Work Measurement

 Time is important in work systems because of its

economic significance.

 Most workers are paid for the time they are on the job.

 For any organization to operate efficiently and

effectively, it is important to know how much time should
be required to accomplish a given amount of work.

 The terms time study and work measurement are

often used interchangeably. Both are concerned with how
much time it should take to complete a unit of work.

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Some Definitions

 Work measurement refers to a set of four

techniques that are concerned with the evaluation of
a task in terms of the time that should be allowed for
an average worker to perform that task:

(1) direct time study,

(2) predetermined motion time systems,
(3) standard data systems, and
(4) work sampling,

 The objective of these work measurement techniques is

to determine a standard time for the task. Because of
its emphasis on time, work measurement is often called
time study.
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 TIME STANDARDS AND HOW THEY ARE DETERMINED

 Most workers are paid on the basis of time. The common work
shift is 8 hours per day, and the worker is paid an hourly rate.

 The standard time for a given task is the amount of time

that should be allowed for an average worker to process one
unit using the standard method and working at a normal pace.

 The standard time includes some additional time, called the

allowance, to provide for the worker’s personal needs,
fatigue, and unavoidable delays during the shift.

 The standard time is sometimes referred to as the allowed

time, because it indicates how much time is allowed for the
worker to process each unit so that by the end of the shift a
fair day’s workload has been accomplished, despite the
various interruptions that may occur.

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When Are Time Standards Beneficial?
How does an organization know whether it needs time
standards for its operations?

The following characteristics are typical of industrial situations in

which time standards would be beneficial:

 Low productivity. If the current level of productivity is low.

 Repeat orders. Once the time standard is set during the first
order, the same standard can be used for successive orders.
 Long production runs. Means that the time invested to set
the standard is assigned over more parts.

 Repetitive work cycles. When the work cycle is highly

repetitive.

 Short cycle times. Short work cycles require less time to set
standards.
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 Functions of Time Standards

 They help to determine manpower

requirements and capacity limitations.
 They provide an objective way to compare
alternative methods for accomplishing the
same task.
 They provide a basis for wage incentives
and for evaluating worker performance.
 They provide time data for
 production planning and scheduling,
 cost estimating,
 material requirements planning,
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 Methods to Determine Time Standards

The following methods can be used to determine time standards.

 Estimation
The department foreman or other person familiar with the jobs
performed in the department is asked to judge how much time
should be allowed for the given task.
 Historical records of previous production runs
In this method, the actual times and production quantities from
records of previous identical or similar job orders are used to
determine the time standards.
 Work measurement techniques
Direct Time Study, Predetermined Motion Time Systems,
Standard Data Systems, and Work Sampling. The work
measurement techniques are more time consuming to implement
but they are more accurate than estimation or historical records.

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Methods to Determine Time Standards

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 Methods to Determine Time Standards

 Among the four work measurement techniques, work

sampling should be differentiated from the other
three.
 The primary purpose of work sampling is to determine
proportions of time spent in various categories of
work activity using randomized observations of the
subjects of interest.
 On the other hand, the principal purpose of direct
time study, predetermined motion time systems, and
standard data systems is to establish time standards.
Standards set by these three techniques are
sometimes referred to as engineered standards,
because
1. they are based on measured time values that
have been adjusted for worker performance, and
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2. some effort has been made to determine the best
 Work Measurement Techniques

Direct time study (DTS)

 Direct time study (DTS) involves direct observation of a
task using a stopwatch or other chronometric device to
record the time taken to accomplish the task.

 The task is usually divided into work elements and each

work element is timed separately.

 While observing the worker, the time study analyst

evaluates the worker’s performance (pace), and a
record of this pace is attached to each work element
time. This evaluation of the worker’s pace is called
performance rating.

 The observed time is multiplied by the performance

rating to obtain the normal time for the element or the
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Stopwatch Time Study - Steps
1. Establish standard job method
2. Break down job into elements
3. Study job
4. Rate worker’s performance (RF)
5. Compute average time (t)

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Stopwatch Time Study - Steps

6. Compute normal time

Normal Time = (Elemental average) x (rating factor)

Nt = (t )(RF)

Normal Cycle Time = NT = Nt

7. Compute standard time

Standard Time = (normal cycle time) x (1 + allowance factor)

ST = (NT)(1 + AF)

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 Performing a Time Study
Time Study Observation Sheet

Identification of operation Sandwich Assembly Date 5/17

Operator Approval Observer
Smith Jones Russell
Cycles Summary
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 t t RF Nt
Grasp and lay t .04 .05 .05 .04 .06 .05 .06 .06 .07 .05 .53 .053 1.05 .056
1 out bread slices
R .04 .38 .72 1.05 1.40 1.76 2.13 2.50 2.89 3.29
Spread mayonnaise t .07 .06 .07 .08 .07 .07 .08 .10 .09 .08 .77 .077 1.00 .077
2 on both slices
R .11 .44 .79 1.13 1.47 1.83 2.21 2.60 2.98 3.37

