| 1. |
- Jarebrant, Caroline, et al.
(författare)
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ErgoVSM: A Tool for Integrating Value Stream Mapping and Ergonomics in Manufacturing
- 2016
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Ingår i: Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries. - : Wiley. - 1090-8471 .- 1520-6564. ; 26:2, s. 191-204
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Value stream mapping (VSM) is a Lean tool aiming at waste reduction. Previous research suggests that the use of VSM may result in work intensification and thus an increased risk for the workers of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). In the current study, VSM was developed to also consider physical exposure in the analyzed production system (ErgoVSM). As the VSM, ErgoVSM is based on a participatory approach. ErgoVSM was tested in a Swedish manufacturing company. The results suggest that ErgoVSM catalyzes change processes to include intervention proposals emphasizing ergonomics in addition to waste reduction. Thus, ErgoVSM appeared useful for the investigated target group of production engineers and experienced operators. The performance improvements suggested when using the ordinary VSM seemed not to be hampered by adding the ergonomics complement. However, the use of ErgoVSM was somewhat more time-consuming than the use of VSM. In conclusion, ErgoVSM is suggested as a feasible tool to be used by production engineers and experienced operators for including ergonomics considerations in the rationalization process.
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| 2. |
- Kazmierczak, Karolina, et al.
(författare)
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An integrated analysis of ergonomics and time consumption in Swedish 'craft-type' car disassembly.
- 2005
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Ingår i: Applied Ergonomics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0003-6870 .- 1872-9126. ; 36:3, s. 263-73
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Car disassembly is at the edge of extensive rationalisations due to increased legislative demands for recycling. This study focused on (1) assessing current mechanical exposures (physical work loads) for comparison with future rationalised systems, with particular emphasis on time aspects, (2) analysing disassembly work in terms of time consumption and exposures in constituent tasks as defined by a loss analysis technique, and (3) predicting the consequences of car disassembly rationalisation for mechanical exposures. The study showed that disassembly implied pronounced circulatory loads, and that more walking and higher lumbar peak loads were found than in studies of assembly work. Value-adding tasks comprised 30% of the total working time, and implied higher postural exposures for the head, arm, trunk and wrist, as well as less opportunities to recover, as compared to non-value-adding tasks. Organisational-type rationalisations can be expected to increase the time spent in value-adding work, thus increasing local exposures for the average worker, while a concurrent increase in mechanisation level might reduce circulatory exposures, the amount of walking, and peak lumbar loads.
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| 3. |
- Neumann, W. Patrick, et al.
(författare)
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Innovation and employee injury risk in automotive disassembly operations
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Production Research. - : Taylor & Francis. - 0020-7543 .- 1366-588X. ; 56:9, s. 3188-3203
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Engineering innovations in car disassembly systems are studied for affects on system operators’ risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI). Objective instrumented measures of injury risk factors with synchronized video-based task analyses were used to examine changes in operators’ RSI risk during two cases of engineering innovation: 1) a shift in industrial model from traditional extracting saleable parts to line-based full material recovery, and 2) the prospective effects of a simulated “Lean” inspired process improvement in the line system.Both cases of innovation showed significantly increased movement speeds and reduced muscular recovery opportunities, implying increased RSI risk. This case study reveals a mechanism by which innovation may increase RSI risks for operators. Managers responsible for engineering innovation should ensure their teams have the tools and mandate necessary to control injury hazards as part of the development and design process. These cases suggest how failure to manage RSI hazards in the innovation process may allow increases of injury risks that can compromise operational performance. This “innovation pitfall” has implications for operator health and organizational sustainability. Alternative pathways are discussed.
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| 4. |
- Neumann, W. P., et al.
(författare)
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Production system design elements influencing productivity and ergonomics - A case study of parallel and serial flow strategies
- 2006
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Ingår i: International Journal of Operations & Production Management. - : Emerald. - 0144-3577 .- 1758-6593. ; 26:8, s. 904-923
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate a strategic change from parallel cell-based assembly (old) to serial-line assembly (new) in a Swedish company with special reference to how production system design elements affect both productivity and ergonomics. Design/methodology/approach - Multiple methods, including records and video analysis, questionnaires, interviews, biomechanical modelling, and flow simulation were applied. Findings - The new system, unlike the old, showed the emergence of system and balance losses as well as vulnerability to disturbances and difficulty handling all product variants. Nevertheless, the new system as realised partially overcame productivity barriers in the operation and management of the old system. The new system had impaired ergonomics due to decreased physical variation and increased repetitiveness with cycle times that were 6 per cent of previous thus increasing repetitiveness, and significantly reducing perceived influence over work. Workstations' uneven exposure to physical tasks such as nut running created a potential problem for workload management. The adoption of teamwork in the new system contributed to significantly increased co-worker support - an ergonomic benefit. Practical implications - Design decisions made early in the development process affect both ergonomics and productivity in the resulting system. While the time pattern of physical loading appeared to be controlled by flow and work organisation elements, the amplitude of loading was determined more by workstation layout. Psychosocial conditions appear to be affected by a combination of system elements including layout, flow, and work organisation elements. Strategic use of parallelisation elements in assembly, perhaps in hybrid forms from configurations observed here, appears to be a viable design option for improved performance by reducing the fragility and ergonomic problems of assembly lines. Originality/value - The interacting design elements examined here pose potential "levers" of control by which productivity and ergonomics could be jointly optimised for improved total system performance.
