A stopwatch is a device used to measure elapsed time.
There are many different types of stopwatches, each designed to measure and record time in different ways. Some of these types include mechanical stopwatches, electronic stopwatches, mobile and computer applications.
Mechanical Stopwatches
These are the oldest type of stopwatches and operate through a gear mechanism. These devices are used to measure the time it takes to complete a task or activity, such as a race. The oldest known mechanical stopwatch dates back to 1556.
The International Labour Office recommends two types of stopwatches for time study purposes: mechanical and electronic. Mechanical stopwatches can be further subdivided into ordinary, flyback, and fractional second recording stopwatches.
An ordinary mechanical stopwatch is a precision timepiece used to measure time by starting and stopping the control mechanism, which generally consists of buttons that start the timing or stop the measurement when pressed.
A flyback mechanical stopwatch works in such a way that at the end of each element, the watch is returned to zero and immediately restarted to time the next element. This allows measuring the time of each element individually without having to stop the watch mechanism.
A fractional second recording stopwatch is a type of mechanical stopwatch that allows measuring fractions of a second. This type of stopwatch is used in time studies and can be configured to display different time units such as seconds (MKS), decimal minutes (1/100 minutes), or decimal hours.
Electronic Stopwatches
These are modern devices used to measure time. These devices generally consist of a digital display, an on/off button, and a battery to power the device. Electronic stopwatches can be used to measure and record the times of various activities, from a race to a tennis match, and of course, industrial processes as well.
Advanced Timing Applications
Timing applications like cronometras.com are highly advanced applications for timing work times that allow measuring times of different work elements both in a continuous manner and element by element.
They have the advantage of being installable on mobile devices and tablets, which allows great mobility for the technician conducting the study.
They are affordable solutions for companies of any size given their low cost and are very flexible and adaptable to different work environments.
Computer Stopwatches
These are electronic devices that connect to a computer to measure time. These devices are used to measure the time of speed races, as well as to measure the time it takes to complete a task or activity. These devices are capable of measuring elapsed time with great precision. Some computer stopwatches are designed for time study in industry.
Computer stopwatches are programs that run on a computer and allow precise time measurement. These stopwatches can be downloaded as software or used online. Like mechanical stopwatches, computer stopwatches can be started and stopped at the user’s will and allow marking laps or intervals while the stopwatch is running.
In summary, there are many different types of stopwatches, each designed to measure and record time in different ways. Mechanical stopwatches are the oldest, while electronic, magnetic, and computer stopwatches are the most modern. These devices are used to measure the time of speed races, as well as to measure the time it takes to complete a task or activity.