SAVINGS IN MATERIAL-STOCKKEEPING 1. Stockkeeping system 'a necessity.—In order to guarantee sufficient and proper tools and materials, it is essential to have a modern stockkeeping system. The duty of a stock or tool department, as described by Harrington Emerson, is to supply the right mate rial, at the right place, at the right time, of the required quality, in the minimum necessary quantity and at the lowest cost. In addition to preserving the materials from deterioration, loss and waste, the stockkeeper must anticipate the shop's needs so as to prevent any loss of time from waiting for supplies. The supplies are furnished to the workman at his machine or desk, which he is not allowed to leave. His duty is to run that machine, for when he is away getting supplies or gossiping with other workmen at the storeroom win dow, his work is being neglected.
2. Tool rooni in charge of tool room should be in charge of a tool expert who has the care of all tools and of sharpening and keeping them in shape. No workman is allowed to stop and sharpen his own tools. He must call for new ones; he is sup plied with a, call bell so that he does not have to go after the tools but has them brought to him. The workman quickly realizes the justice of this plan, and when he knows that his bonus depends on his efficiency, it is interesting to see how he makes the helpers step around. Some companies even go so far as to supply each man with a standard kit of hand tools which he must use constantly, and a locker in which to keep them, instead of letting him furnish his own. For these he gives his receipt, promising to return them or their value on leaving the company's employ. The advantages of this method are : 1. It reduces the number of tools required.
2. It enables the shop to obtain exact standards.
3. It assists the shop in dictating the exact method of doing the work.
3. Three rules of storekeeping. .—The interest on the capital released by a maximum and minimum stores system will often pay the entire expense of the department. The stores materials are commonly subdivided into tools, rough stores or raw materials, and finished stores ready for shipment. Often they are still further divided into finished parts awaiting assemblage, or possibly further divisions, as occasion demands. However, the principles of handling these
classes are the same and are very simple.
There are only three operations in storekeeping: the receipt of goods, the issuance of goods to workmen and the preservation of the remainder on hand. There are only three rules of stockkeeping: 1. A receipt is to be given for all goods received.
2. A receipt is to be taken for all goods delivered.
3. Someone must be responsible for stores on hand, just as a cashier is held responsible for all cash.
4. Receiving supplies.—Goods are received from only three sources. The first, and by far the largest portion, is purchased from outsiders. Before being placed in stock these goods must be carefully checked as to quantity and quality, for after they are placed in stock their identity is lost. In order that the re ceiving clerk may do this intelligently he must be supplied with a duplicate copy of the purchase order. Where he does not have such a copy he is sure to accept shortages and wrong goods. The discrepancy may be subsequently caught by the accounting de partment, in checking receipts with the original or ders, but after the goods have been received and placed in stock it is much more difficult to rectify mis takes and, consequently, it is less likely that any at tempt will be made to do sO. It is customary, how ever, to omit the price, which does not concern the storekeeper.
Some suspicious purchasing agents blank the quan tity, thus making sure that the receiving clerk actually checks the quantity received. In all cases it is neces sary to give the unit of measure; %" nickel-plated ells are purchased by the piece, %" galvanized ells by the pound. Unless the order states which unit is em ployed the check may be entirely useless, and no sec ond checking is possible. .Where goods are purchased or issued according to weight the stock clerk should be supplied with a scale. This seems obvious, yet such simple provisions are often neglected. The best prac tice is to have two scales, one for heavy weights and one for light, thus securing the maximum accurac3-.