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| 5. |
- Palmerud, Gunnar, 1948, et al.
(författare)
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Mechanical exposure implications of rationalization : A comparison of two flow strategies in a Swedish manufacturing plant
- 2012
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Ingår i: Applied Ergonomics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0003-6870 .- 1872-9126. ; 43:6, s. 1110-1121
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this case study was to (1) investigate differences in mechanical exposure (i.e. mechanical forces arising in the body of the operator) between two production strategies: long-cycle parallelised flow assembly (OLD) and conventional serial flow assembly (NEW), and (2) estimate potential changes in job exposure as a consequence of waste reduction when rationalising a line system.Data on postures, movements and whole body exposure were collected during an ordinary working shift, by means of video recordings synchronised to direct technical measurements of six professional operators.The results revealed the machine paced NEW system to have slower movements with less time spent in movements of high velocity compared to the self-paced OLD system. No significant differences were found between time-median posture levels. ‘Disturbances’ in the NEW system offered lower mechanical risk exposures compared to direct assembly work. Modelling the removal of wasteful ‘disturbances’ revealed both an increase in risk-implying fast movements and decrease in recovery-implying periods at low velocity – effectively isolating a work intensification. This study helps expose the complex relationship between rationalizations and mechanical exposure for system operators
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| 6. |
- Takala, Esa-Pekka, et al.
(författare)
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Systematic evaluation of observational methods assessing biomechanical exposures at work
- 2010
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - : Finnish Institute of Occupational Health; National Research Centre for the  . - 0355-3140 .- 1795-990X. ; 36:1, s. 3-24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: This systematic review aimed to identify published observational methods assessing biomechanical exposures in occupational settings and evaluate them with reference to the needs of different users.Methods: We searched scientific databases and the internet for material from 1965 to September 2008. Methods were included if they were primarily based on the systematic observation of work, the observation target was the human body, and the method was clearly described in the literature. A systematic evaluation procedure was developed to assess concurrent and predictive validity, repeatability, and aspects related to utility. At least two evaluators independently carried out this evaluation.Results: We identified 30 eligible observational methods. Of these, 19 had been compared with some other method(s), varying from expert evaluation to data obtained from video recordings or through the use of technical instruments. Generally, the observations showed moderate-to-good agreement with the corresponding assessments made from video recordings; agreement was the best for large-scale body postures and work actions. Postures of wrist and hand as well as trunk rotation seemed to be more difficult to observe correctly. Intra- and inter-observer repeatability were reported for 7 and 17 methods, respectively, and were judged mostly to be moderate or good.Conclusions: With training, observers can reach consistent results on clearly visible body postures and work activities. Many observational tools exist, but none evaluated in this study appeared to be generally superior. When selecting a method, users should define their needs and assess how results will influence decision-making
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Wells, R., et al.
(författare)
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Time - A key issue for musculoskeletal health and manufacturing
- 2007
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Ingår i: Applied Ergonomics. - : Elsevier BV. - 0003-6870 .- 1872-9126. ; 38:6, s. 733-744
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Time is a key issue for both ergonomists and engineers when they engage in production system interventions. While not their primary purpose, the actions of engineers have major effects on biomechanical exposure; possibly of much greater magnitude than many ergonomics interventions. This paper summarises the aims, actions and tools of engineers and ergonomists, emphasising time-related outcomes. Activities of the two groups when attempting to manipulate time aspects of work may be contradictory; engineers wishing to improve production and ergonomists aiming at better health as well as contributing to production. Consequently, tools developed by ergonomists for assessing time aspects of work describe rest patterns, movement velocities or daily duration of exposures, while engineering tools emphasise time-efficient production. The paper identifies measures that could be used to communicate time-relevant information between engineers and ergonomists. Further cooperation between these two stakeholders as well as research on the topic are needed to enable ergonomists to have a larger impact on the design of production systems.
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