Typical industrial problems and appropriate method study techniques

Type of job

Examples

Recording technique

Complete
sequence of
manufacture

Manufacture of an electric motor from

raw material to dispatch.
Transformation of thread into cloth
from preparation to inspection.
Receipt, packing and dispatch of fruit.

Outline process chart

Flow process chart
Flow diagram
Priority graphs

Factory layout:
movement of
materials

Movements of a diesel engine cylinder

head through all machining operations.
Movements of grain between milling
operations

Outline process chart

Flow process chart,
material type
Flow diagram
Travel chart
Models

Factory layout:
movement of
workers

Labourers servicing spinning

machinery with bobbins.
Cooks preparing meals in a restaurant
kitchen.

Flow process chart, man

type
String diagram
Travel chart

Handling of
materials

Putting materials into and taking them Flow process chart,

out of stores.
material type Flow
Loading lorries with finished products. diagram String diagram

Workplace layout

Light assembly work on a bench.

Typesetting by hand.
Multiple activity chart.
Simo chart.

Flow process chart, man

type
Two-handed process
chart

Chronocyclegraph.

Cyclegraph

Gang work or
Assembly line.
Multiple activity chart
automatic machine Operator looking after semi-automatic Flow process chart,
operation
lathe.
equipment type
Movements of
Females operatives on short-cycle
operatives at work repetition work.
Operations demanding great manual
dexterity.
Micromotion analysis.

Films
Film analysis
Simo chart
Memotion photography