CHAPTER-7: WORK MEASUREMENT

Meaning and Definition of Work

Measurement:

 Work measurement is concerned with the determination of the amount of

time required to perform a unit of work. Work measurement is very important
for promoting productivity of an organization. It enables management to
compare alternate methods and also to do initial staffing. Work measurement
provides basis for proper planning.

 Work measurement has been defined by British Standard Institution as, “The
application of techniques designed to establish the time for a qualified
worker to carry out a specified job at a defined level of performance”.
This time is called standard or allowed time. Time study may also be defined
as “the art of observing and recording the time required to do each
detailed element of an industrial operation”.
Objectives of Work Measurement:

1. To compare the times of performance by alternative methods.

2. To enable realistic schedule of work to be prepared.
3. To arrive at a realistic and fair incentive scheme
4. To analyze the activities for doing a job with the view to reduce or eliminate
unnecessary jobs.
5. To minimize the human effort.
6. To assist in the organization of labor by daily comparing the actual time with
that of target time.
Uses of Work Measurement:

1. Work measurement is used in planning work and in drawing out schedules.

2. Work measurement is used to determine standard costs.
3. Work measurement is used as an aid in preparing budgets.
4. It is used in balancing production lines for new products.
5. Work measurement is used in determining machine effectiveness.
6. To determine time standards to be used as a basis for labor cost control.
The principal techniques of work
measurement are classified under the
following heads:

1. Time Study
2. Work Sampling
3. Pre-determined Motion Time System
4. Analytical Estimating
 Time Study

Time study is a work measurement technique for recording the time of

performing certain/specified conditions and for analyzing the data as to
obtain time necessary for an operator to carry out at a define rate of
performance.
 Where We Can Apply Time Study
 The job in question a new one, not previously carried out new product, component,
operations or set up activities.
 A change in material or method of working has been made and new time standard is required.
 A complain has been received from a worker or workers representative about the time
standard of the operation.
 A particular operation appears to be a bottleneck holding up sub-sequent operation and
possibly previous operations.
 Standard times are required before an incentive scheme is introduced.
 A piece of equipment appears to be idle for an excessive time or its output is low and if
therefore becomes necessary to be investigated the method of it uses.
 The job needs studying as a preliminary to make a method study or to compare the efficiency
of two methods.
 The cost of a particular job appears to be excessive as may be evidence by a Pareto type
analysis.
Equipment used for time study

 Stop watch
 Clip board
 Time study format
 Pencil
 Eraser
 Calculator
 Steps to Calculate the Time

 Define the task to be studied.

 Divide the task into precise elements.
 Decide how many times to measure the task.
 Time and record element times and rating of performance.
 Compute average observed time.
 Average observed time =Sum of the times recorded to perform each element/Number of
observations
 Determine performance rating and normal time.
 Normal time = Average observed time x Performance rating factor.
 Add the normal times for each element to develop the total normal time for the task.
 Compute the standard time.
 Standard time = Total normal time+ Allowance factor.
Time Study Format
 Work Measurement Techniques

Techniques Applications Unit of

measurements
Time study Short cycle repetitive jobs. Centi-minute (0.01
Widely used for direct work min)
Work sampling Long cycle jobs Minutes
Synthetic data Short cycle repetitive jobs Centi-minute
Analytical Short cycle non-repetitive jobs Minutes
estimating
MTM Manual operation confined to TMU (1 TMU =
one work centre 0.006min)
 Rating

Rating is the assessment of the worker rate of

working relative to the observer’s concept of
the rate corresponding to standard pace.
Rating scale:
 60—75
 75—100
 100—135
 0—100(British standard, ILO Certified)
 How to rate an Operator?

