Orientation to

GSD
Reference Manual
(For restricted use within NIFT only)
(Based on GSD Student Manual)

Compiled by
C K Karekatti
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Fashion Technology, Kangra
1
 WHY MEASURE THE WORK
THAT PEOPLE DO?

Why General Sewing Data

exists?

2
 The purpose of measuring work
• To determine the facts about how an individual
operation or group of operations are performed
within the workplace.
• Data can be used to assess the effectiveness
of the people and machinery employed
• Data then acts as a means for management to
increase productivity through methods
improvement, skills training, performance
boosting and problem elimination/reduction. 3
 GSD-An Overview
• Was devised by Methods Workshop Limited, and
published in 1978,using an MTM data base.

• Subject to a continual development programme by

GSD Ltd.

• It is a PMTS designed specifically for the sewn

products industries.

• Easy to use and understand technique for Methods

Analysis and the setting of Time Standards for sewn
product manufacture. 4
 GSD-An Overview
• Recognizes commonly occurring human motion sequences
encountered in the sewn products environment and describes
the motion by means of codes.

• Each code has a definite time value which takes account of the
distances moved and the degree of difficulty of the motions.

• GSD consists of 25 codes at the First Level (General) which is

supplemented by 11 codes at the Second Level (Get & Put).
Selected MTM codes are utilized to give complete coverage.

• Time is expressed in Time Measurement Units (TMU’s) that

can be easily converted to Basic Minutes.)
5
 APPLYING ALLOWANCES
WITHIN GSD ANALYSIS
In order to compile a standard time from a GSD analysis
it is necessary to apply allowances to the Basic Minute
Value.
– RELAXATION ALLOWANCE
• FATIGUE ALLOWANCE
• PERSONAL NEEDS ALLOWANCE
– DELAY ALLOWANCES
– CONTINGENCY ALLOWANCES

6
 METHODS TIME
MEASUREMENT (MTM)
PRE-DETERMINED MOTION TIME SYSTEMS

• MTM is a generic term for a family of Pre-Determined Motion

Time Systems (PMTS).
• A PMTS is a methods analysis technique where time
standards are produced as a by-product of engineered or
observed working methods.
• Basic human motions, singly or in groups, have been isolated
and a time standard for each motion determined by the nature of
the motion and the conditions under which it is made. The time
values for all the manual motions are added together resulting in
a work analysis and time standard for any given manual 7
operation.
 MTM1
• As a result of work done by H B Maynard,
J L Schwab and J G Stegmerten, who
were the Methods Engineering Council,
developed MTM and made it available to
the world in 1948.

• There are 350 codes in MTM1.

8
 THE BASIC MOTIONS OF
MTM-1
PRINCIPAL MOTION CODE BODY MOTIONS CODE

REACH R FOOT MOTION FM

GRASP G LEG MOTION LM
RELEASE RL SIDE STEP SS
MOVE M BEND B
POSITION P ARISE FROM ONE KNEE AB
KNEEL ON FLOOR BOTH KNEE KBH
DISENGAGE D ARISE FROM FLOOR ON BOTH KNEES AKBK
TURN T SIT SIT
APPLY PRESSURE AP STAND STD
CRANK C TURN BODY TB
EYE ACTION ET & EF

9
 MTM1 contd….
• Many of the MTM1 values are below 7 TMU’s.

• This ensures that a considerable amount of time is

spent by the practitioner in generating an MTM1
motion pattern

• Because of the high number of decisions that have to

be made, and the volume of writing involved,MTM-1
was not used as widely for the generation of time
standards as it had been hoped by its originators.

10
 TMU VALUES
The unit of measurement is equal to 0.00001 hour, Time Measurement Unit.
TMU per second/minute/hour i.e.
1 Hour = 100,000 TMU’s
1 Minutes = 1,667 TMU’s
1 Second = 27.8 TMU’s
The above times are considered to be applicable to Day Rate or non incentive working
and were described as MTM100 performance level or MTM Low Task.

When incentive working is introduced into the workplace a worker should produce more
TMU’s.

