WORK STUDY

INTRODUCTION
• An industrial undertaking, if it is to survive, must be
aware of the latest developments brought about by
continuous application of new technology and methods
used in production.
• It must continuously strive for improvements in the
efficiency of its production and must consistently aim at
producing better quality goods at lower prices than its
competitors.
The performance of an Industry can be improved by :
• Improving the process of manufacture i.e., by
adopting new technology, by developing better
machines and new equipment.
• Improving the method of operation of existing
facilities, equipment, plant and operating staff.
 Work study
• Work study is the study of human work with a view
to increase the effectiveness with which the work is
done.
• As per IS-6363, 1972 work study is defined as “a
modern discipline which analyses and evaluates all
aspects of a work system in order to enhance
effectiveness and functional efficiency”.
 Method study
• Method study may be defined as the detailed analysis of
existing or proposed method of doing the work for the
purpose of effecting improvements.
• Method study is that part of work study which deals with
systematic analysis and improvement of work methods
and systems through the application of innovative
techniques to achieve better utilization of resources.
• Work measurement may be defined as the determination
of time allowed for the effective performance of a
specified volume of work performed in a specified
manner.
 OBJECTIVES OF WORK STUDY

• To find the most economical way of doing the work.

• To standardise the methods, materials, tools and
equipment.
• To determine the time required to do a job by a
qualified and properly trained person
• working at normal pace.
• To assist in training the workers for new methods.
 OBJECTIVES OF METHOD STUDY

• To bring improvement in processes and procedures.

• To bring improvement in factory, shop and work-
place layout.
• To find the ways for optimum utilisation of
resources i.e., men, machines and materials.
• To bring economy in human effort by reducing the
unnecessary fatigue and thereby increase the
efficiency.
• To develop suitable working conditions.
 BASIC PROCEDURE FOR METHOD STUDY
• In order to find an effective method for doing a job as well as for
optimum utilization of resources, a systematic approach should be
followed for method study.
• Select the work to be studied.
• Record all the relevant facts about the present method after observation.
• Examine these facts critically in the order of sequence using the
questioning techniques.
• Develop the most practical, economic and effective method considering
all circumstances.
• Define the new method (improved method) so that it can always be
identified and specified.
• Install the method as standard practice.
• Maintain that standard practice by proper supervision, regular and
routine checks.
 Select the Work to be Studied
(i) Poor use of men, materials and machine capacity.
(ii) Bad layout and poor planning resulting in unnecessary
movements of materials.
(iii) Existence of bottlenecks (i.e., problems obstructing smooth
flow of work).
(iv) Inconsistencies in quality.
(v) Excess scrap and reworking cost.
(vi) Excessive overtime.
(vii) Highly fatiguing work.
(viii) Bad working conditions and high rates of accidents.
(ix) Frequent complaints by employees about a particular work.
 Record
• In order that the activities selected may be analysed
fully, with a view to improve them, it is essential to
have a record of all the facts about the existing
method.
• The facts should be recorded systematically and
nothing should be over looked or distorted.
• The usual way of recording facts is to write them
down but this method is not suitable for recording of
the complicated procedures involved in the modern
industry.
 Generally used tools and techniques for recording
(a) Charts
(i) Outline process chart.
(ii) Flow process charts man type, material type and equipment
type.
(iii) Two handed process chart.
(iv) Multiple activity chart.
(v) Simultaneous Motion (Simo) cycle chart.
(b) Diagrams and models
(i) Flow diagram.
(ii) String diagram.
(iii) Cyclegraph and chronocyclegraphs.
