EN412300 Industrial Work Study and Productivity Improvement
Process Analysis
Asst. Prof. Sirawadee Arunyanart
Department of Industrial Engineering
Khon Kaen University
Process Analysis
Process Analysis is the rational breakdown of the production process into
different phases that turn input into output. It refers to the full-fledged
analysis of the business process, which incorporates a series of logically
linked routine activities that use the resources of the organization to
transform an object with the aim of achieving and maintaining process
excellence.
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Process analysis helps understand a work process or some part of a
process. It is used to clarify how the process operates and to determine
potential targets for improvement through removing waste and
increasing efficiency.
Tools which is widely used in the analysis of production processes include:
▪ Operation Process Chart (แผนภูมกิ ระบวนการทางาน)
▪ Flow Diagram (แผนภาพการไหล)
▪ Flow Process Chart (แผนภูมกิ ระบวนการไหล)
▪ Assembly Chart (แผนภูมกิ ารประกอบ)
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Search for problem/ waste
Understand overall production process
from the Operation Process Chart
Analyze Flow Diagram 3 GEN
1. Genba (actual place)
Analyze Flow Process Chart
2. Genbutsu
(item/product)
Analyze Assembly Chart
3. Genjitsu (facts)
Define problems/waste
Kaizen/Improvement 4
Operation Process Chart
▪ A diagram showing the stages in the production or operation process of
a particular product or service from the beginning into the finish.
▪ It can record the production process of a single product within one
department or multiple products in different departments at the same time.
▪ Details of the workflow or production process will be described in the boxes
connected with arrows.
▪ Can be used for communication with outsiders to make them understand
the overall production process.
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Guidelines for analyzing the operation process chart
▪ Study and clearly define the process from beginning to finish.
▪ Identify the main work processes that must be completed in the
sequence of work steps.
▪ Specify the point where parts are assembled.
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Bring raw materials into the mixer Example of Operation
Take mixed raw material into the rubber
rolling machine Process Chart
Cut the rolled rubber sheet to the specified
weight
Put the cut rubber sheet into press machine
to make stripe at shoe soles Flip-flop production
Cut the rubber sheet into the shape of flip-
flop shoe
Make holes in the shoe soles
Put sticker on top of the of flip-flop
Put strap
Put flip-flop in plastic bag
Pack in the box and put label
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Frozen tuna
Example of Operation
Ice melting (-2–2 0C)
Clean and remove the entrails
Process Chart
Steam (70-90 0C)
Cool down
Canned fish production
Remove head, skin, and bone
Remove red meat
Pack in can Clean aluminum can
Put the lid on
Heat sterilization
Cool down
Pack in the box and put label
Keep in storage 8
Example of Operation
Process Chart
Steel production
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Flow Diagram
A graphic representation of the position
of departments and machines that are
all related to production and the
physical route or flow of people,
material, paperwork, vehicles, or
communication associated with a
process from beginning to end
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Type of flow diagram
Observation object
Man-Type Material-Type
▪ Show the movement and action of ▪ Show the movement of material or
an operator working through each components through each
production process production process
▪ Focus on the operator ▪ Focus on a material or component
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Type of flow diagram (cont’d)
Dimension of layout
Single floor Multi-floor
Show the flow in the horizontal Show the flow in both horizontal
plane and vertical planes (3
(2 dimensions) dimensions)
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Guidelines for analyzing the flow diagram
▪ Make a drawing or floor plan using an appropriate scale with the following details:
- Department or workplace used for various production activities
- Location of machines
▪ Write symbols to show where the activities are performed in the floor plan.
O is Operation is Transportation
is Quantitative Inspection is Qualitative Inspections
D is Delay or Wait is Storage
▪ Draw a line showing the movement of the object of observation (man/material) on the
floor plan by using an arrow ( → ) to determine the direction of movement.
▪ Record the distance of movement from the start to the end of production.
▪ Examine the flow's routing and complexity, including intersections, to identify areas for
improvement.
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Exercise 1
Draw a flow diagram of canned rambutan from the giving operation process chart
Operation process chart of canned rambutan
Rambutan stored in the raw material storage
Wash and clean rambutan
Weigh and check the quality
Peel skin and remove seed
Mix rambutan and syrup in a can and close the lid
Steam
Cool down
Put label and pack in a box
Keep in warehouse 14
Flow
diagram (1)
Storage (2)
Washing department
Materials Type
(3)
(4) Inspection
Sorting department department
(5)
Mixing and packing
department
(7) (6)
(8) Packaging Steaming
Warehouse department department
Flow Process Chart
▪ A graphical and symbolic representation that illustrates the sequence of
actions performed during an operation process.
▪ It shows the steps of a process along a vertical line using symbols and text.
▪ A chart distinguishes the activities of the operator from the activities done
on the product, which helps in clearly analyzing the process.
▪ Various activities are classified into six types, including both value-added
and nonvalue-added activities.
▪ Commonly used when analyzing the steps in a process to help identify and
eliminate waste.
