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Industrial Engineering & Manufacturing vocabulary · Work Study and Time Measurement

Motion study

Meaning in industrial engineering & manufacturing, with examples

nounAdvanced term

In industrial engineering & manufacturing, motion study means: The detailed study of the body movements a worker uses to do a task, in order to remove unnecessary movements and find an easier, faster method.

In Turkish: hareket etüdü

How it is used

Pioneered by Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, who broke work into basic motions called therbligs (their surname spelled almost backwards). Today it is often done with video, and it is closely linked to ergonomics and the principles of motion economy.

Example sentences

  1. The motion study showed that operators turned around 30 times an hour to reach the parts bins.

  2. We filmed the station for a motion study and found that both hands were rarely working at the same time.

Common collocations

  • time and motion study
  • carry out a motion study
  • principles of motion economy
  • therblig
  • time studyA work measurement method in which an analyst times a trained worker doing a task many times, usually with a stopwatch or video, to set a standard time.
  • work studyThe systematic study of how work is done, using method study and work measurement, to find better methods and set fair time standards.
  • ergonomicsThe study and design of work so that it fits the human body and mind, reducing strain, injury and errors while improving comfort and performance.
  • wasteIn lean thinking, any activity that uses time or resources but adds no value for the customer, such as waiting, extra movement or making too much.

More terms: Work Study and Time Measurement

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