Abstract
The object of the paper is to establish a method for obtaining the allocation of machines to operators which is economically best.
There is no difficulty with automatic machines, it is possible with them to load the operator to 100 per cent of his capacity without loss of productivity. But with machines which suffer random interruptions to the cycle of production—termed semi-automatic machines—there are successive drops in productivity per machine for each machine added to an operator's quota. To obtain the best results the value of the product must be balanced against the cost of the operator's time.
An indispensable factor in the calculation is the prediction of the machine productivity under different allocations. Hitherto this prediction has not been possible, but tables have recently been published which contain all the necessary information. The method is outlined, and a simple chart is devised for quick use.
The present solution is of considerable interest to many industries, in particular, the cotton and textile industries.
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