Operation Analysis

The Nine Points of Operation

Analysis
Questions every analyst should ask

Once all factual information are gathered, the

analyst should review each operation and
inspection presented and should ask a
number of questions…
 Why is this operation necessary?
 Why is this operation performed in this
manner?
 Why are these tolerances this close?
 Why has this material been specified?
Questions every analyst should ask

 Why has this class of operator been

assigned to do the work?
 How can the operation be performed better?
 Who can best perform the operation?
 Where could the operation be performed at
a lower cost or improved quality?
 When should the operation be performed to
yield the least amount of material handling?
The Nine Points of Operation Analysis

 Operation Purpose
 Part Design
 Tolerances and Specifications
 Material
 Manufacture Sequence and Process
 Setup and Tools
 Material Handling
 Plant Layout
 Work Design
Operation Purpose

Probably the most important of the nine

points of operation analysis
An analyst’s cardinal rule is to try to
eliminate or combine an operation
before trying to improve it.
Operation Purpose

• Eliminate all unnecessary work

• Combine operations or elements
• Change the sequence of operations
• Simplify the necessary operations
Example 1
In one plant, armatures were previously spray painted in
a fixture, making it impossible to cover the bottom of the
armature with paint because the fixture shielded the
bottom from the spray blast. It was therefore necessary
to touch up the armature bottoms after spray painting. A
study of the job resulted in a redesigned fixture that held
the armature and still allowed complete coverage. In
addition, the new fixture permitted seven armatures to be
spray painted simultaneously, while the old method
called for spray painting one at a time.
Example 2
In the manufacture of large gears, it was necessary to
introduce a hand-scraping and lapping operation to
remove waves in the teeth after they had been hobbed.
An investigation disclosed that contraction and
expansion, brought about by temperature changes in the
course of the day, were responsible for the waviness in
the teeth’s surfaces. By enclosing the whole unit and
installing an air-conditioning system within the enclosure,
the company was able to maintain the proper
temperature during the whole day. The waviness
disappeared immediately, and it was no longer
necessary to continue the hand-scraping and lapping
operations.
Part Design

• Reduce the number of parts by

simplifying the design
• Reduce the number of operations and
the length of travel in manufacturing by
joining the parts better and by making
the machining and assembly easier
• Utilize a better material
Part Design

• Liberalize tolerances and rely on key

operations for accuracy, rather than on
series of closely held limits
• Design for manufacturability and
assembly
Example 1

A four-step process was used to bend a part

into the desired shape. This was inefficient
and stressed the metal at the bends. The
design was slightly altered so that the less
expensive process of extruding could be
utilized. The extruded sections were then cut
to the desired length. In the redesigned
process, three steps were eliminated.
Example 2
Design simplification through the better joining
of parts was used in assembling terminal clips to
their mating conductors. The original practice
required turning up the end of the clip to form a
socket. The socket was filled with solder, and the
wire conductor was then tinned, inserted into the
solder-filled socket, and held there until the
solder solidified. The altered design called for
resistance welding the clip to the wire conductor,
eliminating both the forming and dipping
operations.
Form Design
 maintain simplicity in the form design, keeping the
amount of necessary input information at a minimum
 provide ample space for each bit of information,
allowing for different input methods (writing,
typewriting, word processor)
 sequence the information input in a logical pattern
 color code the form to facilitate distribution and
routing
 provide adequate margins to accommodate
standard filing facilities and procedures
 confine computer forms to one page
Tolerances and Specifications

Analysts must also be alert for too

liberal, as well as too restrictive,
specifications
Analysts should also take into
consideration the ideal inspection
procedure
Example
One manufacturer’s drawings called for a 0.0005-inch
tolerance on a shoulder ring for a DC motor shaft. The
original specifications called for a 1.8105 to 1.8110-inch
tolerance on the indside diameter. This close tolerance
was deemed necessary because the shoulder ring was
shrunk onto the motor shaft. Investigation revealed that a
0.003-inch tolerance was adequate for the shrink fit. The
drawing was immediately changed to specify a 1.809 to
1.812-inch inside diameter. This change meant that a
reaming operation was eliminated because someone
questioned the absolute necessity of a close tolerance.
Inspection Procedures

 Spot inspection
 a periodic check to assure that established
standards are being realized
 Lot by lot inspection
 a sampling procedure in which a sample is
examined to determine the quality of the
production run or lot
 100 percent inspection
 inspecting every unit of production and rejecting
the defective units
Material

 Finding a less expensive material

 Finding materials that are easier to process
 Using materials more economically
 Using salvage materials
 Using supplies and tools more economically
 Standardizing materials
 Finding the best vendor
Finding a Less Expensive Material

