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Time Recording Techniques


used in Time Study
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This article throws light upon the top three time recording
techniques used in time study. The techniques are: 1. Stop
Watch Method 2. Time Recording Machine and 3. Motion
Picture Camera.
Time Recording Technique # 1. Stop Watch Method:
A mechanical stop with various specifications as shown in following
figures may be used for the measurement of elapsed time.

The time study equipment includes the following:


ADVERTISEMENTS:

(i) Time study watch or any other time recording device

(ii) Time study board Brief description of each of these items is given
below.

(i) Time Study Watch:


An ordinary stopwatch can serve the purpose of simple time study
work.

But for the sake of the fool-proof use of stopwatch and


technological advances in the development of watch
industry, one of the following stopwatches for the purpose
of time study may be used:
ADVERTISEMENTS:

(a) Plain Decimal-Minute stopwatch:


Fig. 19.2 shows this type of watch. The large hand of this watch makes
one revolution in one minute. The dial is divided into 100 divisions
and each division shows 0.01 minute. The small hand completes one
revolution in 30 minutes, with the dial markings showing one minute
interval.

The watch is started by moving slide (A) towards the stem and stopped
by moving the slide away from the stem. Pressure on crown (B) resets
the hand to zero. The use of this type of watch for time study purpose
is much more than that of the others.

(b) Decimal Hour stopwatch:


This type of stopwatch is shown in Fig. 19.3. The large dial is
graduated into 100 divisions each representing 0.0001 hour. The large
hand makes one revolution in 36 seconds or 0.01 hour. The small
hand revolves once for each 30 revolutions of large hand, so that each
of 30 small divisions shows 0.01 hour.

The operation of this watch is similar to that of the plain decimal


minute stopwatch.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

(c) Split-Hand stopwatch:


This watch is shown in Fig. 19.4. The large dial divisions for the large
two hands are 0.01 minute, with one revolution showing one minute.
Successive presses on crown (B) will start the both hands, stop them
and return them to zero. Pressing pin A holds one of the large hands at
whatever prior position is attained, but allows the other hand to
continue its progress.
Thus the observer can then record the time shown by the stopped
hand while the next element is being timed. The second pressure on
pin (A) causes the stopped hand to instantly catch up the moving hand
and continue with it. The timing proceeds in this manner to the end of
the study.

The upper small hand registers minutes upto a total of 30 and runs
continuously, while the lower small hand accumulates seconds upto
60 in a like manner. This watch is not fit for snap-nack method.

(d) Wink Stopwatch:


Fig. 19.5 shows this watch. Each division of large dial represents .001
minute, which means one complete revolution of large hand is equal to
0.100 minute or 6 seconds. Each division of small dial equals 0.100
minute and a maximum of three minutes can be accumulated for each
time the crown is depressed.
This watch is started by pressing the crown, stopped by pressing the
crown and reset by pressing the crown.

(ii) Time Study Board:


The data or observation sheet, the stopwatch and pencil should be
held by a specially designed board shown in Fig. 19.6. This board
provides a convenient writing surface by holding the observation
sheet. It also holds the stop watch in position to be operated by the
left-hand while the left arm supports the board, leaving the right-hand
free to record observations.

The watch is held in a locked holder which gives protection against


breakage, permits functioning at an angle to avoid glare on its face and
offers a maximum of visibility in use.

The board should be of highly polished, smooth, black, rigid plastic or


wood material. Approximate dimensions are 13″ x 13″ x 1/8″ to 1/4″.
Special boards should be given to the left-handed persons. Other
special types of boards are also available.
One of them is known as 3-watch board shown in Fig. 19.7. A quick
click lever at the upper right-hand side of the board is used to actuate
all the three watches.

1. Receive the request for Time Study:


The persons who may request for the time study are:
The foreman, plant manager, chief industrial engineer, production
control supervisor, cost accountant etc. The operation should be in
progress in accordance with some standard method before the receipt
of the request.
2. Obtain the Cooperation of the Departmental Foreman or
Supervisor:
If Stopwatch Time-Study Board the request for time study has not
been received from the departmental foreman, the time study observer
should go to the floor and explain him its necessity, uses and benefits
to be derived from its results and convince them about it.

A method engineer cannot perform the time study work successfully if


he is not cooperative or he cannot have the cooperation from the
foreman or the supervisor in selecting the operator.

3. Select an operator and obtain his cooperation:


The worker to be selected for time study purpose should be very near
to the normal, if the choice is there. The operator to be selected should
have been trained before so that the standard sets are very near to the
normal. Other desirable qualities of the operator (a) cooperativeness
(b) working at normal pace (c) have been time studied before.
However, ideal conditions seldom exist.

The observer should be introduced to the worker to be time studied by


the foreman or the supervisor. Then the observer should very clearly
and in plain words, explain the idea behind his motives of observation
and the benefits to be derived from his study. It is also desirable that
the observer should show the time study equipment to the worker.

The motives could be to introduce incentives to the workers, to check


the standard set whether loose or tight, to check the performance of
the worker either good or bad. The position of the observer is very
critical because he is a link between workers and management. The
observer should be a well-balanced man having pleasing personality
and fully matured.

The analyst should treat the worker as one sharing in investigation


and should try to win his cooperation and watch his interest. The
operator should be put at ease and instructed to work at his normal
rate.

