TAKT Time Definition
Takt time, or simply Takt, is a manufacturing term to describe the required product assembly duration that is needed to match the demand. Often confused with cycle time, takt time is a tool used to design work and it measures the average time interval between the start of production of one unit and the start of production of the next unit when items are produced sequentially. For calculations, it is the time to produce parts divided by the number of parts demanded in that time interval. The takt time is based on customer demand; if a process or a production line is unable to produce at takt time, either demand leveling, additional resources, or process re-engineering is needed to ensure on-time delivery.
For example, if the customer demand is ten units per week, then, given a 40-hour workweek and steady flow through the production line, the average duration between production starts should be 4 hours, ideally. This interval is further reduced to account for things like machine downtime and scheduled employee breaks.
TAKT Time Formula
TAKT Time Definition: Takt time can be first determined with the formula:
Assuming a product is made one unit at a time at a constant rate during the net available work time, the takt time is the amount of time that must elapse between two consecutive unit completions to meet the demand.
Where:
T = Takt time or Takt, e.g. [work time between two consecutive units]
Ta = Net time available to work during the period, e.g. [work time per period]
D = Demand (customer demand) during the period, e.g. [units required per period]
Net available time is the amount of time available for work to be done. This excludes break times and any expected stoppage time (for example scheduled maintenance, team briefings, etc.).
Example:
If there are a total of 8 hours (or 480 minutes) in a shift (gross time) less 30 minutes lunch, 30 minutes for breaks (2 × 15 mins), 10 minutes for a team briefing and 10 minutes for basic maintenance checks, then the net Available Time to Work = 480 – 30 – 30 – 10 – 10 = 400 minutes.
If customer demand was 400 units a day and one shift was being run, then the line would be required to output at a minimum rate of one part per minute to be able to keep up with customer demand.
Takt time may be adjusted according to requirements within a company. For example, if one department delivers parts to several manufacturing lines, it often makes sense to use similar takt times on all lines to smooth outflow from the preceding station. Customer demand can still be met by adjusting daily working time, reducing times on machines, and so on.
References
Wikipedia. TAKT Time. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takt_time
