Uses of Portable Video Equipment in the Developmental Manufacturing Process

Sikorsky has been using portable video equipment in the manufacturing areas for over two years, having been introduced to the equipment following the purchase of a standards package. Initially the equipment had been used exclusively to observe production manufacturing operations. As time progressed, however, other uses were found. Normally, time standards are set based on visual observations made using a stop watch. Observations recorded in this manner are limited to memory and to what can be written down in a limited amount of time. With the use of video equipment, however, an operation can be recorded in full detail with the capability of being played back as many times as necessary to study the job accurately. Human memory and visual limitations are minimized. The composite manufacturing areas, primarily in the developmental areas, can make good use of video equipment as the manufacturing methods are new and still developing, and require a great deal of manual labor. Video studies of tooling, lay-up methods, and material handling allow for cost savings method improvements through fine tuning of the basic operations. The fact that these studies can be watched repeatedly by all responsible individuals further enhances the studies.