Details of British Standard Rating Scale:

 0= No activity.
 1—50= Very slow, clumsy, operator appears to be half asleep, fumbling movement,
weak and no interest in the job.
 51—75= Trying to get output but for their handling problem, less attentiveness they
cannot make sure the quality and output also.
 76—100= very faster than other operators. They are working with their 100%
concentration and make the garment with satisfactory quality and quantity level.
Factors affecting the rating

 The study person should be careful not to rate too highly when:
 The worker is worried or looks hurried.
 The worker is obviously being over careful.
 The job seems to be difficult to the study person.
 The study person is working very fast as when recording a short element study.
 The study person should be careful not to be rate too low when:
 The job looks easy.
 The worker is using smooth rhythmic movement.
 The worker does not pause to think when the study person expects this.
 The worker is performing heavy manual work.
 The study person is tired
 Performance ratting
Process of adjusting the actual pace of working of an operator by
comparing it with mental picture of pace of an operator working at normal
speed.
Various methods of performance ratting are:
1. Speed rating
2. Westing house system of rating
3. Synthetic rating
4. Objective rating
1.Speed rating: It is a process of ratting is confined to the comparisons of
speed of movement with a concept of normal speed. Speed of movement
of the operators is the factor considered for performance ratting. If a
worker is rated at 125% it means that the speed is 25% higher the
observer concept of normal.
2. Westing house method of rating: It utilises a set of criteria to measure the
performance of the operators. The factors are
 Skills
 Effort
 Consistency
 Conditions
3. Synthetic rating: The performance ratting under this method is established by
comparing observed time some manual elements with those of known time value
of the elements from predetermined motion and time studies (PMTS).
4.Objective rating: In this method, the operators speed is rated against a single
standard pace which is independent of job difficulty. The jobs difficulties are
divided into six classes-
 Amount of body used
 Foot pedal
 Bi-manualness
 Eye hand coordination.
 Handling requirements
 Weight
 Allowances
 The normal time for an operation doesn’t contain any allowances for the
workers. It’s impossible to work throughout the day even though the
most practicable, effective method has been developed.
 Allowances must also be made to enable the workers to attend to his
personal needs. The Allowances are categorised as
1. Relaxation allowances
2. Interference allowances
3. Contingency allowances
 Relaxation allowances: It is calculated as to allow the workers to
recover from fatigue. The amount of allowances will depend on nature
of job. It’s two types
1. Fixed allowances
2. Variable allowances
Fixed allowances constitutes by
a).Personal needs allowances: Like drinking water, washing hand etc. it
about 5% to 7%.
b).Allowances for basic fatigue: This allowances is given to compensate
for energy expended during working. A common figure considered as
allowances is 4% of the basic time.
Variable allowances: It is allowed to an operators who is working under
poor environmental conditions, heavy work that cannot be improved,
added stress and strain in performing the job. The amount of variable
allowances varies from organisations to organisations.
 Interference allowance: It is an allowance of time included into the
work content of the job to compensate the operator for the
unavoidable loss of production due to simultaneous stoppage of two
or more machines operated by him. It depends on proportion of
number of machine assigned to the operator.
Contingency Allowance: Contingency allowance depends on the
worker’s physical strength for doing the job. It is a small amount of
allowance which is given to meet the legitimate delay of work. It is
counted less than 5% of basic time.
Machine Delay Allowance: Some time garments machines are off due
to mechanical or technical problems. These are applied to the total basic
time for those elements which are concerned with the operation of
machinery.
 Machine delay allowances

These are applied to the total basic times for those elements which are
concerned with the operation of machinery.
Common used as follows:
 Single needle lockstitch: 9%
 Twin needle lockstitch:14%
 Three thread overlock: 7%
 Four thread overlock: 9%
 Five thread overlock: 11%
Allowances

21
 SMV
SMV (Standard minute Value) is the time required to produce one unit or
time required to complete a particular operation. It is defined as numerical
value that presents the standard time of process or operation in a standard
environment for standard worker
Procedures of SMV Calculation:
 Arrangement of tools and equipment
 Selection of operation and worker
 Inform line chief and line supervisor
 Cycle check and record cycle (Approximately 10 cycle)
 Add allowance and rating
 Calculate SMV

