Takt time calculator
Takt time is the pace the customer sets: available production time divided by the units they need in that time. Enter one shift to see the takt in seconds, the hourly rate it implies and, if you add your cycle time, whether the line can keep up.
Result
- Takt time
- 64.5 s
- Available production time
- 430 min
- Required units per hour
- 55.8
How to use this tool
- Enter the shift length and the minutes lost to breaks and planned stops.
- Enter the customer demand for that shift. Takt time and the required hourly rate appear instantly.
- Enter your current cycle time to see capacity, the stations needed and whether demand is met.
Good to know
- Available time excludes breaks and planned stops; unplanned downtime is not subtracted because takt is a target, not a measurement.
Frequently asked questions
How is takt time calculated?
Takt time = available production time ÷ customer demand. A 480-minute shift with 50 minutes of breaks has 430 minutes available; if the customer needs 400 units, takt is 430 × 60 ÷ 400 = 64.5 seconds, meaning one unit must leave the line every 64.5 seconds.
What is the difference between takt time and cycle time?
Takt time comes from demand and tells you how fast you must produce; cycle time is how fast you actually produce one unit at the slowest station. When cycle time is longer than takt you fall behind and need to rebalance, speed up or add a parallel station; when it is much shorter you are overproducing or overstaffed.
Should takt time include a buffer for downtime?
Pure takt uses only planned available time so the target stays tied to demand. Many plants also compute a planned cycle time at 85 to 90% of takt to absorb minor stops and variation, so the line still meets demand on a normal day without running every second at the limit.
Results are estimates for general information. Double-check anything important with an official source.