Definition of ‘Work measurement’ or ‘Time Study’ is the application of techniques designed

to establish the work content of a specified task, and the time required for a qualified worker to
carry out that work at a defined level of performance.
Work Measurement: Work measurement is the application of techniques designed to establish the
time for a qualified worker to carry out a specific job at a defined level of performance.

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PURPOSE OF WORK MEASUREMENT
1. To find ineffective time in a process
2. To set standard for output level
3. To evaluate worker's performance
4. To plan work force needs.
5. To determine available capacity
6. To compare work methods
7. To facilitate operations scheduling
8. To establish wage incentive schemes

THE QUALIFIED WORKER

A qualified worker is one who is accepted as having the necessary physical attributes, who
possess the required intelligence and education and who has acquired the necessary skill and
knowledge to carry out the work in hand to satisfactory standards of safety, quantity and quality

STANDARD RATING
Rating is the assessment of the worker's rate of working relative to the observers' concept of the
rate corresponding to standard pace.

STANDARD PERFORMANCE
It is the rate of output which qualified workers will naturally achieve without over-exertion as an
average over the working day or shift, provided that they know and adhere to the specified
method and provided that they are motivated to apply themselves to their work.
It provides the standard time that is the time needed by worker to complete a job by the
specified method. Therefore for any job, the method of doing it is first improved by method
study, the new method is implemented as a standard practice and for that job to be done by the
new method, and standard time is established by the use of time study. Standard times are
essential for any organization, as they are needed for proper estimation of
 manpower, machinery and equipment requirements
 daily, weekly or monthly requirement of materials
 production cost per unit as an input to selling price determination
 labor budgets
 Worker’s efficiency and make incentive wage payments.
By the application of method study and time study in any organization, we can thus achieve
greater output at less cost and of better quality, and hence achieve higher productivity.

Basic Steps of Time Study

a. Obtaining and recording all available information about the job, operator and the surrounding
conditions likely to affect the execution of the work
b. Recording the complete description of the method, breaking down the operation into
'elements'
c. Measuring with a stopwatch and recording the time taken by the operator to perform each
'element' of the operation.
d. Assessing the rating
e. Extending observed time to 'basic times'
f. Determining the allowances to be made over and above the basic time for the operation
g. Determining the 'standard time' for the operation.

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FACTORS AFFECTING RATE OF WORKING
(outside the control of worker)
1. Variation in the quality of materials used
2. Changes in the operating efficiency of the equipment
3. Changes in climatic and surrounding conditions of operation.
FACTORS WITHING THE CONTROL OF WORKER
a. Acceptable variations in the quality of the product
b. Variations due to his ability
c. Variations due to his attitude

THE TECHNIQUES OF WORK MEASUREMENT

1) Stop-watch time study
2) Work sampling
3) Predetermined time standards (PTS)
4) Standard Data
5) Synthesis from standard data;
6) Predetermined motion time systems;(PMTS)
7) Estimating;
8) Analytical estimating;
9) Comparative estimating.

Basic Time Study Equipment

1) A stopwatch;
2) A study board;
3) Pencils;
4) Time study forms.
5) Slide rules;
6) A reliable clock, with seconds hand;
7) Measuring instruments such as tape measure, steel rule,
8) micrometer, spring balance, and tachometer (revolution counter)

Example 1: Time study analyst has recorded average observed time (OT) for machining is
4.0 minutes, The Worker rating is 85% while the allowance factor is 13%. Calculate the
standard time (ST).
Solution:

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Example 2: The following observation is recorded by time study engineer. Calculate the
standard time considering allowance factor of 15%.

