Computerized Work Measurement

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Computerized Work Measurement

• Where we are now and where we need to be
  going!
• by
• Carl R. Lindenmeyer
• Professor Emeritus of Industrial Engineering
• President and Director of Research Development
• C-FOUR

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State-of-the-ArtEngineered Work
MeasurementComputer Systems (Where we are now)

• CITS
• Computer-Integrated Time Study
• CAWS/E
• Computer-Aided Work Sampling
• with Microsoft Excel
• CAWS Mod I
• Work Sampling Study Designer

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Presentation Agenda

• CITS
• CAWS/E
• CAWS Module I - W/S Study Designer
• CITS Demonstration
• CAWS Demonstration
• Informal Hands-on CITS and CAWS/E Sessions with
  Handheld PCs
• Summary

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CITS Computer-Integrated Time Study

• Shirt pocket data collection using the new
  Handheld PC and Microsofts Mobile Devices
  software for file transfer.
• Touch Screen or numeric/alpha key data entry on
  the Handheld PC. Option to use a notebook PC for
  data collection. The mini-notebook PC, e.g.,
  Mitsubishi Amity CN, works fine and it only
  weighs about 2 pounds.
• Choice of 1/100th or 1/1000th minute or
  1/10,000th or 1/100,000th hour timing units.
• Ability to handle out-of-order, non-cyclic (e.g.,
  stock-up, QA check), and foreign elements.

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CITS Computer-Integrated Time Study(continued)

• Handheld PC (H/PC) entry of study information and
  performance ratings. CITS now permits
  performance rating of the active element on the
  fly in order to reflect changes in the
  operators performance rate during the time
  study.
• Real Time feedback of statistical number of
  observations for 10 accuracy on both the
  Handheld and Desktop/Notebook PC.
• Start, stop, and elapsed time for entire study
  automatically recorded.
• Cycle number and elemental elapsed times
  displayed in real time.
• Handheld PC entered performance ratings can be
  edited and non-cyclic elemental frequencies and
  P, F, D allowances entered (on desktop or
  notebook PC).

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CITSHandheld PC Data Collection
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(No Transcript)
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CITS Computer-Integrated Time Study(continued)

• Performance ratings and P, F, D allowances may
  be applied to the cycle overall or to each
  element separately.
• The P, F, D allowance percentage can be based
  upon the entire shift minutes or the working
  minutes in the shift.
• Powerful data management facility includes
  histograms of elemental times (both sequence and
  relative frequency)
• Sequence and relative frequency histograms may be
  sent to printer or clipboard for inclusion in the
  study documentation.
• Opportunity to eliminate outliers. Updated
  number of observations for target accuracy are
  calculated and displayed as data is edited and
  variability reduced.
• Opportunity to reload original data at any time.

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CITSData Management/Histogram Analysis
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Effect of Outlier Removal on Accuracy
Note When Element 1 (Get) Cycle 9 time is
removed, the number of observations for 95.4
confidence and /- 10 accuracy goes from 110
observations to 29 observations.
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CITS Computer-Integrated Time Study(continued)

• The final analysis screen shows study results in
  minutes or hours, the production rate per hour,
  and in Standard Hours per 100 or 1000 cycles
  (SH/C or SH/M). Analyst can change production
  unit description (units, cycles, dozen, gross,
  etc.) on the Study Information screen.
• For the final standard time calculation, either
  the mean or median can be used. Using the median
  removes the impact of outliers.
• Final analysis shows number of observations, sum
  of element times, average or overall performance
  rating, normal time, and standard time reported
  for each element.
• Up to twenty (20) elements per cycle and
  virtually an unlimited number of cycles can be
  timed.
• All phases of the time study may be printed
  individually or together.

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CITS Final Analysis Screen
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CITS Computer-Integrated Time Study(Powerful
New Features!)

• Any observation can be tagged with a single alpha
  character and a short description of the nature
  of the event. This tag appears on the Data
  Management print output. The show tag command
  in Data Management allows the analyst to see all
  tags made during the study with their
  descriptions.
• CITS now allows Export to Excel of any and all
  reports. This feature is finished its Beta Test
  and is part of all current CITS systems
  distributed. Upgrades are available at nominal
  cost. CITS latest version is 1.6.8.
• The new Event Report Generator allows the
  analyst to print out every event recorded during
  the study in the order the events occurred.
  Start, stop, elapsed time, and each observations
  performance rate is shown for each event.

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CITSData Tagging Feature
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CITSView Tag Information
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CITS (Export to Excel feature)Data Tagging Shown
on Raw Data Report
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CITS (Export to Excel Feature)For Time Studies
Merger, Standard Data Development, etc.
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CITS (Export to Excel Feature)Event History
Report
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CAWS/EComputer-Aided Work Sampling with
Microsoft ExcelTM

• Handheld PC (H/PC) data collection using
  Microsofts Pocket Excel and read-only custom
  template, collect.pxl
• As in CITS, easy transfer of the data collection
  file to the desktop or notebook PC using MS
  Mobile Devices software.
• Option to use a lightweight (sub-) notebook PC
  for data collection. The Mitsubishi Amity CN or
  the Hitachi Libretto are examples of
  mini-notebook PCs that work well.
• Each work sampling observation is code tagged
  with its week, day, shift, hour, supervisor,
  group under the supervisor, as well as a subject
  descriptor code.

