Hence, it is measured as a time per part, and does not include losses like breakdowns, defects, and other delays (for more on losses see my articles on OEE). The cycle time is the fastest repeatable time in which you can produce one part. However, for practical terms, this definition is way to broad. Most definitions for cycle time I have found online are rather basic, defining cycle time often as the time required to complete a cycle ( Merriam Webster). As it turns out, there is actually quite some detail on how to measure cycle times, hence I split this post into two parts (second part How to Measure Cycle Times – Part 2), with an additional third post focusing on the details of manual cycle times.
Hence, in this post as part of a series on manufacturing speed measurements I would like to dig deeper into what cycle times really are, and how to best measure them. Yet, I still find that people sometimes confuse what exactly it means. Everybody working on a shop floor knows the term. The cycle time of a process is a key to match the supply with the demand in lean manufacturing.
