The Operator Cycle Time is the time an operator needs to fulfill a dedicated process step, including loading and unloading but excluding waiting time.

The Operator Cycle Time is measured from when the operator starts his/her process and is stopped when he/she is ready for the next workpiece (no matter if it’s there or not). Yes I said that the OCT is exclusive waiting time, but not exclusive the waiting time within the process itself. That means if the operator is waiting for a machine, he/she loaded, to finish the operation and unload the workpiece, this waiting time will be included in the OCT.

Most of the time OCT can be seen as the same as “cycle time”. The main difference comes from the waiting time an operator has, while a machine is running a process and the operator him-/herself would be ready for the next piece. This means in the end the OCT is always shorter as the CT. Going even further this means that the OCT can be shortened when installing a HANEDASHI device that autounloads the workpiece after the operation.

As with all lean management activities and targeted increase on productivity and flexibility time is on focus. But make sure to understand the process first, before running improvement actions you have to know what to improve.