Definition of production cycle

Production cycle is defined as time required manufacturing a product part or series of product parts, from beginning of production process to their storage.

It is a period during which inventories are being turned by the company into finished goods. During this period the objects of labor (raw products and materials) remain in the production process, from the beginning of manufacturing through the output of a finished product.

The production cycle also includes interruptions in production owing to physical, chemical, and biological (natural) processes. The production cycle time is comprised of operation time, loading/unloading time, set up time and machine idle time. The sum of loading/unloading, set up and machine idle times is called downtime.

Reduction of production cycle time can benefit production in company in many ways, including lower manufacturing costs, improved quality, reduced time to respond to market and customer demands, etc. These improvements in production can be crucial for survival and profitability of many companies.
Definition of production cycle