AHFE Open AccessHuman Aspects of Advanced Manufacturing, Production Management and Process Control
Editors: Beata Mrugalska, Waldemar Karwowski, Stefan Trzcielinski
Topics: Advanced Manufacturing
Publication Date: 2024
ISBN: 978-1-964867-22-9
DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005144
Articles
Framework for agile organization and work design for industry 4.0
For manufacturing companies in a dynamic environment their capabilities to achieve changeability and agility with minimum effort can lead to competitive advantages. A changeable production system is able to meet requirements in different dimensions. Enabler known from literature are universality, mobility, scalability, modularity and compatibility. The focus on digitalization and industry 4.0 solutions can lead to potential benefits. In most cases the technology focused way is not sufficient to design changeability as the activation thereof is embedded in the organization, the individual employees, and the corporate culture. Within this paper, the framework for the agile organization and work design will be presented. It displays the first step and result of the German research project “agileASSEMBLY” which addresses the work stages of assembly, commissioning and service. Subsequently, a pilot implementation, operation, and evaluation of the achievements are planned to prove the success expectations of the concept.
Erdem Gelec, Melih Sah Dogru
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Exoskeletons in action: The impact of exoskeletons on human factors during manual material handling
In the last years, both industrial and academic researchers have been trying to explore the effectiveness of exoskeletons in supporting human workers during the execution of various tasks to highlight the benefits and opportunities but also the limitations of this technology. Today multiple types of exoskeletons have been developed to supply support to different body districts. The purpose of the study in this paper is to analyze the impact of an occupational passive back support exoskeleton during manual material handling. Specifically, the study evaluated the influence of the exoskeleton on physiological parameters and human factors, such as the pressure of the feet to the ground, the heart rate and the blood oxygen saturation, and the user perceptions about comfort and usability. The results show variations in the distribution patterns of the pressure of the feet to the ground and in the heart rate when the task is performed with and without the exoskeleton. This experimental study lays the foundations for an in-depth future study in which the findings can be investigated contributing to the growing body of knowledge in the field of human factors and ergonomics at work.
Perini Matteo, Bacchetta Paolo, Khamaisi Riccardo, Melloni Riccardo, Morganti Alessio, Peruzzini Margherita, Botti Lucia
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Change and Configuration Management as a Foundation for a new Digital Enterprise Education
The principles of change and configuration management are foundational pillars for the operational excellence of any industrial enterprise, impacting every facet of its processes, technology, and personnel. They provide a method for identifying, analyzing, preparing, implementing, validating, and documenting engineering changes throughout a product’s lifecycle, ensuring everyone in the organization works from the same product record and changes are communicated in real-time. Change and configuration management are core enablers of the digital thread. However, the challenges and complexities of these subjects are generally not considered in current engineering or business curricula. In this paper, we report on the development and delivery of a graduate-level course dedicated to Change and Configuration Management and discuss a vision for a new digital enterprise curriculum. The course was developed in close partnership with industry and discusses the core elements, data structures, stakeholders, and workflows of change management and their role in the product lifecycle. The application of the industry standard CM2 methodology is emphasized as a strategy to provide control, maintain data integrity, and improve visibility and traceability of changes.
Jorge Camba, Joseph Anderson
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Designing hybrid intelligence: understanding the impact of human decision-making on AI
In many domains such as management, production and government, established control approaches struggle to address increasing complexity in a timely manner, resulting in a demand for more agile methods. Hybrid intelligence and decision support systems are useful approaches to augment human decision-making through artificial intelligence (AI). Various application of AI methods to estimate production parameters or to provide forecasts are discussed in the literature or already being implemented, however, human decision-making is still required for either deciding whether to follow specific suggestions or for monitoring their respective implementation. But human behavioral research has shown that human decision-making is rather biased than fully rational, leading to unintended consequences in the collaborative work of humans and machines. Subsequently, the research stream of hybrid intelligence has gained interest recently, aiming to study the collaboration between humans and machines. We contribute to this issue by combining a systematic literature review on AI and cognitive biases combined with practical insights from discussions with experts in order to derive first guidelines addressing the human factor in the design of AI-based decision support systems for complex production environments.
