Currently, most of the medium and large companies or organizations in Mexico carry out studies and applications to increase their productivity. However, the terms productivity and production are often confused. Productivity is the quantitative relationship between what we produce and the resources we use and Production refers to the activity of producing goods and / or services.
The Work Study presents us with several techniques to increase productivity. There are two branches of the study of work:
- Study of methods Study of times
The study of work involves analyzing the way to make the transformation at each stage of the process, we call this "study of methods."
Before studying specific jobs, the technician should examine the overall flow of product through the facility. Understanding the current situation allows you to be prepared to improve it. In the case of a product to be manufactured, it must first be divided into parts and then study the sequence of manufacture of the components and the sequence of assembly of these, the subassembly, the finished product and the output packaging. The techniques of:
- Operation diagramFlow diagramsBimabual diagramsHuman machine diagramsCursogramsThread diagramsTroute diagramsSymogram
The study of methods; allows you to analyze the process to improve it and determine the best method of doing the job.
Currently, organizations, regardless of their size and sector of activity, have to face competitive markets in which they have to reconcile the satisfaction of their customers with the economic efficiency of their activities.
Process Management coexists with functional administration, making possible a cross-functional management that generates value for the client and that, therefore, seeks their satisfaction. It determines which processes need to be improved or redesigned, establishes priorities and provides a context to initiate and maintain improvement plans that allow reaching established objectives. It makes it possible to understand how the processes are configured, their strengths and weaknesses. Whenever a process is to be redesigned or improved, its documentation is essential as a starting point.
The analysis of a process can lead to redesign actions to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve quality and shorten times by reducing production and delivery times of the product or service.
There are 8 stages of the study of methods:
- Select the process to study Record the work to be studied defining its limits in a direct observation of the relevant facts related to that work and collect appropriate additional data as necessary Record the work to study defining its limits in a direct observation of the relevant facts related to that work and collect from appropriate sources the additional data that are necessary Establish seeking the most practical, efficient and economical methods by the people concerned Evaluate different options to carry out a new method comparing the cost-effectiveness relation between the new current method Define the new method clearly to people who may concern Who is going to do it (Management, foremen and workers).Implement the new method with normal practice, training all the people who will use it. Control The application of the new method to avoid the use of the method.
On the other hand, within the work study we also include the time study:
Time study is a work measurement technique used to record the times and work rhythms corresponding to the elements of a defined task, carried out under certain conditions and in which the data is analyzed in order to find out the time required to carry out the task according to a pre-established execution rule.
Standard time is the time required for a fully skilled, normal-paced, average-type operator to carry out an operation.
Time is standardized in order to have a basis for scheduling work, determine standard labor costs, and hence sustain incentives for staff.
The analysis of a process can lead to redesign actions to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve quality and shorten times by reducing production and delivery times for the product or service.
Techniques for measuring work:
The main techniques used in work measurement are the following:
- Time study with stopwatch Instantaneous observation methods (work sampling) Predetermined time-motion rules (MTM, MODAPS) Film use Synthesis of standard data Analytical evaluation (personal experience)
Time study requirements
For the time study to be acceptable
- It must accurately measure each of the elements. It must be understandable. It must be capable of being easily measured.
Elements of time study
When specifying the entire operation as if it were a single element, the best way to describe the operation is not enough for the study of times, is by dividing it into defined, measurable elements and describing each of these separately.
Element: It is an essential part of a given activity or task, composed of one or more fundamental movements of the operator or the phases of a selected process for the purposes of observation and timing.
The elements by nature in the work cycle can be classified into the following types:
- Repetition or cycle elements: These are those that occur one or more times in a cycle of the operation or the work studied. Constant elements: These are elements that are located in various operations of the plant and that have similar bone characteristics are those whose execution time is always the same. Variable elements: They are those whose execution time changes according to certain characteristics of the product or process such as dimensions, weight, quality, etc. Casual or contingent (or cyclical) elements: They are those that do not appear in each work cycle but at both irregular intervals but are generally necessary for the operation periodically. Strange elements: They are those observed during the study and that when analyzed do not turn out to be a necessary part of the work.
The technique most used or employed in the engineering or training department to measure work is the study of times per stopwatch.
Equipment necessary to carry out the time study.
The equipment basically required for the analysis of a time study is the following.
- Chronometer Time study format (sheet of observations) Board of observations Auxiliary equipment such as (tachometer, vernier, gooseneck meter etc.)
Ways to take times by stopwatch
There are 2 basic procedures to measure the measured time of the elements of a duty cycle:
a) Continuous reading
It consists of starting the stopwatch and reading it at the end point of each item without deactivating the stopwatch for the duration of the study. * It is considered recommended for timing short elements.
Continuous reading advantages
- A complete record is obtained in one observation period No time is left unnoticed Exact values are obtained in short items There is less distraction for the analyst.
Disadvantages
- Its numerical calculation requires more time and requires greater concentration from the analyst.
b) Zero return or repetitive reading
It consists of starting the stopwatch from zero at the beginning of each element and deactivating it when the element ends and it returns to zero, this is done successively until the study is concluded. It is considered advisable for timing long elements.
Advantages of zero return or repetitive reading
- Calculation by item takes less time Out of order items are easily recorded Exact values are obtained in short items There is less distraction for the analyst
Disadvantages
- Its numerical calculation requires more time It requires greater concentration of the analyst The complete record is not obtained by not considering delays and strange elements It provides distraction for the analyst.
conclusion
Time is standardized in order to have a basis for scheduling work, determine standard labor costs, and hence support incentives for staff.
The analysis of a process can lead to redesign actions to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve quality and shorten times by reducing production and delivery times for the product or service.
Bibliography
- MEYERS Fred E. Studies of times and movements, for agile manufacturing, 2nd. Edition, Prentice Hall, Mexico 2000. Miller d. M., Industrial engineering and operations research, LimusaELWOOD, S. Buffa, «Administration and technical direction of Production», Fourth Edition, Editorial: Limusa, Mexico, DF, 1982, Pp 672KRICK, Edward V., «Engineering of Methods », Esditorial: LIMUSA, México DF, 1961, Pp 550NIEBEL, Benjamin, FREIVALDS Andris,« Industrial Engineering: Work Methods, Standards and Design »Tenth edition, Editorial: Alfaomega, México, DF, 2001, Pp 728 International Labor Office, «Introduction to the Study of Work», Fourth edition, Editorial: Noriega-Limusa, México DF, 1998. Pp 522.
