1

METHOD STUDY

Definition:

“It is a 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.”

WHY:

The improvement of processes and procedures.

The improvement of factory, shop and workplace layout.
The improvement of the design of plant and equipment.
Economy in human effort and the reduction of unnecessary fatigue.
Improvements in the use of materials, machines and manpower.
The development of a better physical working environment.
Improvement of quality of the products.
2
 Recording Techniques
in Method study

Indicating Diagrams
Process Using a time scale indicating
Sequence
Multiple movements
Outline activity chart Flow
process chart Diagrams

Flow process Simo chart String

chart Diagram
Man type
P.M.T.S. Cycle
chart
Material type chart chart Graph

Machine type chart Chrono-cycle

Graph
Two -Handed
process chart Travel Chart
3
 Process Chart Symbols
1.Operation

Indicates the main steps in a process, method or procedure.

Usually the part, material or product concerned is modified or
changed during the operation.

2.Inspection

Indicates an inspection for quality and / or check for quantity

3.Transport
Indicates the movement of workers, materials or equipment from place
to place

4
4.Temporary Storage or Delay

Indicates a delay in the sequence of events : for example, work waiting

between consecutive operations, or any object laid aside temporarily without
record until required.

5.Permanent Storage
Indicates a controlled storage in which material is received
into or issued from a store under some form of authorization; or an
item is retained for reference purposes.

6.Combined Activities

Indicates a controlled storage in which material is received into or issued

from a store under some form of authorization; or an item is retained for reference
purposes.

5
Figure: 6
 Outline Process Chart
Definition:
An outline process chart is a process chart giving an
overall picture by recording in sequence only the main
operations and inspections.

 While preparing the outline process chart we

use Symbols of Operation and Inspection
 A brief note of the nature of each operation is
made beside the symbol
 In an outline process chart, only the principal
operations and the inspections carried out are
recorded to ensure effectiveness
7
Example: Outline process chart of plywood manufacture is given 

8
 Flow process charts

Definition:
 Flow process charts are graphic representations of the
sequences of operations, transportation, inspections,
delays and storages occurring during a process or a
procedure and include information considered for
analysis such as, time required and distance moved.

To develop an understanding how a process or work

happening and clearly documenting how a particular job
is done, in addition of that mapping a process in flow
chart format helps us where the process can be
improved.

9
 Types of Flow Process Charts
Material or product type.
Man type.
Machine type or equipment.

Material or product type flow process chart:-

Records what happens to the material or product i.e. the changes the
material or product undergoes in location or condition (includes
operation and transportation).

Man type process flow process chart:-

Records the activities of worker or operator i.e. what a worker or
operator does. In this type of chart usually storage term is not
applicable.

Machine or equipment type flow process charts:- Records

the manner in which a machine or an equipment is used. 10
STANDARD FORMATS USED FOR FLOW PROCESS CHART

11
Job:- Writing a letter using a shorthand typist

12
Example: Collection of materials from store (Man Type)

13
Material type flow process chart

14
 Machine type flow process chart
Job : Assembly of flange at shrink fitting m/c.

15
 Two Hand Process Chart
Two-Handed Flow Process Chart, is a
motion study where the study is done to
analyse the motions used by the worker in
performing an activity.
In this chart the activities of a worker’s
hands (or limbs) are recorded in their
relationship to one another.
A Two-Handed Process Flow Chart
individually shows the movement of each
hand in a manual process. It is typically
used for repetitive operation when analyzing
a manual assembly process, to help make it
easier to perform. 
16
Why:
The objective of this investigation is to eliminate or reduce
the unwanted motions and to arrange the remaining motions
in a best sequence.

How:
 A two-handed process chart is made up of two
columns in which the activities of the left hand
and right hand and the appropriate symbols are
respectively recorded in sequence.
 The activities of the two hands are inter-related
by aligning the symbols on the chart so that
movements by both hands appear opposite to
each other.
 Additional columns can be designed to record
the activities of the other parts of the body
whenever necessary.
17
Operation An operation occurs when the hand grasps, releases
or assembles tool, material, component etc.

Transport Transport occurs when the hand moves from one

position to another at the work place.

Delay Delay occurs when the hand is Idle in the sense that
it is not performing any activity.

Hold The term storage is not used in connection with the

two handed process chart. Instead the symbol is re
designated as hold. A hold occurs when the hand
holds an object so that the other hand may be able to
do something to that object.

Inspection This symbol is not generally used in this.