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Symbols used in flow process chart
Symbol Title Description
Produce or process something, or change one or more
Operation characteristics of the material
Movement of people, materials, or other items from
Transport one place to another. May be accompanied by a
distance measurement
Quantitative
Inspection Checking items to ensure correct quantity
Qualitative
Inspection Checking items to ensure correct quality
Idle time of people or machines, or temporary storage
D Delay
of materials
Storage Permanent storage of materials or other items
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Mixed symbol
The overlay symbol is used for a combination of actions (performing two
activities at the same time). The main activity is outside.
Symbol Description
Check items to ensure correct quality and also check
quantity
Check items to ensure the correct quantity and also
check quality
Produce something and also check the quantity of items
Produce something and also move it from one place to
another
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Example of
using the
symbol
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Analysis and classification of processes
Operation Semi-Operation Non-Operation
(Work) (Partial Work) (Idle)
▪ Value added work ▪ Non value added work but ▪ Non value added work
necessary in supporting
▪ For example: main task which causes lost
processing, assembly, ▪ Can be eliminated by production time
machine control, improving the system ▪ For example: talking,
packing product ▪ For example: inspection, waiting
storage, handling,
machinery preparation
Necessary Unnecessary
Value added Non-Value added
Guideline for analyzing the flow process chart
▪ Clearly define the objective of the analysis. For example, reducing the amount of
movement, increasing production efficiency, etc.
▪ Identify the process and its details.
▪ Determine the type of observation to be analyzed (man/material).
▪ Analyze the process from the beginning by recording the actual work using symbols
to represent the activities that occur in each step.
▪ Collect relevant detail.
▪ Link the line between the symbols from top to bottom.
▪ Summarize the operation steps in the summary table.
▪ Use together with the flow diagram will help in identifying the waiting and moving
distance.
▪ Can use the same chart to compare results before and after improvement.
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Example of
flow process
chart
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Example flow process chart analysis (Current work method)
CHART NO. __1__ Summary
SHEETNO. _1_ OF __1__ Symbol Current Improvement Difference
Material Operation
Worker Storage
Activity: Mold change Transportation
Method: Present Proposed Delay D
Department: Stamping Quantitative inspection
Report by: Mr. A Qualitative inspection
Time Distance
Description (min) (m) Symbol
Waiting for forklift 10 D
Remove the mold 5 D
Move the mold to storage 8 30 D
Wait for new mold 12 D
Move the new mold to stamping department 8 30 D
Put the new mold 10 D
Check mold assembly 5 D
Summary 58 60
Improvement
method
▪ An organized mold change plan and being certain about the time will allow
preparations for forklifts and new molds to be made, resulting in reduced waiting
times.
▪ Prepare a place to be ready to place a new mold without wasting time searching,
and arrange it close to the metal stamping machine. When changing molds, the old
mold can easily be lifted out and the new mold inserted.
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Example flow process chart analysis (Improvement)
CHART NO. __1__ Summary
SHEETNO. _1_ OF __1__ Symbol Current Improvement Difference
Material Operation
Worker Storage
Activity: Mold change Transportation
Method: Present Proposed Delay D
Department: Stamping Quantitative inspection
Report by: Mr. A Qualitative inspection
Time Distance
Description (min) (m) Symbol
Remove the mold 5 D
Move the mold to storage 2 3 D
Move the new mold to stamping department 2 3 D
Put the new mold 10 D
Check mold assembly 5 D
Summary 24 6
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Summary of the analysis
Activity Current Improvement Different
Operation 2 2 0
Storage 0 0 0
Transportation 2 2 0
Delay D 2 0 2
Quantitative inspection 0 0 0
Qualitative inspection 1 1 0
Distance 60 6 54
Time 58 24 34
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Exercise 2
Determine symbol for each activity in the flow process chart of bread production.
Activity: bread production Type: Material Man
Method: Present Proposed Report by:………………….……
Distance Time
Description (m) (min) Symbol
Weigh flour on the scale D
Transport weighed flour bag to production department D
Flour bag waiting before production D
Bring the flour bag to the mixer D
Mix the flour and other ingredients in the mixer D
the mixer mixes the ingredients D
Check the dough D
Remove the dough from the mixer D
Take the dough to table D
Put the dough into trays D
Take the trays to the oven D
Bake D
Bring bread to the packing department D
Packing D
Summary
Assembly Chart
▪ A chart shows the sequence of assembly operations constituting the
assembly process in the production of goods that are composed of various
parts.
▪ It is like a flow process chart that is used when there are many parts or
components assembled at different points. Each part or component can be
written separately in its own flow process chart.
▪ Each production or assembly process is analyzed using the same symbols
as the flow process chart, then linked by a solid line to show the point of
convergence or separation of parts
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Guideline for analyzing the assembly chart
▪ Clearly define the objectives of the analysis. For example, study the details of the
production process to balance the production line.
▪ Identify the main components that are assembled, then analyze the process of each
component and the point at which it is connected or assembled to the main part.
▪ The symbols used in analyzing an assembly chart are divided into two types:
- Analyze by using all six symbols
- Analyze by using only operation and inspection symbols
▪ Specify other details such as the number of pieces, time, name, step, etc.
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Example of
assembly chart
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Assembly chart of blower housing
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Assembly chart of blower wheel
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