[...]
Here, I think that looks nice.
Bob, what time is it?
A time?
Well, you looked at it not two seconds ago.
I wasn't thinking about the time.
I was trying to find the easiest way of setting this table.
With your watch?
Sure, I was making a motion study.
Oh, Bob, not now.
Marge, if you'd study the motions you make when you set the table every day, I'll
bet you'll find you're wasting a lot of energy.
In fact, I'll bet there are better ways of doing almost everything around here.
I'll take the simple job of setting this table.
Women do it the hard way.
Oh, Bob, women can't run a house like a factory.
Why not? Think of the effort you'd say.
Maybe you wouldn't be so tired at the end of the day.
If you think you can do it better, you try it for just one day.
Anyway, never mind the motions just now.
The table has to be set.
They'll be here any minute.
Now, don't go timing me with your watch.
You get the silverware out.
[...]
Sam, glad the gardeners are coming now, what?
So am I.
And remember, Bob, we invited them for dinner.
[...]
I'll lay off this shop talk while we're eating.
I'll let them enjoy your cooking, Marge.
But you ought to see the great work that's been done not only at
our plant, but at every other plant.
Well, I remember her.
She was the wife in Dark Dawn.
Yeah, that's the girl.
She's the daughter in this picture.
But it's nothing like the book at all.
It never is.
They always change it for the movies.
But it's good.
Don't you miss it, Marge?
Oh, I won't miss that one.
More coffee, anyone?
No, thanks, Bob.
Well, then shall we...
I'll have to pair the table, Marge.
All right.
I mean, let's just stack them in the sink for now.
Cigarette, Dick?
No, thanks.
How's the new job?
I like it. It's okay.
You're gonna have it.
I wouldn't trade with him.
Well, you don't realize what motion study can do, Dick.
It works out just like...
Well, like better machines and better methods.
Times have changed.
It's a lot different than it was in the old days.
Now, we're able to produce more and more stuff with less and less effort
on the part of the guys who do the work.
That's what motion study's for.
We find out how the machines and tools and the methods of using them should be
changed to make it easier for the operator.
So, as I say, it makes your job as a foreman a lot easier.
Well, it sounds good.
It's more than sound.
I can prove it.
I'm not the only guy you'll have to prove it to.
You know, just the other day, the boys in my department
were talking about your program.
Well, this motion study has always been a mystery to a lot of people.
I guess I can understand how they feel, and I don't blame them.
In fact, I used to feel the same way myself, before I found out what it was all
about, before I realized that it is possible to turn
out more production with less work.
Up until then, the idea just didn't make sense.
Still doesn't make sense to me.
More production equals more work, in my language.
Yet you claim it'll make jobs easier, and still get results.
Sure. A man can produce more without working a bit harder.
It's gonna be hard to make some of the boys understand that.
I know. It'll take time.
But first, I guess I've gotta sell men like you.
Maybe this will show you what I mean.
What's that thing?
One of those pinboards we've been hearing about?
Uh-huh.
The idea is to put all the pins in the board.
Now, all the pins are chamfered, see?
Uh-huh.
They fit easy.
I see.
Just fill the board. Try different ways.
Put all the pins in the holes and see which is the easiest method.
Wanna try it?
Sure, why not? I'll take a shot at it.
Hey, wait a minute.
How are you gonna tell which is the best method?
Well, that's simple. We'll see how long
each method takes and which is the easiest.
Okay. Let's go.
Now, there's nothing true of this.
Any kid can do this. That is, with a little practice.
Okay, but wait till you try some other method.
You'll be surprised how much better you do, even without practice.
Forty seconds.
That's just about average, Dick, for that method.
You mean I'm not so hot?
At least Bobby waited until I asked dinner to get that board out.
He's even trying to get me doing a motion study for my housework.
Let's watch them for a while.
Sure. You girls might like to try it later on.
I still say a little motion study around the house would help your housework.
Listen to the man.
Nothing would make housework easy, except more
things at work when you push a button.
That's what I keep telling Bob.
He claims there's a lot of waste motion around the house.
You should have seen him trying to set this table.
Studying his motions.
No fooling.
I bet I could find an easier way if I took time to figure it out.
How about trying a different method, Dick?
Your left hand was idle. All it did was hold the pegs.
Well, suppose I use both hands.
Okay, try it.
Now watch my smoke.
Ready for that watch?
Uh-huh.
Let's go.
This isn't so good either.