(iv) 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional models.
 Examine
• Critical examination is the means by which each
activity is subjected to a systematic and progressive
series of questions.
• The objective of critical examination is to determine
the true reasons underlying each event and to draw up
a systematic list of all the improvements for later
development into a new and improved method.
• This stage involves posing a series of questions in an
impartial and objective manner.
“Examine” involves Questioning Techniques.
(a) Primary questions : The primary questions indicate the facts
and the reasons underlying them.
This stage of questioning technique queries the fundamental need
for the performance, place, sequence, person and means of every
activity recorded and seeks a reason for each reply.
The questioning sequence follows a well established pattern
which examines :
the purpose for which
the place at which
the sequence in which the activities are undertaken
the person by whom
the means by which
Secondary question: In this type of questionnaire techniques
primary questions are subjected to further query.
The answers to secondary questions, which will be the
pointers to improvement, the following considerations are
the most important
(i) When the purpose of an activity is challenged the main
objective is to see whether it can be eliminated entirely.
(ii) If the activity proves to be essential, then the objective
must be to see whether it can be modified by changing or
combining it with some other activities.
(iii) Finally when the means of doing job are being
considered, attention is given to see how an activity can be
simplified.
 Develop New Method
The developed method should be :
(i) Practical and feasible,
(ii) Safe and effective,
(iii) Economical,
(iv) Acceptable to design, production control, quality control and
sales dept.
• The development of new method is simplified with the co-
operation from staff of other departments.
• Human aspect should also be considered carefully and
everything reasonable should be done to ensure comfortable
working conditions.
• Developing a new method, in some cases, may involve
incurring some marginal expenditure, for which the
management should agree.
 Define the new method
The instruction sheet should cover all details of the new method and
should be written out in straight forward terms, so that there is no
confusion and no two different meanings can be taken from it.
The instruction sheet serves the following purposes
(i) It records the improved method for future reference in as much
details as may be necessary.
(ii) It can be used to explain the new method to the management,
foremen, supervisor and operating staff.
It also advises all concerned of any new equipment required or new
workplace design.
(iii) It is an aid to training of operating staff and can be used by them
for reference until they are fully conversant with the new method.
(iv) It forms the basis on which time studies may be taken for setting
standards etc.
 Install the New Method
• The process of installing a new (improved) method is
very critical and requires co-operation and active
support of everyone concerned.
• The new method should be introduced after adequate
preparation has been made.
• Installation involves introduction of developed
method as standard practice.
• If the physical facilities are to be altered due to
installation of the new method, these changes should
generally be made outside the normal working hours
so that it would not affect regular production.
• Provision should be made for training the workers on the new
method.
• The workers will take some time to learn the new method, and
this should be taken into consideration in estimating the output
in initial stages.
• As a result of new method some workers may have to be
displaced from old jobs, so alternative work should be found out
for them before the installation of the new method in practice.
 Maintain the New Method
• It is important that when new method is installed it should be
maintained in its specified form and the workers should not be
allowed to slip back into old methods or introduce any further
changes which are not allowed.

