Chart type for machine timing diagram?

[Russ]

Does Excel have a good chart type to use for a machine timing diagram? A
timing diagram is typically made up of multiple data series, each plotted in
separate plot areas. The plot areas are stacked vertically to layout the
timing of each function within the machine. I would like to select the
entire data range chart the data. I suppose I could chart each data series
(each machine function) separately but I do not know how to perfectly align
the “X†axis gridlines of multiple charts.

 

[Joel]

One method is to create packets of time to compare events instead of
carefully aligning the charts. this is similar to the old telphone trunk
line problem. A company wnat ot figure out how may trunk line they need
based on phone usagge. Phone calls start and end at various different times
and different lengths. to solve this problem you create a time line of 5
minutes time periods (or what ever is apllicable to the problem)

Call 1 - 12:01 AM 10 minutes
Call 2 - 12:02 am 15 minutes
Call 3 - 12:07 am 20 minutes

5 minute time line
Time Number of calls
12:00 - 12:05 2
12:05 - 12:10 3
12:10 - 12:15 3
12:15 - 12:20 2


You don't need to allign the start time of the calls. All you really care
about is the range of time. the time period doesn't havve to be fixed,
instead it can be a delta time.

Suppose you had two projects at work and one started in January and the
other started in April. You want to to compare the two jobs. You can
compare the by the number of weeks from the start date. Compare tthe 1st
week of job A against the first week of job B. Then compare the 2nd week of
both jobs, and the 3rd week of each job.

 

[Herbert Seidenberg]

Excel 2007
Single chart with multiple data series
for multiple processes with multiple start/stop times.
Uses PivotTable and Tables.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/lgmmrwcnlnf/11_15_09a.xlsm

 

[Herbert Seidenberg]

Excel 2007
Multiple processes Gantt chart.
Added labels, count of concurrent processes.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/i5lernonzta/11_15_09b.xlsm