Time Study

Learn Time Study:

methodology for
improvement of setting Standard Time

Written by Naoya Nishigaki

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Introduction :
The system of IE (in the narrow sense)

Process ・ Process chart analysis

analysis ・ Flow analysis etc.

Methods Operation (Multiple activity analysis etc.)

Study analysis

Motion ・ Therblig analysis etc.

study ・ Both hand analysis etc.
IE (Work study)

Time ・ Stop-watch method

study ・ VTR method
Work ・ PTS method
Measurement
Ratio-delay ・ Continuous reading method
study ・ Snap reading method
(Work Sampling)
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 Table of Contents
1. What is Time Study?
　 1-1 Definition of Time Study
　 1-2 Purpose of Time Study
　 1-3 Two Kinds of Working Time
　 1-4 Two Kinds of Time Study Method
2. Composition of Working Time
3. Allowance Time
　 3-1 Definition of allowance time
　 3-2 Kinds of allowance
　 3-3 How to Decide Allowance Time
　 3-4 What is Not Contained in Allowance?
4. Application for PTS
5. Standard Time
　 5-1 Definition of Standard Time
　 5-2 Application of Standard Time (In detail)
　 5-3 Composition of Standard Time
　 5-4 How to Decide Standard Time
　 5-5 Rating Method
　 5-6 Method for Setting Standard Time
　 5-7 Feature of Methods for Setting Standard Time
6. Procedure of Time Study
　 6-1 Procedure of Time Study
　 6-2 How to Fill in the Time Study Sheet
　 6-3 Summary of the Results
　 6-4 How to Decide the Observation Frequency
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1. What is Time Study?

1-1 Definition of Time Study

a. Classify the operation into necessary or unnecessary
movement so as to grasp time of work that split into every
compound element.
b. Implement the measure of how to operate in unnecessary
operation.

Operation time

Valid time Invalid time

Exclusion or reduction
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1-2 Purpose of Time Study

The objective of Time Study is -

a.Check an overall picture in which waste time is included and
identify problem points.
b.Compare and evaluate good and bad points of over two work
methods.
c. Set Standard Time.

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1-3 Two Kinds of Working Time

Standard Time:
・Standard time as a standard for managing work.
・Set the Standard Time in advance about every motion on work.
・ In case of the worker would work by desirable way , the operation that
was decided through working time of average worker is scheduled,
carried out and evaluated. Thus it is called a basic ruler.
Actual time:
・Time that needed to actual work.
・Measure the time by using stopwatch or video.
・ Daily changeable things that are difference in the course of doing work
or management

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1-4 Two Kinds of Time Study Method

Method of directing work measuring

a. Time study on continuous work
a. Typical methods use a stop watch.
b. Video Time Study
Method of taking a video

b. Time Study on non-continuous work

Video Time Study
(use of cellphone is acceptable in Ethiopia)

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2. Composition of Working Time

It is important to classify working time and to study on better way.

・ Composition of time in order to smooth problems.

For analyzing problems, you can compare actual working time with
following composition of working time.

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Cont…….
Composition of Working Time Net Operation time

Main operation time Incidental time

Preparation time (Set up operation) Physical

allowance
Personal
Fatigue
allowance
Operation Allowance allowance
time time Operations
Management
allowance allowance

Workplace allowance

Waiting time
Exceptional Loss time by
time operation defect
Not operation time 9
3. Allowance Time
3-1 Definition of allowance time
Allowance time is the time added to net time and corresponds to predicted interruptions
and delays of work, and delays due to worker fatigue. Estimated time due to decrease in
operating speed for alleviating fatigue, predicted rest and delay are included in allowance.

Allowance rate = (allowance time / net time) X100 (%)

Allowance rate:
Required due allowance to be continued work
There are many methods to calculate allowance rate, such as
work sampling method, continuous reading method and so on.
But actually, it’s common to use allowance rate made of experience value.
But, it is very important to reduce these allowance rate.