Melanie Kessler, Oliver Antons, Julia Arlinghaus
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Exploring the Influence of Industry 4.0 Technologies on Workplace Dynamics: A Literature Analysis
The rapid advancement of technology globally, coupled with the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, has significantly reshaped traditional production systems and the entire industrial value chain. Consequently, the complexity of tasks increased and substantially altered people's role in the production process. In this sense, the article examines the influence of Industry 4.0 technologies on work dynamics through an exhaustive literature review and bibliometric analysis. Key aspects related to human interaction in the business environment are addressed, and the implications of these emerging technologies on human factors are highlighted. The research identified an exponential growth in interest in human factors and ergonomics in i4.0 technologies from 2017 to 2022, suggesting the COVID-19 pandemic may have accentuated it. In addition, the review provides a comprehensive view of how Industry 4.0 influences the design of new workplaces, prioritizing worker safety and well-being through the study of diversity, skills and competencies of workers to improve adaptation and ergonomics, with a special focus on the intersection between technology and the human element in companies.
Mariannys Rodriguez Gasca, Sanderson Macedo Barbalho
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
A Systematic Framework for the Integration of Lean, Green, and Human Factors for Sustainable Production
In response to environmental and social impact challenges and the need for enhanced operational efficiency, this study focuses on integrating Lean, Green, and Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) in production systems. The paper introduces a novel conceptual model named Ergo-Green Lean, providing a comprehensive framework for integrating these paradigms. The study identifies successful integration strategies through a brief literature review, highlighting the potential benefits and implementation challenges. The proposed model and novel framework, developed through focus group discussions with relevant stakeholders, aims to enhance triple-bottom-line sustainability in a production environment to achieve a competitive edge in the market. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for further empirical validation and exploration of deeper integration possibilities, positioning Ergo-Green Lean as a promising path toward sustainable development in diverse industrial settings.
Amjad Hussain, Amjad Mehmood, Mohammed Khurrum Bhutta
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Assessment of the validity of implementing the Shopfloor Management (SFM) method. Methodology and its application
Manufacturing companies in the third decade of the 21st century are facing rapid economic changes, pressure to adapt to new technologies, and rising customer expectations. Management boards of organizations see the possibility of maintaining competitiveness through the implementation of Lean Production (LP) tools.The Lean concept is a holistic philosophy of eliminating waste, derived from the principles of the Toyota Production System (TPS), one of the foundations of which is visual management. The seventh of the fourteen management principles of TPS is to "use visual control so that no problem remains hidden." In the context of manufacturing companies, visualization is a communication system that uses visual elements to effectively communicate relevant data both to management at various levels and to employees directly involved in production processes.One of the visualization methods that derives from the principles of Lean Production and supports a culture of continuous improvement is Shopfloor Management (SFM). The main goal of SFM applications is the effective verification and presentation of production results, enabling better cooperation between production units and production supervision, in order to eliminate errors right at the point of their occurrence and improve the efficiency of the process. Thanks to the transparency of results and a clear presentation of goals, SFM can strengthen cooperation and competition among employees. However, much depends on the organizational culture of the company and the attitude of employees towards disclosing the results of their work.According to the literature on the subject, SFM is an effective tool for reorganizing and ordering the production area in a situation of diversity and time pressure created by the market. However, the implementation of the SFM method does not always produce the desired results and is not always accepted by the company's staff. Excess information can lead to disorganization, and then finding important data by an employee leads to a waste of time - which is a classic waste. Moreover, there is a risk of misinterpretation of data and excessive emphasis on analysis rather than on core activities. For SFM to become a useful tool for stimulating continuous improvement, its use should be justified.Based on a review of the literature on the subject, the high effectiveness of the SFM method (supported by post-implementation research and analyzes) and, at the same time, a low number of applications in Polish companies were demonstrated. Research on the implementation of visualization in enterprises is carried out to a relatively small extent and does not always have practical values. The publications do not provide useful guidance on when implementing the SFM method is appropriate. Therefore, an original methodology was developed for assessing the validity of SFM implementations, which was successfully used in a medium-sized manufacturing company.The checklist associated with the methodology enables a numerical assessment of the validity of the implementation and offers valuable output information supporting management decisions in the context of SFM implementation.The study presents both the methodology for assessing the validity of SFM implementation and an example of its application.
