Time Study

What is time study?

Time study is a work measurement technique for recording the time of performing a certain specific job or its element carried out under specific condition and for analyzing the data so as to obtain the time necessary for an operator to carry out at a defined rate of performance.

Time study is a method of direct observation. A trained observer watches the job and records data as the job is being performed over a number of cycles. Time study equipment
the stop watch in general, two types of watch are used for time study. Fly back Continuous These watches may be used any of the following time scales Seconds Decimal minutes Decimal hours

Selecting the job

The job in question is a new one, not previously carried out (new product, component, operation or set of activities) A change in material or method of working has been made and a new time standard is required. A complaint has been received from a worker or workers representative about the time standard for an operation. A particular operation appears to be a bottleneck holding up subsequent operations and possibly previous operations.

Standard times are required before an incentive scheme is introduced. A piece of equipment appears to be idle for an excessive time or its output is low, and it therefore becomes necessary to investigate the method of its use. The job needs studying as a preliminary to marking a method study, or to compare the efficiency of two proposed methods. The cost of a particular job appears to be evidenced by a pareto type of analysis.

Before starting the study, there are a number of points to be observed in relation to the approach to the worker and the job he is doing. 1. Make sure the job has been method studied. Especially where the standard time is to be used for incentive purposes. 2. in an organisation where time study has never been used before, supervision and worker representatives should be told the reasons for the study programme and given and insight into tie study procedure. 3. It is good policy to ask the supervisor or workers representatives to be studied. The worker should be a competent steady person with an average rate of workig.

4. the worker should be told the reasons for the study. Why he has been selected and asked to work at his normal pace explaining any problems that may arise during the time the study is taken. 5. workers should be allowed plenty of time to settle down to new methods. 6. when making the study the observer should take a position where he can see the whole of the job being performed. This is generally to the side of the operator, slightly to the rear and approximately 6 feet away. No attempt should be made to carry out timing from a concealed position, without the operators knowledge or with the watch in the pocket.

7. the observer should take a comfortable standing position for the duration of the study.
Rating Rating is a technique used to assess the speed and effectiveness of an operator. Consider may take into account

Speed of movement Effort Effectiveness etc.

How accurate is rating? Rating is subjective and relies on the skill of the observer carrying out the rating exercise and the observers concept of the rate of working relative to a standard of 100%.

Element

An element is a distinct part of a specified job selected for convenient of observation. Measurement and analysis.

Breaking down the job in to elements:

Elements should be easily identified, with definite beginnings and endings so that, once established. They can be repeatedly recognized. The point at which one element ends and another begins is called break point. Breakpoints must be decided by the work study officer when he divides the work cycle into elements. All breakpoints can be recognised by a sound or by a change of direction of a hand or arm.

Elements should be as short as can be conveniently timed by a trained observer, but should not be less than 0.10 minutes and more than 0.50 minutes. Manual elements should be separated from machine elements for future use as synthetic data. Short elements should be next to long elements.

Reasons for breaking down the job into elements

Variations in speed, pace and effort which an operator works can be more accurately recorded over short periods of time. There could be some parts of the work-cycle with the operator performs better than others. The more clear-cut the item of work which is timed, separately, the more readily can an appropriate fatigue allowance be arrived at for incorporation with the element. To ensure that productive work is separated form unproductive work. To enable a detailed job specification to be produced.

SMV

SMV time that is allowed to perform the job satisfactory. SMV = Basic time + Allowances Standard Minute Value

SMV = B.T + Allowances

Basic Time

The basic time for the operation is found by applying concept of rating to relate the observed to that of a standard place of working. Calculated as follows:
Basic time = observed time * observed rating
100 (BT = Observed time * Observed Rating = A constant) 100

Example.. Rating 50
1.2
100 = 0.6

75
0.8
100 0.6

100 125
0.6
100 0.6

Observed time

0.5
100 0.6

Basic Time

1.2*50 0.8*75 0.6*100 0.5*125

Types of allowances

1. Relaxation Allowances Personal needs This allowance provides for the necessity to leave the workplace to attend to personal needs such as washing, going to the lavatory or fetching a drink Common figures are from 5 to 7 percent of basic time. Basic fatigue This allowance, always a constant is given to take account of the energy expended while carrying out work and to alleviate monotony. A common figure is 4 percent of basic time.

Contingency allowances

A contingency allowance is a small allowance of time which may be included in a standard time to meet legitimate and expected items of work or delays, the precise measurement of which is uneconomical because of their infrequent or irregular occurrence.

Machine delay allowances These are applied to the total basic times for those elements which are concerned with the operation of machinery. Common used as follows: Single needle lockstitch 9% Twin needle lockstitch 14% Three thread overlock 7% Four thread overlock 9% Five thread overlock 11%

Types of allowance

1. relaxation allowance

Personal needs (from 5 to 7% of basic time) Basic fatigue

(4 % of basic time) 2. Contingency Allowances (less than 5 percent) 3. Machine attention Allowances Single needle lockstitch 9% - 12% Double needle lockstitch 14% - 17% Three thread over lock - 7% Four thread over lock - 9% Five thread over lock -11%

SMV calculation
Element description Obser Obser. Basic rating time Time Freq. Basic Time/G mt

Get bundle and sort parts Match pocket flap to lining Sew round flap

95 105 100

0.32 0.11 0.48

0.304 1/30 0.116 1/1

0.010 0.116 0.480

0.480 1/1

Trim threads and turn 58 out flap

Top stitch flap

0.35
0.56

0.298 1/1
0.504 1/1

0.298
0.504

90

Close bundle and place aside

Total

110

0.23

0.253 1/30

0.008
1.416

Total basic time/garment (brought forward) 1.416 Add machine attention allowances 7% 7% fo (0.480 + 0.504) = 0.07 x 0.984 = 0.069 0.069 Basic time + MAA (1.416 + 0.069) 1.485 Add personal needs and relaxation allowances 14% 14% of 1.485 = 0.14 x 1.485 = 0.208 0.028 Standard minute Value (SMV) = Basic time + all allowances = 1.485 + 0.208 = 1.693 (SMV)

Question 1
As a result of a time study exercise the following information is available (BSI. 100 rating used) Elements Observed Observed Rating Time(min) 1. Obtain and sort bundle 90 0.11 2. Position breast pocket 75 0.16 3. Sew to attach pocket 105 1.02 4. Cut threads and reposition 100 0.05 5. Pickup and position pocket 80 0.15 6. Sew to attach flap 110 0.88 7. Cut threads and aside gmt. 95 0.09 8. Close bundle and write ticket 85 0.17 Additional Information An 8% allowance is to be applied to all sewing elements to compensate for machine attention. A 14% relaxation allowance is to be applied to all work. The average bundle size is 10 garments 1. Calculate the standard minute Value (SMV) for one garment. 2. How many garments would you expect to be produced in a 465 minute working day. (Briefly explain any assumptions you have made.)

Operators Performance rating

Listed bellow are the twenty levels of performance used in the rating process. You will note that each definition has a corresponding percentage figure. It is this figure that is used in leveling.

Production and Efficiency Calculations

Production Calculation

Target =
(individual)

60
SMV

Line Target = Actual Minutes Total M/C SMV Actual Minutes = No. of M/C operators X working mints efficiency x present %

Efficiency and Performance Calculations

Efficiency = Earned Minutes x 100 (of individual) Available minutes

Earned minutes = No. of produced pieces X SMV of that activity

Available Minutes = Working Minutes

Example 1 An operator worked for 8 hours on an activity of having a SMV of 5. She produced 82 pieces of that activity. What was her efficiency? Efficiency = 82 x 5 x 100 = 85.42%
8 x 60

Example 2.

An operator worked for 9 hours on activity of having SMV of 1.21 & 0.80. She produced 195 & 250 of those activities respectively. What was her efficiency?
Efficiency = 195 x 1.21 + 250 x 0.80 x 100 9 x 60 = 80.66%

Line Efficiency = Total Earned Minutes x 100 Total Available minutes

Total Earned Minutes = no of produced Gmts. x SMV of that Gmt.

Total Available Minutes = No of operators x working minutes.

Example 3. A unit of 24 operators produced 400 Gmts. SMV of Garments is 20 assume a working day has 480 minutes what was the line efficiency?

Line efficiency = 400 * 20 * 100 24 * 480

= 69.79%

Performance = Earned Minutes * 100 (of individual) Available Minutes * off std minutes

E.g. 4 An operator worked for 8 hours on an activity of having a SMV of 5. She produced 82 pieces of that activity. She had 40 minutes of stoppage time due to machine breakdown & power failure. What was her performance? Performance = 82 * 5 * 100 ( 8 * 60) 40

= 93.18%

Allowance and Calculation

Personal Needs and Fatigue = 7.5% Other (Standing) = 4.0% Machine Type Allowance %

DNL SNL/BH DNC/50L SNC/30L BS/BT Other

17.5 12.5 9.0 7.5 5.0 2.0

Operation TGT/HR = 60
SMV of the operation

Line Target
TGT/Working Time = No of operator * working mints

Total machine SMV Overall Efficiency = Earned SAH *100 Clock hours On std Efficiency = Earned SAH *100 Clock HRS Lost HRS

Production Planning

Load and capacity Planning Successful planning requires knowledge of two variables to determine the time required to manufacture a contract. Load How much work we are putting on a section Capacity How much work a section is capable of completing In an ideal situation
>> Load = Capacity

Load and capacity

LOAD Contract size x Work content Capacity The amount of work the factory or section is capable of doing.

The scheduling rule

Balance load and capacity Arrange the programme of work so that the load can be achieved Use common units standard minutes

Balancing & Capacity

Load
Uncertainty about the number of garments to be sold Demand? Speculation? Prediction? Uncertainty about work content Standard minute value Measured Estimated

Capacity
Uncertainty about the number of operators and performance Total numbers Attendance hours Absenteeism Performance Learning curve Uncertainty about the equipment Availability Reliability

The pre Production plan for the next 13 week season has provided the following information.

Style Avon Bar Clyde Dee

Order qty SMV per gmts 10000 42 8000 30 24000 20 12000 65

Total SMVs

a) b)

c)

Calculate the average weekly load in standard minutes If the factory employs 80 operators, has 4% absenteeism, works a 40 hour week, has an efficiency of 8% what is the weekly capacity in standard minutes? Is the factory sufficient capacity to meet the plan?

The Pre-production plan for the next 13 week season has provided the following information
Style Order qty SMV per Gmts. Total SMVs Avon 10000 42 420000 Bar 8000 30 240000 Clyde 24000 20 480000 Dee 12000 65 780000 a) Calculate the average weekly load in standard minutes 1920000sms/13 weeks = 147692 SMs b) If the factory employs 80 operators, has 4%absenteeism, works a 40 hor week, has a eficiency of 85%, what is the weekly capacity in SM? 80*40*0.96*0.85=156672sms c) His the Factory sufficient capacity to meet the plan? Yes