| 1. |
- Hanson, Robin, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Manual picking from flat and tilted pallet containers
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. - : Elsevier BV. - 1872-8219 .- 0169-8141. ; 64, s. 199-212
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Manual picking operations commonly occur both in distribution settings and within manufacturing industry and may consume large proportions of the working day for operators, with associated potential problems of poor postural ergonomics and low time efficiency. As a remedy to such problems, alternative material layouts like tilted material pallets may be an attractive solution. This study provides quantitative empirical evidence comparing the relative merits and drawbacks of flat and tilted pallet configurations, with regard to physical ergonomic loading and time consumption. This was explored with an experimental setup at the site of an industrial company, where various representative picking operators were observed while emptying flat and tilted pallets. The observation was video recorded and subjected to a time study and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). Results showed that there are differences in picking time and physical workload depending on where in the pallet the picking action takes place, and that flat and tilted pallets bring different postural opportunities and challenges for different operator percentiles in the working population. An overview of postural ergonomics consequences and their associated risk levels are shown, and the results serve to further increase the understanding of which factors are affected by choosing between a tilted or flat component presentation. This understanding is highly relevant to industry, where it can contribute to the design of both efficient and ergonomically sound processes for manual picking operations.
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| 2. |
- Agrawal, Tarun, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Automating Loading and Unloading for Autonomous Transport: Identifying Challenges and Requirements with a Systems Approach
- 2023
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Ingår i: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. - 1868-4238 .- 1868-422X. ; Part III, s. 332-345
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The logistics industry has undergone significant changes due to high demand, competition, cost pressures, interruptions, and labor market limitations affecting supply chains. As a result, there has been a significant adoption of automation in internal logistics such as warehousing, stock control, and material handling, leading to increased organizational competitiveness by reducing manual labor costs and time spent on these operations. The use of autonomous road transport holds potential to improve transport performance within areas of safety, sustainability, and efficiency. However, for autonomous transport to be fully ealized, loading and unloading processes at shipping and receiving facilities must also be automated. This paper takes a systems approach to identify the challenges and requirements for automated loading and unloading in a setting of autonomous truck transport potentially within a production setting. By addressing these challenges and meeting the necessary requirements, it may be possible to fully realize the benefits of autonomous transport and improve overall transport performance.
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| 3. |
- Browne, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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MIND THE GAP: THE INTERFACE BETWEEN AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES AND THE LOGISTICS SYSTEM
- 2020
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose Using autonomous vehicles in goods transport has potential benefits. However, the transition to a future autonomous (and electric) freight system needs to take account of the interface between the vehicle and other parts of the logistics system in order to exploit potential benefits and overcome challenges related to the absence of a driver. The purpose of the research is to identify the prerequisites for achieving automated loading, unloading, related information handling and in-plant transport at these interfaces. Research Approach Cases studies consider senders and receivers of various products as well as organisations that have a role including real estate companies that develop warehouses and terminals. The case studies consider vehicle and handling equipment technology alongside the processes that may need to change if the efficiency gains of an autonomous vehicle are to be realised. Research questions are addressed at the logistics system level. The cases studies combine questions about logistics process and technology alongside those concerned with underlying business models. Findings and Originality Results presented are at the half way stage of a two-year project and will be based on the initial series of interviews for four case studies. Findings so far include: (1) lack of development in this topic compared with interest in autonomous and automated transport (2) importance of organisational ssues in the logistics chain e.g. contractual relationships (3) importance of taking a broad view of the companies that need to be involved (4) product type and characteristics are important but other factors may have more influence on the scope to develop initiatives in this area. Research Impact The research provides insights into the complexity of the interfaces in autonomous and automated transport and logistics systems. The empirical findings enrich the discussion of this field. Combining insights from logistics, technology, materials handling and business has demonstrated the benefits of an interdisciplinary approach. Practical Impact Autonomous transport systems may bring many commercial benefits. However, the scale of these benefits will be significantly diminished if questions about the interface points in the logistics system are not addressed. The outputs of the research will provide important insights for managers addressing these challenges.
