Usage of MTM-1 Method and Motion Tracking for Work Standardization Použitie metódy MTM-1 a snímania pohybu pre štandardizáciu práce Zygmunt Legutko Abstract The following paper shows new software solutions for the aiding of time measurements processes, using TiCon3 with motion tracking module as an example. It presents advantages of such solutions and new ways that are available due to high computerization of these methods. Keywords: methods time measurement, TiCon3, motion tracking system Abstrakt Príspevok prezentuje nové softvérové riešenie pre podporu procesov merania času s príkladom využitia modulu pre snímania polohy TiCon3. Popisuje výhody takéhoto riešenia ako aj nové dostupné možností spojené s počítačovou podporou týchto metód. Kľúčové slová: metódy merania času, TiCon3, systém sledovania pohybu 1 Introduction Methods Time Measurement (MTM) is a predetermined basic motion-time data system for developing effective methods and establishing "fair day's" work standards. This method focuses on analyzing a job whereby a job or task is broken down into specific movements, each of which has a pre-determined symbol and time attached to it. Adding up the times assigned for each movement gives the total time to complete the job or task. This total time represents the time standard for the job or task. By using MTM, each work sample has been given a time standard for completion under standard instructions. This time standard represents the time a well-trained worker would be expected to take to perform a given task. MTM time standards give an accurate quantitative judgment of an individual's ability to perform a job. They are particularly valuable in production planning and as an employment screening process for measuring productivity. MTM scores also provide a good way to track improvement over time. Main benefits of using the MTM system over the classical time study methods: faster to use for comparable accuracy and methods description, produce time values prior to production, eliminating costly methods corrections, validation of data is made easier, due to the documented nature of methods analysis, helps improving existing methods and procedures and aids in the design of new procedures and methods, eliminates the need to assess the rate of working by staff, values are set to a defined standard, thereby eliminating an area of subjective ness and common dispute, gives the possibility to plan manpower requirements and capacity calculations with greater accuracy [1]. 2 Computer aided MTM 2.1 The origins of computer aided MTM MTM is made of a very large collection of time elements and processes. From the beginning in early 1940s till late 1960s, the plan time value catalogue itself, collected in folders, fills dozens of yards of shelf space in the archive of the MTM Organization - mostly entered by hand onto analysis cards. Welding, maintenance, logistic work, machine writing, counting and analyzing - had do be done manually by man. At the beginning it worked fine, but as soon as the system evolved into more complicated and precise mechanism, it turned out that the essential maintenance and exchange of data made only on analysis cards became impossible without the usage of computer power. 2.2 Various systems used in computer aided MTM Some MTM organizations turned to developing computer-supported systems early on. It also simplified data use considerably for MTM consultants as well as the clients. Among the first programs (Fig.1) there were: the American software 4M System (presented in 1968), a computer technique for applying MTM-1, and ANA Zeba Data (presented in 1982), developed in Germany, for establishing and calculating data using any MTM technique. Those products were already so successful as an instrument of time data management that they were used by companies in many areas well into the 1990s [2]. In 1997 the German MTM software developers succeeded in producing a very advanced tool for digital time and work management – TiCon, witch over a years evolved into TiCon3 family of products. Fig. 1 Graph showing MTM certified software in past years Obr. 1 Graf znázorňujúci MTM certifikované softvéry z posledných rokov 3 Ticon3 – the basics TiCon3 is a third generation of time management software TiCon, so far. With TiCon3, time is recorded, evalua- 33 ted and optimized as a determining factor of all operational processes. This program has a modular structure, witch can be easily modified depending on the needs of the company. The main part of the system called “TiCon-base”, offers the basis for integrated method and time planning. Other modules that can be used in conjunction with TiCon-base are: CIP - allows the user to determine and statistically calculate the potential of one or several time-relevant changes or several existing elements using simulated time updates and to execute these changes in the database after conducting a check. It allows consideration of effects of method changes to the time without interfering with the real data pool, simulation of temporary calculations (What will happened if…?) and gives a great support in investments decisions. MSA - allows the user to graphically display simultaneous or consecutive manual and technical job cycles needed to complete a job task in a process oriented manner. It can create clear graphic display or visualization of cyclically identical or different process sequences, which can be used, for example, as a basis for discussion at team meetings. This component supports a work of organization or investment decisions, for e.g. whether the use of an additional person will achieve fuller use from a machine or whether an employee would be given more capacity to operate a second machine by adapting the first. It’s a easy-to-use tool for recognizing work-system related lack of productivity. This includes both machine downtime and system-related personal work stoppages. Web-Client - module witch can greatly decrease communication issues, allows HTML-based read access of the TiCon data pool for use via intra or Internet, MTM-Ergo - basing on pre-designed MTM analyses, MTM-Ergo prognosticates during the concept phase of production planning any unfavorable physical stress. This occurs in the form of a risk analysis and considers that not all of the concrete conditions are yet known in the design phase of the future work station, Balancing module – allows user to either have the individual sub processes automatically allocated – under certain restrictions – to the individual work stations or to assign them manually. Both functions feature an allocation display and a workload graphic to provide a concise line and work station-related evaluation. In addition, the balancing comparison allows the comparison of results from two tryouts with respect to their workload data. Production Planning - module for generating work schedules. Usage of this module gives the possibility to combine individual process elements into work cycles which then in turn create complete work schedules. Cost centers are assigned to the work cycles and they can contain various allowances, thereby taking into account the operational environment. Work cycles are created on the basis of standard work cycles covering all work cycle variants. During generation, data relevant to this work cycle are conveyed and automatically stored with process elements. Both manual and automatic generation are supported. Automatic generation happens on the basis of variant generation either with the If-Then rules or by allocating validities to process elements, PROKON2 - module that