Work Study

 Work Study is a generic

term for management
services and system Work Study
engineering techniques,
used to investigate:
– Methods of performing

Measurements
work (Method Study).
Method Study
Work
– The time taken to do it
(Work Measurement).

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 Work Study- Definition
• What is Work Study?
• What is work?: Work is an activity in which one exerts physical
and mental effort to accomplish a given task or perform a duty.
• Work Study is the systematic examination of the methods of
carrying out activities such as to improve the effective use of
resources and to set up standards of performance for the
activities carried out.
• A generic term for those techniques, particularly method study
and work measurement, which are used in the examination of
human work in all its contexts, and which lead systematically to
the investigation of all the factors which affect the efficiency
and economy of the situation being reviewed, in order to effect
improvement.
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 Method Study- Introduction
• DEFINITION
It is the systematic study of work systems with the purposes of
1. Developing the preferred system and Method
( with lowest cost)
2. Standardizing this system and method
3. Determining standard time for the task
4. Assisting in training the worker in the preferred Method
• EXPLANATION
Above stated definition has FOUR parts.
However, the TWO most important for WORK STUDY are:
1.MOTION STUDY
(or Work Methods Design) &
2. TIME STUDY
(or Work Measurement)
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 Method Study- Introduction
• ILO Definition-
• It is the systematic examination of carrying on activities so as to improve the
effective use of resources and to set standards of performance for the activities
being carried out.
• The British Standards defines method study as:-
• “The systematic recording and critical examination of the factors and resources
involved in existing and proposed ways of doing work, as a means of
developing and applying easier and more effective methods and reducing
costs”

• Method study is a technique to reduce the work content mainly by eliminating

unnecessary movements by workers, materials, or equipments.
• However, even after that, there could be substantial unnecessary time taken for
the process because of lack of management control or inaction of worker.
• Method Study approaches and tools of Method Analyst:
 Flow Diagrams & Process Charts etc.
 Critical questioning techniques. 4
 Method Study- Introduction
• Method study is the systematic recording and critical examination
of existing and proposed ways of doing work, as a means of
developing and applying easier and more effective methods and
reducing costs.
• Used to analyze
 Movement of body, people, or material
 Activities of people & machines
Method Study Objectives
Improvement of processes and procedures.
Improvement in the design of plant and equipment.
Improvement of layout.
Improvement in the use of men, materials and machines.
Economy in human effort and reduction of unnecessary fatigue.
Development of better working environment.
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 Method Study- Introduction
• Work study is a tool of productivity enhancement.
• It simplifies a job to reduce unnecessary or excess work, wasteful
use of resources and sets up standard time for performing that job.
• This implies that :
• There is a direct relationship between work study and
productivity.
• Thus, by applying WS principles if the cost is reduced by 20%,
then, we can say that productivity has gone up by 20%.

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 Steps/Procedure Involved in Methods Study
1. Select : select the work to be studied.
• The job should be selected for the method study based upon
the following considerations:
– a) Economical aspect
– b) Technical aspect
– c) Human aspect
2. Record: record the relevant facts about the job by direct
observation
• Recording techniques used for method study are charts and
diagrams.

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 Recording techniques for method study

i) Operation process chart:

• An operation process chart
provides the chronological
sequence of all operations and
inspections that occur in a
manufacturing or
business process.
• Operation process chart used
only two symbols, i.e.,
operation and inspection.

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 Flow Process Charts
• A flow process chart is a chart of all the activities involved in a process.
• It is similar to an operations process chart, except that more detail is
shown by including transportations and delays as well as operations,
inspections, and storages.
• Not usually used for entire assemblies, it is used for just one component
(or operator)
• Add in information on:
• Operation duration (time to complete)
• Distance traveled (for transport operations)
• Good for showing savings of a new method.
• Process charts summarizes the whole process
• They are used to compare the existing and the proposed methods
• Process is observed, who, what, where, when, and how questions are
asked
• Every detail is understood and the chart of the existing situation is
drawn
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 Flow Process Charts
• Quantity:
 Operations: Pieces per hour
 Transportation: How many are moved at a time
 Inspection: How many pieces per hour if under time
standard and/or frequency of inspection
 Delays: How many pieces in a container
 Storage: How many pieces per storage unit
• Time in Hours per Unit
 If 250 pieces are processed in an hour then 1 unit is
processed in 0.00400 hours. Record 400
 If 200 units are moved in 1 minute, then 1/200 = 0.005
minutes per part, and 0.005/60 hours/part =0.00008 hrs/part.
Record 8.

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 Recording techniques for method study…
• ii) Flow process chart:
• A flow process chart is
used for recording greater
detail than is possible in
an operation process
chart.
• It is made for each
component of an
assembly rather than for
the whole assembly.
Flow Process Types:
i. Product or Material type
ii. Worker (Man) type
iii. Machine type

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ASME Standard Symbols

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 Process Chart Symbols
ASME has recommended FIVE standard symbols to be used on
Process Charts, given below:
1. OPERATION : Main steps of the
task /job involving modification /change.
2. INSPECTION: Checking quality / quantity.

3. TRANSPORTATION : For movement of

persons/materials.
4. DELAY (TEMPORARY) : For waiting time of
operators or materials.
5. STORAGE (PERMANENT DELAY) : For
controlled storage involving authorized
issue/receipt of material etc.

NOTE:
For two parallel events, both are shown in one joint or
combined symbol: e. g. operation & inspection ,jointly are shown
by symbol, indicated in the figure.
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 The Outline Flow Process Chart

• It uses ONLY TWO SYMBOLS:

&
• It provides an OVERALL PICTURE of the
process / job / task.
• Primarily it is used to show the sequence of
operations & inspections for a manufacturing or
an assembly kind of jobs.

