What is the origin of the idiom "in no time" and when to use it?

The idiom "in no time" began use in the early 20th century. At that time, factories were becoming more automated with machines and even though nothing can truly happen in exactly zero time, saying "in no time" was an exaggerated way to show how fast workflows were expected to be. Today, this expression is commonly used informally to describe tasks, activities or situations that are completed remarkably fast.