PRINCIPLES OF MOTION

ECONOMY
1.

Use of Human Body

1.1 Two hands should begin and complete their movements at the same time.
This first principle states that both hands should be used as equally as possible. Both hands will
reinforce the effectiveness of work and helps in minimizing the time for a particular task.
Method of work design must be evenly divided between two sides of the workplace which is the
right and left hand. This principle will organized according to the following principle.
According to the workers preferred hand
It is where the allocation of work should take advantage of the workers best or
preferred hand which is faster, stronger, and more practical.

1.2 Two hands should not be idle at the same time.

The design of this method of work is on the avoidance of having period wherein neither hand is
working. This method will at least avoid having both hands idle at the same time for it is
impossible to completely balance the workload between the right and left hands. Exceptions to
this principle are the following:
During rest breaks
Work cycle of a worker-machine system
It is monitoring the machine during its automatic cycle wherein monitoring
involves using cognitive senses rather than the hands
1.3 Motions of the arms should be balanced in opposite direction and should be made
simultaneously
Design of this method will minimize the amount of hand-eye coordination required by the
worker. At the same time, both sides of the hands are doing the same movements but less
concentration will be required than if both hands perform different and independent motions.
1.4 Hand and body motions should be made at the lowest classification at which it is
possible to do the work satisfactorily.

Table

Basic

Body
Class

Pivot

Body parts moved

Knuckle

Fingers(F)

Wrist

Hand (H)+ F

Elbow

Forearm(FA) + H+F

Shoulder

Upper arm(UA) + FA+H+F

Trunk

Torso + UA+FA+H+F

Motions

HIGH SPEED &

PRECISION

LOW FORCE

1st class: finger motions,

Example: grasping small parts.

2nd class: also wrist motions,
Example: positioning a part
3rd class: also forearm motions,
Example: placing a small part in a bin
4th class: also upper arm and shoulder motions,
LOW SPEED &
PRECISION

Example: reaching object on high shelf

5th class: whole body motions: leg, trunk,
Example: lifting a heavy box.

HIGH FORCE

1.5 Work should be arranged to permit an easy and natural rhythm wherever possible
Rhythm refers to motions that have a regular recurrence and flow from one to the next. Rhythm is
essential to the smooth and automatic performance of any operation. Rhythm, as in a regular sequence of
uniform motions, aids the operator in performing work. A uniform, easy, and even rate of work is aided
by proper arrangement of the workplace, tools, and materials. Proper motion sequences help the operator
to establish a rhythm that helps make the work a series of automatic motions where the work is performed
without mental effort.
Basically, the worker learns the rhythm and performs the motions without thinking, much like the natural
and instinctive motion pattern that occurs in walking.
1.6 Eye xations should be as few and as close together as possible
Work should be arranged so that eye-movements are confined to a comfortable area, without the need for
frequent changes of the focus.

Where visual perception is required, it is desirable to arrange the task so that the eyes can direct
the work effectively. The workplace should be laid out so that the eye xations are as few and as
close together as possible.
In work situations where hand-eye coordination is required, the eyes are used to direct the actions of the
hands. Eye focus occurs when the eye must adjust to a change in viewing distance.
For example: from 25 in. to 10 in. with little or no change in line of sight.
Eye travel occurs when the eye must adjust to a line-of-sight change.
For example, from one location in the workplace to another, but the distances from the eyes are the same.
Since eye focus and eye travel each take time, it is desirable to minimize the need for the worker to make
these adjustments as much as possible. This can be accomplished by minimizing the distances between
objects (e.g., parts and tools) that are used in the workplace.

Normal line of sight is 15 degrees below horizontal,

Visual field is defined by a cone,

Head movements are minimized if eye fixations are limited to a single cone.

Horizontal

15

15

Figure 1 Normal line of sight

1.7 The method should be designed to utilize the workers feet and legs when appropriate:
The legs are stronger than the arms, although the feet are not as practical as the hands. The work method
can sometimes be designed to take advantage of the greater strength of the legs, for example, in lifting
tasks.