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CAWS/EData Collection File, collect.pxl
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CAWS/EComputer-Aided Work Sampling with
Microsoft ExcelTM (continued)

• Powerful data sort feature permits detailed
  reports of the work sampling data (e.g., by day
  of the week, hour of the shift, individual
  subject studied, etc.)
• Powerful data management select features permit
  easy exclusion of data (such as exclusion of the
  first week of the study).
• All reports are in Microsoft Excel format
  permitting easy report formatting and graphical
  presentation of comparative and trend results.
  Results may be generated in raw form and using
  the Excels Pivot Table and Chart Wizard
  features, integrated graphic reports are easily
  developed.

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CAWS/EAnalysis Report Generator
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CAWS/E Summary Report(all data -- 6678
observations)
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CAWS/EExample Sort Report (only hour 1 of the
shift)
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CAWS/EUsing Excels Pivot Table Feature (Raw
Data Output)
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CAWS/E Totally Integrated Graphics using
Microsoft Excels Pivot Table and Chart Wizard
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CAWS Mod IComputer-Aided Work Sampling W/S Study
Designer Software

• Permits calculation of number of observations for
  a given confidence level (90, 95.4, 99.7) and
  a given relative or absolute accuracy.
• Permits calculation of relative and absolute
  accuracy given the confidence level (as above)
  and a given number of observations.
• Generates a random time trip schedule allowing
  sufficient time for observer to make each trip
  and generates random selection of alternative
  observer routes.
• CAWS Mod I now runs on the Handheld PC, random
  trip times announced to the analyst, and
  integrated with CAWS/E data collection using the
  custom spreadsheet template,collect.pxl.

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W/S Study Designer Initial Screen
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W/S Study Designer -- Data Input Screen
Random Trip Time and Route
Scheduler
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CAWS Mod I - W/S Study Designer
Final Random Trip Time Schedule (Screen Print)
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CITS Computer-Integrated Time Study

• Demonstration

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CAWS/E Computer-Aided Work Sampling with
Microsoft ExcelTM

• Demonstration

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Summary

• Some additional CITS enhancements
• short cycle timing (auto sequencing - timing
  using the enter key)
• element button labeling (for aiding the analysts
  memory)
• 40 element CITS Special Edition now in Beta
  Testing
• customization for the client is possible
• Free analyst training in C-FOURs facility.
  Strong technical support. In-house training at
  nominal cost.
• Costs (we provide custom quotes and multiple unit
  discounts)
• Many other products and services are available
  from C-FOUR

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• Computerized Work Measurement . where we
  need to be headed!

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Whats in the Future for CITS?

• Data outlier removal directly from the elemental
  histogram
• Ability to reload individual data points that
  have been removed (presently, you have to reload
  all data points that have been removed).
• Automatic highlighting of data points outside of
  ? 2 sigma (maybe also ? 3 sigma) from the mean
  with (maybe) mass removal option
• Both Palm and Pocket PC CITS and CAWS, and .
• Hopefully (no, we promise), a whole lot more!

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Shirt Pocket Systems from C-FOUR! PalmCITS,
PocketCITS, PalmCAWS, and PocketCAWS! Also
Self-Administered Work Sampling with the Palm and
Pocket PCs!
Touch Screen Self-Administered Work
Sampling
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PocketCAWS This system uses the new Pocket PC for
work sampling data collection. Since the Pocket
PC (the HP 545 Jornada screen is shown here) runs
Microsoft Windows CE, all of the MS Pocket Suite
programs are available including Pocket Excel.
The CAWS/E programs are 100 supported, the only
difference between PocketCAWS and the CAWS/E that
runs on the Handheld PC (e.g., HP 660LX) is that
the amount of data that can be shown on the
screen is less and more scrolling is required to
enter the work sampling data. PalmCAWS, which
runs on the Palm PC (e.g., Palm IIIe) is now also
available.
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PalmCITS This computerized work measurement
system works just like the CITSWCE system on the
Handheld PC with a few less features. The screen
shown here is used for touch screen time data
collection. As in CITSWCE, up to 20 elements per
cycle may be timed. Up to 5000 cycles may be
timed. A Performance (Pace) Rating screen may be
accessed at the end of the time study for the
analyst to enter pace ratings. Microsofts
ActiveSync program is used to export the data to
the CITS APR program modules on the desktop PC.
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Some Directions and Ideas!

• A Productivity-Efficiency Monitor, PEM (Patent
  Pending) Where we are today in the RD on the
  PEM.
• An Artificial Intelligence-Based Expert System
  for Algebraic Time Formula Development for Group
  Technology-Based Families of Work
• VIDEO-CITS (An integrated camcorder - PC system
  for work measurement)

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Some More Directions and Ideas!

• Remote-based time study (using the PEM)
• Automated Performance (Pace) Rating (they say it
  cant be done!)
• Self Administered Work Sampling (integrated with
  CAWS/E)

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C-FOUR Products Services

• Computer Work Measurement Systems
• Videotapes (38 of them!) for Clients In-House
  Training. New Pace Rating Benchmarking Videos.
• Public and In-Plant Training (Time Study, Work
  Methods/Simplification, Advanced Work
  Measurement, many other topics). New, very
  special five (5) day course. Total Immersion!
• Cost Effective Consulting and Technical Advising

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Work Methods Standards Time Study Fundamentals
Seminar/Workshop

• 4-day Course offered in the Spring and Fall
• Clemson South Carolina Ramada Inn
• Small (20 or less) class - strong individual
  attention
• Superior course manual (great for research and
  review after the course)
• Discount certificates and free software worth
  1395. Multiple registration discounts.
• Call for up-to-date information -- 1-800-558-2514

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C-FOURClemson ConsultingClearinghouse
Corporation

• 102 East Main Street, P.O. Box 808
• Pendleton Professional Building
• Pendleton, SC 29670-0808
• 1-800-558-2514
• Web Site http//www.c-four.com