How To Calculate Man Days
Many importers, both new and veteran, get confused about the concept of man-days. Factory audit and product inspection companies use man-days to determine the price for their services. However, knowing what man-days are can be a bit confusing.
However, knowledge of this concept is crucial. With a clear understanding of man-days, you can correctly estimate the price of product inspections. Below are the essential details you need to know.
What Are Man Days?
The standard unit used in measuring products a QC inspector can cover in a day is called man-days. It allows people in the quality control industry to measure the labor it takes to conduct an inspection. Also, it allows the buyers to estimate the cost of hiring an inspector to inspect goods in their suppliers’ factory.
Furthermore, man-days also include the time the inspector spends going to and returning from the factory. Knowing what man-days are can help in the proper quotation of prices. Different quality control companies have different ways of calculating man-days. Hence, you must ask to know their man-day calculation policy.
How to Classify Man Days
All companies don’t have the same policy as regards to how they classify a man-day. Typically, man-days consist of one day work time for one quality control inspector. While two man-days consist of two days of work for one quality control inspector or one day work time with two QC inspectors.
Quality control inspectors are allocated depending on the completion time the inspection requires. The available options are sending two or more inspectors for just a day or an inspector for several days.
Here are examples of how to classify man-days.
- One man-day includes eight hours of work in the factory with only one-way travel time. However, if the hours worked exceeds ten, then it equals 1 1/2 man-day. Also, it equals two man-days if the work time exceeds sixteen hours.
- One man-day includes six hours of factory work time with travel time less than ten hours. Also, if both travel and factory time exceeds ten hours, it equals 1 1/2 man-days. However, if both the factory and travel time exceeds sixteen hours, it equals two man-days.
Additionally, some companies calculate their man-days by including the inspection sampling size. There are specific numbers of products to be checked per man-day. They are:
- 80-125 pieces per man-day for garments.
- 200-315 units per man-day for hardline consumer goods.
- 125-200 pieces per man-day for consumer electronics.
Factors That Influence the Calculation of Man Days
Knowing what man-days are is one thing, and calculating it is another. Calculating man-days can be somewhat tasking. The complexity is due to factors that influence the calculation of man-days, thus causing it to vary.
One factor that influences the calculation is the location of the factory and its accessibility. Also, the number of goods up for inspection can influence man-days calculation. Here are some other factors that influence the calculation of man-days.
- How complex the products to be inspected are.
- The hours spent traveling to and returning from the factory.
- The hours spent in the factory.
- Some quality control companies may count man-days for each QC inspector.
- The number of things to inspect.
- The time used in writing a report.
- How accessible the factory is.
- Photography.
Some Misconceptions About Man-days
If you don’t know what man-days are, you’ll likely have some misconceptions. Importers who are unfamiliar with how Chinese factories operate often have some misconceptions. One misconception they have is that good quality control inspectors spend over 8 hours at the factory.
Here are two misconceptions we’ll be debunking.
Inspectors live close to the factory
This is untrue. There isn’t a Chinese company that has inspectors living within 30 mins distance. Often, most inspectors live over 2 hours away from the factory.
Inspectors are to work during lunch break too
During the lunch break, which for most companies in China is 90 mins, inspectors can’t work. The factory workers can’t neglect their break to keep an eye on an inspector. So, while the workers are on break, the inspector has no choice but to hold off on inspecting.
To Sum It Up
What man-days are may be confusing to importers. Hence, this article helps to explain what man-days are and also debunks some misconceptions surrounding it. Also, to correctly calculate man-days, there are factors that companies consider. The time it takes to write a report, photography, travel time, and others, are all crucial factors.
Here at Jonble, our experience with product inspections means we can competently discuss the concept of man-days. Are you tired of the stress that accompanies the importation of goods from China? Or are the goods you’re importing not up to your standards? Book an appointment with us. Let our product inspectors ensure the importation of high-quality goods from China. Contact us today!