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WORK MEASUREMENT

Dr. M. L. MEENA
[B. Tech., M. Tech., MBA, Ph.D.]
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur

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Why Work Measurement?

• To Assess Capabilities.

• To Establish Expectations.

Conflicts between labor and

management occurred because
management had no idea how long jobs
actually took.

Work Measurement

Work Measurement is the application of

techniques designed to establish the time for
a qualified worker to carry out specified jobs
at a defined level of performance.

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Work measurement (WM) is concerned with

investigating, reducing and eliminating
ineffective time.
WM is the means of measuring the time
taken in the performance of an operation or
series of operations in such a way that the
ineffective time is shown up and can be
separated out.

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Work Measurement Techniques

Types of Work Involved in Work Measurement

For the purpose of work measurement, work can be
divided into two types:

Repetitive work Non-repetitive work

The type of work in which
It includes some type
the main operation or group
of maintenance and
of operations repeat
construction work,
continuously during the
where the work cycle
time spent at the job.
itself is hardly ever
repeated identically.
These apply to work cycles
of extremely short
duration.

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Work Measurement Techniques and their Application

Techniques Unit of Applications

Measurement
Time Study Centiminute Short cycle repetitive jobs.
(0.01 min) Widely used for direct work.
Synthetic Data Centiminute Short cycle repetitive jobs
(0.01 min)
Working Sampling Minutes Long cycle jobs/ heterogeneous
operations
PMTS/MTM TMU Manual operations confined to
(1TMU=0.006 min) one work centre.
Analytical Minutes Short cycle non-repetitive job.
Estimation

Techniques/Methods/Types of WM

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1. Historical Data Method

 Historical data method uses the past‐performance

data.
 Here, past performance is used as a guideline for
setting work performance standards.
 The main advantage of this technique is that it is
simple to understand, quicker to estimate and
easier to implement.
 However, past performance is not the best basis
for fixing performance standards. This is because
there may be many changes in technology,
employees’ behavior, abilities, etc.

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2. Time Study
 This technique was developed by Frederick Winslow
Taylor (1856‐1915).
 Time study is best suited for short‐cycle repetitive jobs.
 Time study is a technique to estimate the time to be
allowed to a qualified and well‐trained worker working at
a normal pace to complete a specified task.
 This technique is based on measuring the work content
of the task when performed by the prescribed method,
with the allowance for fatigue and for personal and
unavoidable delays.
 Most of the production jobs can be easily timed by a
time‐study.
 Time study with the help of a stop watch is the most
commonly used work measurement method.

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Predetermined Motion Time System (PMTS)

SN Technique Year By
1 Motion Time Analysis (MTA) 1924 A.B. Segur
2 Body-Member Movements 1938 W.G. Holmes
3 Motion-Time Data for Assembly 1938 H. Engstrom
Work
4 Work-Factor System 1938 J.H. Quick & W.J.
Shea
5 Elemental Time Standard 1942 Western Electric
Company
6 Method-Time Measurement 1948 H.B. Maynard & G.J.
(MTM) Stegemerten
7 Basic Motion Time Study (BMT) 1950 J.A. Lowden & G.B.
Bailey
8 Dimensional-Motion Time (DMT) 1952 H.C. Geppinger
9 Predetermined Human Work Times 1952 Irwin P. Lazarus

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Time Study

Time Study
 This technique was developed by Frederick Winslow
Taylor (1856‐1915).
 Time study is best suited for short‐cycle repetitive jobs.
 Time study is a technique to estimate the time to be
allowed to a qualified and well‐trained worker working at
a normal pace to complete a specified task.
 This technique is based on measuring the work content
of the task when performed by the prescribed method,
with the allowance for fatigue and for personal and
unavoidable delays.
 Most of the production jobs can be easily timed by a
time‐study.
 Time study with the help of a stop watch is the most
commonly used work measurement method.

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Time study is also called work measurement.

It is essential for both planning and control of
operations.
According to British Standard Institute time study has
been defined 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.”

