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Cycle Time Calculator

Work out cycle time instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Cycle Time Calculator

Cycle time is production time divided by units completed — the interval between successive units leaving the line. Multiplying by the number of sequential stations gives the lead time an individual unit experiences, which is a different and usually much larger number.

Formulas

Cycle time

Cycle time = Total production time / Units produced

Little's law view

Lead time = Cycle time x Number of sequential stations

Worked example

With the default values below, Cycle Time Calculator returns Cycle time per unit of 3.000. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Total production time
420 min
Units produced
140
Workstations in the line
5

Results

Cycle time per unit
3.000
Throughput per hour
20.00
Line lead time through all stations
15.00
Average time per station
0.600

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Cycle time
  3. 3Little's law view
  4. 4Cycle time per unit= 3.000
  5. 5Throughput per hour= 20.00
  6. 6Line lead time through all stations= 15.00
  7. 7Average time per station= 0.600

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 3 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 3 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • This is an estimate for general information and not professional financial, tax or legal advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Cycle time or takt time?

Cycle time is what the process delivers; takt time is what demand requires. Compare them — cycle time must be the smaller of the two.

Does this include queue time?

No. This is process cycle time. Real lead time adds queueing between stations, which usually dominates.

Related Calculators

Cycle Time Calculator – Calculate Cycle time per unit