The higher performance level is described as MTM120 or High Task.

This equates to:
1 Hour = 120,000 TMU’s
1 Minutes = 2,000 TMU’s
1 Second = 33.33 TMU’s
11
 MTM 2
In 1965 the International MTM Directorate
released a system known as MTM-2 which has
been largely based on work carried out by the
Swedish MTM Association.

MTM-2 reduces the 350 MTM-1 codes to 39.

The basic MTM-2 motions are set out, on the
Decision Models
12
 MTM 2- DECISION MODEL
GET DATA PUT DATA

ARE ANY GRASPING

NO YES
GA IS IT A CONTINUOUSLY
MOTIONS REQUIRED? PA
SMOOTH MOTION?

YES
NO
IS IT ENOUGH TO CLOSE
HAND OR YES
FINGERS IN ONE GB ARE THERE OBVIOUS NO
MOTION CORRECTING PB
MOTIONS?
NO

YES
GC

PC 13
 MTM- 2 DATA CARD
CODE
D GA GB GC PA PB PC
I
S 5 3 7 14 3 10 21
T 15 6 10 19 6 15 26
A
30 9 14 23 11 19 30
N
C 45 13 18 27 15 24 36
E 80 17 23 32 20 30 41
in cms

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 MTM- 2 DATA CARD
MOTION CODE VALUE

APPLY PRESSUREA 14
REGRASP R 6
EYE ACTION E 7
CRANK C 15
STEP S 18
FOOT MOTION F 9
BEND AND ARISE B 61

15
 MTM CORE DATA
Researchers from the UK MTM Association and
Methods Workshop (now General Sewing Data
Limited) developed a new PMTS called MTM
Core Data.

MTM Core Data is a Flexible, Multi Level,

Predetermined Motion Time System that can
be entered at any level in order to achieve
the level of accuracy required by the user.
16
 MTM CORE DATA STRUCTURE
XXX

GXX PXX

GXX PXX

GEX GDX PEX PDX

GAX GBX GCX PAX PBX PCX

The principle on which Core Data was founded is that there exists one motion category,
XXX, with a known TMU value (12.9 TMU) and variances which can be applied simply
by counting up the number of movements.
The classifications form a pyramid. At the apex of the pyramid we have the Core Data,
17
XXX, i.e. any GET or PUT motion, of any case (difficulty), of any distance.
 GET & PUT STRUCTURE
GET
REACH - GRASP

PUT
MOVE - LOCATE - RELEASE

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 THE DEVELOPMENT OF
GENERAL SEWING DATA
DEFINITION-“GSD is a technique for Methods Analysis and the setting
of Time Standards for the Sewn Products Industries.”
•GSD was developed using MTM Core Data, to provide a consistent, accurate and
easy to understand, easy to communicate, methods analysis and time standards
determination technique.

•It was designed specifically for the Sewn Products Industries, and was researched and
developed within these industries.

•GSD is transferable between locations and it recognizes that variable work places,
production flow systems and batch sizes affect output.

•The final system consists of 36 items of data in 7 categories with simple retrieval
codes for ease of application.

•Each item of data has a constant TMU value.

19
 DATA SYSTEM CONCEPT
It was recognized in the sewn products industry that the work
performed by a sewing machinist could be generally
categorized with the following sequence of events:-

– Get part or parts and match.

– Pre-form and/or put part(s) to machine foot.
– Sew parts together with various re-alignments or addition of parts
between sewing bursts.
– Trimming of threads or detaching work from the machine
– Putting parts aside.

With the exception of various types of handling systems, e.g.

progressive bundles, and machine interference activities, these
five elements of work invariably occur in sewing. 20
 THE MAIN USES OF THE GSD
SYSTEM
The system has been designed to aid the
Industrial engineer in the following:-
– Costing Designs
– Line Balancing
– Investment Appraisal
– Pre- Production Planning
– Time Standards
– Operator Training
– Methods rationalization

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THE ADVANTAGES OF THE GSD TO
METHOD & TIME STUDY
There are many advantages to be gained from the
GSD approach and its design:
– Methods sensitive
– Your Own specifications
– Consistent
– Accurate
– Transferable between locations.
– Traceability
– Predictive
– Easy to communicate
– Easy to Understand.
– Designed specifically for the sewn products industries
22
 GSD CATEGORIES
• GSD provides categories for both handling and machining.
• The first seven in the list being handling and the eighth being sewing.
• The handling can be classified either as 1st Level categories or 2nd Level categories.

