Flow / WORKSHEET 08

Line balancing worksheet

Turn work-element times into a first-pass station loading proposal. The worksheet uses a deterministic longest-task-first method and keeps every task visible.

Output: Total work content, theoretical minimum stations, balance efficiency, and proposed station assignments.
Processing: In this browser only
Cost: Free · no account

LIVE WORKSHEET

Load work by element

Runs locally

Inputs and results stay in this browser. Verify important outputs independently.

APPLICATION NOTES

Use the result on the floor

Enter work elements, compare total work with takt time, estimate station requirements, and create a simple station loading proposal. Keep the input boundary, unit definitions, and time period attached to any recorded result so another person can reproduce it.

Useful for

Check whether station count fits a takt target.
Identify overloaded work elements.
Create a transparent starting point for a team balancing exercise.

MODEL BOUNDARY

Assumptions and limitations

Assumptions

Each task is assigned once and cannot be split.
Task times are deterministic for this calculation.
The entered station count is available and each station has one takt interval.

Limitations

The proposal does not model precedence, walking, shared tools, zoning, skill restrictions, ergonomic limits, parallel operators, or variability.
Longest-task-first is a heuristic and may not find the best feasible balance.

DECISION CHECK

Verify before changing the process

Validate all proposed work combinations at the workplace. Never remove safety, ergonomic, inspection, or standardized-work requirements to make a numeric balance fit.

REFERENCE

Frequently asked questions

What is the theoretical minimum station count?

It is total task time divided by takt time, rounded up. Real constraints may require more stations.

What does balance efficiency mean?

It is total work content divided by planned stations times takt time. It describes loading, not worker effort or safety.