⏱️ Takt Time is a fundamental concept in lean manufacturing (Lean Manufacturing) that defines the ideal production pace necessary to meet customer demand. It functions as a metronome for the production line, ensuring that each station operates at the right time, without excesses or delays.
“Produce at the pace of demand” — this is the principle of Takt Time.
🧮 How to calculate Takt Time?
The basic formula is:
Example:
If the line has 8 hours available (28,800 seconds) and needs to produce 240 pieces:
Takt Time = 28,800 / 240 = 120 seconds per piece
This means that every 2 minutes, a piece should come off the line to meet the daily target.
🔁 Why is Takt Time important?
- Avoids overproduction and waste
- Balances the load between operators and stations
- Allows clear visualization of deviations
- Facilitates standardization and continuous improvement
- Increases predictability and reliability of production
🎯 Takt Time ≠ Cycle Time
It is common to confuse Takt Time with cycle time, but they are different things:
| Concept | Definition |
|---|---|
| Takt Time | Ideal pace based on demand |
| Cycle Time | Actual time each unit takes to be produced |
💡 Ideally, the cycle time of each station should be equal to or less than the Takt Time — without creating bottlenecks or idleness.
📊 How AJOLLY Testing applies Takt Time
AJOLLY Testing implements Takt Time concepts in projects of test benches, automated jigs and control systems, allowing full synchronization between production and testing stages.
🛠️ Practical applications:
- Integrated timers in functional test benches (FT)
- Dashboards showing the comparison between Takt and actual cycle time
- Visual alerts (Andon) when the test exceeds the expected time
- Integration with MES systems and production indicators
- Load balancing between test stations and assembly stations
Takt Time is not just a number — it is a strategic tool to align people, processes, and tests with the market pace.