Still, the average person does a little better with this method.
Your hands are both productive now.
Only trouble is, it's hard to position the
pins because you've got your hands full.
I'll say.
Thirty-four seconds.
What do you know?
The first method took forty.
But that's [...]
This one was faster and even easier.
How about giving the girls a crack at it?
Sure.
You try, Ann.
But don't you time me.
I certainly will.
And Ann, if you use the same method that Dick used, we'll
prove it's not the operator but the method.
So do it the same way, huh?
Well, I'll try.
Here goes.
And this isn't as easy as it looks.
Keep going.
You're doing all right.
Your time will be just about the same as Dick's.
It's the method that counts.
What are you giving me?
Don't try and tell me skill doesn't help.
Sure it helps.
But sometimes method is a bigger factor than skill.
It's thirty-three seconds.
Well, a little over.
That's about the same as Dick.
See, honey, I'm not so bad.
You see what I mean?
A lot of times we think an operator is just naturally slow.
But maybe it's because his motions are wrong.
You've got to find a better way to do this.
Too much fumbling.
See, how about picking up one pin at a time and alternating hands?
You mean like this?
Sure.
That ought to be easier.
Do away with the fumbling.
You're right.
But even this method isn't perfect.
Well then, how about moving both hands at the same time?
Now you've had it.
Bet you a buck you find it's still easier.
You know, Marge, that looks real interesting.
How's this for an idea?
Instead of starting at one end, I'll start down here in the middle.
So the both hands are working in line.
Good idea.
Ready?
Seems easy, doesn't it?
Yeah.
Doesn't seem as if I'm making very good time, though.
Don't worry about time.
The main thing is the method.
That's why it seems easier.
Twenty-three seconds.
Forty for the first method and it seemed harder.
And the time was only 23 on the easiest method.
And I did it just by changing the motions.
See, that's just what I've been saying.
That's what motion study does, Dick.
You find out how to turn out more work with the same effort.
Well, that's nothing new when you come to think about it.
Most foremen do that all the time.
Take my department, for instance.
We have a job almost like this pin problem out on the window
regulator subassembly line.
A couple of weeks ago, one of the girls assembling the lift pin and leather
washers ahead of the staking operation was having trouble keeping up.
A good worker, too.
She'd always made out on other jobs.
The other girls on the similar setups had no
trouble keeping ahead of the punch press.
But this one girl worked like the devil all day and still couldn't keep up.
So I watched the other girls.
And you know, it was just about like this pin board.
The girls that were keeping up had the easiest method.
They were working with both hands.
They picked up a leather washer on each hand and carried it to
the lift pins on the assembly rail.
And the girl that wasn't making out, well, she did it just
about like I did when I started out.
She picked up a handful of parts in one hand and did all the work with the other.
So this pin board isn't so far-fetched at that.
We've got lots of jobs like that in our department.
And it isn't all just hand motions, either.
Remember that Centilus grinding job on the OD
of the piston I had in my old apartment?
It was the bottle neck and the piston line.
And the boss was hollering for more pistons.
So I went out and watched the job.
The big trouble was that the machine was down too long
while the man was loading and unloading.
He had to walk about two feet to get rid of the finished piston and about seven
feet back to the supply rack for the next piece.
And all this time, the machine was just waiting.
You know how we fix that, John?
We just put a rack on the splash guard of the
machine where he could hang the next piece.
The man couldn't leave the grinder during the infeed.
But during the spark out, he put the finished piston on the rack.
Walked over and got the next piece and put it on the splash guard.
When the spark out was finished, he backed off the feed wheel and pulled out
the finished piston with his right hand.
He loads the rough piston with his left hand and then starts the infeed.
That was just enough to get the piston line out of
trouble and the boss out of my hair.
Yeah, I guess you're right, Bob.
I never thought I was doing motion study when I changed that worker's method.
So maybe you ought to get over to my department one of
these days and look over some of the Johns.
Maybe I can teach you some motion study.
Sure, I'd be glad to.
Seriously, though, Bob.
The boys will listen to stuff that makes sense, especially if it
makes it easier for us to get production.
Speaking of production, Marge, how about getting at the dishes?
I was just thinking. There must be ways of making dishwashing easier.
Oh, so we've got you convinced now.
I'm practically so. Maybe motion study would be
a great thing around this house at that.
Hey, what's this?
Hold still. You two experts are going to develop a
better method in the kitchen sink.