Cycle time is the measured time for one station to complete its work on one unit. Time each station with a stopwatch over at least 10 cycles and use the typical value, not the fastest. Then draw a simple bar chart: one bar per station, bar height equal to cycle time, and a horizontal line across the chart at takt. Any bar that pokes above the takt line is a station that cannot keep up.
The tallest bar sets the real output of the line. If the seat station takes 130 seconds and takt is 120, the line produces a chair every 130 seconds no matter how fast the other stations run. Chairs pile up before that station and operators downstream wait. Line balancing means moving work elements between stations so every bar sits below takt and the bars are roughly even.
A quick check on staffing: add up the total work content across all stations and divide by takt. That gives the minimum number of operators if the work could be split perfectly. Round up. In practice aim for each station's cycle time at about 85 to 90 percent of takt, leaving room for small disruptions.
Standard Procedure
- 1Time each station over at least 10 cycles and record the typical cycle time.
- 2Plot station cycle times as bars with takt drawn as a horizontal line.
- 3Identify every station above takt and the work elements that can move.
- 4Shift work elements to neighboring stations that have spare time under takt.
- 5Re-time the changed stations and confirm all bars sit below the takt line.
Lesson Summary
- ✓Compare each station's cycle time to takt; the longest station decides what the line can ship.
- ✓Minimum operators = total work content ÷ takt, rounded up.