The observer should avoid standing in front of or directly behind the


operator and should select a position away at one side. It is reassuring
to the operator if he can look around at the observer occasionally and
furthers more the observer may need to ask question now and then.

4. Determine whether the job or operation is ready for time


study:
In this phase the observer will check whether the operation to be
studied conform to the standard method suggested by him or not. He
will see whether some of the motions can be combined or eliminated.
If so, he will again suggest a better method.

Other things which are questionable are speeds and feeds; tools their
design and type, equipment, quality of the product being produced,
product design, safety of the operator and equipment etc.

If the above analysis of the operation reveals only minor desirable


changes, they should be installed promptly and after limited practice
by the operator, the time observer can proceed with his work. If the
changes resulting in method improvement are major, then more time
should be devoted to install it, Proper training should be given to the
operator before the time study proceeds.

5. Obtain and record all necessary information:


During the analysis of the operation, the observer should collect and
record all the necessary information pertinent to the job on a time
study sheet shown in Fig. 19.8.

These information are a must and are very useful for records, setting
standard and the validity of the time study made. This data in no case
should be omitted.

6. Divide The Operation Into Elements And Record


Complete Description Of The Method:
The general rules governing the division of the operation
into elements are:
(1) The elements should be of as short a duration as can be accurately
timed.

(2) The elements should be so established that no element will contain


both a work element that is variable in time requirement and another
work element that is constant in time requirements.

(3) Machine and/or process time should always be separated and the
observer must identify the starting and stopping time of the machine
on the sheet.

(4) Elements should consist of homogeneous groups of therbligs. The


elements should consist of natural subdivisions of work, such as a
series of motion with a single part, inspections or use of tool.

(5) Irregular elements should be noted. There are elements which do


not occur regularly with each cycle of output but are nevertheless
productive elements and must be included in the observed data and
prepared over the regular time.

(6) The choice of elements may be influenced by the ease with which
break points or, points separating the successive elements can be
observed or identified.

Thus the sound or some other factors affecting the observer’s senses
can be employed to designate the end of one element and the start of
the next element with accuracy. This is important when elements are
of short duration.
Division of the operation elements is necessary because of
the following reasons:
(1) Worker’s speed of work is not constant always even for a small
duration of time. Thus rating can be applied to each element timed to
find out the normal time.

(2) Certain elements take more time, which can only be found if the
operation is divided into elements. A thorough analysis of this element
will reveal the reasons for higher times and the necessity of its
elimination and/or improvements.

(3) Finding time for each element will help us in setting standard data.
The use of this standard data in future will save time, money,
botheration or inconvenience etc.

(4) Division of the operation into elements will help in future to train
the new workers, new time study personnel and for various other
purposes.

The description of each element should be complete enough so that


the other person picking up the time study sheet could easily identify
each element, and any other pertinent information that might be
needed to establish in future whether or not changes had occurred.

7. Observe and Record Element Times:


Elements of an operation should be written first in order of their
occurrence on the time study sheet before the start of the observation.
When specific order of occurrence of elements is not possible,
operation should be subjected to a thorough analysis and other
symbols may be used in place of the description of the element.

The description of the element may be written at the bottom of the


sheet. Break point must clearly be written in such cases and borne in
mind throughout the study.

The position of the observer as explained earlier, should be such that


he should able to see the watch, time study sheet and operator, his
hands and the actual operation he is performing. The observer should
be instructed to be in standing position rather than sitting in a chair.
However, there may be exceptions to this like observing an office
operation, where the operator works while sitting.

The following are the commonly used methods of reading a


stopwatch:
(i) Overall Timing or Cycle Timing

(ii) Continuous Timing

(iii) Snap-back Timing or Repetitive Timing and

(iv) Accumulative Timing.

8. Present the Data:


Soon after the computation of the standard time and other necessary
information, the time study observer should submit this report of
work study either to his boss or someone else from whom he has
received the request. He should not endeavour to keep it in his own
drawer, wait for the order or request to submit it. This will help in
pursuing the purpose fast for which time study has been made.

Time Recording Technique # 2. Time Recording


Machine:
This type of machine carries a paper tape which rotates on two rollers
at uniform velocity. This paper tape is graduated in such a way that it
gives timings in fraction of minutes. A slit provided in the casing of
equipment makes it possible to be seen and record the readings. Use
of this method eliminates the errors of stop watch method.

The idea of time recording machine by a line sketch is shown in fig


19.9.

Time Recording Technique # 3. Motion Picture


Camera:
This camera as already explained is used in micro motion study. The
utility of micro-motion study has already been described in the
‘Motion Study’. This camera is driven at constant speed of several
ranges. Because of constant speed, time taken by each film can be
calculated. Thus by knowing the number of films covered by
operational element, the exact time can be found.

For example, if camera was set at 1000 films per minute, i.e., each film
takes 0.001 minute and if an operational element covers 68 films the
time required for this operational element would be 0.001 x 68 =
0.068 minute. Thus, this method IS very accurate one but is used for
high precision work as this is much expensive than other methods.

Following two types of Motion Picture cameras are in


common use:
(i) Spring driven camera:
The speed of this camera is nearly constant and generally remains
within ± 10%. Normal speed is 16 exposures per second.

(ii) Electric motor driven camera:


These cameras are driven by constant speed electric motors.

These are of following types according to speed motors:


(a) Slow speed camera:
This operates at 50 or 100 frames per minute.

(b) Normal speed camera:


This operates at 960 frames per minute.

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