Magdalena k. Wyrwicka, Maciej Ciszewski
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Interdependency Matrix to Evaluate Influence Factors in Circular Value Creation Systems
The circular economy is one of the emerging trends in value creation systems, which emphasises the efficient use of resources, minimising waste and the loss of value added as well as replacing the concept of “end of life” for products and services in value creation systems. Since many of products and complementary services available on the market are not designed for circularity, it is challenging to convert the linear product life to a circular life cycle. However, conceptualise value creation systems that are suitable for a circular economy is a challenge, as a large number of influence factors are interrelated. Thereby not all influence factors reinforce each other, but can also have no or even a negative influence. Thus, in order to make the mutual influence transparent and create a holistic understanding of how the circularity can be implemented in value creation systems, this paper proposes an interdependency matrix which is enhancing the decision-making in the conception of circular value creation systems. The research design follows the mixed method approach. First, a literature review is carried out to review the state of the art. The research is extended by structuring relevant influence factors in the design of circular value creation. The findings from the literature research are supplemented by expert knowledge from industry and research. Finally, the findings are then incorporated into the development of the interdependency matrix. The assessment of the correlations between the individual influence factors is based on unique morphologies. A case study serves as a reference and framework for the application of the developed interdependency matrix. In order to validate and further develop the interdependency matrix, a verification process is carried out by creating application examples for the developed case study. The application examples serve as practical instances to test the applicability and resilience of the interdependency matrix. The proposed interdependency matrix shows which influence factors have correlations to each other – a distinction is made between whether the influence has a positive or negative effect. It also shows which influence factors are to be considered independently and for which influence factors a statement about their correlation is only possible depending on the specific situation in the value creation system. The core of this study is the determination and evaluation of the correlations, which the influence factors of a circular value creation system exhibit. The developed interdependency matrix aims to ensure that decision-makers in value creation systems are increasingly able to make decisions that promote a circular value creation in future. However, therefore it is insufficient to consider only individual influence factors or measures without their correlations. The approach serves to take a holistic view of a circular value creation system and is intended to help accelerate the transformation towards a circular economy.
Nada Ruzicic, Anja Braun, Peter Ohlhausen
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
On the manufacturing of potted electrical connectors with 3D printing resin: an unobtrusive workflow
The application space of additive manufacturing knows ongoing expansion due to advances in materials and improvements in equipment, but also the novel, creative use of well-established techniques. Vat photopolymerization (VPP) can be employed in the manufacturing of industrial grade electrical connectors with embedded conductive terminals. The proposed workflow includes the insertion of these terminals towards obtaining environmentally sealed connectors during the curing phase inherent to VPP 3D printing, thereby not disrupting nor adding to the original manufacturing steps. The novelty of the approach is further enhanced by potting the electrical terminals into the 3D printed substrate with the same material (thermoset resin) in which the connector body was produced. The naturally subsequent UV-curing of the full ensemble yields robust electrical connectors, mechanically tested and validated for their rigidity and ultimately characterized for their electrical performance. The complete manufacturing workflow can be extended to other commercially available connector types, relevant to a broad range of power and data transfer applications.
Andrei Alexandru Popa, Olgierd Nowakowski, Lars Duggen
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Innovating ceramic products through digitalization and additive manufacturing: two Made in Italy case studies
The research addresses contemporary trends in the ceramic sector in Italy, emphasizing formal, emotional, and functional innovation through the application of digital tools in two case studies. The digital transition in the Italian manufacturing sector involves multiple aspects, such as the automation of production processes, the adoption of advanced technologies, the digitization of supply chains and the implementation of artificial intelligence solutions. The adoption of advanced technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) is also becoming increasingly common in this in the context, enabling real-time data collection and analysis, process optimization, improved product quality and, in general, improved efficiency and innovation.Therefore, in both case studies, the goal is to demonstrate the development possibilities of new formal and chromatic solutions for ceramic artefacts, facilitating new product customization models, emotional values and functions.