effectively supports the use of the PROKON method. The term PROKON stands for production-suitable construction and includes in general all construction-related measures for improving production – from manufacturing to assembly. The TiCon modu- 34 le PROKON2 offers all the necessary elements to clearly record and disburse the target and actual data of a PROKON project as well as to link with suitable MTM analyses, Motion tracking and automatic distance measuring module – usage of this module is explained in later part of this article [3] 4 TiCon3 – coding down the work 4.1 Standard – “paper and pencil aided” approach Standard approach to code down the work in MTM-1 system can be very time-consuming and consists of several steps: motion analysis: segmentation of the motion sequence in elements (i.e. reaching), time analysis: determination of the time actuating variables for every single movement (i.e. distance mover, weight of item), coding of the motion element and of the actuating variables, extraction of the elementary motion time from charts, addition of the elementary motion times to obtain the basic motion time in demand. For example the “reach” movement (R-symbol) - basic and most common type of movement in MTM-1 method. Main conditions that are affecting this movement, are: distance moved case of motion type of motion path For coding such movement we need to know what exact type of reach we deal with. Is it: reaching for an object in fixed location, or to object in other hand; reaching to single object in location witch may vary slightly from cycle to cycle; reaching to object jumbled with other objects in a group so that search and select occurs; reaching to a very small object or where accurate grasp is required; reaching to indefinite location to get hand in position for body balance or next motion. Next step would be affirmation if any acceleration or delay takes a stand in this movement and measuring exact distance of executed movement. Movements that took place in a straight line are relatively easy to count, troubles come when it comes to those taken on arch. In order to measure such distances the usage complicated series of accounts would be necessary. In practice it is possible to simplify such operation by adding up to 10% to the movement measured in a straight line, depending on largeness of the arc [4]. After gaining all that data person responsible for coding down this work, reads the appropriate values for this exact motion from the charts and writes it down in a table. And he does that one step after another till the whole motion is splitted into basic elementary movements. The analysis effort in this case is high and whole work is very time consuming. 4.2 Modern – computer aided way When using software like Ticon3 some of the actions doesn’t have to be executed manually and can be done automatically. Since it’s a software method, when coding a mo- vement we can choose different options (like: type of movement, case of motion, distance, weight of object, type of motion path) from easy-to use drop down menus. After completing step after step form the software sums up individual times of basic movements (in TMU units) to achieve total time for completing such task. Since type and case of motion as till now don‘t give much automation chances and have to be manually indicated by trained engineer, the distance measuring can be done almost automatically by the new Ticon3 motion tracking module. Ticon3 with motion analysis module is a video system software that allows to track objects without markers. This is very useful because it allows to record a video of a certain task done by a person without the need to apply any stickers or color marks on his/hers uniform. By using pattern recognition techniques, in many cases certain parts of body can be followed (tracked) throughout a complete digital video sequence without any human interaction. Engineer’s job is reduced to pointing a spot at the beginning of the movement and than pause (or stop) the playback at the end of it. The software is going to track this indicated point throughout the whole given sequence (Fig.2-5) and after that it will count the exact distance on witch the point has been relocated. Computed positions can be exported in ASCII format and in the near future they could be directly saved into an MTM form. Alternatively, additional data such as velocities, accelerations, distances and angles can be derived and then exported in text format. The software is able to generate graphical plots of the same data, which in many cases are all that is required for the motion analysis. The software as for now can only be used to compute two-dimensional positions using a video sequence from a single camera. It includes camera calibration routines that can be employed with either coplanar or non-coplanar calibration arrays. 5 Example of time savings Phoenix Contact was founded in 1923. Intensive cooperation with energy suppliers in Germany led to the development of modular, rail-mountable terminals. The company headquarters is in Blomberg in East Westphalia, Germany. Phoenix Contact Wielkopolska, a Polish branch of this multinational enterprise, is a very modern production company employing over 600 people located in New Tomysl. They offer more than 3000 products in a field of industrial and equipment connection systems [4]. The company decided to switch to Methods Time Measurement system and Polish MTM Society trained 15 of their employees in usage of MTM-1 system early this year. After that the average time for completing assembly of a product was decreased for about 30 up to 40 %. The main problem that occurred was the large amount of time needed to code down the work. To solve this problem company decided to buy and implement TiCon’s motion tracking module. Exemplary product – “3205019 QTC 1,5“ is a feedthrough modular terminal block allowing fast connection of wires. It took a trained engineer with two months of experience in MTM about 4 hours to code the assembly work for this single element. One person was able to make about two projects a day. The same work done with usage of Ticon3 with motion tracking module the same employee was able to do in about 2 hours. Time saving for this particular case was about 50%, witch in combination with the effect of scale can give impressive results [5]. In a company (like Phoenix Contact Wielkopolska) witch offers a very wide range of products, buying such software, despite of initial high expenses (about 2500 – 3000 euro per license), in a longer period of time can give large time and financial savings and is economically advisable. 6 Conclusions Fig. 2-5 Automatic tracking of a finger-tip within a Ticon3 motion tracking module Obr. 2-5 Automatické snímanie polohy palca s modulom pre snímanie pohybu Ticon3 Usage of computer software in MTM can be compared to usage of computer software in a fields like design or manufacturing, that gave us Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacturing. First point in inventing such a systems was to make a human work faster and easier by reducing tons of paper used in processes of time measurement and analysis. Other advantages, like extended visualization and computer aided planning, were natural evolution of such software. Ticon3 system (especially the one with motion tracking module) can greatly increase the speed of coding the basic movements and help to reduce analysis effort. The tracking module (which is still rather in early version) offers some Pokračovanie príspevku je na str. 44/ Continuance Papers is about Page 44 35