Frank Bunker Gilbreth

Frank Bunker Gilbreth was born on July 7, 1868 in Fairfield, Maine, USA. He was one of the representatives of the Industrial Engineering trend. His career began as a journeyman in the construction industry and hence his first observations and research concerned the improvement of the organizational work of masons. He died on June 14, 1924 in Montclair, New Jersey at the age of 55.

Private life

Childhood

FB Gilbreth was one of the three children of John Hiram Gilbreth and Martha Bunker Gilbreth. His mother was a teacher, and his father owned a hardware store. At the age of 3, he was orphaned by his father who suddenly died of pneumonia. The family moved to Boston, where Martha Gilbreth opened a boarding school because she was unable to support her own family from a teacher's salary. Gilbreth did not learn very well. At some point in his education, his mother even convinced him to study at home. It only changed when he went to high school. Then he became interested in science and mathematics. He even took the initial exams at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but decided to go to work to support the family financially.

Marriage

Gilbreth married Lillian Evelyn Moller, who was a psychologist by profession, on October 19, 1904 in Oakland, California.

Children

The pair had thirteen children, one of which died before birth.

Death

Gilbreth died of a heart attack on June 14, 1924 at the age of 55. His wife lived as a widow for 48 years.

Scientific work

Together with his wife Lilian Moller Gilbreth, they have developed a method for examining the course and duration of working movements. Initially, they applied the cyclographic method. The worker was equipped with small bulbs connected with an electric current source for joints and elbows. The worker was photographed with a long exposure camera, while working in a darkened room. On the plate, glowing bulbs marked the path of work movements. Analysis of such photos allowed them to study and improve the spatial course of work movements, but did not show movements in time. They introduced some improvements: they included a current chopper into the electrical circuit, working with a high, known frequency. After this modification, the course of the work movements appeared on the film not in a continuous but intermittent line. Knowing the chopper frequency, they could determine the duration of elementary movements with great accuracy. That's how the chronocyclographic technique was created.

The next modernization was the use of a film camera for research, in order to:

• identify movements, necessary and unnecessary operations that should be eliminated,
• combine movements, which shortened the time taken to perform the operation,
• determine the correct order of performed activities.

As a result of research and operations, the Gilbreths developed a classification of elementary movements, which included 17 micromovements, They are called therbligs.

The Gilbreths in their "Management psychology", put a special emphasis on the issues concerning employee training , they considered them the basic tools to increase efficiency and cooperation in work processes. According to them, the main means of teaching model work methods are:

• written explanations,
• oral explanations,
• illustrative methods.

Also in the same work they raise the problem of motivation to work, they distinguish:

• Material incentive system ( share in profits, remuneration methods).
• Psychological motivation system:
  • recognition from management,
  • co - operation,
  • competition (competition with colleagues, with own achievements and with the norm).

In The Study of Tiredness, they analyzed and assessed the phenomenon of industrial fatigue, which they divided into:

• unavoidable fatigue which is the result of normal work
• unnecessary fatigue, which is caused by improper conditions of the material working environment (e.g. noise, lack of proper work clothing, bad lighting).

According to Gilbreth unnecessary fatigue should be eliminated completely, and in relation to inevitable fatigue its culmination should be prevented. The leisure time system could help, instead of one break throughout the business day.

Examples of Frank Bunker Gilbreth achievements

• The Gilbreth's Motion Study: One of the most notable contributions of Frank Bunker Gilbreth was the introduction of the time-and-motion study. This is a method of organizing work in order to reduce the amount of time it takes to complete a task. This method involved breaking down tasks into smaller components, analyzing the movements of workers, and identifying areas for improvement. It is still used today in many industries.
• The Gilbreth's Therblig System: This system was developed by Frank Bunker Gilbreth to simplify the process of analyzing the motions of a worker. It was based on the idea that all motions can be broken down into 17 ‘therbligs’, which are individual actions that make up a task. This system is still used today to improve the efficiency of a worker’s movements.
• The Gilbreth’s Fatigue Study: Frank Bunker Gilbreth was one of the pioneers in the study of fatigue. His research focused on identifying the causes and effects of fatigue in the workplace. He was one of the first to identify the importance of ergonomics and the need to design workplaces to reduce fatigue and improve worker productivity.

Advantages of Frank Bunker Gilbreth approach

Frank Bunker Gilbreth was an early pioneer of industrial engineering, who dedicated his life to improving the organizational efficiency of construction and other industrial settings. He was a leader in the application of scientific principles to the field of management. Following are some of the advantages of his contributions:

• He was one of the first to develop a systematic approach to industrial management, introducing the concept of "time and motion studies". He believed that working smarter, not harder, was the key to better productivity, and he used detailed analysis of workers' motions to identify and eliminate inefficiencies.
• Gilbreth is credited with introducing the use of standardized tools, interchangeable parts, and assembly lines, which were revolutionary in their time. These concepts are now widely used in the manufacturing industry, and their implementation has resulted in significant cost savings and improved production quality.
• Gilbreth was an advocate of worker safety and well-being, and he pioneered the concept of ergonomics, which is the study of the relationship between people and their work environment. He developed a series of principles that are now used to design workplaces that maximize comfort, efficiency, and safety.

Limitations of Frank Bunker Gilbreth approach

Frank Bunker Gilbreth was a pioneer in the field of industrial engineering, and his contributions have had a lasting impact on the way work is organized and done. However, his work had some limitations, including:

• His studies and observations were largely limited to masonry and the building industry. As a result, his research and insights may not have been applicable to other industries.
• His work focused mainly on improving efficiency and productivity, and did not address other issues such as worker safety and employee morale.
• His ideas were ahead of their time, and many of his suggestions were not implemented at the time due to the lack of technology needed to make it possible.
• His work was largely based on observation and trial and error, and he did not have access to more modern methods of data-based research.

Other approaches related to Frank Bunker Gilbreth

Many other approaches related to Frank Bunker Gilbreth have been identified, including:

• Motion study - This was an approach developed by Gilbreth which involved analyzing the motions of workers in order to improve their efficiency. It was based on the idea that if workers can be trained to make fewer unnecessary movements, they can be more productive.
• Time and motion study - This approach combined the idea of motion study with the idea of time and cost analysis. The goal of this approach was to analyze how long it takes to complete a task and what the cost implications are of making changes to the process.
• Fatigue study - Gilbreth was one of the pioneers of research into the effects of fatigue on workers. He developed a system for measuring fatigue and analyzing its effects on performance.
• Management science - Gilbreth applied scientific principles to the management of organizations. He developed theories and models that could be used to analyze and improve the efficiency of organizations.

In summary, Frank Bunker Gilbreth work is remembered for its contributions to the field of industrial engineering, specifically motion study, time and motion study, fatigue study, and management science.

Frank Bunker Gilbreth — recommended articles

Harrington Emerson — Henry Laurence Gantt — Walter A. Shewhart — Total productive maintenance — Ergonomics — Work simplification — Process — Genichi Taguchi — Work cycle

References

• Gilbreth, F. B. (1911). Motion study: A method for increasing the efficiency of the workman. D. Van Nostrand Company.
• Price, B. (1989). Frank and Lillian Gilbreth and the manufacture and marketing of motion study, 1908-1924. Business and economic history, 18(2).
• Baumgart, A., & Neuhauser, D. (2009). Frank and Lillian Gilbreth: scientific management in the operating room.