RATING FACTOR

Week12
 Types of element
Eight types of element are distinguished: repetitive, occasional, constant, variable, manual, machine,
governing, and foreign elements.
The definition of each is listed below;

• Repetitive element is an element which occurs in every work cycle of an operation. Examples: the element
of picking up a part prior to an assembly operation; putting aside a finished component or assembly.

• Occasional element is an element which does not occur in every work cycle of an operation but which may
occur at regular or irregular intervals. Examples: adjusting the machine setting; receiving instructions from
the supervisor. The occasional element is useful work and a part of the job. It will be incorporated in the
final standard time for the job.

• Constant element is an element for which the basic time remains constant whenever it is performed.
Examples: switch on machine; measure diameter; screw on and tighten nut; add a particular cutting tool
into machine.
• Variable element is an element for which the basic time differs in relation to some
characteristics of the product, equipment or process, e.g. dimensions, weight, quality, etc.
Examples: sawing wood with handsaw (time varies with hardness and diameter); sweep floor
(varies with area); push trolley of parts to next shop (varies with distance).

• Manual element is an element performed by a worker.

• Machine element is an element performed automatically by any process, physical, and

chemical, once started, cannot be influenced by a worker except to terminate it ahead of time.

• Governing element is an element occupying a longer time within a work cycle than that of any
other element which is being performed concurrently.
Examples: boil kettle of water while setting out teapot and cups.

• Foreign element is an element observed which does not form a part of the operation(s) being
studied. Examples: in furniture manufacture, sanding the edge of a board before planning has
been completed; degreasing a part that has still to be machined further.
 Performance Rating

• 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

• A representative worker is defined as one whose skill and performance is the

average of a group under consideration and who is not necessarily a qualified
worker.

• If 500 qualified workers in a given factory do the same operation by the same
methods and under the same conditions, the whole operation being within the
control of the workers themselves, the times taken to perform the operation would
be distributed in the manner shown in the table and figure below.
Direct Time Study
EXAMPLE

aka
Average
1. COMPUTE THE OBSERVED TIME Cycle
Time

SUM OF ALL OBSERVED TIMES

OT =
NUMBER OF OBSERVED CYCLES

400 MINUTES
= = 4.000 MINUTES
100 CYCLES

OBSERVED TIME IS COMPUTED THREE PLACES TO THE RIGHT OF THE DECIMAL POINT
Direct Time Study
EXAMPLE

2. COMPUTE THE NORMAL TIME

NT = OT x PR *

THE PERFORMANCE RATING ADJUSTS THE OBSERVED TIME TO WHAT THE NORMAL TIME
SHOULD BE FOR A PARTICULAR WORKER.

EVERY WORKER IS ASSIGNED A UNIQUE PERFORMANCE RATING BY THE TIME AND MOTION
ANALYST.
 Performance Rating
• Assessing the effective speed of working of the operator relative to the observer’s
concept of the rate corresponding to standard rating.

• Most time studies in industry are used to determine standard times for setting
workloads and as a basis for incentive plans.

• Rating (the assessment of a worker’s rate of working) and the allowances to be given
for recovery from fatigue.
The qualified worker

• Time studies should be made on a number of qualified workers; and that very fast or
very slow workers should be avoided.

• Different jobs require different human abilities. For example, some demand mental
awareness, concentration, visual perception; others, physical strength; some acquired
skill or special knowledge.
DETERMINING THE RATING FACTOR
After the time study has been taken the next step is to subtract successive watch readings in
order to get the time for each element.

Selecting time values:

• It now becomes necessary to select from these data a time value, for each of the elements that will
be representative.
• Occasionally there may be an abnormally high or low time value, which may require special attention.
Determining the Rating Factor
The most important and most difficult part of time study is to
evaluate the speed or tempo at which the person is working while
the study is being made.
The analyst most judge the operator’s speed while making the
time study.
Definition of Rating
It is the process during which the time study analyst compares the
performance (speed) of the operator observed with the observer’s
(analyst) own concept of normal performance.
This rating factor is then applied to the observed time to obtain
the normal time for the job.
 Rating is the assessment of the worker’s rate of working relative to the
observer’s concept of the rate corresponding to standard pace.

