Chapter 9

Charting and Diagramming

Techniques for Operations Analysis
Outline:
1. Objectives

2. Traditional Engineering Charting and Diagramming

Techniques

3. Solved Examples
Methods Engineering

 Analysis and design of work methods and

systems, including the tooling, equipment,
technologies, workplace layout, plant layout,
and work environment
Objectives of Methods Engineering

 Increase productivity and efficiency

 Reduce cycle time

 Reduce product cost

 Reduce labor content

Methods Analysis

 Concerned with the study of an existing method or

process

 Objectives:

◦ Eliminate unnecessary and non-value-adding work

elements

◦ Combine elements and operations

◦ Rearrange elements into more logical sequence

◦ Simplify remaining elements and operations

Objectives of Charts and Diagrams
Used in Methods Engineering

1. To permit work processes to be communicated and

comprehended more readily
2. To use algorithms specifically designed for the
particular diagramming technique
3. To divide a given work process into its elements for
analysis purposes
4. To provide a structure in the search for
improvements
5. To represent a proposed new work process or
method
How to Create / Develop the Chart or
Diagram?
 Analyst is intimately familiar with the process and
develops a graphic to represent it

 Analyst observes and records information about the

process

 One-on-one interviews with those familiar with the

process
◦ A graphic model of the process is developed based on
these interviews

 Group meetings with personnel familiar with process

◦ The analyst records the discussion of the meeting.
◦ A graphic model of the process is developed based on
the group meetings
 How to Analyze the Chart or Diagram
 Algorithmic analysis
◦ Line balancing, critical path methods

 Checklists
◦ General questions applied to the particular
process to assess whether they can be applied to
the problem of interest

 Brainstorming
◦ Team activity in which participants contribute
recommendations

 Separating value-added and non-value-added

operations
◦ Value added steps:
1. Important to customer
2. Physically change the product or service
Checklist of Questions - Example
 What alternative starting material could be
used?

 Should the part be produced or purchased?

 Can this operation be eliminated, combined,

or simplified?

 Could a different joining method be used?

 Could the inspection task be automated?

Traditional IE Charts and Diagrams

 Operation charts

 Process charts

 Flow diagrams

 Activity charts
Recording Techniques using
traditional IE charts

Not covered in this course

Operation Charts
 Graphical and symbolic representation of the
operations used to produce a product

 The time to accomplish the operation is sometimes

also included.

 Two types of operations:

1. Processing and assembly operations

 Changing the shape, properties or surface of a
material or workpart
 Joining two or more parts to form an assembly

2. Inspection operations
 Checking the material, workpart, or assembly
for quality or quantity
 Operation Chart for Subassembly

Fabrication and assembly of an

electric motor
Checklist of Questions Used to Analyze an
Operation Chart
 The focus of the operation chart is on the materials of a
product and the operations on them

 Questions related to material

◦ What alternative starting material could be used?
◦ Make or buy decision: should the part be produced in
the factory or purchased?

 Questions related to operations

◦ Is this processing operation necessary?
◦ Can this operation be eliminated, combined, or
simplified?
◦ Could a different joining method be used?

 Questions related to inspection

◦ Is this inspection necessary?
◦ Could the inspection task be automated?
Process Charts
 Graphical and symbolic representation of the processing
activities performed either on something or by somebody.

 The chart consists of a vertical list of activities using symbols

to represent operations, inspections, moves, delays and
storage and other activities.

 Principal types of process charts:

1. Flow process chart – analysis of a material or workpiece
being processed
2. Worker process chart – analysis of a worker performing
a task
3. Form process chart – analysis of the processing of
paperwork forms

 All these charts are used to examine for possible

improvements of operations
Flow Process Chart
Uses five symbols to detail the work performed on a
material or workpart as it is processed through a
sequence of operations and activities:

 Operation – processing of a material

 Inspection – check for quality or quantity

 Move – transport of material to new location

 Delay – material waiting to be processed or moved

 Storage – material kept in protected location

Process Chart Symbols
1. Operation
 A large circle indicates operation.
 An operation takes place when there is a change in physical or chemical
characteristics of an object. An assembly or disassembly is also an
operation.
 When information is given or received or when planning or calculating
takes place it is also called operation.
 Example: Reducing the diameter of an object in a lathe. Hardening the
surface of an object by heat treatment
Process Chart Symbols
2. Inspection
 A square indicates inspection. Inspection is checking an
object for its quality, quantity or identifications.
 Example: Checking the diameter of a rod. Counting the
number of products produced. of an object by heat
treatment.
Process Chart Symbols
3. Transport
 An arrow indicates transport. This refers to the movement of an
object or operator or equipment from one place to another. When
the movement takes place during an operation, it is not called
transport.
 Example: Moving the material by a trolley Operator going to the
stores to get some tool.
Process Chart Symbols
4. Delay or temporary storage
 A large capital letter D indicates delay. This is also called as
temporary storage. Delay occurs when an object or
operator is waiting for the next activity.
 Example: An operator waiting to get a tool in the stores.
Work pieces stocked near the machine before the next
operation.
Process Chart Symbols

5. Permanent storage
 An equilateral triangle standing on its vertex represents
storage. Storage takes place when an object is stored and
protected against unauthorized removal.
 Example: Raw material in the store room.
 Flow Process Charts
 If the processing operation combined with an
inspection at the same workstation: combine symbols -
a circle inside a square

 Provides more detail about the steps required to

process a material than in the operation chart:
◦ is used to study a single work part rather than the
multiple components of an assembly

 The chart also indicates distances for move activities

and time values for other activities
Form for Flow Process Chart
Checklist of Questions Used to Analyze a Flow
Process Chart
 Questions Related to Material
◦ Make or buy decisions: Should the part be produced in the factory or purchased
from an outside vendor?