Objectives of Time Study

1. To fix a fair output rate for workers.
2. To set the completion schedule for individual operations or jobs.
3. To determine the cycle time for completion of a job.
4. To compare alternative methods in motion study in order to
select the best method.
5. To determine standard costs.
6. To determine equipment and labour requirements.
7. To determine basic times/normal times.
8. To determine the number of machines an operator can handle.
9. To balance the work of operators in production or assembly lines.
Source: https://accountlearning.com/time-study-meaning-objectives-advantages-limitations/

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Time Study Procedure

Step 1: Define objective of the study. This involves statement of the use of
the result, the precision desired, and the required level of confidence in the
estimated time standards.

Step 2: Analyze the operation to determine whether standard method and

conditions exist and whether the operator is properly trained. If need is felt
for method study or further training of operator, the same may be
completed before starting the time study.

Step 3: Select Operator to be studied if there is more than one operator

doing the same task.

Step 4: Record information about the standard method, operation,

operator, product, equipment, quality and conditions.

Step 5: Divide the operation into reasonably small elements.

Step 6: Time the operator for each of the elements. Record the data for a few
number of cycles. Use the data to estimate the total numbers of observations to be
taken.

Step 7: Collect and record the data of required number of cycles by timing and
rating the operator.

Step 8: For each element calculate the representative watch time. Multiply it by
the rating factory to get normal time.
Normal time = Observed time * Rating factor
Add the normal time of various elements to obtain the normal time for
the whole operation.

Step 9: Determine allowances for various delays from the company's policy book or
by conducting an independent study.

Step 10: Determine standard time by adding allowances to the normal time of
operation.
Standard time = Normal time + allowances

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Time Study Equipment

Time study is a work measurement
technique for recording the times of
performing a certain specific job, its
elements carried out under specified
conditions and for analysing the
data, so as to obtain the time
necessary for an operator to carry it
out at a defined rate of performance,
 Timing device (Stop watch, electronic timer etc.)
 Time study observation Sheet
 Time study observation board
 Tachometer, Motion Picture Camera, Pencil, Eraser etc.

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Standard Time
It is the time, which is taken by a normal worker for a
specific task or job, working under moderate conditions
and includes other allowances such as fatigue, setting of
tool and job, repairing of tool, checking of job etc.

Standard time = observed time + rating factor +

relaxation allowance + work related contingency
allowance + delay related contingency allowance.
Or
Standard Time = Basic Time + Allowances

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The amount of time it should take a

qualified worker to complete a specified
task, working at a sustainable rate, using
given methods and equipment, raw
materials, and workplace arrangements is
called a standard time.
A Standard time can be developed through:
•Stop-watch studies
•Historical times
•Predetermined data
•Work sampling

Fundamental definitions
• What is an ELEMENT?
– Element is a component of job or task that are logical
divisions with easily identifiable starting and end
points, and are repeated on a regular basis
– Every element must have an easily identifiable starting
and ending point (breakpoints)
– No discontinuities between elements
– Elements times: 0.04min (short), 0.25min (reasonable)
– Relative frequency must be included

• What is a CYCLE?
– Cycle is the completion of the activities (elements)
required to perform the job under study.

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Determining Number of Cycles

Time measurement
– Measuring time of
each element
– The number of
observation of each
element depends on
the significance level
and required level of
accuracy

Recommended number of
cycles/observations

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Cycle Time
 Cycle time is defined as the time duration from
starting point of a job to the starting point of the
next job. This time is established from the
observation data of an operator while working at a
certain pace.
 Example: In a sewing operation, pick up of first
piece to pick up of second pieces is cycle time. In
cycle time, material handling time is included with
actual work time in a machine.
 Cycle time = Machine Time + Material handling
time.
Cycle time is also known as Observed Time.

Basic Time
 Basic time of an job is determined by multiplying
rating factor to the observed time (cycle time).
Basic time is also expressed as Normal time.
 Basic time = (Observed time X Performance
Rating)/100
Or
Basic Time = (Standard Time ‐ Allowances)

In Basic Time no allowances are included.