• By definition, rating is a comparison of the rate of working observed by

the analyst with a picture of some standard level in mind.
• This standard level is the average rate at which qualified workers will
naturally work at a job, when using the correct method and when
motivated to apply themselves to their work.
• This rate of working corresponds to what is termed the standard rating,
and is denoted by 100 on the recommended rating scale.
• Standard performance is the rate of output which qualified workers will
naturally achieve without over-exertion as an average over the working
day or shift. This performance is denoted as 100 on the standard rating
and performance scales.
 Comparing the observed rate of
working with the standard

• How is it possible accurately to compare the observed rate of working with the theoretical
standard?
• By long practice.

• Let us return once more to our walker. Most people, if asked, would be able to judge the rate
at which a person is walking. They would start by classifying rates of walking as slow, average
or fast.

• With a little practice they would be able to say: “About 3 miles an hour, about 4 miles an hour,
or about 5 miles an hour.

• Judgment of walking pace is only used for training analyst in the first stages; it shows very little
similarity to most of the jobs that have to be rated. It has been found better to use films or live
demonstrations of industrial operations.
The fact that there is considerable variations in successive times for certain
elements, however, does not mean that all high and low elements should be
thrown out. In many cases there are good reasons for such data (e.g. An
occasional hard casting may require longer drilling time). If such time values are
typical or representative of what may be expected on the job, they should not be
eliminated from the study. It is a good policy not to eliminate any reading unless
there is a definite reason for doing so.
• Many organizations use the arithmetical average of the stopwatch readings in
determining the representative time for the element.
• The modal method consists of taking the time that occurs most frequently for
the element. High and low time values will have less effect upon the selected
time by this method than by the average method.
Systems of Rating

1.Skill and effort rating

2.Westinghouse system of rating
3.Synthetic rating
4.Objective rating
5.Physiological evaluation of performance level
6.Performance rating

The most widely used is performance rating

Performance Rating
The speed of the operator is rated as a percentage with normal
performance equal to 100 percent.
The range of human capabilities:
There are wide differences in capacities and abilities of individuals in
every activity of life.
In general it is assumed that the best has roughly twice the capacity of
the poorest.
Applying the previous assumption to the factory will mean that the
fastest operator will produce approximately twice as much in a given
time as the slowest operator.
Performance Ratings
PERFORMANCE RATINGS ARE ESTABLISHED FOR EACH WORKER.
IT IS STILL SOMETHING OF AN ART AND CONSEQUENTLY CAN BE
CHALLENGED BY UNION OFFICIALS. THOROUGH DOCUMENTATION
OF ALL PERFORMANCE RATINGS IS ESSENTIAL.

 PR = 1.0 denotes an average worker.

 PR < 1.0 denotes a fast worker.

 PR > 1.0 denotes a slow worker.