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3-2 Kinds of allowance
Management allowances :
Activities indirectly related to the operation. They are two types:
Operation allowance : 3~5% allowance rate to net time
Work indirectly related to the job, e.g., lubricating,
applying coating mold, removal agent, removing chips,
attending to detective products, machine breakdowns, etc.
Workplace allowance : 3~5% allowance rate to net time
Indirect work common to a number of different operations,
e.g., supplying materials, replacing products on the pallets.

Personal allowances :
Activities not related to the operation that serve the needs of
the operator. There are two types:
Fatigue allowance :10% allowance rate to net time
Rest period between operations
Physical allowance : 2~5% allowance rate to net time
Drinking water, going to the toilet, etc.
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3-3 How to Decide Allowance Time

It’s usually to calculate allowance time by using work sampling method.

1) Decide the item of allowance
2) Decide the allowance rate about each allowance item.
3) Decide the total allowance rate accumulating each allowance rate
4) Calculate the allowance time = net time X allowance rate

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3-4 What is Not Contained in Allowance?

1) Work elements that do not occur every cycle but occur every several cycles, are
not included in allowance time. This time is distributed to every cycle according to
frequency of occurrence.
2) Time caused by employee Delay to start work.
Finish work earlier.
Extra personal time.
Reprocess by unskilled worker
Measure more than decided
Others.
3) Neither responsibility of worker nor Waiting time
allowance time Wasted time(material defect, defect of jig
and equipment)
No power, other things.

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Cont…...
d. Estimate the operation time that unfit for Time Study
by uncertain operation contents
・Empirical estimation:
The method where the person who has enough knowledge and
experience estimates based on experience . It is used for job production
though accuracy is not so high.
The least-squares method
1. take materials
Sample of The least-squares method & MTM
2:Move
↑
in case of time
time value(T MU) correction by weight
distance (cm) moving hands （DM)
Ŷ
= 0.74X + 3.3
A B C B weight(kg) coefficient constant
below2 2.0 2.0 2.0 1.7
1 1 0
4 3.1 4.0 4.5 2.8
→　weight（ｋｇ）
6 4.1 5.0 5.8 3.1
2 1.04 1.6
8 5.1 5.9 6.9 3.7 (ex) weight 10kg
Y = 0.74*10+3.3 = 10.7(DM) = 10.7*0.6
= 6.42(DM)
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4. Application for PTS
1) When setting the Standard Time of operation
2) When analyzing movement of operation and finding problems in
quantitatively collaborating time, then improve it.
3) When comparing the merits and demerits of many ways in one
operation.
4) When comparing and evaluating plans to improve current operation
method.
5) When designing the jigs & tools, and considering appropriate
movement & time in case of using these jigs & tools.
6) In advancing production of new products, when considering
appropriate operation time and how to produce & design the
products.

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5. Standard Time

5-1 Definition of Standard Time

1) Using decided working methods and facilities
2) Under fixed working conditions
3) By a worker with sufficient experience and suitability
4) Without any harmful physiological effects
5) And at a working speed approved by that company,

Time required by a skilled worker work with standard speed to

conduct the prescribed standard operation.

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5-2 Application of Standard Time (In detail)
1) To measure the work efficiency by comparing workers’ activity
with Standard Time. To find problems.
2) To organize the job allocation in line by Standard Time.
3) To determine number of machines per operator.
4) To provide information concerning the production plan.
5) To estimate manufacturing costs.

Manufacturing cost = materials cost + labor cost + expenses

Labor costs = labor cost rate X standard work time

6) To refer to Standard Time for setting incentive wage.

7) To control labor cost.

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5-3 Composition of Standard Time
Standard Time
= Net operation time + Allowance time
= Observed time X Rating coefficient
X (1 + allowance rate)
Observed time Correction Allowance
Main operation time Preparation time by rating time

Observed time
Net time

Standard time

allowance time
Allowance rate =
net time
Net time = observed time by stopwatch X rating coefficient
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5-4 How to Decide Standard Time

1) Decide the objective of setting Standard Time.

2) Select the method which uses to set Standard Time
3) Decide the target operation and product.
4) Decide adequate way of operation of target.
5) Measure main operation time.
6) Modify observed time by rating.
7) Decide the allowance time.
8) Calculate Standard Time
Observed time X rating + allowance time = standard time

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5-5 Rating Method

1) Train standard work speed before observation.

