Cycle Time is the total time required to complete one full repetition of a specific step in a process, from the start of one unit to the start of the next unit at the same station. It is one of the most fundamental measurements in lean because it describes the actual pace at which work is being done.
Stand at a station with a stopwatch. Time from the moment the operator begins working on one unit to the moment they begin working on the next unit. Repeat for at least 10 cycles. Look at the distribution, not just the average, variation is often more informative than the mean. A station with an average cycle time of 60 seconds but a range of 30 to 120 has a very different problem than one with an average of 60 and a range of 55 to 65.
Takt time is the pace demand requires, total available time divided by customer demand. Cycle time is the pace the process actually delivers. When cycle time is longer than takt, the station cannot keep up and demand will not be met. When cycle time is much shorter than takt, the station has excess capacity and will overproduce if unregulated. Matching cycle time to takt across every station is the essence of balanced flow.
Cycle time is measured at a single step. Lead time is measured across the whole value stream, from customer order to delivery. A workstation with a 30-second cycle time can easily sit inside a value stream with a 30-day lead time, because most of that time is waiting between steps, not working. Optimizing cycle time in isolation without shrinking waiting time is a common mistake.
Cycle time is the heartbeat of a station. Compared honestly against takt time and used together with lead time and flow efficiency, it tells the team whether the process is capable, balanced and improving, or whether it only looks that way.
