What is the Takt Production Model?

In recent times, Takt Production has received lots of attention in the field of construction, and we are seeing more applications in the field. Takt Production is a part of the aerospace industry and is designed to maintain and stabilize the rhythm of production. Construction has its own needs and functions differently from the majority of industries. In the aerospace, manufacturing, communications industries and other industries. The product is transforming processes and stations. In the construction industry, the product is held in place, and it’s only the processes that transform the product. It is important to understand what the industry of construction can effectively use Takt Production.

What is Takt Production?

Takt is a German language and is translated to “rhythm”. When speaking in terms of music, it’s the space that is created between the two notes. Takt Production is extremely useful in Lean Construction in terms of setting the value of the product, stabilizing the time-to-work cycle and standardizing the processes. Over the past 7 years, there have been a number of studies and attempts to create an approach, including the example that of Takt Time Method (Frandson et al. 2013) located at the University of California, Berkeley and Takt Planning and Takt Control (Benninger and Doulhy et al. 2017) in the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. They have shown through their research and implementation of the benefits which Takt Production brings.

In the same vein as the analogy of music. In order to create a good symphony, the rhythm and elements like instruments, space, and the music piece, as well as other elements, are required. In order to create a production model, there are four fundamental components.

1. Its value and the products and the goal of it all need to determine the place where value is generated.
2. The space is called the Takt space. Separating the work into zones.
3. A rhythmic also known as Takt period. The time that each trade must complete their tasks within the Takt zone.
4. Standardizing work for efficiency and flow.

In this way, we can move towards the implementation of a model to Takt Production. Four stages are set for the application of the model. These procedures are the same as the ones used in the management of projects: 1.) Initiating, followed by 2) planning and integration 3) Execution and Control, and four) Continuous improvement (kaizen).

Initiating and Planning

At this point, the following aspects are identified:

1. What is the goal in the plan (define measures and the objective of the project) ?
2. What creates value (deliveries significant milestones) ?
3. Objectives and analysis of zones
4. Define work zones based on the dependencies of the work and limitations
5. Define processes within the designated zones

Planning and Integration of the Model

The next step in the model is to integrate teams involved in the project to gain knowledge about the model. The steps executed in this phase are as follows:

1. Integration of teams. This will facilitate conversations that aid in the creation of the goal.
2. Define the order of operations by project stage and area.
3. Define the cycle time
4. Define the steps each step requires
5. Sequence of activities
6. Automate production processes through balance of work
7. Create work packs that include the work sequence
8. Determine buffers, capacity time, backlogs, or inventory that allow the processes to be balanced in accordance with the goal.
9. Combining the work plans to get the workspace and cycle which best fits the task
10. Determine the work plan and the rhythmic sequences for the project