Gabriele Goretti, BENEDETTA TERENZI
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Factors Affecting the Pillow Effect in Single-Point Incremental Forming
Single-point incremental forming (SPIF) is a machining process that uses a tool to perform extrusion motion on a metal sheet blank, causing plastic deformation of the metal sheet blank to achieve the target model size accuracy requirement. The pillow effect, which occurs in the unformed region at the bottom of the part, significantly impacts the accuracy of the final product. Optimizing process parameters is necessary to minimize the impact of the pillow effect on accuracy. Conducting experiments to optimize the process parameters will inevitably increase research and development costs and extend the research and development cycle. However, using simulation models to simulate and optimize process parameters can effectively reduce research and development costs and shorten the research and development cycle. This work aims to study the effects of seven factors that affect the formation of the pillow effect in SPIF machining parts, including wall angle, diameter, height, wall thickness, downward step size, tool path interlayer connection method, and side wall shape. First, based on the ANSYS Workbench/LS-DYNA platform, a simulation model is constructed, and machining experiments and simulations are conducted to compare the results of the experiments and simulations by comparing the key points of the pillow effect profile curve to verify the feasibility of the model. Due to the layered machining characteristics of the single-point system, the pillow effect feature is easily formed in the unformed area at the bottom, and the pillow effect can be clearly seen to experience an increase zone, an upward zone, and a steady zone from the cross-sectional profile chart through the center axis. The simulation results show that the minimum pillow effect amount can be obtained when the process parameters are wall angle of 30°, bottom diameter of Φ50mm, forming depth of 30mm, plate thickness of 1mm, downward step size of 1mm, straight-line interlayer connection method, and hyperbolic side wall shape. Then, using the Taguchi method to set up an orthogonal experiment of L18(3^7), conduct simulation experiments, and obtain the measurement data of the pillow effect. The software used for the analysis of experimental signal-to-noise ratio data is Minitab-19, and the signal-to-noise ratio refers to the ratio of useful data read in the experiment to interference noise data. Variance analysis is performed on the obtained results to determine the optimal process parameter configuration of the seven factors. A prediction model is generated, and a confirmation experiment is conducted to validate the model. The confirmation experiment was conducted three times, and the average value of the measurement peak results was taken. The measurement results of the confirmation experiment were within the confidence interval of 95% confidence level. The results showed that the pillow effect decreases with an increase in wall angle and downward step size, and increases with an increase in bottom diameter, forming depth, and plate thickness. When the tool path is selected to be a straight-line interlayer connection method and the part side wall shape is a hyperbolic shape, a smaller pillow effect can be obtained.
Guoping Jiang, Xiaojun Liu, Jin Shi
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
The Flow of Sustainability Information Through Interorganisational Shipbuilding Ecosystem
Marine industry is a complex and unique field of industry with a supplier network of possibly over a thousand separate tier 1 suppliers and contractors. While the CSRD regulation will create pressure on the bigger companies, the need to supply the environmental information will be passed on to all levels of the supply chain. When discussing the sustainability of the cruise ship construction process, including but not limited to environmental impacts, it is essential to understand the complexity of the value network and its possibilities to utilize information sharing in the interorganisational network.This paper introduces an interview study of various shipbuilding network companies. In the interviews a number of company representatives with expertise in sustainability, LCA, business processes, and information systems were present. The aim was to gather the information from the participating companies’ understanding and knowledge of LCA and sustainability in general, existing sustainability information, methods of acquiring sustainability information, standards and practices used, data quality, quantity and formats, and the internal flow of data through the company processes. The level of knowledge about environmental matters varied significantly among the interviewed companies and individuals. This is natural as the companies represented actors from different stages of the supply chain and varied greatly in size. Some of the common challenges recognised were lack of common naming systems and missing automatic data flow. The companies had various amounts of environmental data gathered either from their own suppliers or other data sources such as open emission databases for materials.The companies in the shipbuilding network have vastly different amounts of environmental data and are in different stages of environmental maturity and understanding. Some material producers have published many environmental product declarations, some companies have evaluated some of their products and some have made calculations based on general available data. The value chains in the marine industry are fairly long and therefore linking the environmental data between companies would bring benefits for all members of the value chain. However, producing reliable environmental data always has a price and there is the question of how to make it beneficial to provide environmental data, for example increasing the economic viability and marketability through sustainability actions.Due to the siloing of data and information in various systems in many of the participating companies, intraorganizational interfaces concerning sustainability data have a tendency of being handled with manual labour. As the IS solutions in use are not always all-covering ERPs but the sustainability information, especially LCA data, is stored in excel sheets and pdfs, the flow of the sustainability information is often being restricted. Some interviewed companies were quite active in the process of generation of new data. Yet that information tended to have a limited amount of connection to the product information itself in IS level and was handled through manual work. Even though in many cases this manual work is not cumbersome, it is more susceptible to human errors and is not as updatable as automated handling of information flows throughout the organization.
Olli Heimo, Tiina Vainio-kaila, Kalle Kinnunen, Saara Hänninen, Seppo Helle, Sami Majaniemi, Leena Jokinen, Teijo Lehtonen
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Evaluating the Accuracy of the MOST Predetermined Motion Time System through Lab Experiments.
Ensuring the reliability of time estimations is vital for industries, as it establishes the basis for effective planning, resource allocation, and performance assessment, ultimately improving operational efficiency and optimizing workflows. This study, designed to evaluate the accuracy of the MOST predetermined motion time system (PMTS) through comprehensive laboratory experiments, involved twenty participants performing 300 various simple motions. Our focus was on motions characterized by specific features, such as those at higher levels (shoulder height), motions involving objects with varying weights, and motions occurring within the reach distance zone (between 5 cm and 60 cm from the workers). These motion characteristics are often overlooked in MOST data cards. Task durations were initially measured using an accelerometer and then estimated using both the MOST and Fitts' Law (a widely recognized method for estimating the duration of simple motions). The results unveiled a 22% underestimation of MOST estimations by Fitts’ Law. These findings underscore the need to revise MOST data cards for accuracy enhancement and to mitigate potential risks to workers. Future research endeavors should incorporate real-world scenarios and a broader array of motions to further validate and refine these outcomes, ensuring a more comprehensive understanding of the capabilities and limitations of the MOST predetermined motion time system.
Farhad Mazareinezhad, Firdaous Sekkay, Daniel Imbeau
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Application of Statistical Cluster Analysis in Design Process – the Case of Fabric Design
There are many bed linen manufacturers in Taiwan. They want to success in the domestic bed linen collection market. However, the fabric designer always has the ideas with color and pattern by self-experience. For the fabric designer and manufacturer, they need a reference frame to communication. For this reason, we attempt to apply the statistical techniques for them to get more design understandings in the market of bed linen collections. We use the cluster analysis in a potential consumer survey to evaluate whether is the consumer’s lovely color and pattern with emotional preference.For the main bed linen buyers are the female in Taiwan market. The research focuses on 20-40 years old female interviewees. It collects more than 600 respondents’ data from three major cities in the northern, central and southern regions of Taiwan. The cities are Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. The interviewees choose the top 1 to 3 that they like the most and willing to buy from provided 16 photos of bed linen collection in different styles. Then, the result of the statistical cluster analysis shows that 16 collections can be grouped as 7 clusters with different favors. From the emotional preferences of color and pattern, we find out which collections are more suitable for different regions, and which ones are less popular among consumers. This can provide effectively the fabric designer with the direction of domestic consumer demand. And, also let manufacturer predetermine what combinations are suitable for some regional sales.In the past, fabric designers often used self-experience to design product. Now, we can try to conduct such surveys first, and then use more objective statistical results to help designers understand the bed linen design needs of consumers in different regions. At the same time, manufacturers can also better understand what types of products are suitable for sale in which region, also reduce inventory and slow-selling problems. Final, we hope to verify this statistical evaluation technique based on more manufacturers' sales data in the future, and whether it can improve their profits in practice.