Today, many plastics are competing effectively

with metals and wood. In the manufacture of
gasoline mechanical pump computer wheels,
a 13-cent per-unit savings was made, as well
as $10,000 per year savings in tool
maintenance, by converting two parts of the
assembly from steel to plastic. The pawl had
originally been made of sheet steel that had
to be blanked, tumbled, and ground to
tolerance. The new pawl was made by
injection molding the plastic Delrin.
(Cont.)
Similarly, the stamped and coined steel gear
was changed to a redesigned injection-molded
thermoplastic. The new design of the mechanical
pump computer wheel assembly not only was 13
cents less expensive to produce, but also proved
to have greater reliability and be maintenance
free, giving a longer service life. Methods
analysts should remember that items such as
valves, relays, air cylinders, transformers, pipe
fittings, bearings, couplings, chains, hinges,
hardware, and motors can usually be purchased
at less cost than they can be manufactured.
Finding a Material That is Easier to
Process
Referring to handbook data on the
physical properties usually helps analysts
discern which material will react most
favorable to the processes to which it must
be subjected in its conversion from raw
material to finished product.
Example

Today the most versatile material is reinforced

composites. Resin transfer molding can produce
more complex parts advantageously from the
standpoint of quality and production rate than
most other metal and plastic forming procedures.
Thus, by specifying a plastic made of reinforcing
carbon fibers and epoxy, the analyst can
substitute a composite for a metal part, at both a
quality and a cost advantage.
Using Material More Economically

If the ratio of scrap material to that

actually going into the product is high,
then greater utilization should be
examined.
Examples
 If the material put into a plastic compression mold is
pre-weighed, it may be possible to use only the exact
amount required to fill the cavity; excessive flash can
also be eliminated.
 In the production of stampings from sheet metal, if
the skeleton seems to contain an undue amount of
scrap material, the analyst would consider going to
the next higher standard width of material and
utilizing a multiple die. If a multiple die is used, the
cuts should be carefully arranged to assure maximum
utilization of material.
Using Salvage Materials
 Materials can often be salvaged, rather than sold as
scrap. Byproducts from an unworked portion or scrap
section can sometimes offer real possibilities for
savings.
 If it is not possible to develop a byproduct, then scrap
materials should be separated to obtain top scrap
prices. Separate bins should be provided for tools
steel, steel, brass, copper, and aluminum. Chip-
haulers and floor sweepers should specifically be
instructed to keep the scrap segregated.
Examples

 One manufacturer of stainless steel cooling

cabinets had 4 to 8-inch wide sections left as
cuttings on the shear. An analysis identified
electric light switchplate covers as a possible
byproduct.
 Meatpackers utilize everything from a cow:
hides, bones, even blood, all except the
“moo”.
Using Supplies and Tools Fully

 One manufacturer of dairy equipment introduced the

policy that no new welding rod was to be distributed
to workers without the return of old tips under 2
inches long. The cost of welding rods was reduced
immediately by more than 15 percent.
 Also, items such as gloves and rags should not be
discarded simply because they are soiled. Storing
dirty items and then laundering them is less
expensive than replacing them.
Standardizing Materials
Typical economies resulting from reductions in
the sizes and grades of the materials
 Purchase orders are used for larger
amounts, which are almost always less
expensive per unit.
 Inventories are smaller, since less material
must be maintained as a reserve.
Standardizing Materials
 Fewer entries need to be made in storage
records.
 Fewer invoices need to be paid.
 Fewer spaces are needed to house
materials in the storeroom.
 Sampling inspection reduces the total
number of parts inspected.
 Fewer price quotations and purchase orders
are needed.
Finding the Best Vendor
 The methods analyst should encourage the
purchasing department to re-bid the highest-cost
materials, supplies, and parts to obtain better prices
and superior quality and to increase vendor stocking,
where the vendors agree to hold inventories for their
customers.
 Alert purchasing departments are often able to create
relationships with suppliers comparable to the so-
called production keiretsu - a form of business and
manufacturing organization that links businesses
together.
Manufacture Sequence and
Process
Manufacturing technology in the 21st century
eliminates labor-intensive manufacturing in favor
of capital intensive procedures. The methods
engineer must understand that the time utilized
by the manufacturing process is divided into
three steps: inventory control and planning,
setup operations, and in-process manufacturing.
Manufacture Sequence and Process

