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Standardized work combination table

Paste the cell’s elements with manual, automatic and walking times to see whether each operator closes the cycle within takt, where they wait for a machine and how many operators are needed.

Pre-sizing and estimating tool: results do not replace design, calculations or reports signed by a licensed professional, nor verification against the applicable codes and standards.

Pre-sizingRevised 11/02/2026
Work elements, in order
See what was read

Use 0 when there is no automatic time or walk. The walk on each operator’s last line is the walk back to the start of their cycle.

Takt
Operators

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—Operators in the cell
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Work combination chart

One chart per operator: elements in order, time in seconds and the red takt line.

Each operator’s cycle vs. takt

Manual, walking and machine wait stacked; the line is takt.

Tap the chart to see the values.

Summary by operator

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Time the elements →Takt and line balancing →Measure the walking on a spaghetti diagram →

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Method, assumptions and references

Equations used

Takt = available time ÷ demand (s/part)
Operator cycle = max[Σ (manual + walk); max_i (manual_i + automatic_i)]; wait = cycle − Σ (manual + walk)
Theoretical minimum operators = ⌈Σ (manual + walk) ÷ takt⌉; balance efficiency = Σ (manual + walk) ÷ [operators × max(takt, longest cycle)]
Split: consecutive blocks that minimize the largest cycle (dynamic programming); on ties, the smallest sum of squared cycles

Assumptions and limits

  • Fixed times with no variation or allowances; one part per cycle; each machine tended by one operator only and started at the end of the manual element.
  • Each line’s walk is to the next element; on each operator’s last line, it is the walk back to the start of their cycle. Review those walks after reassigning.
  • The automatic split is optimal for consecutive blocks in the given order; other orders or layouts may do better (the page shows a good arrangement, not necessarily the optimum).

Standards and technical documents

  • Ohno, T. Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production, Productivity Press, 1988
  • Monden, Y. Toyota Production System: An Integrated Approach to Just-In-Time, 4th ed., CRC Press, 2011 (standard operations and the combination table)
  • Rother, M.; Harris, R. Creating Continuous Flow, Lean Enterprise Institute, 2001
  • Lean Enterprise Institute. Lean Lexicon, 5th ed., 2014 (standardized work, standardized work combination table)
  • Shingo, S. A Study of the Toyota Production System from an Industrial Engineering Viewpoint, Productivity Press, 1989

U.S. regulations

  • OSHA General Duty Clause and NIOSH guidance on repetitive work and work-rest cycles
  • OSHA 29 CFR 1910.212: machine guarding at loading and unloading points

Frequently asked questions

What is a standardized work combination table?

It is the form that shows, for each operator, the manual time of each element, the time each machine runs on its own and walking, drawn against the takt line. It comes from the Toyota Production System and is used to decide how many machines one operator tends and in what order.

How does the calculator find an operator’s cycle?

The cycle is the larger of two values: the operator’s manual plus walking time and, for each machine, its manual plus automatic time. If the machine is not done when the operator returns, they wait. In the example operator 1 has 35 s of work, but the lathe takes 9 + 38 = 47 s: the cycle is 47 s with 12 s of waiting.

How do I read the example?

With 500 parts in 450 min per shift, takt is 54 s. Work content (manual plus walking) is 75 s, so at least 2 operators are needed. The automatic split gives operator 1 elements 1 to 4 (47 s cycle) and operator 2 elements 5 to 9 (45 s, with 5 s waiting for the washer). Both meet takt.

Where do I get the element times?

Time each element at the station several times and use the lowest repeatable time (as in Toyota standardized work) or the standard time from a time study. Automatic time comes from the machine display (machine cycle after start). Walking can be measured or estimated at roughly 1 s per meter (about 3 ft) at a normal pace.

What if the operator waits for a machine?

Waiting shows the machine is slower than the operator’s work. Options: give them another element to do during the wait, cut the automatic time (feeds, tool paths) or change the order so they reach the machine later. Large waits for every operator suggest the work can be combined into fewer people.

Is the automatic split the best possible?

It keeps element order and finds the split into consecutive blocks with the shortest maximum cycle, which is optimal under that rule. In practice layout, safety, skills and the walk back change what is feasible; treat the result as a good starting point and confirm it at the station.

What are the limits?

It assumes fixed times (no variation), one part per cycle, the walk on each operator’s last line as the return to the start and each machine used by one operator only. Fatigue and allowances are not included: add them to manual time if you wish. For ergonomics of repetitive tasks, follow OSHA and NIOSH guidance.

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