• Checking by work study department is necessary to maintain the

application of new method, because if there is no check, the
workers, foremen, supervisor and chargeman will tend to gradually
fall back to the old method.
Recording techniques used in method study
 Outline process chart
• In outline process chart only operation and inspection
symbols are used.
• In addition, a brief note of the nature of each operation or
inspection is made along side the symbol and time allowed for it
is also entered.
 Flow process chart

Flow
process
chart
(man
type)
 Flow
process
chart
(material
type)
 Two
handed
process
chart
 Multiple Activity Chart

• Is a chart on which the activities of more than one subject (such

as a man and a machine, operator and machines, two or more
workers) are recorded on a common time scale to study their
interrelationship.
• It is a graphical representation of the co-ordinated activities of
man and machine in terms of independent work, combined
work or waiting.
• This type of chart is used when the work study analyst is
interested in determining ineffective time within the process or
procedure.
• The multiple activity chart clearly shows when a man or
machine is idle during the process and action can be taken to
utilise this time by rearranging the work.
• These charts are also constructed when one operator has to
operate more than one machine.
Multiple activity Chart
Multiple activity Chart
 Gang Chart
• When a group of men and equipment are
involved in a combined activity, the chart
plotted to show the individual activities of men
or the equipment is known as gang chart.
• Gang chart are used in moulding (foundry)
operations where a gang of 3 or 4 operators
and equipment are employed.
 Simultaneous Motion (Simo) Cycle Chart
• Simo chart is used to record, simultaneously on a
common time scale, the activities of two hands or other
parts of worker’s body during the performance of a single
cycle of operation being investigated.
• The Simo chart is usually based on film analysis to record
the Therbligs or groups of Therbligs performed by
different part of the body of one or more workers.
• Therbligs are the symbols used to denote the various
activities and movements done for different purposes.
 Flow Diagram
• Flow diagram is a drawing, made to a scale of the
workplace showing the location of various equipment
machines and activities carried out and the routes
followed by workers and materials.
• The routes followed in movement are shown by
joining the points in a sequence, by a line which
represents as nearly as possible the path of movement
of men, material or equipment concerned and diagram
is drawn to a scale.
• Numbered transport symbols on the flow line show the
direction of movement.
Flow diagram (drawn to a scale)
 String Diagram
• String diagram is a scale layout drawing on which the length
of string is used to record the extent as well as pattern of
movement of a worker or material or equipment working
within a limited area over a cycle of operations certain
period of time.
• String diagram is used in such situations where the
movements are congested and difficult to trace on flow
diagram.
• To construct a string diagram the work area is shown as a
plan to a scale.
• All the terminal points observed during the study are marked
on the plan and pins or pegs are fixed at these points.
• The string is then taken around the pins at other points
in the order of the sequence of movements.
• The length of the left over string is measured and this
is substracted from the total length of the string.
• This value gives the distance travelled by the material
or equipment or man. Rearrange the layout, if
required, to reduce the distance.
• It is possible to record any number of journeys
between any number of points for the purpose of
analysis. It also helps in comparing the relative merits
of different layouts.
 Travel Chart
• Travel chart is a tabular record for presenting quantitative
data about the movement of workers, materials or
equipment between any number of places over a given
period of time. (Say in a shift or in one day).
• A travel chart is a table having number of small squares
which represent different work stations.
• The squares from left to right along the top of the chart
represent the stations from where the movement takes
place and squares along vertical column represent the
work-stations to which the movement is made.
Travel Chart
 Cycle graph and Chronocycle graph

• Cycle graph – It is a record of path of movement,

usually traced by a continous source of light on a
photograph
• Cyronocycle graph – Is a special form of cycle graph
in which the light source is suitably interrupted so
that the path appears as a series of pear-shaped dots.
• The pointed end of the peer-shaped dot shows the
direction of movement and the shape and spacing of
these dots indicate whether the speed of the work is
increasing or decreasing
 Principles of Motion economy
• Through the pioneering work of Gilberth and other
investigators certain rules of motion economy has
been developed
• Use of Human Body
• Arrangement of workplace
• Design of Tools and equipments
 Micromotion study
• Micromotion study is used to make a detailed study
employing either videotapes or motion pictures
operating at a constant and known speed.
• It is best suited for those operations/activities which are
of short duration and which are repeated hundreds of
times.
• For operations which require very small time and very
difficult to measure and that cannot be neglected.
• To develop the best possible pattern of movement so that
the operator can perform the operations repeatedly with
a minimum effort and fatigue.
 Procedure for Micromotion study
• Filming the operations to be studied
– [taking motion picture of the activity while being
performed by the operator with 16mm movie
camera and 16mm film]
• Analysing the films
– Film is run at normal speed to get familiar with
the pattern of movement involved
– A typical work cycle is selected from amongst the
filmed cycle
– Film is run at very low speed and is usefully
stopped or reversed frequently to identify motions
• Recording or presenting the data
 Advantages of Micromotion study
• It provides the permanent record of motion study on
films
• It helps in making accurate and detailed analysis of the
existing method
• It provides a very accurate time for each operation than
stop watch time study
• Fast, short and repetitive cycles can be timed only by
this process
• It reveals easily the difference between the present
method and proposed method
• Film can be shown to a large workforce (operators) at
the same time and at any desired speed.
 WORK MEASUREMENT

• Work measurement is the application of techniques

used to determine the time taken by a qualified worker
to carryout a specified job at a defined level of
performance.
• Work measurement means measuring the work in terms
of time content, (i.e., minutes or hours) required for
completion of job.
• Work measurement is concerned with investigating,
reducing or eliminating all ineffective time.
 Objectives/Uses of Work measurement
• To determine the time standards
• To compare the other methods of doing a particular job
• To reduce or eliminate ineffective time
• To estimate the cost of a product
• To determine the staff and equipment's requirements
• To balance the work of operators working in a team
• To make effective use of people, plant and equipment
• To determine the number of machines an operator can run
• To recommend a sound and fair incentive scheme
• To provide a basis for production, planning and scheduling
• To provide information for estimating tenders, selling
prices and delivery schedules.
 OBJECTIVES OF WORK MEASUREMENT

1. To determine the time required to do a job.

2. To estimate the man and machine requirements and to
assess the plant capacity accurately.
3. To provide information for effective production
planning and maintenance.
4. To assist in estimation of reliable delivery dates.
5. To provide a basis for fair and sound incentive
schemes.
6. To standardise the rate of performance of workers.
 TECHNIQUES OF WORK MEASUREMENT

1. Time study.
2. Work sampling.
3. Analytical estimating.
4. Synthesis.
5. Pre-determined Motion Time System (PMTS).
 Time Study
• Time study is concerned with the direct observation of
work while it is actually being performed by the operator.
• It is used as a work measurement technique, recording the
time and rate or pace of working for the elements of a
specified job carried out under specified conditions, and
for analysing the data, to determine the time necessary for
carrying out the job at a defined level of performance.
• Time study is the most satisfactory and accurate
technique for determining the time taken for completing a
manufacturing operation but due to its nature it is mainly
used for repetitive work.
The steps involved (Procedure) in taking time study
(i) Select the job to be studied.
(ii) Note all the details about the operations and the operator being
studied.
(iii) Split the work cycle into suitable elements. ‘An element is a
distinct part of a job, selected for convenience of observation,
measurement and analysis’.
(iv) Any non-repetitive and occasional element in the
manufacturing cycle should be noted separately.
(v) Determine the number of cycles required to be timed to get
desired accuracy.
(v) Observe and record the actual time taken by the operator for
each element of the job.
(vi) Simultaneously rate or judge the pace of the operator’s
performance.
(vii) Different time readings for each element are recorded on
the record sheet.
(viii) Average time for each element is calculated after
eliminating the abnormal values. (This is also called observed
time.)
(ix) The observed time for every element multiplied by the
corresponding rating factor (expressed in %) gives normal
time or basic time.
Normal Time = Observed Time × Rating Factor (%)
(x) Determine the allowances to be made over and above the
basic time for the operation.
(xi) Determine the standard time by adding all allowances to
normal time. (Standard time is also called allowed time.)
 Allowances
• Allowance is an amount of time added to the normal time
to provide personal delays, unavoidable delays and fatigue
of the operator.
Types of allowances
• 1. Relaxation allowances
• Personal need allowances [washing hands, tea, lavoratory]
5-7%
• Fatigue allowances [excessive work, poor lighting,
repeated work machine noise, visual strain and mental
strain]
• 2. Contingency allowances [Unavoidable allowances- tool
sharpening, tool replacing, coolant filling, discussion with
supervisors, cleaning, power failure – 5%]
• 3. Process allowances [Loss of time due to no work,
power failure, faulty material, method, machine and
operation ]
• 4. Interference allowances – [when one worker is
attending more than one machine]
• 5. Special allowances – not a part of operation cycle but
essential for satisfactory performance of the work
– Start-up allowance
– Shut- up allowance
– Cleaning allowance
– Tool allowance (for machine and tool)
– Changeover allowance
• Standard Time : Standard time is the total time in
which a job should be completed at standard level of
performance.
TIME STUDY EQUIPMENT
 Time Study Forms

• The time study data is recorded on forms of standard size

called time study forms.
• The time study form can be easily held on the time study
board.
• A time study form or sheet should be such that all
essential information about the operation/process being
studied can be recorded in it.
 Work Sampling
• Work sampling is particularly useful in the analysis of
non-repetitive or irregularly occurring activities.
• Work sampling or activity sampling is a method of
finding the percentage occurrence of certain activity by
statistical sampling and random observations.
• Work sampling utilises the principle of drawing
inferences from a random sample of the whole.
• It is an extremely useful work measurement technique as
it is inexpensive, convenient, reliable and it can be done
without using the stop watch or any subjective
judgements of effort or rating (rate of performance).
 Steps in Making Work Sampling Study

