Time study software

[acsst30]

Any recommendations for time study software. The plant i'm working at needs time studies done because there are none. This is a mfg plant, where the operator sets up the machine, loads the machine with raw material, the machine runs, then the operator takes the formed parts to shipping and starts the whole process over. My main focus of the time study will be on their setup because most of the machines take over an hour to setup. I've researched several different software programs but just wanted to hear from the engr's who use them not the sales guy. Another option would be to have a consulting group come in and do the time studies for me. That would probably be faster but more money.
Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[mikek10]

Out of interest what kind of machines?

The company I work for invented all electric bending machines in order to reduce setup time compared with hudraulic machines

 

[acsst30]

They are all hydraulic forming and stamping machines.
It would be nice to get all new machines but that would be expensive. Right now i need to establish standards.

 

[gerhardl]

No software, but maybe a couple of points you could consider to slim down and simplify your time study:

1. Only factory employees know the process, product and operations, and the purpose/target of the study and the necessary accuracy required.

2. As the most important part before starting a time study is to identify the separate tasks and try to single them out, or to group them together in sensible parts, this can omly be done with heavy involvment of own employees.

3. A time study will always have a concrete purpose, either planning (material flow time per machine), cost or price of production, reduction of material and components 'in production ', or wage/accord setting.

4. You could try as a start to see how simple you could set up a spread-sheet for noting down time/data for each single machine to be studied. As a next step use 'the Scandinavina way' : involve the operators in noting down times in a self study. See how far this will bring you. The rest is pure statistics, and you will even be able to check on the 'personal variable'(if any) each different operator contribute, if sevaral operators do the same type of job on same or equal type of machines.

5. I think the first question you should ask is the exact purpose of the study, and planned actions as a result of the study, and start from there.

6. PS. If cutting down cost is a target, capital bound in 'goods in work under progress' is a point. Not only processing (machine time) is important, but also waiting for accessible machines and operators and waiting time between processes.

Good luck!

 

[PSE]

We are in the infancy stages of using IGraphx. The Process for Six Sigma version allows you to flowchart the procedure (which can help generate your time study spreadsheet) and then model it with your time study results. From there, you can run simulations on the process to determine efficiencies, bottlenecks etc. The couple of times we have used it to predict the outcome of procedural changes has worked quite well. The interface appears to be a good one as well.

http://www.igrafx.com/

Regards,

 

[looslib]

http://www.hbmaynard.com/softwareproducts/StandardsPro.asp

"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli

 

[acsst30]

I've tried contacting HBmaynard but they were bought out by Accenture and i have yet to be in contact with someone there. If you go through the Maynard site there is no response, but if you go through Accenture someone from there emails you and wants more information about what you need, and then they have someone contact you from Maynard. Well the guy from Maynard called once and left a message and i've tried calling him back several times and getting his voice mail. I've left a voice mail and i've yet to hear back. For a consulting company on work studies/methods this doesn't make the company look good.
I'll give them one more try and then forget them.
I have been talking to PMC but i think their services might be overkill (and expensive) for what i need.
I also looked at Timer Pro Professional software from Applied computer services. The software demo makes it pretty easy to use, but i would just have to figure out a timeline for how long it would take me to time study all the operations.
Any other consulting companies used that someone would recommend? or time study software?
Thanks.

 

[gerhardl]

Whats your situation, cost and timeframe? Farm it out to some university as students practical task? (Just an idea?)

Are your company, yourself or some of your collegues member of any organized interest/practical work group? Ask that way?

 

[SrIEBob]

I suggest talking to Industrial Timestudy Institute.

http://www.industrialtimestudy.com

I worked for a company that used them a few years ago to do some time studies for us. They were very professional knew what they were doing and got the project done much faster than if we would have tried to do it ourselves.

They also trained one of our engineers to do time studies.

They are easy to talk to and as I recall they were competitively priced.

I am no longer with that company but I still call or e-mail them from time to time with questions & they have always been willing to help.

Also they are well versed in time study software. As I recall they used pda's with software to take the studies.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lilunia]

Hi Acsst30,

just mentioned in a previous post to someone: my organization just got me UmtPlus/Umt Manager/Stat Umt. It was around $2k. it isuploaded onto a palm pilot. the individuals who make the software are very helpful.

however, the software does have some limitations. from the sound of PSE's software (IGraphix), though, mine sounds archaic. haha Wish i knew about IGraphix before purchasing UmtPlus. heh.

good luck and if i can help in any other way - please do let me know!

sincerely,
l

 

[griffengm]

It has been a while since I used it but Timer Pro was a very reasonably priced package with more features than I ever needed for basic time studies. It let me set up studies in Excel, move them to my PDA, run the study and transfer data back to Excel on my desktop.
Seems to me the cost was <$1000.

http://performance-measurement.com/m/timerpro.htm

A word of advice: don't try to make an elemental time study out of the set up process. You can make it way too complicated and miss seeing things going on around you that may be having a bigger effect than first glance might indicate. Look at the big picture first then drill down where needed.
Sometimes it is hard to know which way is up unless you stop to look which way the bubbles are moving.
Griffy