Note: Delete unusual or nonrecurring observations (marked with *)

Solution:
(a)Compute average times for each element
(A)Average time for A = (8 + 10 + 9 + 11)/4 = 9.5 minutes
(B)Average time for B = (2 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 3)/5 = 2.2 minutes
(C)Average time for C = (2 + 1 + 2 + 1)/4 = 1.5 minutes
(b) Compute the normal time for each element
Normal time = (Average observed time) x (Rating factor)
(A)Normal time for A = (9.5)(1.2) = 11.4 minutes
(B)Normal time for B = (2.2)(1.05) = 2.31 minutes
(C)Normal time for C = (1.5)(1.10) = 1.65 minutes

(c) Add the normal times to find the total normal time
Total normal time = 11.40 + 2.31 + 1.65 = 15.36 minutes

(d) Compute the standard time for the job

ST=NT(1+AF)=15.36(1+0.15)=15.36+2.304=17.664 minutes

Example 3: The time study engineer noted observed time for machining operation as 0.41
minute. The worker is working at 90% rating. The PFD allowance is 13%.Calculate the
standard time for the operation?

Normal time = (Average observed time) x (Rating factor)

Normal time = (0.41)(0.9) = 0.37 minutes
ST=NT(1+AF)=0.37(1+0.13)=0.37+0.0481=0.418 minutes

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Assuming normally distributed use the following formula to determine the sample size, n,
for a time study:

Example 4: KFC delivers fresh sandwiches each morning to vending machines throughout the
city. Workers work through the night to prepare the sandwiches for morning delivery. A worker
normally makes several kinds of sandwiches. A time study for a worker making ham and cheese
sandwiches is shown in Time Study Sheet. (a) Calculate the standard Time (b) Calculate the
standard time for sandwich assembly. How many ham and cheese sandwiches can be produced
in a 2-hour? (c) If the average cycle time is 0.361 minutes, and the standard deviation is 0.03
minutes. Calculate the number of cycles for a time study such that it can be 95 percent confident
that the average time computed from the time study is within 5 percent of the true average cycle
time.

Solution:

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Summary: t Total of individual element, t =Average, RF=Rating Factor, Nt=Normal Time

(a)Calculation of 1st Element:

Total of Element 1 time=0.04+0.05+0.05+0.04+0.06+0.05+0.06+0.06+0.07+0.05=0.53 minutes
Average Element Time=53/10=0.053 minutes
Rating =105 i.e. 1.05
NT=OT x RF = 0.053 x 1.05= 0.0556 say 0.056

NT (Cycle) =0.056+0.077+0.141+0113=0.387 min Allowance:15%

ST=NT(1+AF)= 0.387(1+0.15)=0.387+.05805=0.445 min

(b) Calculate the standard time for sandwich assembly. How many ham and cheese
sandwiches can be produced in a 2-hour?

(c) If the average cycle time is 0.361 minutes, and the standard deviation is 0.03 minutes.
Calculate the number of cycles for a time study such that it can be 95 percent confident that the
average time computed from the time study is within 5 percent of the true average cycle time.
The average cycle time = 0.361
Total cycle time for 10 cycles =0.361/10=3.61 minutes

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 CI= 95% , Using z = 1.96 for a probability of 0.95

Take Z=1.96, s=0.03, e=0.05,Taverage=0.361

The time study should include 11 cycles to be 95 percent confident that the time-study average
job cycle time is within 5 percent of the true average job cycle time.

Example 5: A time study engineer measures three elements A,B,C as 18.16,26.97 and 8.85
for 257 cycles. Calculate the standard time if the RF for elements A,B and C is 115,100 and
90.Consider PFD as 8.4

Solution:

Calculation for Element A:

(a)Average for Element A =18.46/257=0.0718 say 0.072
(b) Rating=115/100=1.15
(c) Element Average= 0.072 x 1.15=0.0828 say 0.083
NT (Cycle) =0.083+0.0105+0.031=0.219 min Allowance:8.4%
ST=NT(1+AF)= 0.219(1+0.084)=0.219+0.018396=0.237 min

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Example 6: A job having 9 elements is timed for 8 cycles. The average time for each element
and the respective standard deviation is given in table. If 90% CI and 10% accuracy is
recommended. Determine the number of cycles required..

Calculation for Element One:

Take Z=1.645, s=0.62, e=0.10, Taverage=2.9

=[(1.645)(0.62)/(0.10)(2.9)]2
=12.37 or 13 cycles for element one

Solution Table: