Work Study and Industrial Engineering

Work Study and Industrial Engineering

• Organizations need to improve efficiency and productivity in competitive environments.
• Work study and industrial engineering are crucial for job simplification, job design, job enrichment, and value analysis.
• Work study employs method study and work measurement to enhance human work potential, increasing productivity and efficiency.
• It focuses on maximizing productivity, optimizing plant/machinery usage, and standardizing work methods.

Objectives of Work Study

• Scientifically analyzing existing task execution methods.
• Measuring and establishing standard performance levels for qualified workers.
• Optimizing worker, plant, machinery, and other resource utilization at minimal cost.
• Improving productivity and worker morale.
• Increasing organizational efficiency.

Advantages of Work Study

• Increased production efficiency.
• Higher production levels and optimal resource utilization.
• Efficient material and product flow.
• Improved material handling and layout.
• Reduced production costs by decreasing time spent on jobs.
• Higher worker morale, safety, and efficiency.
• Establishing benchmark and standard performance levels.
• Enhanced job satisfaction and incentive planning.

Key Terms

• Work hour: One person's labor for one hour.
• Machine hour: One machine or plant's operation for one hour.
• Basic work content: Minimum time to produce one unit under ideal conditions (no inefficiencies).

Nature of Work Study

• Increases plant or operational unit productivity through work reorganization (minimal capital expenditure).
• Systematic approach, ensuring no efficiency-affecting factors are overlooked.
• Accurate in setting performance standards, essential for production planning and control.
• Improves safety and working conditions by identifying hazards and safer methods.
• Provides immediate and ongoing savings.
• Applicable to various environments (manufacturing, offices, stores, service industries, farms).
• Relatively inexpensive and easily implemented.
• A powerful tool for identifying and eliminating inefficiency.

Method Study and Work Measurement

• Method study systematically records and critically examines current work processes to improve them.
• Work measurement establishes time standards for qualified workers performing a task at a defined rate.
• Method study focuses on reducing work content; work measurement investigates and standardizes ineffective times.

Basic Procedure of Work Study

• Select the job/process.
• Record/collect relevant data.
• Critically examine recorded facts, scrutinizing purpose, location, sequence, performer, and tools.
• Develop the most cost-effective method.
• Evaluate the improved method and calculate standard time.
• Define and present the improved method, including time standards.
• Install the new method, training those involved.
• Maintain the new standard practice through ongoing monitoring.

Method Study

• Focuses on improving job design, from examining current and proposed methods.
• Aims to identify the most efficient, cost-effective operation method.
• Objectives are to study current and proposed work processes, develop improved methods for higher production, and optimize resource use.
• Procedures include work selection, current method recording, critical evaluation, method development, method installation, and maintenance.