Iou-ren Lin, Chien-Hsiung Chen
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Human Centered Research Agenda for Intelligent Technology in Process Control
Intelligent technologies (e.g., AI-based applications and solutions) are entering many domains of modern human activity, including industry operations. However, integrating intelligent technology into human work requires conscious and well-informed design processes. One important question that arises is what kind of areas and issues should be considered in research and development to integrate intelligent technologies into human work such that it increases worker productivity and well-being, promotes meaningful work and seamless and sustainable human-technology cooperation, as advocated in Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0. Within our Business Finland funded research project COACH we have developed an initial roadmap for new intelligent process control work, which helps to find relevant research focus areas and to take better guided steps towards realizing the vision of Industry 5.0 paradigm. In the present paper, we introduce the roadmap and give several examples of how its research items could be addressed.
Jami Aho, Antero Karvonen, Hanna Koskinen, Mika Luimula, Mari Myllylä, Bastian Tammentie
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Feasibility evaluation method for scheduling schemes based on auxiliary elapsed time
In flexible manufacturing workshops, workshop production scheduling belongs to a typical NP-complete problem, and its optimal solution is difficult to find, in order to simplify the construction of the model, nowadays, most of the related studies on scheduling problems usually simplify the logistic time in order to ignore the influence of logistics on workshop scheduling, in this paper, in order to verify the feasibility of this kind of scheduling plan which does not separate the logistics as a separate process in the case of joining infinite transport resources, the original scheduling plan using the created TLPU model for process splitting. A Gantt chart information storage structure is designed to facilitate the constraints of the split processes in the final generated scheduling plan with traffic resources. Then a method for differentially calculating the running time of each equipment is proposed based on the different characteristics and parameters of different equipment to complete the splitting process of a processing process with traffic resources in the original scheduling plan. After traversing all the original processing processes and performing the splitting process for them considering infinite traffic resources, the creation of the transport equipment time window is completed. Finally, a validation of the feasibility of the shop floor scheduling scheme based on the calculation of the derived transport equipment running time and transport equipment time window is proposed.
Licai Qin, Xiaojun Liu
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
The influence of 3D printing parameters on pellet-extruded hyperelastic polymers for cost-efficient soft gripping with encapsulated sensors
Recent advances in pellet-extrusion Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) allow the robust and repeatable 3D printing of materials exhibiting hyperelastic mechanical properties. This study links process parameters such as temperature and printing speed to the mechanical response of hyperelastic structures, as well as to their dimensional accuracy. Three materials of varied hardness, TPU 75 Shore A, TPV 63 Shore A and TPS 30 Shore A, are investigated experimentally for their strength and elasticity, with manufacturing defects further highlighted by analysis under a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The cost-efficient nature of pellet-extrusion FFF lends itself to applications within soft robotic manipulation, with a case study on complian gripping included in this effort. Leveraging the versatility of FFF towards process pauses and subsequent post-processing, standard sensor components for measuring angle and force are mounted into cavities during and after the print, respectively. The encapsulated sensors validate numerical simulations on the gripper topology, qualifying the force response and object detection capability over 50 use-cycles.
Andrei Alexandru Popa, Cristi Teslari
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Design and development of urban space products by Large-scale robotic extrusion-based additive manufacturing technology
The production of products in additive manufacturing systems through the extrusion of material using robotic arms requires new paradigms ranging from product design, material selection, material processability, communication with the production system, production control, etc. The development of products through these technologies allows the production of solutions of considerable scale and innovation. These applications have been studied, especially for outdoor spaces, precisely because of the scale that production with robotic arms allows. Green areas within urban spaces are one of these outdoor spaces, which provide space for leisure and recreation, which leads to social improvements by gathering people. In this context, this research seeks to create products that improve social interaction within urban green spaces. To achieve this, sustainable products will be developed, through a large-scale robotic extrusion-based system, combining the versatility and design possibilities that additive manufacturing allows, with the associated sustainability of recycled plastic waste. Thus, this paper proposes a methodology for validating recycled materials and to understand the limitations that the material brings to the parametric models created and the challenges for production. For that, two sample-parts were developed. One part allowed to understand the maximum printing angle, and the other provided an understanding of the behavior of the material when the part had corners with different curvatures. Finally, an outdoor product to be placed in the urban space was developed and produced with the production parameters studied.