2) Decide the rating coefficient comparing actual work speed
with standard work speed. (ex. Rating coefficient 1.2 , 0.9)

(Notes)
3) Select target worker carefully and get their cooperation after explaining
everything carefully.
4) Work methods and environmental conditions should be set
appropriately.

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5-6 Method for Setting Standard Time
Presumption at time of work being included for a lot of kinds of same work
elements
a. Method for setting mathematical Standard Time
The least-squares method (Multiple linear regression analysis)
b. Standard record method
Setting Standard Time by arrangement of time record collected in the past
value and applying it to the same work.

c. Setting Standard Time for short cycle work.

PTS (Predetermined Time Study) method is intended to estimate work time
to which predetermined time is applied corresponding to the motions that
comprise the work. WF (Work Factor) method and MTM (Method Time
Measurement) belong to the PTS method.
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5-7 Feature of Methods for Setting Standard Time

Method Range of summary Rating Accuracy

Stopwatch method Suitable for repeated operation. Need Good
Work Sampling 1) Suitable for long cycled work, no Need Ordinary
method repeated work, grouping work
2) It is difficult to get high accuracy.
PTS method Suitable for short cycled work No Excellent
Standard data Suitable for when there is partially much No Excellent
method same work element
Method for Suitable for the work that cyclic impossible No good
experience operation is long. Suitable for new job
estimation with uncertain operation content.

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 Cont……
g) Determine operating efficiency, required personnel, number of required
units.

1) Operating efficiency : Operating efficiency can be measured by

comparing actual volume produced with standard production volume.
Standard time is used when doing this.

2) Required personnel : The required number of personnel in the workplace

can be determined from load and capabilities.

3) Number of required units : The required number of units can be

determined from facilities load and facility capabilities.

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Cont…..

Example
Standard time =
observed time 292.5
X rating coefficient1.2
X (1 ＋ allowance
rate(0.2))

=421.2 DM (252.7sec)

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6. Procedure of Time Study
6-1 Procedure of Time Study

1) Clarify the purpose of the analysis and decide the work to be observed.
2) Choose the worker to observe.
- If improving or comparing the work methods:
Skilled person is chosen.
- If setting Standard Time:
Choose an average worker with normal work speed.
3) Prepare the analysis sheet
4) Divide the work into element operations, and fill in the observation sheet
5) Determine frequency of observation and observe by use stopwatch
6) Arrange the observation results.
7) Consider the observation results.

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 6-2 How to Fill in the Time Study Sheet
1) When the procedure of work elements is changed :
→ Change the procedure by using arrow marks.
2) When the procedure of work elements is overlooked:
→ Draw a line (-)
3) When the observer overlooks:
→ Mark with M
4) When exceptional work occurs :
Write down the worker's name and serial time in blank column. Show
the procedure with an arrow or symbol
5) When an anomalous figure occurs: Circle the anomalous figure.

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6-3 Summary of the Results
1) Calculate each time of each element work.
2) Eliminate anomalous figures with clear causes.
Individual time is arranged according to bigger order.
Individual time is smaller than the next value 25% or more, or is bigger
than the next value 30% or more, then identify it as an anomalous
figure.

Small figure = 100 - (anomalous figure / next figure) X 100

Large figure = 100 - (anomalous figure / next figure) X 100-100

3) Calculate the sum of individual time in each element work

and sum of number of observation frequency.
4) Calculate average time of each elemental work.
5) Calculate 1 cycle of work.
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6-4 How to Decide the Observation Frequency
1) Purpose of observation
In case of improvement:
10 times(15~20 times in case of very short repeat operation )
In case of setting for Standard Time:
more than 20 times at the minimum.

2) Operation cycle time (repeated time per one cycle)

In case of asking for observation frequency by operation cycle time
Cycle time Till Till Till Till Till Till Till Till Till Till More than
(min) 0.10 0.25 0.5 0.75 1.0 2.0 5.0 10.0 20.0 40.0 40.0
Observation
200 100 60 40 30 20 15 10 8 5 3
frequency

In case of short cycle, at least 50 times

In case of long cycle, 20~30 times
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