18
Standard format of a Two-handed process flowchart

19
Fig. 1. Example of a Two-handed process flowchart
Fixing Screw on a Assembly

20
Fig. 1. Example of a Two-handed process flowchart
Fixing Screw on a Assembly

21
 MULTIPLE ACTIVITY CHART

A Chart in which the activities of more than one item are

recorded on a common time scale to show their inter-
relationship. Man machine chart is the type of multiple activity
charts.

TYPES:
Man - Machine chart: One man handling one job or one machine.
Man - Multi machine chart: One man handling a numbers of machines.
Machine Multi - man chart: A group or gang doing collectively one job
as in riveting.
Multi – Man - Machine chart: A number of persons working on a
computer system.

22
 MULTIPLE ACTIVITY CHART
Definition:

A Multiple activity chart is a form of process chart recording the

related sequence of work of a number of operators and/or
machines on common time scale. In it, the activities of more than
one item, worker, machine or equipment are recorded on a
common time scale to show their inter relation ship.
Why:

Multiple Activity Charts are very useful tool for understanding

the flow of work in a cyclic process and as a consequence
understanding which resource is controlling the overall progress of
the work.

The tool can be used to model different scenarios to determine the

optimum mix of resources for the work.
23
Multiple activity chart brings out the comparative utilisation of
men and machines very clearly and helps to synchronise the
various activities and improve the situation. It is a useful tool for
planning team work and determining the staffing pattern.

The multiple activity charts shows up clearly the periods of

ineffective time and by rearrangement of work it becomes possible
to eliminate or reduce the injective time.

How:
Activities of the machines are recorded in relation to that of the
operator, the chart is sometimes called as the man machine chart; This is
only a special variant of the multiple activity chart

24
 Example on Man Machine Chart (Present Method)

TIME MAN MACHINE TIME

(MIN) (MIN)
0.2 Remove finished casting IDLE 0.2
cleans with compressed
air
0.4 Gauge depth of slot on IDLE 0.4
surface plate

0.8 PLACE in a box obtains IDLE 0.8

new casting

1.0 Cleans machine with IDLE 1.0

compressed air

1.2 Locates castings in IDLE 1.2

fixture, starts machine

1.4 IDLE Cutting slot 1 1.4

1.6 IDLE Cutting slot 2 1.6
1.8 IDLE Cutting slot 3 1.8
2.0 IDLE Cutting slot 4 2.0
25
 EXAMPLE ON MAN MACHINE CHART
(Summary of Present method)

CYCLE TIME(MIN)= 2.0

Man – Working Idle Time Utilizatio

Machine Time
(min.) n
(min.)
(%)
MAN 1.2 0.8 60%
MACHINE 0.8 1.2 40%
26
Example on Man Machine Chart (Improved Method)
TIME MAN MACHI TIME
(MIN) NE (MIN)
0.2 REMOVED FINISHED CASTING IDLE 0.2
CLEANS WITH COM PRESED AIR

0.4 CLEAN MACHINE WITH IDLE 0.4

COMPRESED AIR

0.6 LOCATEES A NEW CASTING IN A IDLE 0.6

FIXTURE START MACHINE

0.8 BREAKS SHARP EDGES WITH CUTTING 0.8

FILES CLEANS WITH SLOT 1
COMPRESSED AIR

1.0 GAUGE DEPTH OF SLOT ON CUTTING 1.0

SURFACE PLATE SLOT 2

1.2 PLACES CASTING IN A BOX PICKS CUTTING 1.2

UP NEW CASTING AND PLATE BY SLOT 3
MACHINE

1.4 IDLE CUTTING 1.4

SLOT 4

27
 EXAMPLE ON MAN MACHINE CHART
(Summary of Improved method)

CYCLE TIME(MIN)= 1.4

Man – Working Idle Time Utilizatio

Machine Time
(min.) n
(min.)
(%)
MAN 1.2 0.2 85.7%
MACHINE 0.8 0.6 57.0%
28
 CYCLE MAN MACHINE
TIME IDLE IDLE
(MIN) TIME(MIN TIME
) ( MIN)
PRESENT 2.0 0.8 1.2
METHOD

IMPROVED 1.4 0.2 0.6

METHOD

29
 Micro motion study
Micro motion study is the study of fundamental
element or subdivision of an operation by means of
a motion picture camera and a timing device which
accurately indicates the time interval on motion
picture film.

Micro motion study provides a valuable technique

for making minute analysis of those operation that
are short in cycle contain rapid movement and
involve high production over a long period of time.
For example. Sewing of garment, assembly of small
parts.