FIRST LEVEL CATEGORIES

1. Obtaining and Matching Parts M
2. Aligning and Adjusting Parts A
3. Forming Shapes F
4. Trimming and Tool Use T
5. Asiding Parts A
6. Handling Machine M
SECOND LEVEL CATEGORIES (Get and Put actions)
7. Get and Put G or P
SEWING
8. Sewing S

Refer- Handling Elements Document

Refer- Elements Document

23
 HANDLING ELEMENTS
WORKING EXAMPLES- JOIN FABRIC
Machinery and Layout Details-
– Standard three thread overlock machine
– Standard size machine table
– Thread trimmed using scissors
– Parts obtained from separate stacks on the LHS of the machine
table
– Parts disposed, when finished, to the operators right into a disposal
box.

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 LAYOUT
30 CMS

GSD Code Value

MG2T 76

FOOT 38

MS1A 17
Methods Description-
AM2P 61
Obtain and match parts
S  
Match parts to machine foot
TCUT 50
Sew 1 cm approx to hold
AS1H 23
Sew to end(30 cms)
  265
Pick up scissors cut thread and aside scissors
1 SECOND= 33.33 TMU’s
Aside completed parts to box at RHS TOTAL- 7.95 SECONS + S 25
 
 Derivation of Sewing Codes
There are four fields to each sewing code-
1. Every code begins with S to indicate sewing.
2. Second field indicates the no. of cms stitched in one burst.
3. Third field indicates degree of guiding and tensioning which has different levels-

Degree of Seam Description Third Field

guiding & Code
tensioning
NIL A straight burst on a single ply N

LOW A straight, non-visible seam L

MEDIUM A straight visible seam or curved non-visible seam M

HIGH A curved visible seam or seam worked in a confined H

space
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 Derivation of Sewing Codes
4. The fourth field of the sewing code is a letter to indicate
the stopping accuracy required:

Code Tolerance Description

A >1 CM Stop along a seam or run off the

fabric
B <1 CM Stop to form a non-visible backtack

C <1/2 CM Stop to change direction(Needle

Point) or form a visible backtack
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 THE FINAL SEWING CODE
The sewing code S10LB would signify sewing a 10cm
burst over a straight non-visible seam stopping to form
a non-visible back tack.

LENGTH OF
CODE SKILL
BURST

SEW CM G.T. P

S 10 L B

28
 Derive the sewing codes from
the given information
• Sew 10cm along a straight, non-visible seam, run off at
the end- S10LA

• Sew 18 cm along a curved, non-visible seam, stop to

form a back tack- S18MB

• Sew 22cm along a curved visible seam, stop at a precise

point or to change direction – S22HC

29
THE CALCULATION OS SEWING
TIMES
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MACHINE SPEED &
STITCHES SEWN

• Each sewing machine is set to a specific maximum speed, this

speed is usually expressed in revolutions per minute (RPM).
That is the number of times the pulley wheel revolves in one
minute when the treadle is pressed down to the full extent.

• The number of revolutions per minute is the same as the

number of stitches per minute because the needle moves up
and down once per revolution of the pulley wheel. One up and
down motion of the needle equals one stitch.
30
 WORKING OUT HOW LONG IT
TAKES TO SEW ONE CENTIMETRE
Three items of information required-
• The speed of the machine in revolutions or stitches per minute.
• The stitch density i.e. number of stitches to be sewn per centimetre.
• The number of stitches in one TMU at MTM Low Task which is equal to
0.0006 Mins.