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| 4. |
- Calzavara, Martina, et al.
(författare)
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Picking from pallet and picking from boxes: a time and ergonomic study
- 2017
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Ingår i: IFAC-PapersOnLine. - : Elsevier BV. - 2405-8963. ; 50:1, s. 6888-6893
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The paper aims at studying different storing configurations and presentation strategies for the parts in a manual assembly system. Based on an experiment, the paper gives insight into how both picking time and ergonomic effort relate to the storing configuration, considering whether parts are stored on pallets or in smaller boxes, and considering whether or not the containers are tilted towards the picker.
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| 5. |
- Eriksson, K, et al.
(författare)
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Performance impact of options for routing and delivery initiation in tugger train delivery systems
- 2008
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Ingår i: Proceedings of The Swedish Production Symposium, SPS, 2008.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The use of lean production principles is growing and companies are increasingly focusing on small and frequent deliveries. This is often achieved through use of tugger trains carrying several part numbers, each of a relatively small quantity. To achieve time efficiency, it is necessary to design the system properly in terms of delivery routes, delivery initiation principles, delivery frequencies and buffer sizes at receiving assembly stations. This can be a challenge, especially where a large number of part variants exist and consumption rate varies according to production sequence. Based on a case from automobile industry, this paper outlines two conceptual models for tugger train delivery routing; fixed routes and variable routes. The aim is to investigate the relative performance of these two models. Advantages of fixed routes include; ease of application as they simplify administrative tasks, also repeating the route can decrease the risk of making mistakes. Furthermore, service to customers is predictable and individual. Performance is concluded in terms of time efficiency of deliveries, and how this is affected by changes in product mix and production rate. Buffer sizes and utilisation of vehicles are important variables. The paper constitutes a foundation for future research, which could verify and quantify the results presented here.
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| 6. |
- Fager, Patrik, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Dual Robot Kit Preparation in Batch Preparation of Component Kits for Mixed Model Assembly
- 2020
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Ingår i: IFAC Proceedings Volumes (IFAC-PapersOnline). - : Elsevier BV. - 2405-8963. ; 53, s. 10627-10632
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Kitting is a materials supply principle that plays a vital role for performance in mixed model assembly systems. The kit preparation process, whereby component kits are created, is central when kitting is applied. Kit preparation is a form of materials handling and is associated with several ergonomic and quality related issues. Robotics holds a great potential for decreasing the need for human labour, but literature on the topic is scarce. The purpose of this paper is to identify the time efficiency potential of a dual robot application for kit preparation. To address the purpose, a mathematical model is developed that allows dual robot kit preparation to be analysed and compared with manual kit preparation. Furthermore, the model supports identification of a suitable batch size given a lead time requirement from the assembly system. A numerical example shows dual robot kit preparation to be slightly more efficient than its manual ditto for preparation of 2, 3 and 4 kit batch sizes. The paper’s makes a theoretical contribution in terms of the time efficiency model of dual robot kit preparation. This model is also useful for practitioners when evaluating the potential of dual robot arm kit preparation in their own processes.
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| 7. |
- Fager, Patrik, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Flexibility of materials preparation processes in production systems
- 2015
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Ingår i: 22nd International Annual EurOMA Conference, Neuchâtel, June 28-July 1, 2015..
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In assembly operations, expanding numbers of component variants drive the introduction of materials preparation processes. These need to be flexible to enable production flexibility. In this study, flexibility in terms of product, mix, volume, and delivery are explored for materials preparation processes in order to identify how process design variables and contextual factors influence the flexibility of materials preparation. This is addressed through a multiple case study of five materials preparation processes. The analysis reveals design variables and contextual factors which influences flexibility, confirming and extending literature on the relation between context, design and materials preparation flexibility.
