How to Calculate Cycle Time in Manufacturing

Introduction

Have you ever had the impression that despite your machines’ best efforts, they are not running as efficiently as they could? Here’s where knowing cycle time is useful. This blog post will explain how to calculate cycle time step-by-step, give examples from real-world situations, and describe how sfHawk Solutions can help you find inefficiencies and boost overall production performance.

Overview

Cycle time is similar to your factory’s speedometer; the more precisely you read it, the more efficiently your production process will run.

There are two main ways to figure out cycle time:

High-Speed Production: When the start and end times of a cycle are unclear, use the total time divided by the number of parts or parts per minute.

Longer Cycle Time: For slower and more accurate processes, such as CNC machining, measure the start and end times of the cycle directly.

It’s critical to distinguish between productive and non-productive time; process, inspection, setup, idle, and queue time must all be taken into account to obtain a realistic view of your efficiency. sfHawk Solutions does the heavy lifting, serving as a cycle time calculator that automatically tracks trends, bottlenecks, and downtime. You can find small changes that lead to significant gains in productivity and profitability by understanding how to calculate cycle time. With sfHawk Solutions, even minor adjustments, like reducing idle time or tool change times, can have a significant impact. Over hundreds of cycles and machines, these small improvements add up to a significant increase in output.  

What you will learn:

• How to calculate cycle time?
• Real-World Examples of Cycle Time Calculation
• How does sfHawk Solutions assist in monitoring cycle time?

How to calculate cycle time?

Understanding cycle time is key to optimizing your manufacturing process. It helps you measure how long it takes to produce one unit of your product, and by tracking it, you can identify areas where you can improve efficiency and increase output. There are two common methods to calculate cycle time, depending on the production process. Let’s break it down in simpler terms with different examples to make it easier to understand.

Method 1 High-Speed Production (When You Don’t Track Each Cycle)

When to Use:

This method is perfect for fast-paced production environments, like packaging or assembly lines, where the cycle start and end times aren’t easy to track. If you know the production rate, you can calculate the cycle time without tracking every cycle. Formula:

• Cycle Time per part = Total Time Taken / Number of Parts Produced

 

• Alternatively, if you know the parts per minute (ppm), use: Cycle Time (in seconds) = 60 / Parts per Minute (ppm)

Example: Imagine you’re running a machine that produces 150 parts per minute.

To calculate the cycle time:

• Cycle Time = 60 / 150 = 0.4 seconds per part

This means that every 0.4 seconds, your machine produces one part.

Why This Works:

This method works well for high-speed machines like conveyors or molding machines where it’s impractical to measure the start and end time for each part. Instead, by knowing the rate of production (e.g., 150 parts per minute), you can calculate how much time it takes to produce each part without tracking every individual cycle.

Method 2Longer Cycle Time (When You Can Measure Start and End Times)

When to Use:

This method is best for slower production processes like CNC machining or assembling complex parts, where each cycle is more deliberate and measurable. You can track the exact time a cycle starts and ends, making it easier to calculate cycle time accurately. Formula:

• Cycle Time = Cycle End Time – Cycle Start Time

Example: Let’s say you’re using a CNC machine to machine a part. The cycle start time is 08:10:30, and the cycle end time is 08:20:00. To calculate the cycle time:

• Cycle Time = 08:20:00 – 08:10:30 = 9 minutes 30 seconds

This means it took 9 minutes and 30 seconds to complete one cycle of machining.

Why This Works:

This method is great for processes that take more time and involve multiple steps (like machining, assembly, or molding). By tracking the start and end times of each cycle, you get a precise measurement of how long it takes to complete one unit.  

Real-World Examples of Cycle Time Calculation

Example 1: High-Speed Production (Parts Per Minute) In a factory that produces plastic bottle caps, the production line is running 6 injection molding machines. On one shift, the supervisor observes that Machine 4 produced 18,000 caps in 60 minutes. To calculate the cycle time for Machine 4:

• Cycle Time = 60 × 60 seconds / 18,000
• Cycle Time = 12 seconds per cap

This means every 12 seconds, Machine 4 produces one cap. The supervisor can use this information to benchmark the machine’s performance and ensure it’s running at full capacity.

Why This Helps:

By knowing the cycle time (12 seconds per part), the supervisor can spot if the machine is running slower than expected. For instance, if Machine 4 starts producing caps every 15 seconds, they’ll know there’s a problem and can act quickly to fix it. Example 2: Longer Cycle Time (Start-End Measurement) In a CNC workshop, a machine is being used to make steel shafts for automobile gearboxes. The operator measures one full cycle of machining:

• Start Time: 09:00:00
• End Time: 09:20:00

To calculate the cycle time:

• Cycle Time = 09:20:00 – 09:00:00 = 20 minutes

This means it takes 20 minutes to machine one shaft.

Why This Helps:

Knowing this cycle time allows the operator to plan the shift more efficiently. For instance, during an 8-hour shift, they’ll know that the machine can produce approximately 24 shafts (if there’s no downtime). If another machine can produce a shaft in 18 minutes, it might indicate that Machine 2 is running more efficiently, and Machine 1 needs adjustments.

Tracking Cycle Time: Why It’s Important

Calculating cycle time helps you measure the performance of your machines and identify areas of improvement. Whether you’re using the high-speed production method (based on parts per minute) or the longer cycle time method (by tracking start and end times), knowing your cycle time allows you to:

• Identify inefficiencies: Are your machines slowing down? Are there bottlenecks in your production?
• Set benchmarks: By knowing how long it should take to produce a part, you can compare the performance of different machines or operators.
• Optimize productivity: Small adjustments like reducing tool change times or eliminating idle time can lead to big improvements in output and efficiency.

 

How Does sfHawk Solutions Help Monitor Cycle Time?

Cycle time is a vital metric on the shop floor, but only if it’s tracked accurately. Relying on manual tracking with stopwatches, operator notes, or spreadsheets often leads to errors and incomplete data. This is where real-time machine monitoring software like sfHawk Solutions comes in. Automatic Cycle Event Capture sfHawk Solutions integrates directly with your CNC machines to record every cycle start and stop signal in real time. This means you get the precise cycle time and no estimates, no operator errors. Breaking Down Productive vs. Non-Productive Time sfHawk Solutions doesn’t just provide one overall number. It divides cycle time into:

• Processing time (actual cutting/machining)
• Inspection time (quality checks)
• Setup or changeover time
• Idle or queue time

This detailed breakdown allows you to see exactly where time is spent, not just the total cycle time. Real-Time Monitoring Dashboards display live cycle times versus target cycle times. If a cycle time suddenly exceeds the expected range, sfHawk Solutions sends alerts, allowing supervisors to resolve the issue before it becomes a bigger problem. Historical Insights and Trends sfHawk Solutions stores all cycle time data, enabling you to:

• Compare performance across shifts, machines, or operators
• Identify bottlenecks (e.g., excessive tool change or setup times)
• Track improvements after process adjustments

Knowing how to compute cycle time is the first step if you’re serious about increasing productivity. But there will always be gaps if you track it manually. With sfHawk Solutions, you get profound insights into cycle time rather than just calculating it. You know where time is lost, why each part takes so long, and how to fix it. These minor adjustments accumulate over time to produce notable increases in productivity, machine utilization, and profitability.