{"id":68133,"date":"2023-10-10T14:00:10","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T19:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/?p=68133"},"modified":"2026-04-27T11:35:50","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T16:35:50","slug":"cycle-time-in-manufacturing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.projectmanager.com\/blog\/cycle-time-in-manufacturing","title":{"rendered":"How to Calculate Manufacturing Cycle Time (Formula Included)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Manufacturing is all about production. Having that production work more efficiently will help manufacturers make more products and get those products to their customers faster. Cycle time is one of the key performance indicators (KPIs) that manufacturers use to measure the time they spend working on an item.<\/p>\n

Before we share how to calculate the manufacturing cycle time, let\u2019s make sure we\u2019re clear on what that term means. Then, we\u2019ll show why calculating cycle time in manufacturing is so important. We\u2019ll also explain the difference between cycle time, lead time and takt time. Finally, we show how project management software can help with manufacturing.<\/p>\n

What Is Cycle Time in Manufacturing?<\/h2>\n

Manufacturing cycle time, also referred to as throughput time, is the amount of time spent working on an item from raw materials to finished product. Cycle time includes processing, moving, inspection and queue time for the item. That is, cycle time covers the entire process, even inactive time when a product is being moved from one part of the facility to another.<\/p>\n

People may confuse cycle time with takt time and lead time, which we\u2019ll define and differentiate a bit later, but all are key metrics in manufacturing, especially lean manufacturing. Lean manufacturing is a process with the goal of minimizing waste and maximizing productivity in the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n

In the abstract, you can look at cycle time as the net product time divided by the total number of items. Manufacturers need to plan, manage and track the production line and cycle time is one of the metrics that helps them determine if they\u2019re manufacturing as efficiently as possible.<\/p>\n

Project management software can help manufacturers plan, track and monitor their cycle time. ProjectManager<\/a> is award-winning software with kanban boards that visualize workflows. Our kanban boards are fully customizable so you can create as many columns as you need to reflect the production process, from raw materials to finished products.<\/p>\n

Gantt charts are also instrumental in managing and optimizing cycle time. They break down manufacturing processes into individual tasks to provide a clear understanding of how long each step takes. Use the Gantt chart to highlight task dependencies and reveal how delays can impact the overall production line.\u00a0Get started with ProjectManager today for free.<\/p>\n

\"Gantt<\/a>
ProjectManager’s Gantt chart helps calculate and reduce cycle time. Learn more<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why Is It Important to Calculate Cycle Time In Manufacturing?<\/h2>\n

Cycle time in manufacturing is critical to measuring and improving production. It can help manufacturers innovate faster, become more competitive in the marketplace and even retain employees. It\u2019s an engineering metric, but goes beyond the technical and is a way for manufacturers to gauge their business success.<\/p>\n

Therefore, measuring cycle time is a critical metric for manufacturing.<\/a> It\u2019s a KPI as it shows the average time it takes to process raw materials into a finished product. Manufacturers use cycle time to determine the efficiency of their production process.<\/p>\n

Cycle time is the speedometer of your production process. It measures speed. The faster you can move through the production line without negatively impacting quality, the better for the business and its customers.<\/p>\n

Why is that? The faster a manufacturer can move from raw materials to shipped goods, the faster they can evaluate their outcomes and find ways to improve them. It also gives manufacturers more flexibility in that a low cycle time will give them more time to react to issues and resolve them. Also, there\u2019s less waste because the faster you can deliver, the less work in progress you have. That means a reduction in multitasking and managing dependencies.<\/a><\/p>\n

The benefits of calculating cycle time and finding ways to reduce it are almost countless. It can help to limit work-in-progress, eliminate wait time, streamline code review and the quality assurance process and keep your employees happy and productive. It increases profitability and helps with more consistent production rates and customer satisfaction. So let\u2019s move on to explaining how to calculate cycle time in manufacturing.<\/p>\n

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Production Schedule Template<\/h3>\n

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