What are the four components of lead time?
Lead time is an essential concept for a manufacturing organization. It is the amount of time between the start and completion of a process or the time between ordering something and receiving it. It is a common term in supply chain management and project management. Show
For example, Company ABC manufactures mobiles. It takes the company two days to get the components for making mobiles and two days more to assemble 500 units. We can say that Company ABC’s lead time to produce 500 units in four days. Any retailer or wholesaler should give ABC at least four days. It means that if a retailer needs the mobiles on 11th July, then they should place the order on or before 7th July. Table of Contents
Usually, the lower the lead time, the better it is for the company. It indicates that a business can quickly respond to any changes. However, lower lead times may not always be beneficial to the buyer as it could be the result of more shipping costs. Thus, shortening lead times may not always result in more profits, but it does improve customer satisfaction. Types of Lead TimeFollowing are the types of lead times: CustomerIt represents the time that a company takes from receiving a confirmation for order until its fulfillment. MaterialIt represents the time it takes to place an order with a supplier and receive supplies. Factory/ProductionIt is the time that a company takes to produce and deliver the products if all the raw materials are available. CumulativeIt includes all the above lead times. Or, we can say it is the time that a company takes from receiving a confirmation for an order to delivering the product to the customer. Importance of Lead TimeThe following points reflect the importance of lead times:
Factors Affecting Lead TimeThree main factors affect lead times: Production ProcessesThe kind of production process a company adopts plays a significant role in determining the lead time for a product. For instance, completing the product on-site may take more time than doing it off-site. It is because transportation issues may delay the delivery of specific components. Also, locally sourced parts and labor and off-site sub-assemblies can help to reduce lead times. Inventory ManagementIf a company can manage its inventory efficiently, it will ensure a smooth production flow. In the case of stock-outs or unavailability of specific components, the whole production goes on hold. Also, the production process may stop if a company fails to estimate the stock to complete an order accurately. Moreover, failure to replenish raw materials quickly could also increase the lead times. All such things would impact the company’s bottom line. To overcome such situations, a company must have efficient inventory management. Several systems are available that can assist the management in managing its inventory efficiently. For instance, there is just-in-time (JIT) or VED inventory management, which places orders to the suppliers based on usage. (Read Inventory Management Techniques to learn more about various techniques). Supply ChainLead times for a company will also depend on the number of suppliers it has. It is always challenging to estimate the delivery time from the suppliers accurately, and this, in turn, makes it difficult to coordinate production. Though a company could stock excess inventory, it raises the cost and leads to wastage as well. To overcome this issue, a company can adopt a lead schedule. It assists the company in making arrangements so that necessary components arrive together. It not only reduces lead time but also shipping and receiving costs. Also, it is a fact that a company can’t predict some delays, such as those happening due to natural disasters, human error, and other unexpected issues. However, to minimize losses due to such problems, a company should maintain a backup supplier to ensure production continues smoothly. ComponentsUsually, the following activities go into deciding the lead times: Pre-processing TimeIt refers to the planning time. It includes the time to receive the request for replenishment, evaluate it, and develop a purchase order on its basis. Processing TimeIt includes the time to produce an item after receiving a purchase order. Waiting TimeIt is the time between procuring raw material to the time when the production starts. Storage TimeIt is time that the items remain in the warehouse or factory before the delivery. Transportation TimeIt is the delivery time or the amount of time a product takes to move from a factory or warehouse to the customer. Inspection TimeIt includes the time that a customer spends on inspecting the product or verifying if the product meets the specifications. How to Improve Lead Times?A company or a business can reduce lead times using the following measures
Lead Time vs Cycle TimeBoth the concepts are similar as both measure the time a process takes from the start to the end. Cycle time, however, focuses on the time it takes for an internal process to start and end. On the other hand, lead time is usually the time it takes to complete a customer’s request. Read a detailed article on Lead Time and Cycle Time. Final WordsLead time is a crucial metric for any business. It assists the company in predicting sales, making operations efficient, and improving customer satisfaction. However, it would be tough to improve lead times in the absence of a proper inventory management system, efficient production process, and right suppliers. Read more on Takt Time vs Cycle Time. RELATED POSTS
What are the 4 elements that compose lead time?What Are the Main Components of Lead Time? The main factors that make up lead time are preprocessing, processing, waiting, storage, transportation, and inspection. The factors are often compiled into the three main stages of an order: the before (pre-processing), the during (processing), and the after (shipping).
What are the types of lead time?There are basically four types of lead time: customer lead time, material lead time, factory/production lead time, and cumulative lead time.
What is 4 day lead time?In supply chain management, lead time exclusively refers to the time it takes for a supplier company to have goods ready for delivery. For example, an apparel company may have a 7-day lead time for custom t-shirts. Typically, this measurement does not include shipping time.
What is lead time time?A lead time is the latency between the initiation and completion of a process. For example, the lead time between the placement of an order and delivery of new cars by a given manufacturer might be between 2 weeks and 6 months, depending on various particularities.
|