Time-study of Rotary-Screen-Printing Operation

Abstract

Improving operations-efficiency is an on-going-need, for all-industries, including textile-manufacturing. Time-study is essential, for-both; planning and control, of industrial-operations. This-research used Time- study, of observational-design-type, and of element-scope-level. Classical-stopwatch-technique was-used, to-ascertain the-standard-time, for the-printing-operaton, on the Octrooi-Aangevraagd Rotary-Screen printing-machine, for 3 cycles. Performance-rating was obtained using the-speed-rating-technique. The-machine-operation was-divided into 4 distinct and repetitive machine-elements: machine set-up; color-impression; drying; and pick-up. This-time-study established Standard-Second-Value of 18, 725.41, giving machine-utilization of 65%. The-most time-consuming elements, requiring constant-operators’ attention, were found to-be color-impression, and pick-up/curing. Hawthorne-Effect was also-observed, where machine-operators noticeably-changed their-behavior, when they know that their-work being-measured. The-study made several-recommendations for future-more broader and deeper-research.

Keywords: textile finishing, Hawthorne Effect, equipment, operator, allowances, standard time.