Shop Management

SHOP MANAGEMENT 157 cient observations on either one of the materials, the only element of the other which requires to be timed is the loading. This illustrates one of the merits of the elementary system. The column "Av.” is filled from the preceding column. The figures thus found are the actual net times of the different unit times. These unit times are averaged and entered in the “Time” column, on the lower half of the right-hand page, preceded, in the "No.” column, by the number of observations which have been taken of each unit. These times, combined and compared with the gross times on the left-hand page, will determine the percentage lost in resting and other necessary delays. A convenient method for obtaining the time of an operation, like picking, in which the quantity is difficult to measure, is suggested by the records on the left-hand page. The percentage of the time taken in rest and other necessary delays, which is noted on the sheet as, in this case, about 27 per cent., is obtained by a com- parison of the average net “time per barrow” on the right with the “time per barrow” on the left. The latter is the quotient of the total time shoveling and wheeling divided by the number of loads wheeled. It must be remembered that the example given is simply for illustration. To obtain accurate aver- age times, for any item of work under specified con- ditions, it is necessary to take observations upon a number of men, each of whom is at work under con- ditions which are comparable. The total number of observations which should be taken of any one elementary unit depends upon its variableness, and