Time Study

Time Study

Time study is a work measurement technique for recording the times of performing
a certain specific job or its elements carried out under specified conditions, and for
analysing the data so as to obtain the time necessary for an operator to carry it out
at a defined rate of performance.
Time Study Equipment

Basic time study equipment consists of:

 A stop-watch
 A study board
 The time study forms

 The study person will need to be carrying the timing and recording devices
whenever a time study is made.

 Other measuring instruments will be required from time to time to obtain data
on the work being measured such devices as tape measures, steel rules,
micrometers, and so on.
The Stop-Watch

There are two main types of watch in general use for time study — the
mechanical and the electronic.

 Mechanical watches can again be subdivided into the flyback and non-flyback
types, with a third type — the split-hand stopwatch — in less common use.

 Electronic stop-watches may be part of a specially designed study board or

data capture device.
 The Stop-Watch

1. Non-fly back stop watch:

This stop watch is used for continuous timing. When the winding knob is pressed for
the first time, the watch starts and the long hand begins to move, now if the winding
knob is pressed for the second time, the long hand stops. If the winding knob is
pressed for the third time, the hand returns to zero position.

2. Fly back stop watch:

When two elements are to be timed and the second element is immediately after the
first element, fly back stop watch is required. In a fly back stop watch, the watch is
started and stopped with the help of a slide.
By pressing the wind knob, the hands are brought back to zero, but they move forward
again immediately without stopping. To stop the hand at any point, the slide is used.
This watch is used to take continuous timing observation.
The Stop-Watch

3. Split-hand stop watch:

A split hand stop watch is used to get greater accuracy when two elements are to be
timed and the second element is immediately after the first element. The stop watch
is started and the first element is observed.

After the completion of first elements the winding knob is pressed which makes one
hand to stop but the other hand keeps moving. After the reading has been taken for
the first element, the winding knob is pressed for the second time which restarts the
stopped hand making the two hands go together.
The Stop-Watch
The Stop-Watch
The Study Board

 The study board is simply a flat board, usually of plywood or of suitable plastic
sheet, needed for placing the time study forms.

 It should be rigid and larger than the largest form likely to be used. It may have
a fitting to hold the watch, so that the hands of the work study person are left
relatively free and the watch is in a position to be read easily.

 For right-handed people the watch is normally placed at the top of the board
on the right-hand side, so that the board may be rested on the left forearm
with the bottom edge against the body and the forefinger or middle finger of
the left hand used to press the winding knob when resetting the watch.

 A study board which is either too short or too long for the study person‘s arm
soon becomes tiring to use.

 Most study persons prefer therefore to have their own individual boards made
up to fit their own arm lengths.
Time Study Boards

Study board for short cycle form

Study board for general purpose form
Electronic Stop-Watches and Study Boards

 An electronic stop-watch performs exactly the same role as a mechanical one.

 One of the main advantages is that it allows flyback timing to be performed

without any loss of accuracy. (With a mechanical watch the time taken for the
hand to return to zero is "lost". With an experienced practitioner, this time is
minimal but with a trainee or inexperienced observer, it can be significant and
can jeopardize the accuracy of a time study.)

 With an electronic watch the timing device is running continually and it is only
the display that is updated as the "flyback” button is pressed to reset the display
to zero.

 At the end of the time study with most watches it is possible to read off the total
elapsed time.

 Electronic watches can often be used in a number of calibration modes — they

can be set to record in fractions of seconds, minutes or hours.
Electronic Stop-Watches and Study Boards
An Electronic Stop-Watch
Time Study Forms

Taking a time study requires the recording of substantial amounts of data.

There are numerous designs of forms; most work study practitioners have
their own ideas on the ideal layout.

The principal forms used in time study fall into two groups:

1. Those used at the point of observation while actually making the study, and
which should therefore be designed or selected to fit the study board in use;
2. Those which are used after the study, as part of the analysis process, in the
study office.

It is important to record notes which relate to the work being observed, especially
where it is seen to deviate from normal practice or conditions, and a simple form
which has as a minimum the recording of the date, time, observer and operator will
suffice.
Time Study Forms

Forms used on the study board:

Time study top sheet:

The top and introductory sheet of a study, on which is recorded all the essential
information about the study, the elements into which the operation being studied
has been broken down, and the breakpoints used. It may also record the first few
cycles of the study itself.

Continuation sheet:
This form is used for further cycles of the study. It can be seen that the form consists
only of the columns and space for the study and sheet number. It is usual to print
this ruling on both sides of the paper; on the reverse side the heading is not
necessary. These two forms are the ones most generally used.
Time Study Forms

Forms used on the study board:

Short cycle study form:

The examples of a short cycle form are
illustrated.
 Time Study Forms

General-purpose time study top sheet

Time Study Forms
Time Study Forms

Short cycle study form

Time Study Forms
Time Study Forms
 Other Equipment

 The stop-watch or electronic data capture device provides the necessary accuracy
for all general-purpose work.