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How standard time is made up

Tc Tn Tstd
cycle Pw rating normal Apfd allowances standard
time time time

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Performing a Time Study

Normal Time = (Cycle/Elemental Average) x (Rating Factor)

Nt = (t )(RF)

Normal Time = NT = Nt

Standard Time = (Normal Time) x (1 + Allowance Factor)

ST = (NT)(1 + AF)

Performing a Time Study

Time Study Observation Sheet

Identification of operation Sandwich Assembly Date 5/17

Operator Approval Observer
Smith Jones Russell
Cycles Summary
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 t t RF Nt
Grasp and lay t .04 .05 .05 .04 .06 .05 .06 .06 .07 .05 .53 .053 1.05 .056
1 out bread slices
R .04 .38 .72 1.05 1.40 1.76 2.13 2.50 2.89 3.29
Spread mayonnaise t .07 .06 .07 .08 .07 .07 .08 .10 .09 .08 .77 .077 1.00 .077
2 on both slices
R .11 .44 .79 1.13 1.47 1.83 2.21 2.60 2.98 3.37

Place ham, cheese, t .12 .11 .14 .12 .13 .13 .13 .12 .14 .14 1.28 1.28 1.10 .141
3
and lettuce on bread R .23 .55 .93 1.25 1.60 1.96 2.34 2.72 3.12 3.51
Place top on sandwich, t .10 .12 .08 .09 .11 .11 .10 .10 .12 .10 1.03 1.03 1.10 .113
4
Slice, and stack R .33 .67 1.01 1.34 1.71 2.07 2.44 2.82 3.24 3.61

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Performing a Time Study (cont.)

t 0.53
Average element time = t = = = 0.053
10 10

Normal time = (Elemental average)(rating factor)

Nt = ( t )(RF) = (0.053)(1.05) = 0.056

Normal Cycle Time = NT = Nt = 0.387

ST = (NT) (1 + AF) = (0.387)(1+0.15) = 0.445 min

Performing a Time Study

(cont.)

How many sandwiches can be made in 2 hours?

120 min
= 269.7 or 270 sandwiches
0.445 min/sandwich

Example 17.3
Copyright 2006 John Wiley &
Supplement 8‐52
Sons, Inc.

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Calculating Normal Time and Standard

Time at Pat’s Pizza

• The standard time for preparing a large, hand‐tossed pepperoni pizza is 2.312
minutes. This means that a worker can prepare 207 pizzas in an 8‐hour shift (480
minutes divided by 2.312 minutes)

An Example
The following observed times have been collected with a performance
rating of 1.10. Using an allowance factor of 15% of job time,
determine the appropriate standard time.
Preliminary Calculations:
n=9
PR =1.10
A = 1.15
Obs Time (min) Obs Time
1 4.20 6 4.18
2 4.15 7 4.14
3 4.08 8 4.14
4 4.12 9 4.19
5 4.15 37.35

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The Solution
A. OT = 37.35/9 = 4.15 minutes

B. NT = OT x PR = 4.15 x 1.10 = 4.565 minutes

C. ST = NT x (1+A) = 4.565 x 1.15 = 5.25 minutes

Example: Determining Standard Time

• Given: The normal time to perform the regular work
cycle is 3.23 min. In addition, an irregular work
element with a normal time = 1.25 min is performed
every 5 cycles. The PFD allowance factor is 15%.
• Determine (a) the standard time and (b) the number
of work units produced during an 8‐hr shift if the
worker's pace is consistent with standard
performance.

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(a) Normal time Tn = 3.23 + 1.25/5

= 3.48 min
Standard time Tstd = 3.48 (1 + 0.15)
= 4.00 min
(b) Number of work units produced during an 8‐
hr shift
Qstd = 8.0(60)/4.00 = 120 work units

ILLUSTRATION 1: Assuming that the total observed time for an

operation of assembling an electric switch is 1.00 min. If the
rating is 120%, find normal time. If an allowance of 10% is
allowed for the operation, determine the standard time.

