ToolBoxTalkWrenchTimeStudy

UtilizationSurvey
WorkSampling:WhyIsItNeeded?

WhatIsWrenchTime? WrenchTimeisdefinedastheactualamountoftimea craftspersonspendsdoingvalueaddedwork.AWrench TimeStudy,orWorkSamplingStudy,isaimedat identifyingandtheneliminatingormitigatingthetime spentonnonvalueaddedtasks. WorldClassWrenchTimeis5565%;mostcompanies WrenchTimeisbetween1830%. Yoursystemisperfectlydesignedtodeliver preciselytheresultsyouregetting. W.EdwardsDeming,PhD GuidingPrinciplesofWrenchTimeStudies Identifythepercentoftimemaintenancepersonnelare delayedduetooneofthesespecificreasons: a. Travelingtoandfromtheworkplace:itemsnotin theplan b. BreakdownPlanning:(emergenciesorurgent work)waitingforparts,people,etc. c. Training:technical,safety,etc. d. Meetings:training,safety,etc. e. WorkExecution:waitingonparts,waitingon someone,etc. f. Breaks:lunch,heatbreaks,etc. g. Waiting:waitingonsupervisor,another maintenanceperson,production,etc. h. Administrative:Unionissues;personnelissues; discussionwithsupervisoraboutvacation,work orders,etc. WARNING: Driveoutfear,sothateveryonemaywork effectivelyforthecompany. W.EdwardsDeming,PhD Weneverwantouremployeestofearanyactionswe takeasmanagers.Ifawrenchtimestudyistobe

conducted,itisnecessarytodiscussthereasonsforthe studyanditsvalue. Donotfollowthejustdoitapproach.Youwantyour maintenancepersonneltobuyintotheprocess. TheonlyreasonforconductingaWrenchTimeStudyis toidentifythedelayscausingmaintenancetobeless efficient PayAttentiontoThisMessage: AWrenchTimeStudyisnotaboutfindingpersonnel whoareinefficient,makingmistakes,orperforming poorly.Itisaboutthequalityoftheplanningprocess andhowtheorganizationusestheplanningprocess.

HowIsaWorkSamplingStudyConducted? Overtheyears,WorkSamplingStudieshavetakenmany forms.ThemostinfamousistheIndustrialEngineer followingsomeonearoundalldaywithaclipboardand stopwatch.Thistechniquerarelyachievesaccurate results. Ipreferadifferentmethod.Personnelconductthestudy onthemselvesbymeansofcarryingaroundaPalm

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ToolBoxTalkWrenchTimeStudy
UtilizationSurvey
WorkSampling:WhyIsItNeeded?

PersonalDigitalAssistant(PDA)andansweringsome simplequestionseachtimeitsignals. Withthismethod,nooneisfollowinganyonearound; eachpersonlogshis/herownresponsestothePDA whenprompted.Eachday,thePDAisgiventoadifferent personwhocarriesitaroundand,whenthePDAsignals, respondswithwhathe/sheisdoingatthatmoment.This processminimizesthefearDr.Demingwastalkingabout. WhatDoestheDataTellUs? Alloftheefficienciesandinefficienciesthatan organizationexhibitsarereflectedintheeffective wrenchtimeofamaintenancecraftsperson.When thereispoorinterdepartmentalcommunication,itwill bereflectedinwrenchtime.Wherethestoresfunctionis notefficientlymanaged,itwillbereflectedinwrench time.Wheretheplanningprocessisinsufficient,itwillbe reflectedinwrenchtime. Essentially,thepurposeofaWorkSamplingStudyisto measurethelevelofeffectivenessoftheplanningand schedulingfunctionwithinanorganization,althoughthe studygoesbeyondtheefficiencyoftheplannersand schedulers.AWorkSamplingStudymeasurestheway theorganizationusestheinformationthatcomesfrom theplanners.Itmeasureshoweachofthedepartments withinanorganizationworkstogethertoaccomplish work.Itmeasurestheplanningandschedulingfunction oftheorganization.Inotherwords,aWrenchTimeStudy isusedtodeterminewhatthetypicaldayfora maintenancecraftspersonlookslikeataparticular facility. HowManyObservationsAreRequiredforaStatistically ValidStudy? 2,0003000.Sorry;ifitwereeasy,everyonewouldbe doingit!

AwarenessofaProblem Themoreanorganizationisawareofitsproblems,the easierthoseproblemsaretofix.Byparticipatingina WorkSamplingStudy,andbeingasaccurateaspossible aboutactivitiesduringthestudy,systeminefficiencies willbeeasytoidentify. Oncetheseareidentifiedandaddressed,thedailystress thatpeople,especiallymaintenancecraftspeople,have willbereduced. Imaginegoingtoajobandthepartsarealreadykitted andwaitingforyou.Themachineisalreadyshutdown, cleanedout,andlockedoutbytheoperator.Thejob plancontainsallthenecessarydetailrequiredforthe job,andmaybeevenalittlemorejustincaseyouneed itforreference.Howmucheasierwouldlifebe?Thisis thegoalofanymaintenanceorganization,andtheWork SamplingStudyisatoolthatcanhelpaccomplishthis goal. Finally,motivationishigh,reliabilityisoptimized,and everyoneishappy.Thisisafactandhasbeenseenmany timesbymanagersaroundtheworld. OutcomesoftheWrenchTimeStudy WhathappensifWrenchTimeisimproved? Maintenanceworkiscompletedontime. Productioncapacityincreases. Everyoneishappier. WhatcouldhappenasaresultofincreasedWrench Time? Maintenancepersonnelcouldnowbeusedas plannersandschedulers. Maintenancepersonnelcouldbetrainedas MaintenanceEngineeringTechnicians(theymake thebestproblemsolvers). HumanInducedFailuresarerare.

Ifyouhavequestionsorneedanytypeofassistance, pleaseemail:rsmith@gpallied.com

GPAllied 4200FaberPlace Charleston,SC29405 Office(843)4145760 Fax(843)4145779

ToolBoxTalkWrenchTimeStudy
UtilizationSurvey
WorkSampling:WhyIsItNeeded?

Productionoperatestheequipmentto specificationandassuchcostisreducedand capacityincreasesbeyondexpectations. Thecultureofthesiteismoremotivatedandopen tochange.

Ifyouhavequestionsorneedanytypeofassistance, pleaseemail:rsmith@gpallied.com

GPAllied 4200FaberPlace Charleston,SC29405 Office(843)4145760 Fax(843)4145779