Title: Effects of batch assembly of a product on ergonomically designed workstation

Authors: Ashraf A. Shikdar

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 33, Al-Khod 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Abstract: This paper describes the results of an experimental study conducted to investigate the effects of batch assembly of two units of a product on operator performance. A fully adjustable ergonomically designed assembly workstation (smart workstation) was used for the experiment. Thirty college students, randomly assigned into three experimental conditions performed the assembly task. Performances of the participants assembling one unit in a cycle and two units in a cycle (batch assembly) on the ergonomically designed smart workstation were 44.7% and 36.52% higher, respectively, compared to the existing non-ergonomically designed workstation assembling one unit in a cycle. Batch assembly of two units was not superior to assembling one unit in a cycle on the smart workstation. Operators preferred assembling one unit in a cycle rather than batch assembly. The increased performances on both methods on the smart workstation were due to flexibility and ergonomic design features incorporated in the workstation.

Keywords: smart workstations; ergonomic design; adjustable workstation; assembly tasks; worker performance; batch assembly; ergonomics; human factors; operator performance; flexibility.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2011.039668

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2011 Vol.7 No.4, pp.415 - 428

Published online: 31 Jan 2015 *

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