Afonso Santos, Álvaro M. Sampaio, Artur Costa, António J. Pontes
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
3D Printed Hands-Free Door Handle to Prevent COVID-19 Virus Spread: Developing a Design Based on Iranian population for Medical Centers
Hands-free door handles are considered one of the new design approaches to reduce the amount of hand contact with doorknobs, which will reduce bacterial or viral transmission through hands and doorknobs. We designed a hands-free ergonomic door handle (HFEDH) using the Iranian anthropometric dimension of the forearm and its circumference to be placed on existing Iranian hospital door handles. To perceive the effectiveness of the designed HFEDH, a questionnaire containing 10 statements from the System Usability Scale (SUS) was distributed among 245 participants who participated in the experiment, as a survey scale for evaluating the final product usability. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that the use of HFEDH elicits a statistically significant change in usability score (Z=-13.202, p<0.0005) when compared to the use of a typical door handle (DH). Conclusions: The suggested hands-free door handle was designed so that it can accommodate the 5th to 95th percentiles of forearm circumference anthropometric dimensions. The current hands-free door handle is an affordable solution for hospitals to prevent the spread of any virus and bacteria during the pandemic.
Alireza Abouhossein, Zahra Ansari, Sajjad Rostamzadeh Kalkhoran
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Additive manufacturing in the maritime industry: Impact on production processes, workers, and end-users
Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies are revolutionising global production processes, offering substantial benefits to the maritime industry by eliminating the reliance on models and moulds. This shift toward a sustainable, zero-waste future presents significant opportunities and considerations for both workers and end-users.The adoption of automated 3D printing necessitates workforce retraining, with a focus on digital technology skills, reducing the reliance on manual labour. Proactive training programs are vital to equip operators for this evolving landscape. Additionally, studies are exploring occupational health-related aspects of 3D printing, assessing whether it could create a safer working environment compared to traditional manufacturing processes.AM customisation capabilities empower designers and engineers to prioritize human factors, enhancing user experience, comfort, and usability. This approach fosters innovations aligned with the preferences and needs of end-users.This paper aims to explore the impact of AM technologies on manufacturing processes and design freedom within the maritime industry, emphasizing opportunities for improved efficiency, sustainability, and adaptive design practices to meet the sector's dynamic needs.
Massimo Piccioni, Andrea Ratti
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Software Architecture and Human-Centric design methodology in Human-Robot collaborative production systems
Over the last years both Research and Industry have allocated significant effort to address the requirement for flexible production by introducing technologies that allow humans and robots to coexist and share production tasks safely. The human-robot coexistence and collaboration in cageless environments introduces challenges that are both of technical and social nature. A human robot collaborative system can be viewed as a sociotechnical work system that can both increase production KPIs and improve the quality of life for people working in HRC environment. In addition, effective HRC requires acceptance and trust from the side of the operators and clear communication between operators and robots. This work presents a software architecture approach that enables personalized and human-centric HRC and aims to improve ergonomics, cognitive factors and acceptance. In this context, key technology solutions for different HRC aspects such as training, design and production are also presented.
Spyros Koukas, Raimund Broechler, Kevin Haninger, Milan Gautam, Fernando Ubis, Urko Esnaola Campos, Iveta Eimontaite, Sarah Fletcher, Nikos Dimitropoulos, Sotiris Makris
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
On the Design of Human-Robot Collaboration Gestures
Effective communication between humans and collaborative robots is essential for seamless Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC). In noisy industrial settings, nonverbal communication, such as gestures, plays a key role in conveying commands and information to robots efficiently. While existing literature has thoroughly examined gesture recognition and robots' responses to these gestures, there is a notable gap in exploring the design of these gestures. The criteria for creating efficient HRC gestures are scattered across numerous studies. This paper surveys the design principles of HRC gestures, as contained in the literature, aiming to consolidate a set of criteria for HRC gesture design. It also examines the methods used for designing and evaluating HRC gestures to highlight research gaps and present directions for future research in this area.