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Work content
The work content of a job or operation is
defined as:
Basic time+ relaxation allowance+ any allowance
for additional work (e.g. the part of relaxation
allowance that is work related).

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Normal Performance
 There is no universal concept of Normal Performance.
 However, it is generally defined as the working rate of
an average qualified worker working under capable
supervision but not under any incentive wage payment
scheme. This rate of working is characterized by the
fairly steady exertion of reasonable effort, and can be
maintained day after day without undue physical or
mental fatigue.
• A pace of working that can be maintained by a properly
trained average worker throughout an entire work shift
without deleterious short-term or long-term effects on
the worker’s health or physical well-being
– Normal performance = 100% performance

Performance Rating
Analyst judges the performance or pace of the worker
relative to the definition of standard performance used
by the organization
– Standard performance Pw = 100%
• Slower pace than standard Pw < 100%
• Faster pace than standard Pw > 100%
– Normal Time (NT) = Tobs(Pw ) = The time to
complete a task when working at normal
performance.
where Tobs = observed time, NT= normal time, and Pw
= worker performance or pace

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Performance Rating
Performance rating is that process, during
which the time study engineer compares the
performance of the operator under
observation with his own concept of normal
performance.

In mathematical term,

Note 1:The concept of normal performance,

must be such that the time standards are set
from it, are within the capacity of the majority of
workers in the enterprise.

Note 2: It would be of no use in setting standards

so high that only the best worker could attain
them since programs or estimates based on them
would never be fulfilled.

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Example: Normal Performance

Given: A man walks in the early morning for
health and fitness. His usual route is 1.85 miles.
A typical time is 30 min. The benchmark of
normal performance = 3 mi/hr.
Determine:
(a) how long the route would take at normal
performance and
(b) the man’s performance when he completes
the route in 30 min.

(a) At 3 mi/hr, time = 1.85 mi / 3 mi/hr

= 0.6167 hr = 37 min

(b) Rearranging equation, Pw = Tn / Tc

Pw = 37 min / 30 min = 1.233 = 123.3 %

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Qualified Worker
 One who is accepted as having the necessary
physical attributes, who possesses the required
intelligence, education, and has acquired the
necessary skill and knowledge to carry out the
work in hand to satisfactory standard of safety,
quantity and quality.
 In setting the time standards, specially when they
are to be used for incentives, the standard to
aimed at is one which can be attained by the
qualified worker.
 A representative worker is one whose skill and
performance is the average of the group under
consideration. (S/)He may not necessarily be a
qualified worker.

Rating Factor
Time study engineer multiplies actual time
with a factor known as “Rating Factor” or
“Levelling Factor” to get the average time
which a normal worker would take.
This is expressed as a percentage of the
efficiency of representative operator, which
indicates how efficient an operator is in
comparison to some of his average fellow
workers.

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Methods of Rating
1. Speed Rating:
This rating procedure consists of judging the
pace or speeds of the operator’s movements in
relation to a normal pace and is noted as a factor.
This rating is applied to each element and
observed time for each element is multiplied by
this factor (the ratio of observed speed to
expected speed) to get the normal time for the
element.

2. Westinghouse System of Rating:

 A four‐factor system of Performance Rating was

developed at Westinghouse.
 These factors are:
Skill, Effort, Conditions, Consistency.
 A scale of numerical values for each factor was supplied
in the tabular form, the worker was watched while
working and given a value from these tables.
 The time obtained from time study is then leveled by
applying the sum of the ratings of all the four factors.

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Table used for rating calculation

For example, if the observed time for an operator

was 1.50 minutes and if the ratings are as follows:
Good skill, C1 + 0.06
Excellent Efforts, B2 + 0.08
Average condition, D + 0.00
Good consistency, C + 0.01
Total + 0.15
• The normal time for that operation would be =
1.50 x 1.15 = 1.72 min.