• Define the problem

• Obtain the approval of the in-charge of the
department / section in which the work sampling study
is to be made.
• Design the study
• Summarize the data at the end of each day and at the
end of the study period.
• Make recommendations, if required.
 Applications of Work Sampling
• Work sampling is also used to find out time
standards, specially where job is not of repetitive
nature and where time study by stop watch method is
not applicable.
• Work sampling is applied in the estimation of the
percentage utilisation of machine tools and other
equipment, workers etc.
• It can be used to estimate the time consumed by
various activities, i.e., operation, supervision, repair,
inspection etc
• Standard time = Normal time + Allowances (expressed as a
percentage of normal time)

• Standard time =
 Advantages of Work Sampling Compared to Time Study

1. It involves less cost as compared to stop watch study.

2. Many operations or activities which are difficult and
costly to determine by time study can be readily estimated
by work sampling.
3. It is possible to simultaneously study a group of
operators and activities by a single work study engineer.
4. It does not involve any timing device like stop watch.
5. Observations may be taken over a period of days or
weeks, thus decreasing the chance of day-to-day or week-
to-week variations affecting the results.
6. If the study gets interrupted in between it does not
introduce any error in the results.
7. Operator is not subjected to long periods of stop watch
observations.
8. The random observations are taken thus avoiding
prolonged observations and produces less fatigue and less
tedious
 Disadvantages of Work Sampling Compared to Time
Study
1. It is not economical by this method to study a single operator or
machine.
2. It is not economical by this method to study operators or
machines located over wide areas.
3. This method does not break the job into elements and thus does
not provide elemental details.
4. Workers may not be able to understand the principles of work
sampling as easily as they do time study.
5. It normally does not account for the pace at which an operator is
working.
6. No record of study of an individual operator is kept, therefore a
new study must be made whenever a change occurs in any element
in the method used.
 Synthesis from standard data (Synthetic data)

• Synthesis is a work measurement technique for

building up the time for a job or parts of the job at a
defined level of performance by totalling elements
obtained previously from time studies, on other jobs
containing the elements concerned or from synthetic
data.
 Synthesis
• Many operations can be conveniently synthesised
(totalled up) from elemental times for which time study
values have already been collected and are available.
• The time allowed for a job can, then, be quickly and
economically determined by summing up the
appropriate elemental times.
• Elemental times are also called standard data, elemental
data or synthetic time units or values.
• These should be compiled from very carefully chosen
basic elements. All elemental times should be
accompanied by the description of method, equipment
used and end points of each element should also be
defined.
 Steps involved in synthetic data
• Collect all the details about the Job
• Analyse jobs into constituent elements
• Select appropriate basic time from synthetic data
covering contingent factors.
• Select and apply synthetic data covering
contingent factors.
• Select and apply synthetic data contingent factors
• Detail elemental analysis for job method condition
• Total the basic time, ratings and allowances to
compute standard time for the job.
 Pre-determined Motion Time System (PMTS)
• PMTS is a work measurement technique whereby times
established for basic human motions (classified according
to the nature of the motions and conditions under which
they are made) are used to build up the time for a job at
defined level of performance.
• PMTS is based on the assumption that any manual task
done by the operators can be broken down into basic
motions, based on elementary movements or therbligs.
• The Tables for times for elementary motions under
varying conditions are available under PMTS standards
from which the time required for the job is estimated.
 Types of PMTS

• Method Time Analysis (MTA) [It is a relation between time

element and motion]

• Work Force System (WFS) [it is a system which determines

the work force time for manual tasks by the pre-determined
data]

• Method Time Measurement (MTM) [The objective of MTM

is to establishment of tangible, understandable and acceptable
data for the scientific measurement of human effort]
 Purpose of PMTS
• PMTS is very useful in methods analysis
• It helps in modifying and improving work methods
before stating the work on the job.
• It sets time standards for different jobs
• It assists in constructing time formulae
• It aids the pre-balancing of the manufacturing lines
• It provides a basis for the wages plans and labour cost
estimation
• It facilitates training of the workers and supervisors
• It is used for timing those short and repetitive motions
which cannot be measured by stopwatch
 Advantages of PMTS

• It eliminates inaccuracies with stop watch time study

• It is superior to stop watch time study when applied to
short cycle highly repetitive operations
• PMTS data is more reliable and accurate as compared
to stop watch time study data
• The time and cost associated with finding the standard
time for a job is considerably reduced.
 Limitations of PMTS

• PMTS can deal only with manual motions of

an operation
• All categories of motions have been
considered while collecting PMTS data.