Place ham, cheese, t .12 .11 .14 .12 .13 .13 .13 .12 .14 .14 1.28 1.28 1.10 .141
3
and lettuce on bread R .23 .55 .93 1.25 1.60 1.96 2.34 2.72 3.12 3.51
Place top on sandwich, t .10 .12 .08 .09 .11 .11 .10 .10 .12 .10 1.03 1.03 1.10 .113
4
Slice, and stack R .33 .67 1.01 1.34 1.71 2.07 2.44 2.82 3.24 3.61

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 Performing a Time Study

t 0.53
Average element time = t = = = 0.053
10 10

Normal time = (Elemental average)(rating factor)

Nt = ( t )(RF) = (0.053)(1.05) = 0.056

Normal Cycle Time = NT = Nt = 0.387

ST = (NT) (1 + AF) = (0.387)(1+0.15) = 0.445 min

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 Performing a Time Study

How many sandwiches can be made in 2 hours?

120 min
= 269.7 or 270 sandwiches
0.445 min/sandwich

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Incentive Piece-Rate System

Average worker makes 135 sandwiches per hour

60 min
= 134.8 or 135 sandwiches
0.445 min/sandwich

Average hourly wage rate is

135 x 0.04 = $5.40

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Time Study With Excel

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 Work Measurement Techniques
Predetermined Motion Time System
(PMTS)
 A predetermined motion time system (PMTS) relies on a
database of basic motion elements such as reach, grasp,
and move that are common to nearly all manual industrial
tasks.

 To use a predetermined motion time system to set a standard

time for a given task the analyst lists all of the basic motion
elements that comprise the task, noting their respective
conditions, and recovers the normal time for each element
from the database.

 The normal times for the motion elements are then summed
to obtain the normal time for the task.

 Two advantages related to predetermined

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motion time
systems:
 PROBLEM # 1

The average observed time for a repetitive

work cycle in a direct time study was 3.27
min. The worker’s performance was rated
by the analyst at 90%. The company uses a
PFD allowance factor of 13%. What is the
standard time for this task?

Solution # 1
Normal time Tn = 3.27(0.90) = 2.943 min
Standard time Tstd = 2.943(1 + 0.13) =
3.326 min ME 14.407
 PROBLEM # 2

The ABC Company uses a standard data

system to set time standards. One of the
time study analysts listed the three work
elements for a new task to be performed
in the shop and then determined the
normal time values to be 0.73 min, 2.56
min, and 1.01 min. The company uses a
PFD allowance factor of 16%. Determine
the standard time for the task.

Solution # 2
Normal time Tn = 0.73 + 2.56 + 1.01 =
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4.30 min;
 PROBLEM # 3

Determine the personal time, fatigue, and delay (PFD) allowance to

be used for computing time standards in the following situation.
Second shift workers punch in at 3:30 p.m. and punch out at
12:00 midnight. They are provided one-half hour for supper at
6:00 p.m., which is not counted as part of the 8‑hour shift. For
purposes of determining the allowance, 30 minutes of break time
(personal time and fatigue) are allowed each worker. In addition,
the plant allows 35 min for lost time due to unavoidable delays.
What should the PFD allowance factor be?

Solution # 3
Allowance time for
30 min of break time plus 35 min for lost time = 65 min
Allowance factor Apfd = 480/(480-65) – 1 = 1.157 – 1 = 0.157
= 15.7%
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 PROBLEM # 4

The work shift at the ABC Company runs from 7:30 a.m.
to 4:15 p.m. with a 45 min break for lunch from
11:30 to 12:15 p.m. that does not count as part of
the work shift (workers are not paid for this time).
The company provides two 12-min rest breaks during
working hours (paid time), one in the morning and
one in the afternoon. The company also allows 25
min per day for personal needs (paid time). In
addition, a work sampling study has shown that on
average, unavoidable delays in the plant result in 20
min lost time per worker per day (paid time).
Determine the PFD allowance factor for the following
two management policies on allowances: (a) the two
12-min breaks are both scheduled breaks that all
workers take at the same time and (b) the two 12-
min breaks are included in the allowance factor so
that workers can take their breaks
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 Solution # 4
(a) Allowance time consists of
25 min for personal time + 20 min for delay time = 45 min.
The two 12-min rest breaks are not figured into the allowance
factor, but they do reduce the total work time during the shift.
Total work time = 480 – 45 – 2(12) = 411 min.
Thus, Allowance factor Apfd = 45/411 = 0.1095 = 10.95%

(b) Allowance time consists of two 12 min rest breaks + 25 min

for personal time + 20 min for delay time = 69 min.

Total work time = 480 – 45 – 2(12) = 411 min. Thus,

Allowance factor Apfd = 69/411 = 0.1679 = 16.79%

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