WORK STUDY

INTRODUCTION
 With increasing complexities of the technological world, need
to simplify the work system has been increasing day by day.

 Work study is an area of knowledge that addresses the

problem of work simplification with the basic objectives of

PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT,
HUMAN COMFORT & SAFETY
EVOLUTION OF WORK STUDY

• F.W.TAYLOR: founder of modern method and time study.

• Taylor began his time study work in 1881.
• He established that each job should have a standard time, determined by time studies.
• In the timing process Taylor advocated dividing the work into small divisions of
 effort known as elements.
• Time was obtained for these element individually and their collective values were
used to determine the allowed time for the task.
WORK OF GILBERTH

• Gilbreth is considered as the founder of ‘modern motion study

technique’.
• Which is defined as the study of body motions used in performing
an operation for the purpose of improving the operation by :
 Eliminating unnecessary motions
 Simplifying necessary motions
 Then establishing the most favorable motion sequence for maximum
efficiency
 Frederick W. Taylor (1856‐1915)
• First engineer in the history studying on the time study.
• Taylor states that "...in these experiments we were not
trying to find the maximum work that a man could do
on a short time but to learn what really constitutes a
full day's work for a first class man, the best day's
work that a man could properly do...”

Taylorism
• Which is the best way to do this job?
• What should constitute a day's work?
• Selection of the best worker, training, teaching him
• The division of the work equally
• Time study
– Divide each task into work elements
– Time each element separately
– Useful than timing the whole task
 Gilbreths
Motion‐study:
Study of the body motions, eliminating unnecessary motions, simplifying
necessary motions, and then establishing the most favorable motion sequence
for maximum efficiency.

Divided work into basic motion elements called “THERBLIGS”

• There is “one best method” to perform a given task
• Bricklaying: 120 to 350 per man per hour
• Micromotion study
–The technique of filming motions to study
–Cyclegraph
–Choronocyclegraph
 DEFINITION

“Work study is defined as that body of knowledge concerned with

the analysis of the work methods and the equipment used in
performing a job, the design of an optimum work method and
the standardization of proposed work methods.”

PREREQUISITES FOR CONDUCTING

WORK STUDY
STEPS INVOLVED IN WORK STUDY
1. SELECT
Job Or Process To Be Studied

2. RECORD
All the details concerning job using various Recording Techniques

3. EXAMINE
Recorded facts critically by asking questions like who, what, when, why

4. DEVELOP
Most economical method

5. MEASURE
The amount of work involved and set standard time to do that job

6. DEFINE
New method and standard time

7. INSTALL
The new method as a standard practice

8. MAINTAIN
New method as agreed standards
SREDIM
 PRINCIPLES OF WORK STUDY

1. Must come from the top level management.

2. People made aware of the objectives and the need of the exercising
such study.
3. Method study must precede work measurement .
OBJECTIVES
 To analyze the present method of doing a job, systematically in order to
develop a new and better method.
 To measure the work content of a job by measuring the time required to do
the job for a qualified worker and hence to establish standard time.
 To increase the productivity by ensuring the best possible use of human,
machine and material resources and to achieve best quality
product/service at minimum possible cost.
 To improve operational efficiency.
 To reduce waste through standardization of work elements of a job.
 To improve labor efficiency.
COMPONENTS /
TECHNIQUES OF WORK STUDY WORK
STUDY

METHOD STUDY
• Motion Study : Examine the
job and finding more efficient
method to perform it

WORK
MEASUREMENT
• Time Study : Determine the
time necessary to perform a job
and its elements
BENEFITS OF WORK STUDY

 Increased productivity and operational efficiency

 Reduced manufacturing costs
 Improved work place layout
 Better manpower planning and capacity planning
 Fair wages to employees
 Better working conditions to employees
 Improved work flow
 Reduced material handling costs
 Provides a standard of performance to measure labour efficiency
 Better industrial relations and employee morale
 Basis for sound incentive scheme
 Provides better job satisfaction to employees
ADVANTAGES OF METHOD STUDY
• Work simplification
• Improved working method ( cheaper method)
• Better product quality
• Improved work place layout
• Improved equipment design
• Better working conditions

DISADVANTAGES OF METHOD STUDY

• HIGH OPERATING COST
• HIGH WASTAGE & SCRAP
• EXCESSIVE MOVEMENT OF MATERIALS AND WORKMEN
• EXCESSIVE PRODUCTION BOTTLENECKS
• EXCESSIVE REJECTIONS AND REWORK
 WORK
CONTENT

Basic work content

Excess work content

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MANUFACTURING
TIME

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 REASONS FOR EXCESS WORK CONTENT

A. Defects in design

B. Inefficient methods of manufacture

C. Short-comings of the mgt.

D. Work-man attributes
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Method Study
 METHOD
STUDY
It is the systematic recording & critical
examination of existing and proposed ways
of doing work, as a means of developing and
applying easier and more effective methods
and reducing cost

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 METHOD
STUDY
Objectives
Critical examination of facts
Develop best possible solution
Eliminate unnecessary
operations
Add value & Avoid delays
Optimize 3M
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METHOD STUDY
PROCEDURE
SELECT
RECORD

EXAMINE

DEVELOP

DEFINE
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INSTALL
MAINTAI
 JOB
SELECTION
Economic aspect

Technical aspect

Human aspect

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 RECORDING TECHNIQUES
CHARTS
Macro-motion charts
Micro-motion charts

DIAGRAMS
Flow & String diagrams
Cycle graph & Chronocycle graph
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 CRITICAL
A EXAMINATION
systematic and progressive series of
questions with the purpose of determining true
reasons

Based on the reasons, improvements are found

and adopted into a new method, called better
method

The use of questioning technique reduces the

possibility of missing any information which
may be useful for the development of
bette r method
49
 CRITICAL
A EXAMINATION
popular procedure of carrying out critical
examination uses two sets of questions:
Primary questions (answers to these show up the
necessity of carrying out the activity), &
Secondary questions (answers to these allow
considerations to alternative methods of doing the
activity)

Selection of the best way of doing each activity is

later determined to develop new method which is
introduced as a standard practice. 50
 CRITICAL
EXAMINATION
PRIMARY QUESTIONS

the PURPOSE for which

the PLACE at which
the SEQUENCE in which
the PERSON by whom
the MEANS by which
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 CRITICAL
SECONDARY
EXAMINATIONQUESTIONS
PURPOSE: what is done?
why is it done?
what else might be done?
what should be done?
PLACE: where is it done?
Why is it done there?
Where else might it is done?
52

Where should it be done?

 C
SEQUENCE:
RITICAL
When is it done?
EXAMINATION
Why is it done?
When might it
be done?
When should it be done?
PERSON:
who does it?
Why does that person do
it?
Who else might do it?
MEANS:
Who should do it?
How is it done? 53

Why is it done that way?

CRITICAL
EXAMINATION

54
DEVELOPMENT & SELECTION OF IMPROVED METHOD
Eliminate all unnecessary operations
Combine operations & elements
Change the sequence of operations
Simplify the necessary operations

Steps in development & selection

Evaluation (evaluate the alternatives)
Investigation (tech. & eco. feasibility)
Selection
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INSTALLATION OF THE PROPOSED METHOD

Recommendation phase

Implementation phase

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 MAINTAIN THE PROPOSED
METHOD
Follow-up
Monitoring & control
Audit of the savings
Review of the approach
Evaluation of effectiveness
of proposed method

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METHOD STUDY
SYMBOLS

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Work Measurement or
time study
DEFINITION :-

 “The application of techniques designed to establish the time for

a qualified worker to carry out a specified job at a defined level
of performance”
OBJECTIVES OF WORK MEASUREMENT :-

 1. Comparing alternative methods

 2. Assessing the correct initial manning (manpower requirement planning)
 3. Planning and control
 4. Realistic costing
 5. Delivery date of planning
 6. Cost reduction and cost control
 7. Identifying substandard workers
 8. Training new employees.
 WORK MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
 For repetitive work (short work cycle) or non-repetitive work;

Time study (stop watch technique)

Work sampling
Synthetic data
Analytical estimating
Predetermined Motion Time Study
(PMTS)
Note - Time study & Work sampling involve direct observatio6n5
while remaining are data-based & analytical in nature
TECHNIQUES OF WORK MEASUREMENT :-

 1) Repetitive Work:- The type of work in which the main operation or group of
operations repeat continuously during the time spent at the job. These apply to work
cycle of extremely short duration.

 2) Non-repetitive Work:- It include some type of maintenance and construction

work, where cycle itself is hardly ever repeated identically.
 WORK MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES
Techniques Applications Unit of
measurements
Time study Short cycle repetitive jobs. Centi-minute
Widely used for direct work (0.01 min)
Work sampling Long cycle jobs Minutes
Synthetic data Short cycle repetitive jobs Centi-minute
Analytical Short cycle non-repetitive jobs Minutes

estimating
MTM Manual operation confined to TMU (1 TMU =
one work centre 0.006min)
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 Time study

 Time study is work measurement technique for recording the times and rates
of working for the elements of a specified job carried out under specified
conditions
STEPS IN MAKING TIME STUDY:-
1)SELECT (SELECTING JOB FOR WORK STUDY)
2)OBTAIN & RECORD (DETAILS REGARDING METHODS,
OPERATOR, JOB AND WORKING CONDITION)
3)DEFINE (THE ELEMENT, BREAK THE JOB INTO CONVENIENT FOR
TIMING)
4)MEASURE (TIME DURATION FOR EACH ELEMENT AND ASSESS
THE RATING)
5)EXTEND (OBSERVED TIME INTO NORMAL TIME {BASIC TIME})
6)DETERMINED (RELAXATION AND PERSONAL ALLOWANCES)
7) COMPUTE (STANDARD TIME FOR THE OPERATION FOR
DEFINED JOB OR OPERATION.)
 Types of element

 A repetitive element – Is an element which occurs in every work cycle of the job.
 An occasional element - does not occur in each work cycle of the job, but which may occur at
regular or irregular intervals. e.g. machine setting.

 A constant element - the basic time remains constant whenever it is performed. e.g. switch the
machine on.

 A variable element - is an element for which the basic time varies in relation to some
characteristics of the product, equipment or process, e.g. dimensions, weight, quality etc. e.g. push trolley
of parts to next shop.
 Types of element

 manual element - is an element performed by a worker.

 machine element - is automatically performed by a power-driven machine (or process).

 governing element - occupies a longer time than any of the other elements which are
being performed concurrently. e.g. boil kettle of water, while setting out teapot and cups.

 foreign element - is observed during a study which, after analysis, is not found to be
necessary part of the job. e.g. degreasing a part that has still to be machined further.
 PERFORMANCE RATING
Process of adjusting the actual pace of
working of an operator by comparing it with
mental picture of pace of an operator working
at normal speed

Performance rating methods

Speed rating
Westing house method of rating (S,E,C,C)
Synthetic rating (R = P/A) 73
Objective rating
allowances

 Relaxation allowances
 Variable allowances
 Interference allowances
 Contingency allowances
 Policy allowances
ALLOWANCES

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STANDARD TIME
COMPUTATION

75
EXAMPLE on how to calculate standard time:
 WORK MEASUREMENT

• STANDARD TIME IS USED IN:

• COSTING THE LABOR COMPONENT OF PRODUCTS
• TRACKING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE
• SCHEDULING & PLANNING REQUIRED
RESOURCES

Note- rating is a measure of how well the

worker does
 SETTING STANDARD TIMES
• STEP 1: CHOOSE THE SPECIFIC JOB TO BE STUDIED
• STEP 2: TELL THE WORKER WHOSE JOB YOU WILL BE
STUDYING
• STEP 3: BREAK THE JOB INTO EASILY RECOGNIZABLE
UNITS
• STEP 4: CALCULATE THE NUMBER OF CYCLES YOU MUST
OBSERVE
• STEP 5: TIME EACH ELEMENT, RECORD DATA & RATE THE
WORKER’S PERFORMANCE
• STEP 6: COMPUTE THE NORMAL TIME
• STEP 7: COMPUTE THE STANDARD TIME
An operator manufactures 50 jobs in 6 hours and 30 min. If this
time includes for setting his machine. Calculate the operator’s
efficiency.
Standard time allowed for the job was:
Setting time = 35 min and Production time per piece = 8 min
Solution: As standard time = Set up time + Time per piece x No. of
pieces produced
Example : Assuming that the total observed time for an operation
of assembling an electric switch is 1.00 min. If the rating is 120%,
find the normal time. If an allowance of 10% is allowed for the
operation, determine the standard time.

