IE333 FALL 2024 / 2025
NOVEMBER 26 - 27, 2024
WEEK 9
Methods Engineering
Motion Study and Work Design
Sections:
Chapter 10 1. Basic Motion Elements and
Work Analysis
2. Principles of Motion Economy
and Work Design
Definitions
• Motion study - analysis of the basic hand, arm,
and body movements of workers as they
perform work
• Work design - design of the methods and
motions used to perform a task
– Includes:
• Workplace layout and environment
• Tooling and equipment used (workholder, fixtures, hand
tools, portable power, tools, machine tools)
Basic Motion Elements
• Frank Gilbreth – first to catalog
the basic motion elements
• “Therblig”s – 17 basic motion elements
– Basic building blocks of virtually all manual work performed
at a single location
– Used today in several work measurement systems
Basic Motion Elements - Videos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCBfDVwzDTk
https://dissolve.com/video/1920s-woman-able-
work-more-efficiently-she-employs-royalty-free-
stock-video-footage/001-D378-75-107
25.11.2024
Gilbreth’s Seventeen Therbligs
1. Transport empty (TE) – reach for an object with
empty hand
2. Grasp (G) – grasp an object by contacting and closing
the fingers until control has been achieved
3. Transport loaded (TL) – move an object with hand and
arm
4. Hold (H) – hold an object
5. Release load (RL) – release control of an object
6. Use (U) – manipulate/use a tool
Gilbreth’s Seventeen Therbligs
7. Pre-position (PP) – position object for next operation
8. Position (P) – position object in defined location
9. Assemble (A) – join two parts
10. Disassemble (DA) – separate multiple parts that were
previously joined
11. Search (Sh) – attempt to find an object using eyes or
hand
Gilbreth’s Seventeen Therbligs
12. Select (St) – choose among several objects in a group
(hand-eye coordination is involved)
13. Plan (Pn) – decide on an action (a short pause or
hesitation in the motions)
14. Inspect (I) – determine quality of object using the eyes
15. Unavoidable delay (UD) – waiting due to factors
beyond worker control
16. Avoidable delay (AD) – worker waiting
17. Rest (R) – resting to overcome fatigue
Classification of Therbligs
Effective therbligs: Ineffective therbligs:
Physical Basic Motion Physical Basic Motion
Elements: Elements:
• Transport empty • Hold
• Grasp • Pre-position
• Transport loaded Physical and Mental Basic
• Release load Motion Elements:
• Use • Position
• Assemble • Search
• Disassemble • Select
Mental Basic Elements: Mental Basic Elements:
• Inspect • Plan
Delay Elements: Delay elements:
• Rest • Unavoidable delay
• Avoidable delay
Micromotion Analysis
Analysis of therbligs that make up a repetitive task
Objectives
– Eliminate ineffective therbligs if possible
– Avoid holding objects with hand – Use workholder
– Combine therbligs – Perform right-hand and left-hand
motions simultaneously
– Simplify the overall method
– Reduce time for a motion, e.g., shorten distance
Table 10.3 -- checklists for possible improvements
Left Hand Right Hand Activity Charts
Placing pegs into a peg board
Micromotion Analysis
Principles of Motion Economy & Work Design
Guidelines to help determine work method, workplace layout,
tools, and equipment
Developed over many years of practical experience in work design
Objective: to maximize work efficiency and minimize worker fatigue
Three categories of principles:
– Use of the human body
– Workplace arrangement
– Design of tooling and equipment
Principles Related to Use of Human Body
Most applicable to manual work
1. Design work to fully utilize both hands
2. Two hands should begin and end their motions at
the same time
3. Hand and arm motions should be symmetrical and
simultaneous
4. Design work to favor preferred hand
5. Worker’s two hands should not be idle at the same
time
Principles Related to Use of Human Body
• A relatively simple task
– Reaching, selecting, grasping, transporting, releasing
small parts.
• Two types of containers
– A rectangular bin
– A bin with a tray
• The worker performed the work cycle with each container
using
– Only the right hand
– Only the left hand
– Both hands performing symmetrical & simultaneous
motions.