Step 1 of the calculation

how many revs/stitches can be sewn in one TMU
Revs/stitches per minute (RPM) x 0.0006 minutes (1 TMU).
For example: If RPM = 5000 then
Number of revs/stitches per TMU = 5000 x 0.0006
Therefore 3 stitches are sewn every TMU

31
 Contd………
Step 2 of the calculation
To calculate how long it will take us to sew one cm
To do this we use the following formula:
Stitches per cm
-------------------------------
Stitches per TMU
For example if there are 6 stitches per/cms the time taken will be:
6.000 stitches per cm/3.000 stitches per TMU
Time to sew one centimetre = 2.000 TMU’s

The above time for sewing one cm is called The Minimum Sewing Time
(MST), that is the fastest possible time to sew one cm on that machine, at
that speed and stitch density.
The two calculations used above are combined into a formula:
MST = Stitches per cm (SPC or ST/CM)
-------------------------------------------
RPM x 0.0006 minutes
NB: It takes no account of any other factors.
This time is therefore theoretical and so the MST formula is used as the first32
step when calculating sewing time.
 WHAT AFFECTS THE OPERATORS
ABILITY TO SEW AT MST?
Control difficulties caused by the high speed of the machine in
relation to the stitch density causes MST to be exceeded.

This addition is expressed as a factor, within the sewing formula,

i.e. a percentage addition is made on top of the MST. This
factor is called the High Speed Factor (HSF)

In order to determine the HSF we must establish if the number

cms that can be sewn in one mnt on a machine exceeds that
of the minimum established industry standard of 445 cms per
mnt (2000 RPM @ 4.5 ST/CM) for normal control.

33
 Contd………
To do this we use the following formula to calculate the Rate of Feed (ROF):
Rate of Feed (ROF)= RPM
-------
ST/CM

On the previous working example = 5000

-------
6.000
ROF =833 cm’s per minute

In this example the established industry minimum standard of 445 cm’s per
minute is exceeded, this means we need to make an addition to the MST
to compensate for control difficulties.

34
 Contd………
HSF (High Sped Factor) = ( (4.5 – MST)2) + 1
---------------------------
( 100 )

So in our example: HSF =( (4.5 – 2.000)2 +1

---------------------------
( 100 )

HSF = ( (2.500 X 2.500) ) + 1

-------------------------------
( 100 )
HSF = (6.25) +1
--------
(100)
HSF = 0.0625 + 1
35
HSF = 1.0625 (this equates to a 6.25% addition to MST)
 The Full Sewing Time
Calculation Formula
Sewing Time(T) in TMU’s= (MST*HSF*GT*CM)+17+P

Four Stages of Guiding & tensioning are given below and a simple % addition is
made to the TMU’s per cm figure after HSF.
Degree of Seam Description Code % Addition Factor
guiding &
tensioning
NIL A straight burst on a single N 0% 1
ply
LOW A straight, non-visible seam L 10% 1.10

MEDIUM A straight visible seam or M 20% 1.20

curved non-visible seam
HIGH A curved visible seam or H 40% 1.40
seam worked in a confined
space
36
 Contd………
Sewing Time(T) in TMU’s= (MST*HSF*GT*CM)+17+P

CM= Length of sewing burst in cms

17= 17 TMU’s (constant) for start and stop machine(2*F motions)
P = Precision of stop –TMU additions

CASE TMU ADDITION

A(APPROXIMATE) 0
B(ACCURATE) 9
C(PRECISE) 20
37
 SEWING FORMULA
EXAMPLES
ST/CM = 3.5,RPM=4000,CODE= S28MA
TMU= 71(91)

ST/CM = 6.0,RPM=7500,CODE= S17LB

TMU= 53(58)

ST/CM = 4.0,RPM=6250,CODE= S51MB

TMU= 99(96)
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 DISTANCE CLASSIFIED GSD
CODES
Some highly engineered situations may require
micro-Method improvements. A great deal of Micro-
Method improvement can be reflected in GSD
elements which recognize distance as a constant.

To simplify application, distances are grouped into

classes.

Refer- Distance GSD codes Document

39
 Bibliography
Reference: GSD student Manual

40