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3. Synthetic Rating
 In this method, performance of the worker is rated
from the values already known as P.M.T.S.
(Predetermined Motion Time System).
 In this procedure, time study is done in the usual
manner and then actual time obtained for certain
elements from this study are compared with that of
known standards.
 The ratio of standard time of a particular element to
that of observed time to the same element is rating
factor for the study.
 The rating factor for the study is the average of rating
factors obtained for different elements of the study.

Efforts must be made to determine the rating

factors for as many elements as possible.
In this method, it is assumed that performance
for the whole of the study will be same as that
obtained in these elements.
If, R = Performance Rating factor.
P = Predetermined standard for an element.
A = Average of actual time obtained in the
time study for that element.
Then R = P/A

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4. Objective Rating:
 In this method, Rating is done in two stages, in
first stage, operator’s speed is rated, by observing
speed of movement or rate of activity, and no
attention is paid for the job difficulties.
 After the pace rating is made, in the second
stage, an allowance of a secondary adjustment is
added to the pace rating by considering the job
difficulties.
 Job difficulties are divided into six clauses. A table
provides the percentage of adjustments to be
made for each of these six factors.

 These six factors are:

(i) Amount of body used
(ii) Foot Pedals(iii) Bimanualness
(iv) Eye‐hand co‐ordination
(v) Handling requirements
(vi) Weight.
 For example, if the selected time for an element is
0.30 minute, the pace rating is 110% and if the sum
of all secondary adjustments amounts to 20% then
the normal time will be = 0.3 × 1.10 × 1.20 = 0.396
min

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5. Physiological Evaluation of
Performance Rating
Many studies have recently shown that there
is relationship between physical work and the
amount of oxygen consumed by the operator.
More recently, it has also been found that the
change in heart rate is also a reliable measure
of muscular activity.
This technique is however not being used now
but large number of people in various parts of
the world are working on this problem.

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Reasons for Lost Time at Work

Work‐related interruptions Non‐work‐related interruptions

• Machine breakdowns • Personal needs (e.g., restroom
• Waiting for materials or parts breaks)
• Receiving instructions from • Talking to co‐workers about
foreman matters unrelated to work
• Talking to co‐workers about • Lunch break
work‐related matters • Smoke break
• Rest breaks for fatigue • Beverage break
• Cleaning up at end of shift • Personal telephone call

Allowances
1. Relaxation Allowance
This allowance depends upon the nature of the
job, and includes following two categories of
allowances:
(A) Personal Need Allowance: It provides for the
necessity to go away from the work place to
attend the personal needs such as washing,
going to lavatory, getting a drink etc. It is
commonly taken as 5% for male and 7% for
female worker.

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(B) Fatigue Allowance: Fatigue allowance is

provided to recover a worker from the physi‐
ological and psychological effect of carrying out
work.
It contains:
1. A constant portion, (the minimum or basic
fatigue allowance) which must be adequate for a
worker who carries out the job while seated
engaged on light work in ideal working condi‐
tions. This is generally considered as 4% for both
men and women.

2. A variable portion is added when the working

conditions are severe. It is based on factors which
vary the working conditions. These factors are (a)
standing or other abnormal position, (b) use of
force, (c) light, (d) air, (e) visual strain, (f) manual‐
strain, (g) mental strain.

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2. Interference Allowance:
When one worker is attending more than one
machine, then, interference is the time for which
one or more machine units remain idle while
attendant is occupied with the work on other
machine units. The allowance provided to
compensate this idleness due to interference is
known as interference allowance.

3. Process Allowance
This is an allowance provided to compensate for
enforced idleness during a process. This includes
loss of time due to (t) no work (ii) power failure,
(iii) faulty material, (iv) faulty tools or
equipment’s.

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4. Contingency Allowance
This is an allowance of time to meet legitimate,
irregular and infrequent items of work or delays
which cannot economically be measured
correctly. It is usually taken as less than 5%.

