A Concrete Example of Making Adjustments.
In order to make plain exactly how changes are made and take place from the condition before analysis, measurement, and synthesis are made to the standard method of doing the work, we shall take a concrete example and consider it from every phase. This concrete example will be the assembly of a braider or machine for manufacturing braid, which is a standard product of the New England Butt Company. With the co-operation of Mr. John G. Aldrich, who has since become president of the company, the problem of assembling a braider was studied, both in the laboratory and in the shop.
It is not generally recognized that ultimate standards can best be derived in the research room and laboratory. The standard practice in the plant will be the result of the laboratory practice. If the finer measurements are made in the shop during the general working operations, much time will be lost, as shop conditions cannot be controlled as laboratory conditions can. It has been said that laboratory experimentation is not directly available in shop practice, because laboratory conditions differ from shop conditions. They certainly do differ, but so do the ultimate shop conditions that must be introduced with the new standard method. The ultimate conditions in the shop are far nearer the laboratory conditions than are the shop conditions prior to installation of the new methods.