Gaps between psychophysical demands and perceived workload - a framework for lean production system (original) (raw)
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Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, 2016
The adoption of a lean production model means a systematic implementation of various management methods and practices. Such a model presents the human element as a key factor in continuous improvement efforts, influencing workers' job content and the quality of work. However, there are few evidences regarding research on quantitative assessment of the work demand, either psychological or physical, in a lean production environment. Therefore, this study aims to analyze from an ergonomics perspective the psychophysical demand and workers' perceived workload within assembly cells undergoing a lean production implementation. The proposed method integrates complementary concepts of widely known This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. techniques, enabling the consolidation of several assessment criteria into one particular index for both psychological and physical demands. Such a diagnostic method is illustrated in a case study from the automotive parts manufacturing sector, whose application is performed in three critical assembly cells selected by senior management. Our findings show systemic gaps between work demand and employees' profile, indicating improvement opportunities in order to provide a better work environment.
International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, 1997
The present case study involved a stress-and-strain-related comparison between two different automobile assembly workplaces, one of which is distinguished by the ergonomic design principles it incorporates. The application of these principles has, above all, enabled a reduction in the proportion of activities to be performed in disadvantageous body postures. The strain was determined using the fatigue monotony-satiation questionnaire (BMS), a methodology specially developed for the assessment of assembly and operating activities. The derived results demonstrate that the implemented design measures have led to a reduction in the overall level of strain. Relevance to industry The investigation provides indications of readily realizable design measures which allow, particularly, stress-andstrain-prone body postures adopted at automobile assembly workplaces to be avoided.
Cognitive and metabolic workload assessment techniques: A review in automotive manufacturing context
Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, 2021
Ergonomics assessment in the automotive industry has, to date, focused mainly on physical ergonomics, for example, manual handling and posture. However, workload and, in particular, metabolic and cognitive workload, contributes to worker efficiency but has not received sufficient attention to yield practical guidance for industry. Successful workload assessment requires in-depth understanding of the context in which it will be conducted and of the various assessment techniques which will be applied, with consideration given to factors such as feasibility, resources, and skill of the assessor. These requirements are met with challenges within large and complex organizations and are often dealt with in a piecemeal and isolated matter (i.e., reactive workload assessment). The present paper explores these challenges within the automotive manufacturing industry and aims to develop a decision matrix to guide effective selection of workload assessment techniques focused on metabolic and cognitive demands. It also presents the requirements for time, equipment, and knowledge to implement these techniques as part of a participatory ergonomics approach. Early findings suggest that most assessment techniques reviewed require further development, for example, to establish the acceptance criteria for the specific workload scenario. However, five methods (Garg, Borg RPE, IPAQ, SWAT, and NASA-TLX) are ready to use in certain applications. Ultimately, the findings suggest that it is possible to implement a participatory workload evaluation program within large and complex manufacturing plants.
2020
Nowadays, in the context of Industry 4.0, advanced working environments aim at achieving a high degree of human–machine collaboration. This phenomenon occurs, on the one hand, through the correct interpretation of operators’ data by machines that can adapt their functioning to support workers, and on the other hand, by ensuring the transparency of the actions of the system itself. This study used an ad hoc system that allowed the co-registration of a set of participants’ implicit and explicit (I/E) data in two experimental conditions that varied in the level of mental workload (MWL). Findings showed that the majority of the considered I/E measures were able to discriminate the different task-related mental demands and some implicit measures were capable of predicting task performance in both tasks. Moreover, self-reported measures showed that participants were aware of such differences in MWL. Finally, the paradigm’s ecology highlights that task and environmental features may affect...
Applied Sciences
The human-centered design (HCD) approach places humans at the center of design in order to improve both products and processes, and to give users an effective, efficient and satisfying interactive experience. In industrial design and engineering, HCD is very useful in helping to achieve the novel Industry 5.0 concept, based on improving workers’ wellbeing by providing prosperity beyond jobs and growth, while respecting the production limits of the planet as recently promoted by the European Commission. In this context, the paper proposes an ergonomic assessment method based on the analysis of the workers’ workload to support the design of industrial products and processes. This allows the simultaneous analysis of the physical and cognitive workload of operators while performing their tasks during their shift. The method uses a minimum set of non-invasive wearable devices to monitor human activity and physiological parameters, in addition to questionnaires for subjective self-assessm...
