By what factor did the sewing machine increase stitch speed compared to a very fast hand sewer?
Answer
It created a five-fold increase in speed.
The operational speed difference between mechanized assembly and traditional methods was staggering. A machine operator, utilizing the efficient lockstitch, could achieve approximately 500 stitches per minute. In contrast, the very fastest human hand sewer, using traditional techniques, managed perhaps 100 stitches per minute. This difference calculates directly to a five-fold increase in output speed per operator. When this rate was scaled across dozens of operators on a factory floor, it led almost immediately to drastically reduced per-unit labor expenses.
Related Questions
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