Given :
Observed or selected time = 1.00 min.
Rating = 120%
Allowance = 10%
Example :
Following data were obtained by a work study man from a study conducted by
him.
(i) Maintenance Time:
(a) Get out and put away tools = 12.0 min/day.
(b) Cleaning of machine = 5.0 min/ day.
(c) Oiling of machine = 5.0 min/day.
(d) Replenish coolant supply = 3.0 min/day.
(ii) Interruption Time:
(a) Interruption by foreman = 5.0 min/day.
(b) Interruption by porter etc. = 4.0 min/day.
(iii) Delay time due to power failure etc. = 6.0 min/day.
(iv) Personal time = 20.0 min/day.
Calculate total allowances, total available cycle time and productive hour,
considering a working day of 8 hours.
Solution:
Total allowances (sometimes also known as station time)
= Total maintenance time + Interruption time + Delay time +
Personal time
= (12.0 + 5 + 5 + 3.0) + (5.0 + 4.0) + 6.0 + 20.0 = 25.0 + 9.0
+ 6.0 + 20.0
= 60.0 min. i.e. one hr. per day.
Example :
Find out the standard time using the following data:
Average time for machine elements = 6 min.
Average time for manual elements = 4 min.
Performance rating =110%
Allowances = 10%
 Example :-
Is this correct?
WORK SAMPLING:-

Work sampling was originally developed by L.H.C. Tippett in Britain in 1934 for the British
Cotton Industry Research Board.
DEFINATION:-
A technique in which a statistically competent number of instantaneous observations are taken,
over a period time, of a group of machines,processes or workers.
Work Sampling has three main applications:-
1) Activity and delay Sampling:- To measure the activities and delays of workers and machines.
2) Performance Sampling:- To measure working time and non working time of a person on a
manual work and to establish a performance index or performance level for a person during his
working time.
3) Work Measurement:- Under certain circumstances, to measure manual task that is to
established a time standard for an operation.
Westinghouse System of Rating

 factors :
 1. Skill
 2. Effort
 3. Conditions
 4. Consistency
For example, if the observed time for an operator
was 1.50 minutes and if the ratings are as follows:
Good skill, C1 + 0.06
Excellent Efforts, B2 + 0.08
Average condition, D + 0.00
Good consistency, C + 0.01
Total + 0.15
The normal time for that operation would be = 1.50 x
1.15 = 1.72 min.
Synthetic Rating

 In this method, performance of the worker is rated

from the values already known as P.M.T.S.
(Predetermined Motion Time System). In this
procedure, time study is done in the usual manner
and then actual time obtained for certain elements
from this study are compared with that of known
standards.
If, R = Performance Rating factor.
P = Predetermined standard for an element.
A = Average of actual time obtained in the
time study for that element.
Then R = P/A
Objective Rating
 In this method, Rating is done in two stages, in first stage,
operator’s speed is rated, by observing speed of movement
or rate of activity, and no attention is paid for the job
difficulties.
 After the pace rating is made, in the second stage, an
allowance of a secondary adjustment is added to the pace
rating by considering the job difficulties. Job difficulties
are divided into six clauses. A table provides the
percentage of adjustments to be made for each of these six
factors.
These factors are:
(i) Amount of body used
(ii) Foot Pedals
(iii) Bimanualness
(iv) Eye-hand co-ordination
(v) Handling requirements
(vi) Weight.

For example, if the selected time for an element is 0.30 minute, the
pace rating is 110% and if the sum of all secondary adjustments
amounts to 20% then the normal time will be
= 0.3 × 1.10 × 1.20 = 0.396 min
Multiple Activity Chart
Multiple Activity Chart

Man-Man Type