Evaluation of Ergonomics and Mental Workload: A Case Study in Education Personnel
KnE Social Sciences
The mental workload and ergonomic aspects in the world of work have often not been considered. Although in past literature it has been stated that mental workload and ergonomic aspects have a direct impact on worker productivity. The main objective of this research is to evaluate the ergonomics aspect and measure the mental workload of the UNISBA Faculty of Engineering education staff. The method used in this study is an ergonomics evaluation questionnaire (ergonomic checklist) and a mental workload questionnaire (Nasa-TLX). The stages carried out include problem formulation, preliminary study by observing the research object, literature study, preparing questionnaires, distributing questionnaires, data processing, and analysis. The results showed that there was educational staff who were included in the category of having a very high mental workload and needed attention to ergonomic aspects, especially related to buildings (ventilation) and work organization (attention to pregnant ...
Exploring the Cognitive Workload Assessment According to Human-Centric Principles in Industry 5.0
Advances in Production Management Systems, 2024
Industry 4.0 and 5.0 paradigms have been crucial for companies in employing digital technologies as an ally for men to free them from dangerous and routine tasks in favour of higher value tasks, putting humans at the centre of the organization as the decision maker. However, on the one hand, the new industrial systems shift to new tasks requiring more 'cognitive' than 'physical' efforts; on the other hand, the approaches to assess the cognitive workload and ensure the physical well-being of the operators are far to be considered easily applicable. For this reason, this research reveals current research trajectories and explores the cognitive workload using subjective and objective indicators. The discussion highlights cognitive ergonomics and advocates for a harmonious balance between human and machine capabilities. It identifies factors contributing to cognitive overload in manufacturing and maps their interconnections. The analysis of recent research trends reveals a growing adoption of new approaches requiring the adoption of physiological measurements (e.g., electrocardiogram (ECG), electroencephalography (EEG), Electromyography (EMG), etc.). Finally, this investigation offers insights into future research directions, urging a nuanced exploration of industrial activities and addressing cognitive workload across organisational layers in the context of Industry 5.0.
State of science: mental workload in ergonomics
Ergonomics, 2015
Mental workload (MWL) is one of the most widely used concepts in ergonomics and human factors and represents a topic of increasing importance. Since modern technology in many working environments imposes ever more cognitive demands upon operators while physical demands diminish, understanding how MWL impinges on performance is increasingly critical. Yet, MWL is also one of the most nebulous concepts, with numerous definitions and dimensions associated with it. Moreover, MWL research has had a tendency to focus on complex, often safety-critical systems (e.g. transport, process control). Here we provide a general overview of the current state of affairs regarding the understanding, measurement and application of MWL in the design of complex systems over the last three decades. We conclude by discussing contemporary challenges for applied research, such as the interaction between cognitive workload and physical workload, and the quantification of workload 'redlines' which speci...
Workload Assessment in Industrial Settings: A Proposal Applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process
The perceived workload by workers is a construct that has been analyzed and assessed more qualitatively than quantitatively. The beginning of the assessment of subjective constructs started using perceptual scales; an example is the Rating Perception Scale (RPE) Borg 0-10 or the Cooper-Harper scale. For workload assessment, methods such as NASA-TLX and SWAT have been developed. However, variables considered by these methods are not enough to assess the workload in industrial settings. This research reports a proposal of a method for the assessment of workload using the Analytic Hierarchy Process for the development of a workload index. The new method considers eight groups of variables: Mental demand (5 items), physical demand (5 items) global effort (2 items), temporal demand (1item), performance (1 item), frustration (4 items), environmental factors (5 items) and body postures (4 items). The study was conducted at a manufacturer of Constant Velocity (CV) joints located in central ...