5. Special Allowance
These allowances are decided as a policy matter
of management. These are allowed for activities
which are normally not a part of the operation
cycles but are essential for satisfactory
performance of work.
These include for the following items:
(i) Start up
(ii) Cleaning
(iii) Shut down
(iv) Set‐up
(v) Change over
(vi) Tools changing and regrinding.

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Numerical Problems

Example: In a welding shop, a direct time study was done

on a welding operation. One inexperienced industrial
engineer and one experienced industrial engineer
conducted the study simultaneously. They agreed precisely
on cycle time but their opinion on rating the worker
differed. The experienced engineer rated the worker 100%
and the other engineer rated the worker 120%. They used a
10% allowance.

From the above statement, (a) Determine the standard time

using the experienced industrial engineer’s worker rating.
(b) Find the standard time using the worker rating of
inexperienced industrial engineer. 88

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Solution:
(a) Rating of worker at 100% by the experienced industrial
engineer
Cycle time (CT) = (20×2+24×1+29×1+32×1)/5 = 25 min
Normal time (NT) = CT×PR = 25×100% = 25 min
Standard time (ST) = NT/(1‐%A) = 25/(1‐0.10) = 27.78 min

(b) Rating of worker at 120% by the inexperienced

industrial engineer
Cycle time (CT) = (20×2+24×1+29×1+32×1)/5 = 25 min
Normal time (NT) = CT×PR = 25×120% = 30 min
Standard time (ST) = NT/(1‐%A) = 30/(1‐0.10) = 33.33 min

89

• Example 1:
An operator manufactures 50 jobs in 6 hours
and 30 min. If this time includes for setting
his machine. Calculate the operator’s
efficiency. Standard time allowed for the job
was: Setting time = 35 min and Production
time per piece = 8 min .

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Solution:
As standard time = Set up time + Time per piece x
No. of pieces produced

Example 2:
Assuming that the total observed time for an
operation of assembling an electric switch is 1.00
min. If the rating is 120%, find the normal time. If
an allowance of 10% is allowed for the operation,
determine the standard time.

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Solution:
Given:Observed or selected time = 1.00 min.,Rating = 120%
Allowance = 10%

Thus we see that there is slight difference in the

values calculated by both methods. Second
method gives accurate values. But sometimes first
method is also used being simpler.

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Example 3:
Following data were obtained by a work study man from a
study conducted by him.
(i) Maintenance Time:
(a) Get out and put away tools = 12.0 min/day.
(b) Cleaning of machine = 5.0 min/ day.
(c) Oiling of machine = 5.0 min/day.
(d) Replenish coolant supply = 3.0 min/day.
(ii) Interruption Time:
(a) Interruption by foreman = 5.0 min/day.
(b) Interruption by porter etc. = 4.0 min/day.
(iii) Delay time due to power failure etc. = 6.0 min/day.
(iv) Personal time = 20.0 min/day.
Calculate total allowances, total available cycle time and
productive hour, considering a working day of 8 hours.

• Solution:
Total allowances (sometimes also known as station time)=
Total maintenance time + Interruption time + Delay time
+ Personal time
= (12.0 + 5 + 5 + 3.0) + (5.0 + 4.0) + 6.0 + 20.0 = 25.0 + 9.0
+ 6.0 + 20.0
= 60.0 min. i.e. one hr. per day.

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Example 4:
An observer has taken few observations of an
element, as shown below and now he wants to
know as to how much readings should be taken
for a 95% confidence level and ± 5% precision.
Individual readings in 0.01 min (X) are: 6, 5, 8, 6, 5,
5, 6.

Solution:

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Thus 46 observations are required for achieving

desired accuracy and confidence level.

Note:
This number is only a guiding factor. After taking
46 observations, we should again apply this
formula and confirm whether we have taken the
sufficient readings.

Example 5:
Find out the standard time using the following
data:
• Average time for machine elements = 6 min.
• Average time for manual elements = 4 min.
• Performance rating =110%
• Allowances = 10%

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