Overview
The field of Work Measurement includes a range of industrial engineering techniques such as Time Study, Work Sampling, and predetermined motion time systems (PMTS).
Time standards have traditionally been defined as the time required by an average skilled operator, working at a normal pace, to perform a specified task using a prescribed method, allowing time for personal needs, fatigue, and delay. In this way, This approach helps organizations develop ergonomic time standards for performing operations.
For over 30 years, PMC has been offering reliable and accurate work measurement services as part of its productivity improvement solutions. Starting with the automotive manufacturing industry, PMC has expanded its work measurement services to service industries such as healthcare and provided this service in conjunction with its lean and six sigma services.
PMC has several industrial engineering experts on its staff with more than 15 years of time study and work measurement experience who are MODAPTS Certified. Furthermore, PMC offers MODAPTS training for others who intend to prepare for the Certification exam. The training is given by a Professional Certified MODAPTS Instructor through the IMA (International MODAPTS Association) at cost-effective rates.
PMC’s complete Work Measurement services includes: Stopwatch Study-Generally applied for continuous indirect labor studies (example: Performing a time study on a forklift truck driver for an entire shift)
In a system involving different types of work elements, a combined approach using stop watch time study, work sampling, and MODAPTS/MOST/MTM may be deployed to achieve the most accurate and reliable work measurement results.
Additional Information
Case Study: Material Flow Study Reveals Over $4M Potential Annual Savings for Automotive OEM
Case Study: Medical Technology Improved by Industrial Engineering Methods
Case Study: Time Optimization Leads to Pipefitting Process Upgrade
Project: MODAPTS study for a major automotive supplier Case Study
What is Time Study?
Time study is a work measurement technique consisting of careful time measurement of the task with a time measuring instrument such as a stopwatch. Measurements are adjusted for any observed variance from normal effort or pace and to allow adequate time for such items as foreign elements, unavoidable or machine delays, rest to overcome fatigue, and personal needs.
Stopwatch study is the most popular method of Time Study. The work elements and length of the elements should be easily detected with definite end points, and should be as brief as is convenient to time.
What are predetermined motion time systems (PMTS)?
Predetermined motion time systems (PMTS) are widely used in the industry to establish time standards and set production standards. Unlike time studies, in which an analyst uses a stopwatch and subjectively rates the operator’s effort to calculate a standard time, a PMTS requires that the analyst break apart the process into its component actions, assign time values to each action, and sum the times to calculate the total standard time. PMC’s expertise in MODAPTS, MTM, and MOST can aid labor cost control, cost estimation, existing methods improvement, training, planning and scheduling, balancing production lines, evaluation of alternatives, and often serve as the basis for incentive plans.
What is Work Sampling?
Generally applied to study non-repetitive tasks with long cycle times, work sampling is a statistical technique for determining the proportions of time spent by subjects (e.g. workers, machines) in various defined categories of activity. It has the following uses:
- To determine total time devoted to various activities
- To determine machine/manpower utilization
- To determine allowances
