Managing and reducing total cycle time: models and analysis

Abstract Cycle time management and reduction (CTM) is the manufacturing philosophy that follows TQM and JIT. CTM seeks to reduce the total time required to perform all the activities that occur during order processing, design, supply management, production and distribution of a product or service. Three models are developed for supporting CTM — a simple stochastic model, a Markov chain model and a queueing model. The reengineering approach is also reviewed. The models must be fitted to the manufacturing environment in which they will be used. Three manufacturing environments — make to order, assemble to order and make to stock — are described. When a CTM model is applied to a manufacturing environment it identifies the activities that represent the largest components of cycle time. Those activities are then targeted for cycle time reduction.