Stopwatch Time Study Enhances Efficiency and Production for a Prominent Bike Manufacturer in India

PMI > Blog draft > Automotive > Stopwatch Time Study Enhances Efficiency and Production for a Prominent Bike Manufacturer in India

Introduction

Driven by the high competition, the world of automotive manufacturing has evolved rapidly through the past few decades. This led the automotive businesses to keep optimizing the operations on the shop floor to be more productive, efficient and cost effective. A renowned Japanese multinational company which is among the top motorcycle makers in India, sought to review its existing processes and operations and find latent efficiencies in its production line. For this purpose, the organization collaborated with Production Modeling India (PMI) to implement a Stopwatch Time Study that would help it uncover the actual performance of its processes and determine impactful improvement opportunities.

Client Overview and Objectives

The client is well-known around the world for its motorbikes and motorized products and has high-capacity manufacturing facilities in India to serve both local and foreign markets. It, being as large and sophisticated, was having difficulties with manpower deployment, prevention of fatigue, and developing a clear image of actual work content necessary to make one unit.

Major study goals were:
• Accurate measurement of work content using stopwatch time study methods
• Calculating cycle time and detection of variances between stations
• Assessment of resource demands, such as manpower and machine capacity
• Giving dynamic planning tools based on real production information

The Client's Challenges

Despite having well-defined production lines, the client faced certain operational challenges:

  • Failure to clearly identify the actual cycle time for different activities
  • Excessive or disproportionate workload allocation, causing manpower exhaustion
  • Lack of clear insights into the actual capacity of each station and the plant as a whole
  • Absence of standardized tools to dynamically plan and adjust workforce as per fluctuating demand

To address these issues, the client sought a time-tested method that could bring clarity, consistency, and optimization to their operations.

Stopwatch Time Study Enhances Efficiency and Production for a Prominent Bike Manufacturer in India

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PMI’s Three-Stage Approach

PMI’s engagement followed a structured approach combining precision observation with real-time analysis.

Data Collection

PMI staff comprising a project manager and two engineers started off with a visit to the client's plant to get a feel for the operational flow. Everything relevant was captured through high-resolution cameras to identify minute details of line processes. These videos served as the reference for executing accurate stopwatch-based time measurements.

Periodic meetings with the client's team helped contextualize every activity before proceeding to data analysis.

Estimation & Data Analysis

PMI conducted repeated readings for every activity with the help of stopwatch time study procedures based on the video recordings. These were then corroborated with the client's internal coordinators.

The most prominent aspects of this step:

• Preparation of interactive Excel spreadsheets accompanied by formulas for dynamic cycle time calculations
• Calculation of standard time by incorporating proper allowances to regular cycle times
• Manpower calculation for individual stations accurately as per actual task durations
• Identification of Non-Value-Added (NVA) activities and areas of opportunities for fatigue reduction

Time study sheets also left a template for future planning, enabling the client to scale or modify to accommodate demand variation efficiently.

Results

The results of the study were both definite and effective:

• Actual cycle times were established for all operations observed, replacing assumptions with facts.
• By considering allowances, optimal production schedules were designed that enhanced line balancing.
• Manpower usage was increased, and the tasks were redistributed to minimize fatigue.
• PMI provided tailored planning sheets that enabled the client to model various production scenarios and vary workforce and machine usage accordingly.

Stopwatch Time Study Enhances Efficiency and Production for a Prominent Bike Manufacturer in India

Download Case Study PDF

Conclusion

The PMI stopwatch time study gave the client a sharp and data-driven picture of their production line operations. Through accurate measurement of cycle times and locating avenues for improvement, the study allowed for improved manpower allocation, minimized operator fatigue, and increased overall productivity. The interactive planning tools that came with the study now allow the client to make smart decisions from real-time data. With a better understanding of actual capacity and work content, the customer is better positioned to ensure operational effectiveness, react meaningfully to demand variations, and continue their dominance in the extremely competitive motorcycle production industry.

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