Principles Related to Use of Human Body
0.74 sec / 0.54 sec /
work unit work unit
Principles Related to Use of Human Body
Utilize laws of physics
6. Method should consist of smooth continuous
curved motions rather than straight motions with
abrupt changes in direction
7. Use momentum (mass * velocity) to facilitate task
8. Take advantage of gravity – Don’t oppose it
9. Method should achieve a natural rhythm of the
motions involved
Principles Related to Use of Human Body
10. Use lowest classification of hand and
arm motion (five classifications)
1) Finger
2) Finger and wrist
Principles Related to Use of Human Body
3) Finger, wrist, and forearm
4) Finger, wrist, forearm, and upper arm
5) Finger, wrist, forearm, upper arm, and shoulder
5
Principles Related to Use of Human Body
For using body members other than the hands,
and arms
11. Minimize eye focus and eye travel
12. Design method to utilize feet and legs where
appropriate
Principles Related to Workplace Arrangement
Design of the workplace
1. Locate tools and materials in fixed positions within
the work area
2. Locate tools and materials close to where they are
used
3. Locate tools and materials to be consistent with
sequence of work elements
Principles Related to Workplace Arrangement
Normal and maximum working areas in the
workplace
NR - Normal radius of arm reach (in cm)
MR - Maximum radius of arm reach
NW - Normal width of arm reach
MW - Maximum width of arm reach
67-60
39-36 (male-
female)
109-102
163-147
Principles Related to Workplace Arrangement
Poor arrangement of Good arrangement of
parts and tools in parts and tools in
workplace workplace
Principles Related to Workplace Arrangement
4. Use gravity feed bins to deliver small parts and
fasteners
Two types of bins
used for small parts
and fasteners in the
workplace:
(a) gravity feed bin
(b) conventional
rectangular bin
Principles Related to Workplace Arrangement
5. Use gravity drop
chutes for completed work
units where appropriate
6. Provide adequate illumination
– Other aspects are also important (noise,
temperature, etc.)
Principles Related to Workplace Arrangement
7. A proper chair should be provided for the
worker
– Adjustable to the size of the worker
– Seat height and back adjustments
– Padded seat and back
An adjustable chair
for workplace
Principles Related to Design of Tooling & Equipment
1. Workholding devices should be designed for the task
2. Hands should be relieved of work elements that can
be performed by the feet using foot pedals
Principles Related to Design of Tooling & Equipment
3. Combine multiple
functions into one
tool where possible
4. Perform multiple operations
simultaneously rather than
sequentially
3. Perform operation on multiple parts
simultaneously
Principles Related to Design of Tooling & Equipment
5. Design equipment controls for operator
convenience and error avoidance
6. Hand tools and portable power tools should be
designed for operator comfort and convenience
7. Mechanize or automate manual operations if
economically and technically feasible
Example
Sitting in front of her all-wooden desk in her all-wooden chair, the author
reached for her wooden pencil, picked it up, positioned it, and then
began to write on her notebook. After finishing one sentence, she
lifted the pencil, and read the sentence. She then put the pencil aside
and reached for the eraser nearby. Grasping and positioning it, she
erased one of the words in the sentence.
She then laid the eraser aside, picked the pencil up, made a correction,
and continued writing. Periodically, she would repeat this sequence
of writing, erasing, correcting, and then continuing to write. After
working in this way for about two hours, she went and took a nap.
Example
List of the motion elements
1. Reaching for the wooden pencil
2. Picking up the wooden pencil
3. Positioning the pencil
4. Writing on the notebook
5. Lifting the pencil after finishing one sentence
6. Reading the sentence
7. Putting the pencil aside
8. Reaching for the eraser
9. Grasping the eraser
10. Positioning the eraser
11. Erasing a word in the sentence
12. Laying the eraser aside
13. Picking up the pencil again
14. Making a correction with the pencil
15. Continuing to write
16. Repeating the sequence periodically (writing, erasing, correcting)
17. Taking a nap after two hours
25.11.2024
Example
Some recommendations for improvement
– A proper chair should be provided for the worker
– Hand tools should be designed for operator comfort
and convenience
– Multiple tooling functions should be combined into
one tool wherever possible
– Manual operations should be mechanized or
automated wherever economically and
technologically feasible
