 / 1,000 = 54 seconds per unit. The line must average one unit every 54 seconds, which is 3,600 / 54 = 66.67 units per hour, and 500 units per shift.
Advertisement
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between takt time and cycle time?
Takt is the pace the customer demands. Cycle time is how long a station actually takes to finish one unit. When cycle time is longer than takt, the line falls behind; when it is shorter, there is spare capacity. Line balancing aims to bring every station close to takt without going over.
Should planned downtime be subtracted?
Yes. Takt uses the time the line can really run, so breaks, planned maintenance and changeovers that stop the line all reduce available time and shorten takt. Unplanned stops are better treated as a reason to add buffer or improve reliability, but they also cut real capacity.
Does a smaller takt time mean a faster line?
Yes, a smaller takt means more units are needed per hour. Takt falls when demand rises or available time falls. It is a requirement, so the line must be able to match it; takt itself does not make anything faster.
What if demand exceeds capacity?
Then takt is shorter than the best achievable cycle time and the line cannot meet demand in the available hours. The options are overtime, an extra shift, more capacity or a lower promised volume. This page shows the gap implicitly through the required output per hour.