 Rearranging the operations

 Mechanizing manual operations
 Utilizing more efficient facilities on mechanical
operations
 Operating mechanical facilities more efficiently
 Manufacturing near the net shape
 Using robots
Rearranging the Operations
The flange of a motor conduit box required four drilled
holes, one in each corner. Also, the base had to be
smooth and flat. Originally, the operator began by
grinding the base, then drilling the four holes using a drill
jig. The drilling operation threw up burrs, which then had
to be removed in another step. By rearranging the
operation so that the holes were drilled first and the base
then ground, analysts eliminated the deburring operation.
The basegrinding operation automatically removed the
burrs.
Mechanizing Manual Operations
 Whereas two operators are required for a
manually operated machine tool, only one
operator is required for a computer-controlled
machine tool. Use of a robotic arm operating
a fully automated machine tool would not
even require the one operator, considerably
reducing labor costs. (albeit with higher initial
capital costs).
Mechanizing Manual Operations
 Bar coding can rapidly and accurately enter a
variety of data. Computers can then
manipulate the data for some desired
objective, such as counting and controlling
inventory, routing specific items to or through
a process, or identifying the state of
completion and the operator currently working
on each item in a work-in process.
Utilizing More Efficient Facilities on
Mechanical Operations
One company in the food industry was checking the
weight of various product lines with a balance. This
equipment required the operator to note the weight
visually, record the weight on a form, and subsequently
perform several calculations. A methods engineering
study resulted in the introduction of a statistical weight
control system. Under the improved method, the operator
weighs the product on a digital scale programmed to
accept the product within a certain weight range. As the
product is weighed, the weight information is transferred
to a personal computer that compiles the information and
prints the desired report.
Operating Mechanical Facilities
More Efficiently
 Usually multiple-die operation in presswork is
more economical than single-stage operation.
 Multiple cavities in die-casting, molding, and
similar processes are viable options when
there is sufficient volume.
 On machine operations, analysts should be
sure that proper feeds and speeds are used.
Manufacturing Near the Net
Shape
Using a manufacturing process that
produces components closer to the final
shape can maximize material use, reduce
scrap, minimize secondary processing
such as final machining and finishing, and
permit manufacturing with more
environmentally friendly materials.
Using Robots

 Robots can assemble multiple products on a

single system and can be reprogrammed to
handle various tasks with part variations.
 Robotic assembly can provide consistently
repeatable quality with predictable product
output.
 Robots offer safety advantages.
Using Robots
In the die-casting process, there can be considerable
danger due to hot metal splashing when the molten metal is
injected into the die cavity. One of the original applications
for robots was die casting. In one company, a five-axis
robot developed by Unimation, Inc., serves a 600-ton
microprocessor-controlled die-casting machine. In the
operation, the robot moves into position when the die
opens, grasps the casting by its slug, and clears it from the
cavity. At the same time, it initiates automatic die-lubrication
sprays. The robot displays the casting to infrared scanners,
then signals the die-casting machine to accept another
shot. The casting is deposited by the robot on an output
station for trimming. Here an operator, remote from the die-
casting machine, safely trims the casting preparatory to
subsequent operations.
Setup and Tools
 The economic advantage of lower labor costs is the
controlling factor in determining the tooling;
consequently, jigs and fixtures may be desirable,
even when only small quantities are involved. Other
considerations, such as improved interchangeability,
increased accuracy, or labor trouble reduction, may
provide the dominant reasons for elaborate tooling,
although this is usually not the case.
 Setup ties in very closely with tooling, because tooling
invariably determines the setup and teardown time
Setup and Tools

Reduce setup time

Utilize the full capacity of the machine
Introduce more efficient tooling
Reduce Setup Time
 A significant portion of setup time can often be
eliminated by assuring that raw materials are within
specifications, tools are sharp, and fixtures are
available and in good condition.
 Effective production control can often reduce this
time.
 Duplicate cutting tools should be available.
 Each operator should have a constant backlog of
work.
 Making a record of difficult, recurring setups can save
considerable setup time when repeat business is
received.
Utilize the full capacity of the
machine
A milling setup for a toggle lever was changed
so that the six faces were milled simultaneously
by five cutters. The old setup required that the
job be done in three steps, which meant that the
part had to be placed in a separate fixture three
different times. The new setup reduced the total
machining time and increased the accuracy of
the relationship between the six machined faces.
Introduce more efficient tooling
 Coated cutting tools have dramatically improved the
critical wear-resistance/breakage-resistance
combination.
 Savings can often be achieved by altering tool
geometries. Each setup has different requirements
that can be achieved only by designing an
engineered system that optimizes the feed range for
chip control, cutting forces, and edge strength.
 The work must be held so that it can be positioned
and removed quickly.
 Management should provide proper hand tools.
Material Handling
 Parts, raw materials, in-process materials, finished
products, and supplies are moved as necessary from
location to location .
 No production process or customer is hampered by
either the early or late arrival of materials.
 Materials are delivered to the correct place.
 Materials are delivered at each location without
damage and in the proper quantity.
 Material handling must consider storage space, both
temporary and dormant.
Material Handling

 Reduce the time spent in picking up material

 Use mechanical equipment
 Make better use of existing handling facilities
 Handle material with greater care
 Consider bar coding for inventory and related
applications
Reduce the time spent in picking
up material
Workstation positioning of material may
offer great opportunities for savings.
Usually some type of conveyor or
mechanical fingers can bring material to
the workstation.
Use mechanical equipment