1. Skill and effort rating:
• Around 1916, Charles E. Bedeaux introduced the Bedeaux system of wage
payment and labor control. His plan was based on time study, and his time
standards were expressed in points or “Bs.” A point or B was simply another
name for what we now call a standard minute. His time study procedure
included the rating of the operator’s skill and effort and the use of a
standard table of fatigue allowances. Bedeaux used 60 points equal to
standard performance. In other words, an operator working at a normal
pace was expected to produce 60 Bs per hour and it was expected that the
average incentive pace would be around 70 to 85 points per hour.
• Before Bedeaux, the performance rating was mainly selecting the stopwatch
readings, from the data of the time study. Thus, if an operator were judged
to be working at a fast tempo, a watch reading considerably above average
would be selected as the representative time for the element.
2. Westinghouse system of
rating:
A four-factor system, for rating the operator performance, was
developed at Westinghouse and it was originally published in 1927.
These four factors are (1) skill, (2) effort, (3) conditions, and (4)
consistency. A scale of numerical values for each factor was supplied in
tabular form, and the selected time obtained from time study was
normalized or leveled by applying the sum of the ratings of the four
factors.
Westinghouse System of Rating
Westinghouse System of Rating
Example
Selected time = 0.50 minutes,
Excellent skill, B2 +0.08
Good effort, C2 +0.02
Good condition, C +0.02
Good consistency, C +0.01
Total = +0.13
Therefore,
Normal time=0.50 x 1.13 = 0.565 minutes.
3. Synthetic rating:
• Evaluate operator’s speed from predetermined time values.
• The procedure is to make a time study in the usual manner, and then
compare the actual time for as many elements as possible with
predetermined time values for the same elements. A ratio can be established
between the predetermined time value for the element and the actual time
value for that element. This ratio is the performance index or rating factor for
the operator insofar as that one element is concerned.
R= P/A
where, R: Performance rating,
P: Predetermined time …
A: Average actual time…
4. Objective rating:
First the operator’s speed is rated against a single standard pace which
is independent of job difficulty. The observer merely rates speed of
movement or rate of activity, paying no attention to the job itself.
• After the pace rating is made, an allowance or a secondary
adjustment is added to the pace rating to take care of the job
difficulty.
• Job difficulty is divided into six classes, and a table of percentages is
provide for each of these factors. The six factors or categories are (1)
amount of body used, (2) foot pedal, (3) bimanualness, (4) eye-hand
coordination, (5)handling requirements, and (6) weight of the job.
5. Physiological evaluation of
performance level:
• Heart rate in beats per minute and oxygen consumption in calories per minute
can be used to measure physiological work. Moreover, electronic equipment is
available for monitoring and recording such information with a minimum of
interference with the activity of the person.
• The increase in the heart rate and the increase in oxygen consumption above
the resting level is an indicator of the physiological cost of the work performed.
• Assume that an operator works on a job for which there is a time standard and
that the number of pieces produced shows that his or her performance level is
100 percent. During this same time the operator’s heart rate in beats/minute
and oxygen consumption in calories/minute are measured. If the same operator
work on another job, we can judge from either heart rates or oxygen
consumption on his/her performance rate.
6. Performance rating:
• The most widely used system of rating is that of rating a single factor-
operator speed, pace, or tempo. This system is called “performance
rating.”
• The rating factor may be expressed in percentage, in points/hour, or
in other units. Here we shall use the percentage system (with normal
performance equal to 100 percent).
The Range of Human Capacities
• In a factory, if a large group of people did exactly the same manual
task using the same method, the fastest operator would produce
approximately twice as much in a given time as the slowest operator
• This range 1 to 2 would be expected only if we consider a large
sample of people just as they would be found in a factory
Frequency Distribution &
Establishing a Standard as the
Basis for Rating
• With the range of working speeds or operators tempo, we are
interested in knowing what the distribution would be for a group of
factory workers all doing the same job.
• Graphical representation, such as the frequency distribution, can help
us to find out the distribution of observations
• The data obtained by a time study show the actual time taken by
operator to perform a series of consecutive elements of work. They tell
nothing of the pace at which the operator worked while the study was
being made. It is necessary to consider the operator’s speed in order to
determine a standard that will permit an operator working at a normal
pace to do the task in the time set for the job.
Establishing a Standard as the
Basis for Rating
The need for rating has been pointed out, and the way the rating is used has
been indicated. It is obvious however, that some benchmark or some standard
of comparison is required if rating is to be used as a measuring device. We must
define our normal or standard. To say that normal speed is that speed expected
of a qualified person working without incentive or at a day-work pace, using a
standardized method, does define the term adequately.
However, normal speed or normal rate of movement can be demonstrated;
motion pictures can be made of typical factory jobs with the operator working
at a normal tempo or at a known level above or below normal. Almost any
person can be taught to rate operator tempo in terms of the established
standard.
The Relation of “Normal Pace”
to “Average Incentive Pace”
• Because time standards are often used as the basis for some form of wage
incentive plan, we are interested in the relationship between normal pace
and the average pace expected of those on incentive. The performance of the
great majority of workers on incentive should be fairly close to the average for
the group.
• Note: There is considerable evidence to show that if the working speed of
each member of a large group of people, such as would be found in a factory,
were arranged along the base line according to magnitude in percent of
normal, and if the vertical scale indicated frequency, the shape of the curve
would fit fairly closely the normal bell curve.
• Note: It is not expected, of course, that any group of workers would exactly
fit the normal curve.
Establishing a Company
Standard
• After the basic reasoning back of rating is fully understood, each company
should establish a standard for its own use. Agreement should be reached as to
what the normal or standard tempo, or performance level, should be in the
plant.
• Then, some simple operations from the plant, which can be performed by
anyone, should be selected for demonstration.
• The method should be standardized, and the time for each job, with the
operator working at normal pace, should be established.
• Thus, a library of standard films can be built up over a period of time for use as
a bench mark for rating in plant. Not only can time study analysts be taught to
rate, but also managers, supervisors, and the operators themselves can do this;
and they are doing it in many plants today.
Rating Scales
• There are several different
rating scales in general use,
and undoubtedly a
competent and well-trained
time study analyst can
obtain satisfactory results
with any one of them.
• A survey shows that the
percentage (scale A) has
greatest use and the point
system comes next.
Speed and Method as They
Affect Output
• There are two main factors that affect the number of units of work
that a person on manual operations can produce in a given time.
• They are:
1) Speed of muscular movements,
2) Method of doing the task.