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| 8. |
- Fager, Patrik, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Gripper types and components in robotic bin picking
- 2020
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Ingår i: IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. - Cham : Springer International Publishing. - 1868-4238 .- 1868-422X. ; 591, s. 267-274
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- While automation is increasingly applied in production processes, it is still rarely used for the core picking activity in kitting and order picking. As picking activities often involves a large number of stock-keeping units (SKUs) with different characteristics, what gripper to use is a central aspect when robotics is applied. The aim of this paper is to improve the understanding of the relationship between gripper types and component characteristics in robotic applications for preparation of component kits. The aim is addressed by means of an experiment in a laboratory setting where a two-finger gripper and a vacuum-gripper are applied for grasping a variety of components in a kit preparation process. The two gripper types are studied with respect to important component characteristics for their suitability, and how the two gripper types compare from an efficiency standpoint. The paper’s findings are useful for practitioners when introducing robotic bin picking. The paper also makes an important contribution to academia in studying the effects of robot picking applications empirically, laying grounds for focused future studies within this area.
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| 9. |
- Fager, Patrik, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Kit preparation for mixed model assembly – efficiency impact of the picking information system
- 2019
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Ingår i: Computers and Industrial Engineering. - : Elsevier BV. - 0360-8352. ; 129, s. 169-178
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Kitting is an increasingly common materials supply principle in mixed-model assembly. Several types of picking information systems are available for supporting kit preparation, but there is no consensus in the literature or in the industry about which type should be used. Furthermore, to prevent errors, industrial applications typically require a confirmation when components are picked from storage and placed in kits, but previous research that considers confirmations is scarce. The purpose of this paper is to establish the extent to which the type of picking information system impacts the time-efficiency of kit preparation when confirmations are required, considering the two cases of single-kit and batch preparation as well as the picking density of the picking area. In the paper, a realistic laboratory experiment is used to compare the time-efficiency associated with four types of picking information systems – pick-by-paper, pick-by-light, pick-by-voice and pick-by-HUD (Head-Up Display) – when applied in kit preparation. In the comparison, the type of picking information system used is found crucial for the time-efficiency of both single-kit and batch preparation. Pick-by-light and pick-by-HUD applied with single-kit preparation show to be more efficient than when applied with batch preparation, likely owing to the extra time for performing placement confirmations with batching. The visually intuitive information provided by pick-by-light and pick-HUD show to be efficient when applied with single-kit preparation. Applying pick-by-paper – with which one confirmation is made for every order line – with batch preparation gives superior efficiency over the other systems for which each storage location and kit-container is confirmed. Pick-by-HUD seems to benefit more than the other systems from higher picking density, while pick-by-light seems to benefit more from the improved overview associated with lower picking density. Pick-by-voice is found associated with low efficiency overall, likely owing to the short walking distances – and hence less time in between picks to administer the voice dialogue – normally associated with kit preparation. The paper suggests further research to study how the graphical interface in pick-by-HUD systems should be designed. Moreover, combinations of information conveyance and confirmation methods other than those typically used in industry should be studied.
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| 10. |
- Fager, Patrik, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Links between kit quality and kit preparation design
- 2021
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Ingår i: International Journal of Production Research. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0020-7543 .- 1366-588X. ; 58:18, s. 5525-5539
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Kitting is a materials-feeding principle commonly used with mixed-model assembly, but literature is lacking with respect to how kit quality can be supported. The purpose of this paper is to create an understanding of the links between kit preparation design aspects and kit preparation error types, that can be useful to support kit quality. The paper draws on empirical data from a multiple case study in the automotive industry to study how typical kit errors are linked to eight kit preparation design aspects: location, work organisation, storage policy, batching policy, storage packaging, kit carrier and container, picking information system, and error communication. The findings suggest several opportunities related to kit preparation design aspects for preventing kit errors and facilitating kit error corrections. The paper extends earlier knowledge and can support kit quality of industrial kit preparation.
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