Track: Work Design, Measurement, Standards and ISO

Abstract

Ergonomics plays a vital and central role in the operations of manufacturing companies, serving as a foundation for ensuring the efficiency of production processes, as well as the well-being and safety of the workforce. This research study investigates the application of ergonomic principles to optimize the production process, with a specific focus on addressing the challenges of meeting cycle time and daily output targets. The primary issue identified in this study is the recurrent inability to achieve required cycle times in the production process, which in turn significantly impacts the daily volume targets. To address this issue comprehensively, a mixed-method approach is adopted. The findings of this research revealed several ergonomic challenges including repetitive motions, inadequate or absent tooling, and task sequencing. Through the analysis of the data and a comprehensive evaluation of the workstations' ergonomics, it became evident that the existing ergonomic setups were the primary contributors to the delayed cycle times hence affecting productivity in the organization. When the ergonomics were further broken down into specific issues, it was discovered that the workers were facing difficulties when it came to segregating a group of identical parts due to their tightly packed nature. Worker feedback highlighted discomfort, fatigue, and an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders due to these ergonomic issues. Implementing strategic ergonomics interventions will lead to improved workplace productivity and, consequently, higher daily production outputs.