The more the operator's cost, the more advantageous it will be to have one operator run two or more machines. The more each machine's cost, the less advantageous it will be to have one operator run two or more machines.In many companies I've visited, a manager can point out every penny that goes into what an operator costs (again, wages plus benefits). One company I visited even includes the cost of the parking space the operator uses to park his or her car. However, when it comes to machine costs, they are not nearly so knowledgeable and diligent. Again, having an accurate value for both operator and machine cost is of paramount importance to making wise operatorutilization decisions. Inflated operator costs and/or devalued machine costs lead to poor operatorutilization decisions. It will appear that using one operator for two or more machines is more costeffective than it really is.

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