SMV = B.T + Allowances

 SMV Calculation

Standard Time
 Mathematical Calculation
 Average cycle time: Total Cycle Time/ No. of Cycle
 Observe time = Avg. Cycle Time/ 60
 Basic time = Observe Time × Rating
 SAM = Basic Time + (Basic Time × Allowance)
Basic Time
The basic time for the operation is found by applying concept of rating to relate the observed
to that of a standard place of working.
Calculated as follows:
 Basic time = observed time * observed rating
100

 (BT = Observed time * Observed Rating = A constant)

100
Problem-01

Rating 50 75 100 125

Observed time 1.2 0.8 0.6 0.5
Basic Time 1.2*50 0.8*75 0.6*100 0.5*125
100 100 100 100

= 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6

Problem-01:Excercise
 The following data refers to the study conducted for an operation. Table show actual time
for elements in minutes-

Elements Cycle (times in Minute)

1 2 3 4
1 1.5 1.5 1.3 1.4
2 2.6 2.7 2.4 2.6
3 3.3 3.2 3.4 3.4
4 1.2 1.2 1.1 1.2
5 0.51 0.51 0.52 0.49

 Calculate standard time for the operation if

 Elements 2 & 4 are machine elements
 For other elements, the operator is rated at 110%
 Total allowance are 15% of the normal time.
 Problem-02: SMV Calculation
Element description Obser Obser. Basic Freq. Basic
rating time Time Time/Gmt
Get bundle and sort parts 95 0.32 0.304 1/30 0.010
Match pocket flap to lining 105 0.11 0.116 1/1 0.116
Sew round flap 100 0.48 0.480 1/1 0.480
Trim threads and turn out flap 58 0.35 0.298 1/1 0.298
Top stitch flap 90 0.56 0.504 1/1 0.504
Close bundle and place aside 110 0.23 0.253 1/30 0.008
Total 1.416
Solution:
 Total basic time/garment (brought forward) 1.416
 Add machine attention allowances 7%
7% of (0.480 + 0.504) = 0.07 x 0.984 = 0.069
 Basic time + MAA (1.416 + 0.069) =1.485
 Add personal needs and relaxation allowances 14%
14% of 1.485 = 0.14 x 1.485 = 0.208
 Standard minute Value (SMV) = Basic time + all allowances
=1.485 + 0.208
= 1.693 (SMV)
Problem-03
 The following data refers to the study conducted for an operation. Table show actual time for
elements in minutes-

Element Cycle
1 2 3 4 5
1 2.5 2.1 2.2 5.4 2.5
2 6.2 6.0 6.1 5.9 5.9
3 2.3 2.0 2.1 2.1 2.2
4 2.4 2.1 2.8 3.0 2.3

 Elements 2 is a machine element.

 Consider the observations as abnormal and delete the same if they more than 2% of average time
of that element.
 Take performance rating as 120%.
 Take following allowance-personal allowance 30min in a shift of 8 hrs, fatigue allowance
15%,Contingency allowance 2%.
 Estimate SMV & production /shift.
Solution:
 Average time all element should be calculated.
 Total observed cycle time=13.005
 Basic time= 13.005*120/100=15.606
 Total allowance=1.17
 SMV=15.606*1.17=18.259

 Effective production time=((8*60)-30)=450

 Production /shift=450/18.259=24.64=25
 Bottleneck
Bottleneck means “lost production lost profit”. Which are holding up
production operations, or a lengthy operation, that consumes a great deal
of time. A bottleneck is the operation in any team that has the lowest
capacity of production.

 What is the Reason of Bottleneck?

 If the said operator has more work content than other operators.
 If the operator is unskilled or semi skilled in respect to the operation.
 If there happens quality fault in the operation.
 If two or various types (color) of thread are used in the same machine.
 If there is any problem in machinery purpose.