The workman needs certain aids in doing his work. These include power, machinery, tools, materials and the cooperation of his fellow-employes and the man akement. The need for supplying machines and power is so obvious that it hardly calls for mention. What needs emphasis is that the workman must be continuously supplied with power and equipment ; in other words, that he must be protected from delays due to breakdowns, etc.
10. Substitute power equipment—The commonest method of guarding against power shortage is to pro vide substitute power equipment. Many of the New England mills operated by water-power find it neces sary to have steam plants to help out during periods of drouth. Similarly, many concerns in New York City using electric power find it advisable to continue their old steam equipment, even tho the Edison Com pany offers to buy it up.
Substitution is a valuable preventive in all lines, even tho the substitute is sometimes more expensive than the thing it replaces. The difference in cost will be more than offset by the saving of time, the most expensive factor in business.
11. Equipment tickler.—An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The most efficient mainte nance is the replacing of a part before it actually breaks. A tickler system is a valuable aid. The best type of tickler is one which has a portfolio for each day in the year, large enough to hold all reminders.
Notices should be placed in the tickler in advance to come out at proper intervals thruout the year for the examination and repairing of parts of machines, boil ers, engines, belts, etc., likely to wear out or otherwise give trouble.
12. Other methods to avoid shutdowns.—Another method of maintenance is the annual shutdown of the plant as practised by the National Cash Register Com pany, the Remington Typewriter Company and other large concerns. All the operators are given their va cations at the same time, the plant shuts down and the entire equipment is overhauled. In the steel in dustry it has been found advisable to relieve the fur naces each Sunday, whether they need it or not, so as to prevent their burning out during the week. In the same way ships find it advisable to overhaul all machinery while in port and to replace worn parts, even tho they might last another trip, rather than take chances on breaks in mid-ocean.
No matter how carefully things are watched, occa sional breakdowns are bound to occur, and the best way to minimize the loss is to be prepared for them. The stock room should always carry a supply of repair parts, and the plant should have adequate wrecking equipment, such as traveling cranes and hoists for taking out and replacing the broken machinery.