@rgemas MTM Module: Standard Time Measurement from Video
MTM stands for Methods-Time Measurement. It analyses any manual operation into the basic motions it requires and assigns each motion a predetermined time according to the factors that affect it. The sum of all motion times is the standard time.
What is MTM, and how does it differ from a stopwatch?
To compute a standard time, the job is broken into basic micro-motions; the appropriate motion time is then selected from tables according to conditions such as the weight of the object moved and the distance. In MTM, times are expressed in TMU; 1 TMU is 0.036 seconds.
The key difference from stopwatch methods such as REFA is that MTM does not require rating the operator's pace, a subjective value. A time study done on a different operator, in a different plant, yields the same predicted times; the standard time becomes independent of person and company. It is an international standard in productivity management, provides a common language for describing workflow, needs no measurement of the operator, and forces a critical look at the flow, which leads to the optimal method.
How the module works
The argemas MTM module consists of standard time measurement, the standard time measurement report and motion definitions. A video or image is uploaded for each operation and variant. While the video plays, the user selects the motion from the list; the segment up to the point where the video is paused is defined as that motion. Each motion is thus tied to its seconds in the footage; start, end, selected motion and its base values appear on screen. "Finish" produces the standard time for that operation variant.
For apparel, motions are predefined: pick up the piece, position it, time under the machine, and so on. Stitch-stop and stitch-difficulty definitions carry TMU values; friction resistance and distance definitions cover ironing and marking; machine classes and a distance-by-class table are held in the system. For each machine, RPM and stitches per centimetre are defined. Time under the machine is computed automatically once machine speed, stitch count, stitch difficulty, stop type and seam length are set. Analyses are stored by date and can be edited.
What it delivers
It is simple and clear: select the motions and the total operation time appears. Non-standard motions can also be defined with their own times. Reviewing the video removes unnecessary motions and yields an analysis based on the correct method; the same video is used to train workers in the new method. It suits different sectors.