Work out bottleneck identification instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
A serial line runs at the pace of its slowest station, so throughput is shift seconds divided by the bottleneck cycle time. Every other station accumulates idle time equal to the difference from the bottleneck, and that idle time is the capacity released if the bottleneck is improved.
Bottleneck throughput
Throughput = shift seconds / longest station cycle time
Idle time
Idle per cycle = sum over stations of (bottleneck time - station time)
Only the bottleneck. Time saved anywhere else does not raise output, which is the central insight of the theory of constraints.
Yes. Once you improve it past the next slowest station, that station becomes the constraint. Re-measure after every significant change.