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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
Team Arabtec:
Bose Boppana
Jay Patel
Head of Business
Board Member
Department
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ 4
Area of Study .......................................................................................................................... 5
Site Logistics and Method of Study ..................................................................................... 7
Analysis of Existing Operation ............................................................................................ 9
Flow Chart ............................................................................................................................. 9
Process Chart ........................................................................................................................10
Analysis .................................................................................................................................10
Proposed Improvements ..................................................................................................... 11
Improved Proposal A............................................................................................................ 11
Process Chart .............................................................................................................. 12
Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 12
Implementation .......................................................................................................... 12
Improved Proposal B ............................................................................................................ 12
Process Chart .............................................................................................................. 13
Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 13
Implementation .......................................................................................................... 13
Improved Proposal C............................................................................................................14
Process Chart ..............................................................................................................14
Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 15
Implementation .......................................................................................................... 15
Summary of Cost................................................................................................................... 16
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 18
Appendix ................................................................................................................................ 19
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report outlines certain recommendations which
team Arabtec believes may help to improve the
efficiency of a single construction activity i.e. concrete
pouring and employs analytical methods to develop
Crew Balance Chart, Flow Diagrams,
and Process Chart.
The purpose of this report is to analyze process
efficiency on Midtown Plaza (The University Group
Housing), located at the intersection of 1st street and
Springfield in Champaign, Illinois. The project, valued at
$23 million, represents a significant investment and must
be completed on budget by spring 2018. Once Crew
balance chart, Flow diagram, and Process chart are
produced, these analytical tools will help the stakeholders
make more cost-effective investments in productivity
through the suggested improvements.
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
AREA OF STUDY
The project site selected to be observed was the construction of Midtown Plaza, The
University Group project in Champaign, IL. The development, which will span the
east side of First Street between Springfield Avenue and White Street, includes two
buildings with commercial space on the bottom floor and one- and two-bedroom
apartments on the upper floors, with a plaza lane adorned with terrace overhangs,
plants and outdoor seating between them. The buildings are slated to include brick,
metal siding and minimal artificial siding for exterior utilitarian spaces.
Dan Hamelberg is the owner and developer of this project and has a vision of
extending the campus town residences close to downtown Champaign. Wells &
Wells Construction Company is constructing this $23 million project. The company
started in 1989 by Daniel Wells with home renovations and remodels and has
evolved to provide general contracting services for custom homes, multi-family and
commercial projects. It was awarded this signature project in late 2016 and the
construction began on December 2, 2016.
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
Both the crew balance chart and the flow diagram/process chart aided in
determining the productivity and whether the time taken was used effectively or
not.
For the ease of visualization and simplicity, the following symbols were used to
represent the process observed:
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
FLOW CHART
Concrete Mixer
Truck
Chute
Formwork
for Wall
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
PROCESS CHART
ANALYSIS
To complete this study, our team watched all members of the crew
throughout the duration of the cycle. We recorded the specific task that each worker
was performing and its duration in chronological order. The observations were then
analyzed to determine inefficiencies or improvements. The concreting operation
crew includes one chute operator, two vibrator workers, one screed worker,
concrete finisher and a concrete conveyor truck. Under a cycle time of 520 seconds,
the productivity of the helper, vibrator operator, and the screed worker are very low
due to copious amounts of idle time. The working time of the helper is only 34%.
On the other hand, the chute operator with 84.6% of working time is most
productive in this cycle. The cycle starts from the moment concrete mixer truck
dumps concrete onto the concrete conveyor truck. Then, the chute operator guides
the chute and pours the concrete into the formwork. In other cycles, the truck may
be delayed by traffic issues, which can increase the idle time of other crew members.
After the concrete is poured, the finisher does not start until the screed worker is
done screeding previously poured concrete, which creates lots of idle time for the
finisher. Figure 1 in the appendix shows the crew balance chart for the observed
operation.
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
Based on the observed construction activity, three different proposals were
developed to improve productivity and reduce costs. These Proposals and analysis
are explained in the subsequent sections.
When calculating unit costs and crew information, RS Means and actual rates
provided by the contractor were used to get values for hourly wage rates of crew
members. These rates are summarized in the table below and the values are used in
the analysis of each of the following proposals.
IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL A
For our first proposed improvement to the observed process, we looked
exclusively at a need of the helper. We concluded that having the helper on during
the activity is wasteful and assigning his work between chute operator and vibrator
operator will improve the productivity while making changes to the crew balance.
The improvement not only reduces the cost of operation by the daily wage of the
helper but also improves the productivity of the job by cutting down on excess idle
time. Figure 2. in the appendix shows the crew balance for this improvement
proposal A.
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
PROCESS CHART
ANALYSIS
IMPLEMENTATION
To put this proposal into action, one of the observed worker (helper) will be
removed and his task will be reassigned to other two workers. By implementing this
improvement, the unit cost will be reduced by 13%. No extra labor or equipment is
employed for this improvement and no training is involved.
IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL B
The second improvement that we have proposed involves removal of one
vibrator operator during this activity. The vibration in the base cycle is being done
as a 2-man job, with one person holding the vibrator and the other holding the whip.