 Where this is not so, for example in highly repetitive, very short-cycle work, then
some other measurement technique is more appropriate than time study.

 Time study can be extended into such areas using films or videos of work.

 With film, the number of frames can be counted for a very short sequence of
work to give an accurate time duration.

 An alternative, for both film and video, is to record the work with an accurate and
detailed timing device kept "in shot" while the recording is taking place.

 Times can then be read off this timing device when the film or video is replayed at
slower speeds.
 Time Study:
Selecting and Timing the Job
Selecting the Job

As in method study, the first step in time study is to select the job to be studied.
Some possible reasons for selecting a job are:

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

As in method study, the first step in time study is to select the job to be studied.
Some possible reasons for selecting a job are:

5. Standard times are required before an incentive scheme is introduced.

6. 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.
7. The job needs studying as a preliminary to making a method study, or to
compare the efficiency of two proposed methods.
8. The cost of a particular job appears to be excessive.
The approach to the worker

 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.

 The purpose of the study and what is required should be carefully explained.

 The worker should be asked to work at his or her usual pace, taking whatever rest
is normally taken, and should be invited to explain any difficulties which may be
encountered.

 If a new method has been installed, the worker must be allowed plenty of time to
settle down before timing starts.

 The observation position, in relation to the operative, is important.

 The study person should be so placed that everything the operative does can be
seen (especially hand movements), without interfering with free movement or
distracting his or her attention.
 Steps in making a Time Study

When the work to be measured has been selected, the making of a time study
usually consists of the following eight steps:

1. Obtaining and recording all the information available about the job, the operative
and the surrounding conditions, which is likely to affect the carrying out of the work.
2. Recording a complete description of the method, breaking down the operation into
"elements".
3. Examining the detailed breakdown to ensure that the most effective method and
motions are being used, and determining the sample size.
4. Measuring with a timing device (usually a stop-watch) and recording the time taken
by the operative to perform each "element" of the operation.
5. At the same time, assessing the effective speed of working of the operative relative
to the observer's concept of the rate corresponding to standard rating.
6. Extending the observed times to "basic times".
7. Determining the allowances to be made over and above the basic time for the
operation.
8. Determining the "standard time" for the operation.
Obtaining and Recording Information

The information to be obtained may be grouped as follows:

1. Information to enable the study to be found and identified quickly when

needed
2. Information to enable the product or part being processed to be accurately
identified
3. Information to enable the process, method, plant or machine to be accurately
identified
4. Information to enable the operative to be identified
5. Duration of the study
6. Working conditions
Obtaining and Recording Information

The information to be obtained may be grouped as follows:

 Information to enable the study to be found and identified quickly when

needed
Study number.
Sheet number and number of sheets.
Name or initials of the study person making the study.
Date of the study.
Name of the person approving the study

 Information to enable the product or part being processed to be accurately

identified
Name of product or part.
Drawing or specification number.
Part number (if different from drawing number).
Material.
Quality requirements
Obtaining and Recording Information

The information to be obtained may be grouped as follows:

 Information to enable the process, method, plant or machine to be accurately

identified
Department or location where the operation is taking place.
Description of the operation or activity.
Method study or standard practice sheet numbers (where they exist).
Plant or machine (maker's name, type, size or capacity).
Tools, jigs, fixtures and gauges used.
Sketch of the workplace layout, machine set-up and/or part showing surfaces worked

 Information to enable the operative to be identified

Operative's name.
Clock number.
Obtaining and Recording Information

The information to be obtained may be grouped as follows:

 Duration of the study

The start of the study ("Time on").
The finish of the study ("Time off).
Elapsed time.

 Working conditions
Temperature, humidity, adequacy of the lighting, etc.
Checking the Method

 Before proceeding with the study, it is important to check the method being
used by the operative.

 If the study is for the purpose of setting a time standard, a method study
should already have been made and a written standard practice sheet
completed.

 There are occasions when time standards may have to be set without a full-
scale method study being conducted beforehand.

 This is most likely to occur with short-run jobs which are only done a few
times a year in the working area concerned.

 In such cases the study person should make a careful record of the method
by which the job is being done.
Breaking the Job into Elements

 An element is a distinct part of a specified job selected for convenience of

observation, measurement and analysis.

 A work cycle is the sequence of elements which are required to perform a job
or yield a unit of production. The sequence may sometimes include occasional
elements.

