King Abdulaziz University IE 341: Work Study
Faculty of Engineering Fall 2024/2025
Department of Industrial Engineering Individual Assignment #2
Student's Name: ID: Section:
Q1. Decide whether each of the following statements is true or false. CORRECT if needed:
( ) Both "work measurement" and "time study" can be used to interchangeably in the area of work 1.
study.
( ) The engineered work measurement techniques are time-consuming but are more accurate than 2.
other methods.
( ) Time standards of an activity should be set before the method being standardized. 3.
( ) The average worker is capable of performing the task consistently throughout the shift with 4.
safety condition and without fatigue.
( ) The average worker should be given a rating higher than 100%. 5.
( ) The normal time is longer than the observed time. 6.
( ) Machine allowance is an example of policy allowance. 7.
( ) Direct Time Study is the best method for tasks with long cycle times. 8.
( ) Elemental performance rating is preferred when the cycle time is less than 1 min. 9.
( ) The purpose of adding allowances is to account for the various reasons why the worker loses 10.
time during the shift.
Q2. Answer the following questions:
(a) List the methods used for setting time standards. In which level of the pyramidal structure of work
each method can be used?
(b) List three characteristics of the average worker who should be considered in performance rating.
(c) What are the two stopwatch timing methods? Mention the advantages of each one.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Q3. Solve the following problems:
1. A time study analyst observed a repetitive work cycle performed by a worker. He made a record of
the work elements and made a note of the worker’s performance and rated it as 85%. The sum of the
observed times for the work elements was 1.38 min. The company uses a PFD allowance factor of
15%. Determine the standard time for the task.
2. In the ABC machine shop, workers punch in at 8:00 a.m. and punch out at 4:30 p.m. The labor-
management agreement allows 30 min for lunch, which is not counted as part of the 8-hour shift. In
determining the allowance for computing time standards, two 15 min breaks are provided (personal time
and fatigue), one in the morning and one in the afternoon; and 20 min have been negotiated as lost time
due to supervisor interruptions and equipment malfunctions. What PFD allowance factor should be
added to the normalized time to account for these losses in the computation of a standard time, so that if
the worker works at standard performance, he/she will produce exactly eight standard hours?
3. The observed element times and performance ratings collected in a direct time study are indicated in the
table below. The snapback timing method was used. The personal time, fatigue, and delay allowance in
the plant is 14%. All elements are regular elements in the work cycle. Determine (a) the normal time
and (b) the standard time for the cycle.
d c b a Work element
0.3 0.30 0.41 0.2 Observed time (min)
7 2
90 100 120 90 Performance rating
% % % %
4. The continuous timing method is used to direct time study a manual task cycle consisting of four
elements: a, b, c, and d. Two parts are produced each cycle. Element d is an irregular element performed
once every six cycles. All elements were performance rated at 90%. The PFD allowance is 11%.
Determine (a) the normalized time for the cycle and (b) the standard time per part. (c) If the worker
completes 844 parts in an 8-hour shift during which she works 7 hours and 10 min, what is the worker’s
efficiency?
d c b a Element
1.46 0.86 0.60 0.35 Observed time (min)
5. The snapback timing method was used to obtain average times for work elements in one work cycle.
The times are given in the table below. Element d is a machine-controlled element and the time is
constant. Elements a, b, c, e, and f are operator-controlled and were performance rated at 80%; however,
elements e and f are performed during the machine-controlled element d. The machine allowance is zero
(no extra time is added to the machine cycle), and the PFD allowance is 14%. Determine (a) the normal
time for the cycle and (b) the standard time for the cycle.
f e d c b a Element
0.1 0.2 0.7 0.1 0.3 0.2 Observed time (min)
4 6 6 7 0 4
6. The continuous timing method in direct time study was used to obtain the times for a worker-machine
task as indicated in the table below. Element c is a machine-controlled element and the time is constant.
Elements a, b, d, e, and f are operator-controlled and were performance rated at 95%; they are all
external elements performed in sequence with machine element c. The machine allowance is 30%, and
the PFD allowance is 15%. Determine (a) the normal time and (b) standard time for the cycle. (c) If the
operator works at 100% of standard performance in production and one part is produced each cycle,
how many parts are produced if the total time worked during an 8-hour day is 7.25 hours? (d) For the
number of parts computed in (c), what is the worker’s efficiency for this shift?
f e d c b a Element
2.1 1.7 1.2 1.0 0.4 0.2 Observed time (min)
0 5 9 8 0 2
