Calculator Library / Line Balance
Compare every station cycle time against takt, expose the bottleneck, estimate total line lead time, and simulate balancing changes by dragging stations into a new order.
Analyzer
Core comparison: Gap = takt time - station cycle time
Enter one station per line as `Station Name, cycle time in seconds`.
Yamazumi
Simulation
Drag the rows to test a different station sequence for balancing reviews and operator handoff discussion.
Station Table
| Order | Station | Cycle Time | Gap vs. Takt | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cutting | 62 sec | 16 sec fast | Below takt |
Instructions
Reordering does not change the raw cycle-time totals, but it helps you visualize a different handoff sequence and explore where work-content shifts could make balancing easier.
If multiple stations are above takt, start with the largest overload first and then re-run the analysis after each work-content change.
This analyzer compares station cycle times against takt time so teams can see where demand is outrunning the line. It is useful for identifying bottlenecks, rebalancing work, estimating lead-time pressure, and testing how station order changes affect flow.
Use it when a line feels overloaded, when output misses the plan despite stable staffing, or when engineering is deciding how to redistribute work across stations.
| Metric | Formula or Logic | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Takt time | Available production time / Customer demand | The pace the line must achieve to meet demand. |
| Gap | Cycle time - Takt time | Positive gap means the station is too slow for demand. |
| Bottleneck | Highest effective cycle time | The station limiting line output. |
| Lead-time pressure | Accumulation of imbalance and waiting | Shows where queue growth is likely. |
If demand requires a takt of 60 seconds per unit and three stations run at 52, 58, and 78 seconds, the third station is the bottleneck with an 18-second gap. That does not just threaten hourly output. It also creates waiting in the upstream stations and drives WIP growth as material piles in front of the slowest step.
The analyzer makes that imbalance visible and helps test whether work redistribution or station-sequence changes actually improve the line.
Cycle time is how long the station actually takes. Takt time is how fast the customer requires output. One measures reality, the other measures demand.
Yes. One bottleneck station can govern the entire line, create queues, and force downstream starving or upstream waiting.
Focusing only on average line output instead of station-by-station imbalance. The average can look acceptable while one station quietly constrains the system.
Reordering can expose whether sequencing, walking, or handoff logic is creating avoidable waiting and motion losses.
Use the gap to test standardized work changes, staffing options, equipment changes, or task redistribution rather than treating the chart as the final answer.
Use standard work documents to hold line-balance gains after task content or station sequence is changed.
Use the full guide when you need the deeper math, definitions, and line-design logic behind the gap analysis.