Making a Business Case for Ergonomics

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Making a Business Casefor Ergonomics

• Enhanced Design
• with
• Ergonomics, Lean and
• Material Handling Equipment
• Carter Kerk, PhD, PE, CSP, CPE
• South Dakota School of Mines

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My Colleagues

• Dr. Jennifer Karlin
• South Dakota School of Mines
• Jon Walder
• Boeing
• Jim Galante and Ray Niemeyer
• Material Handling Industry of America

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Our Project

• Explore the cross-over between Ergonomics and
  Lean, particularly in the context of Material
  Handling Equipment

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Lean, Ergonomics, or Material Handling?

• Categorize each of the following as Lean,
  Ergonomics, or Material Handling

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Traditional Operations
High Inventory Level
Poor Quality
Equipment Downtime
Long Changeover
Large Lot Sizes
Supplier Quality
Poor Response Time
Variation
Poor Layout
Uptime Problems
Poor TPM
Engineering Problems
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Lean Systems Approach
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The Workplace System
Machines
Human
Raw Materials
Tools
.
Environment
Workstation
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Ergonomics

• Fitting the task to the person
• Designing for human capability
• Using the best work methods
• Minimizing injuries and their costs
• Improving productivity quality

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Ergonomics OutcomesConsistent With Lean

• Improved Morale
• Reduced Absenteeism
• Reduced Turnover
• Enhanced Corporate Culture / Climate
• Increased ownership in the processes by the
  people actually doing the work

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Information Gleaned

• The following slides are some information gleaned
  from our study
• From
• Talking to MH Equipment
• Manufacturers
• Distributors
• Users
• Within the context of Lean and Ergonomics

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Misconception

• Many people and companies know that
  transportation and handling are not value-added
  activities
• Therefore, they feel material handling equipment
  should be eliminated or avoided

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Misguided Intentions

• Many users try to act Lean when they order MH
  equipment, but they
• dont get expert advice
• dont use it properly or optimally

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Original Design vs. the Fix

• Most MH Equipment manufacturers find their
  products being used to fix poorly designed
  systems
• Funds are rarely budgeted for this
• Users rarely do adequate planning for material
  handling and ergonomics
• Then spend more money getting a Fix
• Original design opportunities are more rare
• More cost effective

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Ergonomics Naiveté

• Many users are still naïve about Ergonomics
• They think an ergonomics program consists of
  using rubber mats and customized handles
• Education of users remains a challenge and an
  opportunity

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Value of Best Practices and Successful
Applications

• Users like to see evidence that others have
  successfully solved problems similar to theirs

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MH EquipmentDistributor Networks

• MH Equipment Distributors
• Usually represent many manufacturers
• Try to provide solutions with off-the-shelf
  equipment from among a variety of manufacturers
• Refer the most complicated cases back to
  manufacturers

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MH EquipmentCustom Engineered Solutions

• Custom designed solutions
• Engineering/Ergonomics Consultants
• Can be expensive
• MH Equipment manufacturers
• Usually provide free custom engineering

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Electronic MH Equipment

• The US trails Europe in the use of electronic
  material handling equipment
• But use of electronic MH equipment is growing
  fast in the US
• Better reliability and versatility
• Ability to track usage, number of cycles, etc.
• Broadening use of intelligent systems

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Integrating Lean Ergonomics Utilizing
Material Handling Assist Device Solutions for a
More Productive Workplace
Examples from Industry
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• Positech Manipulator
• Supports 50 lb tool
• Tightens bolts to secure transmission to frame
• Floats to desired height and location with easy
  effort
• High torque tool, but no torque transmitted to
  operator
• Virtually no fatigue experienced by operator

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• Positech Muffler Manipulator
• Mufflers weigh 70 lb
• Retrieve from storage rack
• Move in to position with very little effort
• Maintain neutral torso and upper extremities
• Previously
• Manual lifting twisting
• Position above shoulder
• Physically fatiguing job!

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• Tire Assembly Manipulator
• 500 6000 lbs
• Easily grasped and moved into position
• Easy to match conveyor height and speed
• Rotated for proper alignment
• Previously
• One operator rolls a 500 lb tire into place
• Required precise timing to match conveyor height
  and speed
• Shoved tire on manually
• Rotated tire manually for alignment
• Very physically fatiguing

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• MegaStar MegaLift (Vertical Carousel Storage)
• Programmable positioning Adjustable workstation
  height PowerZone access
• Injection molding unit (left) was formerly stored
  on the floor
• WV National Guard, Black Hawk Helicopter repair
  organized, faster, security

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• Gorbel Free-Standing Workstation Crane
• Can be assembled in almost any workspace
• Electronic, easy to maneuver
• 30 foot spans
• 2000 lb capacity
• Vacuum end-effectors (in this example)

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• Lift Tables
• Adjustable Height
• Tilt
• Rotate
• Low friction top
• Invertors

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What About Ergonomics/Lean and Material Handling
Equipment?

• Tenets
• Ergonomists appreciate the use of Material
  Handling Equipment as Engineering Controls
• Most ergonomists are not aware of the breadth and
  depth of Material Handling Equipment

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Material Handling Equipment

• You probably are not aware of all MHE categories
• You probably are not aware of recent developments
  with MHE
• Learn from other successful applications

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Are You Familiar With These?

• Containers
• Conveyors
• Cranes
• Hoists
• Manipulators
• Monorails
• Pallets
• Racks
• Shelving

• Automatic Guided Vehicles
• Casters / Wheels
• Horizontal Vertical Carousels
• Intelligent Assist Devices
• Lift / Tilt / Turn Tables
• Tool Balancers
• Vertical Lift Modules
• Vertical Reciprocating Conveyors
• Voice Activated Controls

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Resources to Learn More

• Available from the EASE Product Council of the
  Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA)
• EASE (Ergonomic Assist Systems Equipment)
• www.mhia.org
• Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling
  (EGMMH)
• White Paper Integrated Lean Thinking
  Ergonomics Utilizing Material Handling Assist
  Device Solutions for a Productive Workplace

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The Bottom Line

• Material handling is an enabler for effective
  Lean and Ergonomics systems.
• ALL effective material handling systems are also
  supporting Lean and/or Ergonomics.

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Contact Information

• Carter Kerk, PhD, PE, CSP, CPE
• carter.kerk_at_sdsmt.edu
• 605-394-6067

Industrial Engineering Department South Dakota
School of Mines 501 East St. Joseph Street Rapid
City, SD 57701