Ralph M. Barnes’ “Motion Study Applications: Showing Better and Easier Ways to Work” is a black and white film studying motion economy. Ralph M. Barnes was a Professor of Engineering and Production Management at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Iowa. The film was produced by the University of Iowa in 1942.

The film opens with various workers performing mundane, repetitive tasks, such as sorting (0:44), putting pegs in holes (1:11), hammering (1:23), assembling boxes (1:36), nailing (1:50), and tightening bolts with a wrench (1:57). A man sits at his desk and uses a fountain pen to sign a document (2:08). The film cuts to a list of a common series of movements: transport empty, select, grasp, position, use, pre-position, assemble, transport loaded (2:22). A motion analyst uses a special analyst 16mm film projector to view a film of a woman working in a mailing room, observing the fundamental motions of her task (2:31). She stuffs paper into envelopes, and the analyst takes notes, recording the time required for each motion.

The film cuts back to the man sitting at his desk (3:17). He signs a letter and sets it aside. Then he reaches for his pen, signs another letter, and sets it atop the other. The action slows down and the motion is broken down in a fashion similar to the steps listed previously (3:47): transport empty, grasp, transport loaded, position, use, transport loaded, pre-position, release load, transport empty. The film returns to the first woman in the montage, who demonstrates efficient motion economy (5:15). Viewers see the second woman filling 30 holes in a board with 30 wooden pins (5:56). She fills the board as quickly as possible, inserting the pin in the hole with the bullet nose down. A text screen reads one of the basic principles of motion economy: “motions of the two arms should be made in opposite and symmetrical directions and should be made simultaneously” (7:04). The woman begins using both hands to place the pins in the holes (7:24). The film shows a slow motion demonstration of the movements of the woman’s right hand (7:55). The motions are as follows: transport empty, select, grasp, transport loaded, positioned in transit, position, assemble, release load. The screen splits to show the operator performing the task using the old method on the left, and the improved method on the right (9:43). Viewers see a man folding paper cartons (10:26). Four die-cut flaps are picked up and broken at the creases against the edge of a table in order to make them easier to fold. As the end of each carton is folded, one hand holds an end flap while the other hand positions and assembles the other flap to it. The nest of partially folded cartons is turned around, and the remaining ends of the cartons are folded and set aside. Then the improved method is demonstrated, using a fixture to help simplify the work (11:49). The fixture holds one end flap on either side of the carton in place so that both hands are able to position and assemble the other two flaps simultaneously. The two hands work symmetrically. They position the carton into the fixture, assemble the end flaps, and set the carton aside. While the right hand sets the finished carton aside, the left prepares the next carton. This method is twice as productive. A woman fills small glass bottles with vitamin capsules (12:58). In the improved method, she first fills several wooden racks with empty bottles (13:39). The right hand draws out a perforated slide, which drops the correct number of capsules into each bottle. The rack of filled bottles is placed aside while another rack of empty bottles is placed in the fixture. The improved method increased the operator’s output by 485%. A woman inserts four sheets of advertising material into a mailing envelope (14:30). The fundamental motions are demonstrated in slow-motion. The improved method illustrates the woman using a wooden fixture to enable her to work more efficiently (16:09). Using rubber finger stalls to facilitate grasping, she can now pick up two sheets at a time with each hand. The woman more than doubled her previous output using the improved method. Viewers see a final montage of all of the operators featured in the film using the improved work methods they demonstrated (17:14). The principles of motion economy were applied in a common sense way, dramatically increasing output and efficiency.

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com