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Principles of Cycle Time Reduction

Copyright 2000

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There are two common definitions:

The interval that passes from a given event in one cycle to the same event in the next cycle

CycleStart

CycleStartWe’ll call this the “button-to-button time”

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There are two common definitions:

The interval that passes from a given event in one cycle to the same event in the next cycle

But this definition is too simplistic…

…it doesn’t take into account events that do not happen in every cycle

If you have a two minute button-to-button time and 1,000 parts to run…

…would you complete the production run in 2,000 minutes?

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There are two common definitions:

The interval that passes from a given event in one cycle to the same event in the next cycle

Tool MaintenanceTool Maintenance

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There are two common definitions:

The interval that passes from a given event in one cycle to the same event in the next cycle

Bar LoadingBar Loading

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There are two common definitions:

The interval that passes from a given event in one cycle to the same event in the next cycle

Sampling InspectionsSampling Inspections1 2 3 4 5 6

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There are two common definitions:

The interval that passes from a given event in one cycle to the same event in the next cycle

Personal TimePersonal Time

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There are two common definitions:

The interval that passes from a given event in one cycle to the same event in the next cycle

Machine Down TimeMachine Down Time

Production

While the button to button time is

important, it isn’t a very good way to

define cycle time!

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There are two common definitions:A more realistic definition…

The overall length of time required to complete a production run divided by the number of

good workpieces produced

We’ll also call this “through-put time”

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There are two common definitions:A more realistic definition…

The overall length of time required to complete a production run divided by the number of

good workpieces produced

Admittedly, calculating cycle time is more difficult…

…but there is much greater potential to reduce cycle time!

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There are two common definitions:A more realistic definition…

The overall length of time required to complete a production run divided by the number of

good workpieces produced

Anything that adds to the length of time it takes to complete a production run will be fair game for your cycle time reduction program!

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There are two common definitions:By the way…

An important comparison

Compare to:

Button to button time: 2 minutes

Throughput time: 3 min, 45 sec

One major goal of cycle time reduction is

to draw throughput time closer to button

to button time!