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 Recording techniques for method study…
• iii) String Diagram:
• is a scale layout drawing on which, length of a string is used to
record the extent as well as the pattern of movement of a worker
working within a limited area during a certain period of time.
• It is a scale diagram on which colour threads are wrapped around
pins or pegs, which are used to indicate the paths taken by either
worker or material or equipment when processing is done on
material from start to finish.

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 Steps/Procedure Involved in Methods Study…

• 3. Examine: examine the way the job is being performed and

test its purpose, place, sequence and method of performance.
• In this step, the information provided by charts and diagrams
is critically examined and screened by asking some searching
questions. Like, what is done?, why it is done?, what else
might be done? etc.
• This examination is carried out with a view to eliminate,
combine, rearrange and/or simplify the activities.

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 Steps/Procedure Involved in Methods Study…
• 4. Develop: develop the most practical, economical, and effective
method.
• After critical examination of records is complete, it is necessary to
transform the learning’s into the development of new methods.
Some approaches are:
– a) Eliminate unnecessary activities.
– b) Combine two or more activities. For example, if one uses a
combination tool for two operations, say, facing and drilling, the total
set-up time will reduce.
– c) Re-sequence activities so as to reduce time and effort.
– d) Simplify process to reduce number of operations or reduce effort or
reduce
– throughput, etc.
– e) Attack on constraints, which are preventing the method to perform
better.
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 Steps/Procedure Involved in Methods Study…
• 5. Evaluate: evaluate different alternatives to develop a new
improved method comparing the cost-effectiveness of the selected
new method with the current method of performance.
• 6. Define: define the new method in a clear manner and present it
to those concerned, i.e., management, supervisors and worker.
• A report on new improved method should be prepared. It should
include:
– Description of the method.
– Cost of installing the new method, including cost of new
equipment and of relaying out shops or working areas.
– Diagram of the work place layout.
– Tools and equipment to be used and diagrams of jigs/fixtures
etc.
– Executive actions required to implement the new method.
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 Steps/Procedure Involved in Methods Study…
• 7. Install: install the new method as a standard practice and train
the persons involved in applying it.
• 8. Maintain: Maintain the new method and introduce control
procedures to prevent a drifting back to the previous method of
work.

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Steps/Procedure Involved in Methods Study…
Select
Record

Examine

OK?

Develop
Install
Maintain
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 Method Study Applications

 The need for methods analysis can come from a number of

different sources :

 Changes in tools and equipment.

 Changes in product design or new products.
 Changes in materials or procedures
 Other factors (e.g. accidents, quality problems)

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 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 or at a defined rate of working.
• A qualified worker is one who has acquired the skill,
knowledge and other attributes to carry out the work in
hand to satisfactory standards of quantity, quality and
safety.
• Defined rate of working is the amount of work that can
be produced by a qualified worker/employee when
working at normal space and effectively utilizing his
time and where work is not restricted by process
limitation.
 Work Measurement
• Uses of work measurement:
 To compare the efficiency of alternative methods.
 Cost estimation
 Pricing of products and services
 Incentive pay systems
 Capacity planning
 Production scheduling
 To provide information on which estimates for tenders,
selling prices and delivery
 promises can be based.
 Work Measurement
• Technique of work measurement:
• a) Time study: short cycle repetitive jobs
• b) Work sampling: Long cycle jobs
• c) Predetermined motion time standards: manual operations
confined to one work centre.
 Time Study
• "a work measurement technique consisting of careful time
measurement of the task with a time measuring instrument,
adjusted for any observed variance from normal effort or pace and
to allow adequate time for such items as foreign elements,
unavoidable or machine delays, rest to overcome fatigue, and
personal needs." (The Industrial Engineering Terminology
Standard)
• Time study is a direct and continuous observation of a task, using
a timekeeping device (e.g., decimal minute stopwatch, computer-
assisted electronic stopwatch, and videotape camera) to record the
time taken to accomplish a task and it is often used when:
• there are repetitive work cycles of short to long duration,
• wide variety of dissimilar work is performed, or
• process control elements constitute a part of the cycle.
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 Time Study
• Steps in making a time study
1) Select the work to be study
• The job is a new one not previously carried out.
• A change in material or method of working has been made
and a new time standard is required.
• A complaint has been received about the time standard for
an operation.
• A particular operation appears to be “bottleneck” holding up
the subsequent operations and possibly previous operations.
• Standard times are required prior to the introduction of an
incentive scheme.

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 Time Study
• Steps in making a time study
• 2) Obtaining and recording all the information about the job,
the operator and the surrounding conditions, which is likely
to affect the carrying out of the work.
• 3) Breakdown the operation into “elements.”
• 4) Measure the time by means of a stop watch taken by the
operator to perform each element of operation. Either
continuous method or snap back method of timing could be
used.
• 5) At the same time assess the operator’s effective speed of
work relative to the observer’s concept of normal speed.
This is called performance rating.

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 Time Study
• Steps in making a time study
• 6) Adjust the observed time by rating factor to obtain normal
time (basic times) for each element.
• 7) Sum the normal times for each element to develop a total
normal time for the task
• 8) Determining the allowances to be made over and above
the normal time for operation.
• 9) Determining the “standard time” for the operation.
• 10) Test and review standards wherever necessary.

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 Time Study
• Time study equipment
1. Stopwatch
– Mechanical stopwatches
– Electronic stopwatches
2. Video cameras
– Provides visual and audio record of method used by
worker
3. Computerized techniques in direct time study

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 Mechanical and Electronic Stopwatch

Mechanical Stopwatch Electronic Stopwatch

Calibrated in decimal minutes LED read-out

THANK YOU

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