What is MODAPTS?

MODAPTS. MODular Arrangment of Pre-determined Time Standards. MODAPTS is a system of documenting and assessing repetitive, manual labor. Technicians observe operators performing repetitive, manual tasks, and record the motions required to complete the tasks. This recording is called a time study. By breaking down actions into a point-based system, MODAPTS makes time studying clear and quick.

MODAPTS breaks down action into points. A point, or MOD, is worth 0.129 seconds. There are 4 general categories of actions: Movement, Get, Put, and Auxiliary. Movements are motions made with the arms and are broken down by joint. A motion made with a finger is worth one MOD, while a motion made with the elbow is worth 3 MODs. Gets are how an operator obtains an object. Simple Gets, like obtaining a drawer handle, are worth 0 or 1 MOD. A complex Get, like obtaining a straight pin off a tabletop, is worth 3 MODS. Puts are how an operator positions or places an object. Simple Puts that do not require feedback are awarded 0 MODs. Complex Puts take 2 or 5 MODS, depending on the level of complexity. Finally, Auxiliary covers all other actions, such as reading, writing, or walking.

With this point-based system, a technician can clearly define the actions required to compete a task. Each action is broken down, categorized, and assigned a point value. This point value isolates the action in the sea of motion required to complete the task. Isolated actions can be evaluated in a vacuum, allowing technicians to analyze the operation for efficiencies. Chaining together isolated actions to show the flow of a task gives clarity to what is involved in completing the task.

Other systems can take anywhere from six to eight technician-hours per man-minute of operation. These other systems require measuring every movement, comparing each action to a table of values, and a technician’s estimate on how fast an operator moves. MODAPTS requires two to three technician hours per man-minute, since it only requires technicians to know a handful of point values and evaluating movements is as simple determining which joint is used.

Without a system, technicians would have to assess tasks on a case-by-case basis. MODAPTS is a simple system that allows technicians to quickly define tasks by isolating actions into points. These isolated actions chained together break up the task into manageable pieces that can be evaluated for efficiencies.