Why should you use Takt Time and how to do it (Part 3)

Takt Time can only be effectively accomplished by developing a reasonable transition plan. True to its name, the production rhythm plays a role in keeping the rhythm and balancing the amount of resources used through the stages, thereby forming a flexible pull production system. Here are some basic notes to help you apply Takt Time effectively:

Standardize

An essential part of the planning process is making sure every line with the same function follows the same production method. Having a set of standards that operators can refer to will help ensure you can accurately predict how many products you can produce per shift.

Take a moment to look at each job in your organization to understand how they are being done, and then build a set of standards based on the input of the site staff. This may take a long time to complete, but it will be worth it.

Training Employees

Once you’ve identified the best method for implementing your plan, you’ll need to persuade your staff to follow that method. It is important to disseminate the Takt Time concept and its role to all employees. Make sure you show what they can benefit from this new process. Things like predictable schedules and more consistent work often attract employees.

In addition, the training process also helps managers hone their knowledge about the application of Takt Time. Only when you have a clear understanding of a problem can you explain it to others fluently. During this time, your employees can fully contribute ideas to build a system of continuous improvement and form a culture of improvement in the organization.

Analysis and evaluation

Once the staff in the organization have been acquainted with Takt Time, standardized activities of the production rhythm will be carried out. It can take a little while for production cadence to become a standard tool, as old work habits often emerge during this period.

To expedite the transition, managers need to collect as much internal data to analyze and evaluate the current state of the production beat, thereby finding out the causes of each instability “rhythm”. In most cases, you will notice that there is a lot of “articulation” in the process that can be refined or improved. Taking the time to really analyze the data helps you to be more proactive in capturing information and make adjustments as needed for long-term success.

Even if everything looks good, you can almost always find ways to improve production at your facility and reduce waste even more.

Productivity and Quality Office