 Mechanizing the handling of material usually

reduces labor costs, reduces materials
damage, improves safety, alleviates fatigue,
and increases production.
 Often, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV)
can replace a driver.
 Mechanization is also useful for manual
materials handling, such as palletizing.
Make better use of existing
handling facilities
 Palletizing material in temporary and
permanent storage allows greater quantities
to be transported faster than storing material
without the use of pallets.
 By relocating production facilities or adapting
material handling equipment to diversified
areas of work, companies may achieve
greater utilization.
Handle material with greater care

 Safety guards at points of power

transmission, safe operating practices, good
lighting, and good housekeeping are essential
to making material handling equipment safer.
 Better handling also reduces product
damage. Usually parts damage during
handling can be minimized if specially
designed racks or trays are fabricated to hold
the parts immediately after processing.
Handle material with greater care

One manufacturer of aircraft engine parts incurred a

sizable number of damaged external threads on one
component that was stored in metal tote pans after the
completion of each operation. When two-wheeled hand
trucks moved the filled tote pans to the next workstation,
the machined forgings bumped against one another and
against the sides of the metal pan to such an extent that
they became badly damaged. The use of wooden racks
with individual compartments to support the machined
forgings prevented the parts from bumping against one
another or the metal tote pan, thereby significantly
reducing the number of damaged parts.
Consider bar coding for inventory and
related applications
Five Reasons Justifying the Use of Bar Coding
 Accuracy
 Performance
 Acceptance
 Low Cost
 Portability
10 Principles of Material Handling

• Planning principle
• Standardization principle
• Work principle
• Ergonomic principle
• Unit load principle
• Space utilization principle
• System principle
• Automation principle
• Environmental principle
• Life-cycle-cost principle
Plant Layout

 The principal objective of effective plant

layout is to develop a production system that
permits the manufacture of the desired
number of products with the desired quality at
the least cost.
 The indirect labor expense of long moves,
backtracking, delays, and work stoppages
due to bottlenecks are characteristic of a plant
with an antiquated and costly layout.
Layout Types

Product or straight-line layouts

 machinery is located such that the flow
from one operation to the next is
minimized for any product class
Process or functional layouts
 grouping of similar facilities
Muther’s Systematic Layout Planning
(SLP)
Chart relationships
Space requirements
Activity relationships diagram
Space relationship layout
Alternative arrangements evaluation
Selected layout and installation
Chart relationships

A relationship is the relative degree of

closeness, desired or required, among different
activities, areas, departments, rooms, etc., as
determined from quantitative flow information
(volume, time, cost, routing) from a from-to chart,
or more qualitatively from functional interactions
or subjective information.
Space requirements

 in terms of area
 calculated based on production requirements,
extrapolated from existing areas, projected for
future expansion, or fixed by legal standards
 may include the kind and shape of the area
being laid out, or the location with respect to
required utilities
Activity relationships diagram

A visual representation of the different

activities is drawn. Crossing or tangling of
lines is avoided. For undesirable
relationships, the two areas are placed as
far apart as possible and a squiggly line is
drawn between them.
Space relationship layout

A spatial representation is created by scaling

the areas in terms of relative size. Once the
analyst is satisfied with the layout, the areas are
compressed into a floor plan. Considerations
may include material handling requirements,
storage facilities, personnel requirements,
building features, and utilities.
Alternative arrangements
evaluation
It would not be unusual to find that several
appear to be equally likely possibilities. The
analyst will need to evaluate the different
alternatives to determine the best solution. The
analyst will need to identify factors deemed
important: future expansion capability, flexibility,
flow efficiency, material handling effectiveness,
safety, supervision ease, appearance or
aesthetics.
Example 1: Dorben Consulting

The Dorben Consulting Group would like

to layout a new office area. There are 7
activity areas: M. Dorben’s office, Eng’g
office w/ 2 engineers, secretarial area,
foyer and waiting area for visitors, file
area, copy area, and storeroom.
Example 2

ABC Manufacturing is rebuilding an existing

warehouse (50x50ft) to house a new plant with
five departments of desired square footage:
customer area (CUS – 250), receiving (REC –
500), manufacturing (MAN – 1000), office area
(OFF – 250), and shipping (SHIP – 500). See
REL chart for the relationships. It is necessary
that SHIP and REC be on the outer portion of
the building for accessibility by trucks. Use
Muther’s SLP.
Example 3

Midas Muffler is building a new facility in state

College and would like your assistance in
laying out the new facility. An IE intern
performed a work sampling study and
recorded the number of times a person
walked from one area to another area. These
data (and the desired square footage) are
given. Construct the relationship chart, activity
relationship diagram and develop the final
plant layout to scale.