Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Ralph M. Barnes - Industrial Engineer - Motion and Time Study - Important Ideas Promoted by Him




Ralph Barnes was born in Clifton Mills, West Virginia on October 17, 1900.

He went to West Virginia University for his BS (1923) and his ME(1928).  He received his MS (1924) and PhD. (1933) from Cornell University.

Ralph was the first recipient of a PhD  (1933) in Industrial Engineering from Cornell, and also the first in the United States.

He worked in US window Glass (1923), Bausch and Lomb Optical Co, (1924-25), and  Gleason Works (1925-26). He also worked in Eastman Kodak during 1926-30.

He taught at the University of Illinois (1926-28), the University of Iowa (1928-1949), and UCLA from 1949-1968, and was a professor emeritus until the 80s.  He died in Los Angeles November 4, 1984.

Research papers by R.M Barnes - University of Iowa

He wrote the popular text book "Motion and Time Study" which is published  by John Wiley and Sons.

He was awarded the Gilbreth medal.

During World War II,  he did consulting on the layout for the Hanford Nuclear Plant and worked for Armstrong Cork Company which made wings for the Corsair airplane.


http://wf-eng.slerahosting.com/html/barnes.html

Important Ideas Promoted by Barnes

Motion and Time Study is a only part of Industrial Engineering.


Motion and Time Study is not the entire field of industrial engineering. In recent years, there has been a tendency in this direction.  P.6, Third Edition, 1949.

Above statement is very important. Industrial engineering neglected the engineering aspect of IE and focused more on human effort industrial engineering. When workers opposed this exclusive focus on them to increase productivity (they felt uncomfortable and unnecessarily painted as villains) IE has to no ground to defend. Psychologists and sociologists took the side of workers and criticized IE practices. IEs had no answer and beat a retreat. The point indicated by Barnes was not corrected even now in IE discipline. 

--------------------



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_Hv0JH9OkQ 

For the content in slides
Engineering in Industrial Engineering - Engineering ++ = Industrial Engineering

Presentation in International Conference on Industrial Engineering - 2019, SVNIT Surat
--------------------

Computers in Industrial Engineering Methods


Ralph Barnes, in his seventh edition of Motion and Time Study devoted two chapters to explain the role of computers in industrial engineering. Chapter 25 is titled “computer aided time study.” Chapter 26 is titled “computerized machine and equipment downtime monitoring and reporting” [Barnes]. Time study is an important method in IE and it is important to notice that in 1980 itself, the role of computers was discussed in time study. In the area of layout planning also, computer methods existed during the 70s. 


Industrial Engineering - Role of Engineering, Mechanization and Automation


In process improvement study or projects, to do a task in the most productive manner, the most efficient manual method (best manual method), best mechanized method and best automation method are to be compared and the most productive method has to be employed. This comparison has to be done at element or suboperation level.

Source: Book: Motion and Time Study: Design and Measurement of Work, Ralph M. Barnes, 7th Edition, Chapter 18. Motion Study, Mechanization, and Automation.

Experiments on Principles of Motion Economy


Barnes conducted number of research studies to gather evidence regarding principles of motion economy given by Frank Gilbreth. He devoted three chapters in his book to explain the principles in detail and made motion films also to show examples.

Principles of Motion Economy - Details - R.M. Barnes



Updated  25 Jan 2022,  1 October 2020,  13 June 2015
First published  4 Oct 2013








1 comment: