Title
A participatory and integrative approach to increase productivity and comfort in assembly
Author
de Looze, M.P.
van Rhijn, G.
Tuinzaad, B.
van Deursen, J.
Publication year
2000
Abstract
Manufacturers of manually assembled products are more and more forced to improve the flow of assembly orders together with a more efficient employment, in order to meet increasing demands on short delivery times, high product variety, good quality and low manufacturing costs. At the same time, the human factor is increasingly important, for a well-motivated work force is needed more than ever. To improve assembly processes, an approach was developed and applied in various assembly companies. Goals of this approach are both a lead time reduction and an improvement of the assembly tasks in an ergonomic sense. Main elements of the approach are the active participation of the companies, the integration of two basic disciplines: assembly engineering and ergonomics, and its stepwise nature. The initial steps of the approach include the analysis of the assembly process by setting up an 'assembly process scheme', and the analysis of bottlenecks with regard to the flow of orders and ergonomics. Latter steps include the selection of improving measures, the implementation of these measures and the evaluation of the effects. This paper describes this approach and its application in two assembly companies: one producing relatively small products (magnetic stop valves) and the other making relatively large products (office furniture). In both companies the approach lead to a new design of the assembly process, a new factory lay-out including new work places, and another involvement of people in the assembling process.
Subject
Workplace
Assembly
Costs
Employment
Manual control
Product design
Productivity
Quality control
Societies and institutions
Assembly engineering
Lead time reduction
Ergonomics
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http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b47af4eb-fa8c-4369-8d41-6dc58f3e2ed7
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1177/154193120004402938
TNO identifier
235852
Source
Proceedings of the XIVth Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association and 44th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Association, 'Ergonomics for the New Millennnium', 29 July 2000 through 4 August 2000, San Diego, CA, Conference code: 62639, 142-145
Series
Proceedings of the XIVth Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association and 44th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Association, 'Ergonomics for the New Millennium'
Document type
conference paper