AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 29 July 1929, Page 2

AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT

INCREASING FACTORY OUTPUT.

CHRISTCHURCH, July 27

A Christchurch fii’m Is putting into practice the study of movement in industry, which is closely allied with the better known science of fatigue. It is stated that this is the first practical ap plication of the science in New Zealand The aim is to increase the output from factories while employees are given longer times for rest. Fatigue in industry is explained by -the (fact that the nerve-centres of the human body become clogged when a certain amount of work has been done determined by the constitution of the individual. AVhile the individual may not notice any slackening on his part it is evident in his work. It was to counteract this natural result of overwork or continuous work that the science was evolved.

So far as the Christchurch experiment is concrened, several interesting developments have been seen. In one of the departments there are two machines of similar type. In one case, a wooden handle has to *be removed from the machine by a mechanical device operated by hand whereas in the second case it has to be levered out by hand. The operator was timed by a stop-watch through both operations, and it was found that in the former case it occupied only seven seconds and in the latter case fourteen seconds. As the result, the manager has decided to have the slower machines altered to comply with the first type. In another case, a workman was obliged to turn to the left every few seconds to secure a fresh piece of wood for his machine. Acting on expert advice, he placed the wooden blocks immediately in front of the machine, and increased his output by from 10 to 15 per cent.' Such changes would not suggest themselves to the ordinary workman, but are obvious to those who have studied the matter.

Further experiments are being conducted.