 A work cycle starts at the beginning of the first element of the operation or
activity and continues to the same point in a repetition of the operation or
activity. That is the start of the second cycle.
Breaking the Job into Elements

A detailed breakdown into elements is necessary:

 To ensure that productive work (or effective time) is separated from unproductive
activity (or ineffective time).
 To permit the rate of working to be assessed more accurately than would be
possible if the assessment were made over a complete cycle. The operative may not
work at the same pace throughout the cycle, and may tend to perform some
elements more quickly than others.
 To enable the different types of element to be identified and distinguished, so that
each may be accorded the treatment appropriate to its type.
Breaking the Job into Elements

A detailed breakdown into elements is necessary:

 To enable elements involving a high degree of fatigue to be isolated and to make

the allocation of fatigue allowances more accurate.
 To facilitate checking the method so that the subsequent omission or insertion of
elements may be detected quickly. This may become necessary if at a future date
the time standard for the job is queried.
 To enable a detailed work specification to be produced.
 To enable time values for frequently recurring elements, such as the operation of
machine controls or loading and unloading workpieces from fixtures, to be
extracted and used in the compilation of standard data.
Types of Element

Eight types of element are distinguished:

Repetitive, Occasional, Constant, Variable, Manual, Machine, Governing, and Foreign

elements.

 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;
the element of locating a workpiece in a holding device; putting aside a
finished component or assembly.

 An 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 tension, or 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.
Types of Element

Eight types of element are distinguished:

Repetitive, Occasional, Constant, Variable, Manual, Machine, Governing, and Foreign

elements.

 A constant element is an element for which the basic time remains constant
whenever it is performed.
Examples: switch on machine; gauge diameter; screw on and tighten nut;
insert a particular cutting tool into machine.

 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.
Examples: saw logs with handsaw (time varies with hardness and diameter);
sweep floor (varies with area); push trolley of parts to next shop (varies with
distance).
Types of Element

Eight types of element are distinguished:

Repetitive, Occasional, Constant, Variable, Manual, Machine, Governing, and Foreign

elements.

 A manual element is an element performed by a worker.

 A machine element is an element performed automatically by any process,

physical, chemical or otherwise that, once started, cannot be influenced by a
worker except to terminate it prematurely.
Examples: fire tiles; form glass bottles; press car body shell to shape; most
actual cutting elements on machine tools.
Types of Element

Eight types of element are distinguished:

Repetitive, Occasional, Constant, Variable, Manual, Machine, Governing, and Foreign

elements.

 A 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: turn diameter on a lathe, while gauging from time to time; boil
kettle of water, while setting out teapot and cups; develop photographic
negative, while agitating the solution occasionally.

 A 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.
Deciding on the Elements

There are some general rules concerning the way in which a job should be
broken down into elements. They include the following:

 Elements should be easily identifiable, with definite beginnings and endings so

that, once established, they can be repeatedly recognized.

 Elements should be as short as can be conveniently timed by a trained

observer. Opinion differs on the smallest practical unit that can be time with a
stop-watch, but it is generally considered to be about 0.04 min.(2.4 sec).

 As far as possible, elements — particularly manual ones — should be chosen so

that they represent naturally unified and recognizably distinct segments of the
operation. For example, consider the action of reaching for a wrench, moving it
to the work and positioning it to tighten a nut. It is possible to identify the
actions of reaching, grasping, moving to the workpiece, shifting the wrench in
the hand to the position giving the best grip for turning it, and positioning. The
worker will probably perform all these as one natural set of motions rather than
as a series of independent acts.
Deciding on the Elements

There are some general rules concerning the way in which a job should be
broken down into elements. They include the following:

 Manual elements should be separated from machine elements. This may

sometimes be difficult for short cycles. However, although manual and machine
time may run concurrently it may be necessary to measure them separately to
derive standard data. Hand time is normally completely within the control of the
operative.

 Constant elements should be separated from variable elements.

 Elements which do not occur in every cycle (i.e. occasional and foreign
elements) should be timed separately from those that do.
Timing each Element: Stop-Watch Procedure

When the elements have been selected and written down, timing can start.
There are two principal methods of timing with the stop-watch:
 Cumulative timing;
 Flyback timing.

 In cumulative timing the watch runs continuously throughout the study. It is

started at the beginning of the first element of the first cycle to be timed and is
not stopped until the whole study is completed. At the end of each element the
watch reading is recorded. The individual element times are obtained by
successive subtractions after the study is completed. The purpose of this
procedure is to ensure that all the time during which the job is observed is
recorded in the study.

 In flyback timing the hands of the stopwatch are returned to zero at the end of
each element and are allowed to start immediately, the time for each element
being obtained directly. The mechanism of the watch is never stopped and the
hand immediately starts to record the time of the next element.
Timing each Element: Stop-Watch Procedure

 In the flyback method, errors in reading the watch may be added to the slight
delay which occurs when the hand is snapped back to zero.

 The percentage error becomes greater for short elements.

 Cumulative timing is therefore likely to be more accurate for short-element

short-cycle work, while flyback timing can be more safely used in jobs with long
elements and cycles, since the error becomes too small to matter.

 Electronic stop-watches have the benefit of allowing times for individual

elements to be recorded on a flyback basis, without any error introduced by the
mechanical flyback mechanism of a conventional watch.

 With electronic study boards and data capture devices, the study person does
not make readings of element times — these are automatically recorded as the
study person identifies the element break points. No errors are therefore
introduced by the recording process.
Thank You