FREE TIME STUDY ON A PHONE
Record the stops, with a reason for each.
Time the work and its interruptions together. Each interruption gets a reason you type or scan, a measured duration and a place inside the cycle or phase it interrupted.
Free to use. No account, email address or trial. Works offline once prepared.
OBSERVE / REVIEW EXAMPLE
Station BENCH-04Repeated cycles · Fit bracket
Selected mean · 4 cycles
10.500 s
Cycle 2 · gross
12.000 s
Includes 3.000 s waiting for materials
4Included1Excluded1Uncertain
Illustrative values from a fictional study, not a measurement. A mean of observed cycles is not a labour standard.
MADE FOR THE FLOORFor improvement leads and production engineers who need evidence of how often work stops, for how long and why, before deciding what to change.
A USEFUL STARTING POINT
An interruption is part of the cycle, not extra time
It is easy to count a wait twice, or to subtract it and report a cycle that never happened. CycleBench keeps each interruption inside the gross time of its cycle or phase and shows it as an included part of that time. A 12-second cycle with a 3-second wait is reported as 12 seconds gross with 3 seconds of interruption, never as 15 or 9.
FROM QUESTION TO EVIDENCE
Three steps to a useful result.
- 01
Choose your reasons
Use the reasons that matter on your floor, such as waiting for materials or a missing part. Type them, or scan them from printed Code 128 or QR codes. Waiting for materials is filled in to start with.
- 02
Start and end each interruption
While a cycle or phase is running, set the reason and tap Start interruption, then End interruption when the work resumes. The next boundary waits until the interruption has ended.
- 03
Review the pattern
Every interruption appears under its cycle or phase with its reason and duration. The CSV lists each one on its own row, ready to sort and total by reason in a spreadsheet.
A CONCRETE EXAMPLEWaits counted once, in the right place
An engineer times ten cycles of a packing job at station PACK-02. Three cycles include an interruption: 45 and 38 seconds with the reason Waiting for materials, and 20 seconds with Label printer jam. The CSV lists each interruption on its own row, linked to its cycle, so the 83 seconds spent waiting for materials can be totalled without changing any cycle's gross time.
USED IN PRODUCTION
From a timed study to a better routine.
CycleBench shows where the time goes while you watch. Two SmartFACT services handle what repeats every day: making an improved method the one each unit follows, and getting materials to the line before anyone waits for them. Both are in early access, with scope agreed at onboarding. CycleBench does not send observations to either service.
WorkSteps
When a study shows a better way to do the job, WorkSteps makes it the method each unit follows. Describe in plain English when each approved step applies. Approved rules select the steps from each unit's options, ask for the evidence you specify and keep a record of the completed work.
RefillFlow
When the interruptions you record are waits for materials, RefillFlow turns an empty container at the line into one refill request. Stores gets a printed ticket and a board to work from, and the line records what arrived. Approved plain English rules set the stores queue, priority and escalation.
BEFORE YOU START
A few practical answers.
Is there a pause button?
No. Timing carries on through an interruption, which is recorded inside the cycle or phase. To stop timing altogether, tap Finish, and start a new study when the work restarts.
Does CycleBench work out why the work stopped?
No. A reason is your observation, typed or scanned. CycleBench does not read machine states, sensors or alarms, and it does not diagnose causes.
What if the page is lost during an interruption?
The unfinished cycle or phase becomes an uncertain interval, with a note that an interruption was also open. Interruptions completed before that point stay in the record. Resume with a new boundary, or finish with the gap visible.
What are the current limits?
CycleBench records what one observer sees, on one device, while the page stays open and in view. If the screen locks, the page is hidden or the clocks disagree, the unfinished interval is marked uncertain and nothing is measured until you resume with a new boundary. The tool does not keep the screen awake. It does not monitor machines, read sensors or video, calculate OEE, rate or rank people, set labour standards or feed payroll. One study runs at a time. A project holds up to 100 studies, 1,000 observations per study, 3,000 observations and 5,000 interruptions in total, and 100 interruptions per observation. Each observation lasts up to 24 hours, labels up to 128 characters and review notes up to 500. Station, activity and reason lists cannot be imported, and the tool does not print code sheets.
What happens to my data?
Your study stays in this browser. It starts as temporary work in the tab's memory; Save on this device keeps it between visits. Nothing you record is uploaded, and no account or contact details are needed. The camera opens only when you press its button in a scan field, and barcodes are decoded on the device. Google Analytics is optional and loads only after you accept; it never receives codes, reasons, timings or notes. Use Analytics settings to change your choice; see /privacy/.
ONE SMALL JOB, DONE WELL
Put CycleBench to work.
Open the free tool and start with one known example.
Start a free study →
THE SMARTFACT SUITE
Practical tools. Useful on their own.
Better around the same floor.
Automate factory decisions with rules you describe in plain English. Explore focused SmartFACT services, plus free tools for everyday checks.
WorkSteps
Turn plain English rules into automatic step selection for each unit, with required evidence and a record of completed work.
Explore WorkSteps ↗LabelRules
Describe label rules in plain English. Automatically select layouts, resolve customer codes and check each job before printing.
Explore LabelRules ↗KitProof
Turn plain English component rules into automatic kit checklists, then check scans against the expected parts and quantities.
Explore KitProof ↗FactorySpec
Apply approved product rules and calculations automatically to turn dimensions and options into manufacturing requirements.
Register early-access interest ↗ConfigSheets
Maintain configuration in Google Sheets and make it available as structured data your applications can query.
Register early-access interest ↗OrderRun
Turn plain English rules into automatic order checks and destination selection, with controlled production release.
Register early-access interest ↗ParcelOffice
Scan the work order and the parcel choice to book the courier and print the labels. Approved plain English rules recommend or choose the parcel.
Explore ParcelOffice ↗RefillFlow
Scan an empty container to send the right refill request to stores. Approved plain English rules set the stores queue, priority, ticket printer and escalation.
Explore RefillFlow ↗RemnantRack
Label each offcut, find a suitable length before cutting new stock and record what you used. Approved plain English rules decide what to keep and where it goes.
Explore RemnantRack ↗ScannerBench
See the text and key events your keyboard scanner sends. Compare them with the value you expected.
Test a scanner ↗PrintBench
Print a known PDF, measure its reference marks and compare scans from the printed codes.
Check a print ↗FactoryCards
Create 100 × 50 mm bin and rack cards with Code 128 or QR, from one record or a CSV.
Make bin cards ↗CountBench
Count stock by location with a barcode scanner, compare it with a stock file and export the results. No account needed.
Start a free count ↗BarcodeBench
See exactly what a scanned barcode contains, with hidden characters shown and GS1 fields, check digits and dates explained. No account needed.
Inspect a barcode ↗MatchBench
Scan a reference and each label, see an exact match or the first difference, and download the results. No account needed.
Start a free comparison ↗TagBench
Scan an item or location, note what needs attention, print a review tag and keep a review list. No account needed.
Make a free tag ↗FindBench
Load your own parts and locations CSV, scan a code and see every location it lists. No account needed.
Start a free lookup ↗ManifestBench
Check cartons, pallets or serial numbers against a list with a phone or scanner and see what is missing. No account needed.
Start a free check ↗FeedBench
Check CSV and JSON files exactly as written, preview a column mapping and compare two versions by key. No account needed.
Check a file free ↗CycleBench
Time work cycles and changeovers on a phone, record interruptions with reasons and download the results. No account needed.
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Step-by-step guides and interactive demonstrations for the SmartFACT suite. Read the instructions, watch a task or practise with real product screens and sample data.
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