 Questions Related to Operations and Inspections

◦ Is the operation time too high?
◦ Is the inspection operation necessary?

 Questions Related to Moves

◦ How can moves be shortened or eliminated by combining or eliminating
operations?
◦ Can the level of mechanization in material handling be increased?

 Questions Related to Delays

◦ Is the delay avoidable?
◦ What is the reason for the delay? Can the reason be eliminated?

 Questions Related to Storage

◦ Is the storage necessary?
◦ Why can’t the material be move immediately to the next operation?
 Work Systems and the Methods,
Measurement, and Management
of Work
by Mikell P. Groover, ISBN 0-13-
140650-7.
©2007 Pearson Education, Inc.,
Upper Saddle River, NJ. All rights
reserved.
Worker Process Charts
 Used to analyze the activities of a human
worker as (s)he performs a task that requires
movement around a facility.

 Also known as process chart-person analysis

 The symbols are the same as flow process chart

◦ Storage activity is omitted since it is difficult
to interpret in the context of human work
activity
Form Process Charts
 Used to analyze the flow of paperwork forms and
office procedures
Process Chart

Study problem # 9.3 for next class discussion

Flow Diagram
Drawing of the facility layout with the addition of lines
representing movement of materials or workers within
the facility

 Arrows on the lines represent direction of movement

 Can be used to detect excessive backtracking, which

might be missed in a process chart. Also, excessive
travel, possible traffic congestion, location of delays,
and inefficient layout can be realized.
Flow Diagram
 The flow diagram reveals problems in the work flow
that may not readily be identified using the process
chart alone.

 For example, if the work flow involves considerable

backtracking, this can be identified in the flow diagram,
whereas it is indicated only as distances in the process
chart.

 Thus, it can be used to detect excessive backtracking

(which might be missed in a process chart), excessive
travel, possible traffic congestion, points where delays
typically occur and inefficient layout.
Milling machine and products
 Flow diagram for
worker setting up a
milling machine

Note the large number of trips back and forth between the milling
machine and the tool crib
Activity Charts
A listing of the activities of one or more subjects (e.g., workers,
machines) plotted against a time scale to indicate graphically
how much time is spent on each activity

 Types of activity charts:

◦ Right-hand/left-hand activity chart (workplace activity

chart)

◦ Worker-machine activity chart

◦ Worker-multimachine activity chart

◦ Gang activity chart (multiworker activity chart)

Shading Formats for Activity Charts
 Example

• Construct a worker-machine activity chart for this work cycle.

• Estimate the cycle time of this task
• Estimate the utilization of the worker and the machine.
 Solution
Worker Time Machine 1 Time Cum. time

Walk to tote pan 0.13 0.13

Pick up raw workpart and transport to 0.23 0.36

machine

Load workpart and engage automatic 0.12 0.48

cycle

Machine cycle 0.75 1.23

Unload finished part from machine 0.10 1.33

Transport part and deposit in tote pan 0.15 1.48

(b) Cycle time = 0.73 + 0.75 = 1.48 minutes

(c) Utilization of worker = (1.48 – 0.75) / 1.48 = 0.493 = 49.3%
Utilization of machine = (1.48 – 0.73) / 1.48 = 0.507 = 50.7%
Improved method
Worker Machine
Seq. Work Element Description Time Time
(min) (min)
1 Worker unloads finished part from machine 0.10 (idle)

2 Worker loads part into machine and engages 0.12 (idle)

semiautomatic machine cycle

3 Machine semiautomatic cycle 0.75

4 Worker transports finished part and deposits it into tote 0.15+

pan, walks to tote pan containing raw stock, and picks up 0.13+
raw workpart and transports it to machine. (This element 0.23=
is internal to the machine semiautomatic cycle.)
0.51
Total 0.73 0.75

Tc=0.10+0.12+0.75=0.97 min
 Worker Time Machine 1 Time Cum.
time
Unload finished part from 0.10 0.10
machine
Load raw part, engage auto 0.12 0.22
cycle
Transport finished part, 0.51 Machine cycle 0.75 0.97
deposit in tote pan, walk to raw
parts tote pan, pick up and
transport to machine

Summary: The cycle time for the revised cycle is 0.97 min, a 35% reduction
from the original cycle time of 1.48 min.
Right-Hand/Left-Hand Activity Chart
Right-Hand/Left-Hand Activity Chart
Task involves placing pegs into a peg board
Note that left hand is used as a workholder
Right-hand/left-hand activity chart

(a) If the workplace were redesigned using a workholding

fixture, and the worker were trained to use both hands
simultaneously to perform the task, construct a right-
hand/left-hand activity chart for the revised method,
estimating the amounts of time for each step in the
method.

(b) What is the percent reduction in cycle time?

Improved method
 Right-hand/left-hand activity chart

(a) The revised procedure

Left hand Time Right hand Cum. time

Pick up board, put in workholder 0.08 min 0.08 min
0.04 min Close workholder 0.12 min
Pick up 4 pegs from tray 0.05 min Pick up 4 pegs from tray 0.17 min
Insert 4 pegs into holes in board 0.10 min Insert 4 pegs in holes in board 0.27 min

0.03 min Open workholder 0.30 min

Remove board, place in tote pan 0.07 min 0.37 min

(b) The cycle time is reduced from 0.62 min to 0.37 min,
which is a 40% reduction in cycle time.
 Worker-machine Activity Chart

• Shows how work elements are allocated

between a worker and a machine.
• Help to identify opportunities for cycle
time improvements e.g., replacement of
external work elements by internal work
elements
 One Worker
Multiple Machines
Worker-Multi-machine Activity Chart
Can be used to indicate machine interference (when
a machine must wait for service because worker is
currently servicing another machine)