2. ARRANGEMENT OF THE WORKPLACE

2.1 Definite and fixed positions/stations should be provided for all tools and materials to permit
habit formation.
There should be a denite and xed place for all tools and materials. The operator should always have
tools and materials in the same location, and nished parts and assembled units should be placed in xed
positions or locations. For example, in the assembly of mechanical hardware, the hand should move
without mental direction to the bin containing at washers, then to the bin containing lock washers, then

to the bin containing bolts, and nally to the bin containing hex nuts. There should be no thinking
required on the part of the operator to do any of this.
As the saying goes, a place for everything, and everything in its place. The worker eventually learns
the fixed locations, allowing him to reach for the object without wasting time looking and searching.
2.2 Tools and materials should be pre-positioned to reduce searching.
In the horizontal plane, there is a denite and somewhat limited area that the worker can use with a
normal expenditure of effort. This includes a normal working area for the right hand and one for the left
hand for each working separately, and another for both hands working together. Figure 5 and 6 shows this
and the dimensions of normal and maximum working areas in the horizontal and vertical planes.
2.3 Containers should be used to deliver the materials as close to the point of use as possible.
This can sometimes be accomplished by using parts bins with sloping bottoms that feed parts by gravity
to the front of the bin, eliminating the need for the assembly operator to reach down into the bin to grasp
parts. A gravity feed bin is a container that uses gravity to move the items in it to a convenient access
point for the worker. One possible design is shown in Figure (a). It generally allows for quicker
acquisition of an item than a conventional rectangular tray shown in Figure (b).

Figure 2 a) properly designed Gravity-feed, bins and containers b) poorly designed

Figure 3 Standard bins of the gravity-feed type

2.2.1

Tools, materials, and controls should be located within the maximum working
area and as near to the worker as possible.

This helps to minimize the distances the worker must move (travel empty and travel loaded) in the
workplace. In addition, any equipment controls should also be located in close proximity. This guideline

usually refers to a normal and maximum working area, as shown in Figure 2a. It is generally desirable to
keep the parts and tools used in the work method within the normal working area, as defined for each
hand and both hands working together.
If the method requires the worker to move beyond the maximum working area, then the worker must
move more than just the arms and hands. This expends additional energy, takes more time, and ultimately
contributes to greater worker fatigue.

Figure 4 dimensions of normal and maximum working area in the horizontal plane for
males

Figure 5 dimensions of normal and maximum working area in the horizontal plane for
females

Figure 6 Normal and maximum working space in three dimensions

Figure 7a) poor & b) Good arrangement of parts and tools in workplace
2.2.1

Drop deliveries or ejectors should be used wherever possible, so that operators

do not have to use his/her hands to dispose of the finished work.

The drop chutes should lead to a container adjacent to the worktable. The entrance to the gravity chute
should be located near the normal work area, permitting the worker to dispose of the finished work unit
quickly and conveniently. They are most appropriate for lightweight work units that are not fragile.
This requires conguring the work-place, for example, so that nished units may be disposed of by
releasing them in the position in which they are completed, delivering them to their next destination by

gravity. Besides the savings in time, this frees the two hands so that they may begin the next cycle
immediately without breaking the rhythm
2.2.2

Provision should be made for adequate lighting and, a chair of the type of
height to permit good posture should be provided.

The height of the workplace and seat should be arranged to allow alternate standing and sitting.
This usually means an adjustable chair that can be fitted to the size of the worker. The adjustments
usually include seat height and back height. Both the seat and back are padded.
Many adjustable chairs also provide a means of increasing and decreasing the amount of back support.
The chair height should be in proper relationship with the work height. An adjustable chair for the
workplace is shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8
2.2.3

Adjustable chair

The color of the workplace should contrast with that of the work and thus
reduce the eye-fatigue.

The issue of illumination is normally associated with ergonomics. However, illumination has long been
known to be an important factor in work design. Illumination is especially important in visual inspection
tasks.

Working Conditions
Temperature &
Ventilation
Humidity

Illumination

Noise & Vibration

Safety

Figure 9 working conditions

Color

Work Breaks

Causes of Accidents

3. DESIGN OF TOOLS & EQUIPMENT

2.2.4

The hands should be relieved of all work of holding the work-piece where this
can be done by a jig, fixture or foot-operated device.