The same equipment, however, can be used as a strap-on device and be operated by
one man. The device, therefore, can be operated by one man, thus eliminating the
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
need for a second vibrator operator. The work of helper which was being done by
the second vibrator operator is now being done by the screeder, thus increasing the
screeders productivity. This improvement reduces the whole cost of the operation
by the daily wage amount of the second vibrator operator. The crew balance chart
for this improvement proposal B can be found in Figure. 3 in the appendix.
PROCESS CHART
ANALYSIS
IMPLEMENTATION
This proposal involves translating workload of two workers to one. Since
there is no cut down in the idle time of the crew, the output remains the same. While
trying to decide whether to remove one vibrator operator even when there is no
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
improvement in cycle time; we observed that the unit cost is being reduced. Thus,
we could increase the productivity of the cycle by 25%.
IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL C
For our third improvement proposal to the observed process, we realized that
productivity in the base cycle is good but there is room for improvement. After
thoroughly observing the crew, we found that there is a lot of inactivity during the
cycle. With none of the workers delivering the best. Hence, we suggested a
productivity improvement for the whole crew and therefore the complete cycle. By
eliminating the idle time for all the workers down to the minimum, we get a crew
cycle which is highly productive and efficient. This rearrangement reduces the cycle
time by 40 seconds, which is very good for production at the end of the day. This
final production cycle is not too rigid and not all soft. The workers will be at their
most efficient selves here and thus the entire process is optimized and at its most
productive. The crew balance chart for this improvement proposal B can be found
in Figure. 4 in the appendix.
PROCESS CHART
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
ANALYSIS
IMPLEMENTATION
This improvement retains the workforce size as it was after improvement 1.
The only change made in this improvement is a maximum reduction in idle time.
Applying these adjustments to the cycle, we observed 25% reduction of idle time for
vibrator operator, 28.57% for screeder and 50% for finisher respectively. Therefore,
improving the overall productivity by 8.3%.
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
SUMMARY OF COST
Original Improvement 1 Improvement 2 Improvement 3
Cycle
Men/Crew 6 5 4 4
Cycle Time (sec) 520 520 520 480
Total cost ($) 134.85 116.85 98.85 98.85
Output (CY/hr.) 62.31 62.31 62.31 67.50
Unit Cost ($/CY) 2.16 1.88 1.59 1.46
Productivity 10.38 12.46 15.58 16.88
(CY/man-hr.)
Table 5. Cost Summary of the observed construction activity
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
CONCLUSION
After performing the analysis of the existing operation and investigating
proposals for three different improvements, improvement proposal C exhibits the
highest productivity at 16.88 CY/man-hr. This is done by reducing the idle time of
the crew to its least. In addition, this improvement inherits the best of earlier
improvements and ends up having a cycle time of 480 seconds, a total cost of $98.85
and a unit cost of $1.46/CY.
Though the output stays the same even after two improvements, the first two
improvement proposal showed some significant improvements in productivity. In
addition, improvements made in both proposal A and B could reduce the unit cost
from $2.16 to $1.88 and $1.59 respectively.
KEY POINTS:
Construction creates the built environment within
which each citizen works, rests and plays. It has a
profound impact on how people undertake their work,
as well as their health and wellbeing. Creating
buildings that are effective is, therefore, essential to
raising productivity.
Raising productivity within construction paves the
way for increasing earnings and attracting more
skilled and talented people, improving the industrys
reputation and enhancing its potential to export
services and know-how to overseas markets.
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
APPENDIX
Legend:
Chute operation
Vibrating
Screeding
Finishing
Hammering
Occupied
Idle
Waiting
0-20
20-40
40-60
60-80
80-100
100-120
120-140
140-160
160-180
180-200
200-220
220-240
240-260
260-280
280-300
300-320
320-340
340-360
360-380
380-400
400-420
420-440
440-460
460-480
480-500
500-520
Figure 1. Base Cycle Crew Balance Chart
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
Time
Chute Operator Vibrator 1 Vibrator 2 Screeder Finisher Concrete Pump
(in sec)
0-20
20-40
40-60
60-80
80-100
100-120
120-140
140-160
160-180
180-200
200-220
220-240
240-260
260-280
280-300
300-320
320-340
340-360
360-380
380-400
400-420
420-440
440-460
460-480
480-500
500-520
Figure 2. Improvement Proposal A Crew Balance Chart
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
Chute Concrete
Time (in sec) Vibrator 1 Screeder Finisher
Operator Pump
0-20
20-40
40-60
60-80
80-100
100-120
120-140
140-160
160-180
180-200
200-220
220-240
240-260
260-280
280-300
300-320
320-340
340-360
360-380
380-400
400-420
420-440
440-460
460-480
480-500
500-520
Figure 3. Improvement Proposal B Crew Balance Chart
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Team Arabtec Construction Productivity Spring 2017
Chute Concrete
Time (in sec) Vibrator 1 Screeder Finisher
Operator Pump
0-20
20-40
40-60
60-80
80-100
100-120
120-140
140-160
160-180
180-200
200-220
220-240
240-260
260-280
280-300
300-320
320-340
340-360
360-380
380-400
400-420
420-440
440-460
460-480
Figure 4. Improvement Proposal C Crew Balance Chart
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