The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 4, Issue 11 (June 1, 1930)
Relation between Rhythm and Work
Relation between Rhythm and Work.
Similarly has this “swing” factor been considered in riveting where the electric heaters turn out the material at the pre-determined intervals so that there is an even flow without undue haste or piling-up of ready rivets. Many numerous small points have been combined with the main machines in one shop so that there is a steady forward movement over the whole of the working unit. From the time small angle-irons are punched for rivet holes, until the complete undercarriage is strapped together, the rhythm is maintained. So complete is the organisation, that the shop has worked out a time schedule for a complete shift in the assembly shop every two hours. At the same time it must be understood that if machinery is “speeded-up” so that the rhythm at which it is intended to operate is thrown out, the effect is deleterious, even disastrous, to the machine. (Private factories, in an endeavour to increase output, occasionally fail to realise this factor.) On specialised jobs, such as boring holes in flooring sheets, thought has been given to promote movements calculated to be both natural and, at the same time, quicker. The order of boring holes has been fixed and the worker has been instructed in procedure. The saving in both time and effort will be more obvious if the reader attempts to work from left to right and proceed page break page 39 forward then to contrast with the reverse motions.