WORKSHOP ECONOMY.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 2, 1 December 1905, Page 25

WORKSHOP ECONOMY.

Workshop economy is an attractive subject, truly, since it may mean much m increasing the margin between profit and loss m many an implement and machinery manufacturer's establishment, whereas inattention to details may often mean great waste. The thoughtful consideration of engineers should, in fact, always be given to anything suggestive of economy in the workshop, and we welcome, therefore, a notable contribution of a contemporary on this subject, especially in relation to the question of overtime Overtime is a condition of production which may be either used or abused, and the writer under consideration appears to correctly direct his observations against the latter policy, admitting that overtime cannot entirely be done without. There are always arising, and always will be, those contingencies of breakdowns and other urgent necessities affecting hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of factory workers, which it would be folly on the part of the engineering firms not to meet by requisite overtime to expedite repairs. At the same time it will, he argues, be conceded by many thinking men who have looked at the matter from more than a superficial standpoint, that much of the overtime which is worked is due to nothing more nor less than bad management, and is therefore undoubtedly bad economy. What then, he asks, gives rise to so much overtime in engineering trades ? Many causes can be cited, some of which m reason we must allow as quite admissible. Others there are, however, such as orders behind time, congestion m various departments, and the saving of increased plant, that require at least a little explanation. We consider that in some cases contracts are accepted for delivery at impossible dates, ]ust to get hold of the work, and without the possibility of its being conveniently executed withm the specified time. It is under such conditions that overtime has often to be resorted to, yet probably when the contract was estimated for, nothing was put on for extra wages involved by time and a quarter, time and a half, extra lighting, or other disproportionate expenses ; and overtime under such circumstances can hardly, he argues, be conducive to economy. As to the effect of overtime upon the life of machinery, some notable observations are offered dealing with a point which is too often likely to escape attention, namely the excessive wear and tear of machinery and plant. There is a tendency to work machines all the hours it is possible, and particularly automatic machines. " We could lay our hands," declares our contemporary, " on scores of machines that, in point of the amount of work done, have lived twice the life of a similar machine that has run the normal working day. It would seem to be hardly fair to the maker ; for when people use them so inconsiderately, it is not likely, when the machine is worn out in, perhaps, less than half its computed working days, that its owner will readily own to its excessive wear-and-tear. The position often taken up, it is correctly pointed out, is that they bought the machine at such a time, that it should have lasted so long, but that it is now ruined in half or less than half the time expected." Such facts speak for themselves m this connection of overtime in relation to workshop economy. On the physical, moral, and social aspect of overtime, this authority speaks very definitely, and his argument is quite correct, namely that, after all, " men are only human." We know very well the human limita-

tions. It therefore follows that only for so long per day can a man perform efficiently his appointed skilled task, both as to quality and quantity. Beyond that limit both the latter suffer considerably. When, therefore, decreased quality and quantity are accompanied by increased wages, wear-and-tear of machinery, and often lighting, it will more easily be seen where the question of overtime stands in relation to real economy in workshops.