30
 Applicable for operations with very short cycles which are
repeated thousands of times.
 Goes into greater details to determine where movements and
efforts can be saved and to develop the best possible patterns
of movements.
 Enables operators to perform the operation repeatedly with
minimum effort and fatigue.
 The technique used for this typically involves filming the
operation and hence is known as micromotion study.
 Examples of operators studied could be cashier in the bank –
routine job of taking payment slips from customer and
issuing cash!

31
 Based on the idea that human activity can be divided into
movements or group of movements (therbligs) according to
the purpose for which they are made.
 The therbligs cover movements or reasons for the absence of
movement.
 Each therblig has specific color, symbol and letter for
recording purposes.
 Therbligs refer primarily to motions of the human body at
the workplace and to the mental activities associated with
them.

32
 They permit a much more precise and detailed description of
the work than any other method described.
 Considerable practice is required in identification of
therbligs before they can be used for analysis with
confidence.

33
Main advantages of films over visual methods are:
 Permit greater detailing than eye observation;
 Provide greater accuracy than pencil, paper and stop watch;
 More convenient;
 Provide a positive record;
 Help in the development of the work study person.

34
 Objective of Micro motion study

1. To find most efficient way of doing work

2. Helps to study repetitive short cycle operation which
cannot be studied by ordinary method.
3. To train operator regarding motion economy.
4. It is permanent means of keeping record of method.
5. It assists in research project in the field of work study
6. It helps to study complex activities of short duration
performed with extreme rapidity.

35
 Procedure/ Step in micro motion study
1. Filming the operation to be studied.
2. Analyzing the film.
3. Charting the result of analysis.
4. Developing and improve method.

Filming :-
The filming speed is 16 frames per second with a 16 mm movie
camera.

Film Analysis:-
1.A Projector is used for analysis purpose.
2. Projector runs the films very slowly and film can be stopped &
reversed whenever required.

36
 EQUIPMENT REQUIRED

1. 16 mm film. 2. Movie Camera. 3. wink counter.

Exposure meter. Motion picture projector with screen

37
 A record of path of movements, usually traced by a
continuous source of a light on a photograph.
 The path of movement of a hand, may be recorded on
a photograph by putting a ring carrying small light on
worker’s hand.
 A path of light resembling a white wire is seen.
 Later it is used with a stereoscopic camera to show
the path in three dimensions .

38
Light (bulb) attached to the hand

39
 This is a development of the cycle graph by interrupting the
flow of current so as to obtain, in the resulting sequence of
flashes, a record of the time and direction of the motions under
observation. The resulting image was a chronocyclograph.
 The path of light appears as a series of pear-shaped dots, the
movement being in the direction in which the dots point.
 The spacing between the dots indicate the speed of movement
and show acceleration and deceleration.
 This is done by using a turning fork, which is vibrating at a
known speed, and connected with a “make and break”
contact.

40
41
42
43
 Diagrams
 Diagrams gives pictorial view of the layout of workplace on
which locations of different equipment, machines etc. are
indicated.

 The movement of subject(man or machine) is then indicated on

the diagram by a line or a string.

 The diagram are valuable in highlighting the movement so the

analyst can take steps to simplify or reduce it so as to obtain
saving in time.

 The most commonly used method study diagrams are:

o Flow diagram
o String diagram
o Travel chart
o Cyclegraph and Chronocyclegraph
44
 Flow diagram
 It’s a top view of the work area correctly indicating the positions
of machining and other locations affecting the movement of
subject.
 Therefor it gives “on-the-spot observation” of the paths of
movement of product sometimes using symbols of process
charts.

45
 A scale plan or model on which a thread is used to trace
and measure the path of workers, material or equipment.
 A thread is used to measure distance.
 Necessary that the string diagram be drawn correctly to
scale, whereas regular flow diagram can be drawn only
approximately to scale.
 Thus, string diagram and flow chart can give clearest
possible picture of what is actually being done.
 String diagram can be used to plot movements of material
to know how far the materials travel.
 Most commonly, the string diagram is used for plotting
the movements of workers.

46
Examples

0 10ft

47
 END
START 48
 Travel chart
 String diagram is good to explain movements and critical
examination but
o it takes longer time to get constructed and
o many movement along complex paths may lead to
a diagram with maze of crisscrossing line.

 Therefore, when movements are very complex travel chart is

quick and more effectively manageable recording technique.
How is it made ?
o A travel chart is a tabular record for pressing quantitative
data about the movements of subject between any
numbers of places a over a given period of time.
o This chart is a square table and each square within table
represents a station.
o It has number of rows and columns equal to the number
of stations that can be visited by the subject. 49