taktiden

Taktiden, often called takt time in lean manufacturing, is the pace at which a finished product must be produced to meet customer demand during a given period. The concept originates from lean production and the German term taktzeit. It provides a reference rhythm for the entire production line and is used to guide line balancing, standard work, and scheduling.

The standard formula is: taktiden = available production time per period / customer demand during that period. For example, if a shift offers 8 hours of available production time (480 minutes) and the demand is 240 units per shift, the taktiden is 2 minutes per unit. This means a unit should be completed every two minutes to satisfy demand.

In practice, taktiden helps determine the target cycle time for processes and to identify bottlenecks. It is distinct from cycle time: taktiden is the required pace to meet demand, while cycle time is the actual time a process or station takes to produce a unit. A well-balanced line aims for cycle times close to taktiden, allowing smooth flow and synchronized work.

Considerations and limitations include variability in demand, downtime, maintenance, and shifts. Taktiden should reflect true available time after losses and be adjusted if demand changes. It is a guiding metric rather than a universal solution, and it works best when coupled with other lean tools such as Kanban and Heijunka for leveling production and reducing waste.