December 3rd, 2003

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Words
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Word du Jour: Therblig

I learned a new word yesterday: therblig. It’s not a particularly useful term, and originates out of that dodgy human factors business, but here’s a definition:

The fundamental motions of the hands of a worker.These operations are made up of 17 types of motion: search, select, grasp, reach, move, hold, release, position, pre-position, inspect, assemble, disassemble, use, unavoidable delay, avoidable delay, plan, and test to overcome fatigue.Frank Bunker Gilbreth defined these motions in his system of motion study.(Therblig is Gilbreth spelled backwards).

There’s a nifty diagram of 16 therbligs here.

Comments: 2 Responses so far

nilesh
January 14th, 2004
4:59 am

its a very explanatory definition precisely states what the term is.thank you very much.

[Reply]

Liz
February 21st, 2007
9:55 am

There’s a cool Therblig t-shirt at

http://www.cafepress.com/cbitherbligs

It has the therblig designs on the front, in the colors Frank Gilbreth gave them, and a nifty quote about therbligs, from science fiction writer Robert Heinlein, on the back.

[Reply]

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