Manufacturing, explained

What Is Cycle Time?

Time needed to complete a defined production cycle or unit.

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Cycle time is the time required to complete one defined production cycle or unit of work. It should specify the process boundary and start and end events, since machine cycle time, operator cycle time and end-to-end lead time describe different intervals. Comparing cycle time with demand and available capacity can help reveal constraints and improvement opportunities.

Related: OEE · MES.

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