Anas Shrinah, Masoud Sotoodeh Bahraini, Fahad Khan, Seemal Asif, Niels Lohse, Kerstin Eder
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
The Role of the Production Control and Safety Management Systems in Construction Safety Performance
This paper explains how the likelihood of accidents on a construction project is shaped by two systems: (1) the Production Control System, and (2) the Safety Management System. The Safety Management System (SMS) includes all the policies, programs and efforts to control the hazards and the workers’ safety-related behaviors. The Production Control System (PCS) includes all the processes and criteria that produce the work plans and ultimately, the work assignments for the workers. An ineffective PCS creates high-risk situations, such as unexpected conditions, high workload and production pressures, frustration, rushing, fatigue, and conflicts between production and safety. These situations undermine the SMS and increase the likelihood of violations, errors and accidents. An effective PCS produces high quality work assignments for the crews, mitigates the task demands on the workers and reduces the potential for errors even under exposure to hazards. The framework provides an integrated understanding of the project systems that shape the development of construction accidents. Traditional accident prevention strategies focus on increasing compliance by strengthening the SMS. Such efforts to control hazards are important, they cannot overcome the problems of an ineffective PCS. Thus, to improve safety performance it is necessary to improve the production control system.
Panagiotis Mitropoulos
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Collaboration and Co-creation in Industry 5.0: User-engagement with industrial operators through co-creation workshops
Industry 5.0 is characterized by human-centric designs and solutions. This implies that the creation and implementation of new technologies in industrial tasks should involve and engage the workforce at every stage of development. An effective method of workforce engagement are co-creation workshops - collaborative sessions designed to understand the needs and preferences of the end-users of new technology. Operator engagement through such workshops can provide valuable feedback for the design of new technology as well as boost operators’ acceptance of the new smart production systems. The following paper presents the methodology and findings from co-creation workshops conducted by the EU-funded project “CONVERGING”, in four use cases with factory operators. The workshops enforced a three-step protocol combining discussions and hands-on design tasks with the industrial operators. The workshops aimed to capture the operators’ experiences with the current task, expectations from smart assistive technologies, and their opinions on the CONVERGING solutions. The findings that emerged from the workshops are discussed for each use-case.
Vaishnavi Sashidharan, Iveta Eimontaite, Sarah Fletcher, Alejandro Arpa, Alessandro Mazzon, John Stavridis, Scott Tucker, Igal Israeli, Samuel Zerbib
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings
Physiological and Eye Tracking determinants as markers of Skill Acquisition in Manual Inspection
Skill acquisition in the manufacturing industry is a crucial aspect of optimising performance, efficiency, and safety in complex work environments. Human factors play a significant role in skill acquisition, encompassing factors such as cognitive processes, perception, decision-making, and physical interactions within the work environment. Eye tracking data has emerged as a valuable tool for studying skill acquisition (Toker et al., 2014) in the manufacturing industry, offering insights into workers' visual attention, cognitive strategies, and task performance. Currently, in manufacturing settings, skill acquisition involves the mastery of various tasks, from operating machinery and assembly line processes to quality control and troubleshooting. Effective skill acquisition is essential for ensuring consistent product quality, minimising errors, and maximizing productivity. Human factors, including attentional processes, perception, and decision-making, influence how workers acquire and apply new skills in these dynamic and often high-pressure environments (Mark et al., 2020).The aim of the current research is to understand the duration required to acquire skills through procedural learning and the transition to routine development occurs when leaned behaviour becomes habitual and routine. Furthermore, the research also aims to understand how mental and physical fatigue impact their performance with manual quality control tasks. The study aims to showcase preliminary results regarding human factors and performance variations. Participants completed an inspection task that involved an industrial component (monitor) for their serial number, visual and tactile quality under a control condition: control (no manipulation) measuring physical demand and stress levels during each monitor inspection. Physiological measures were captured using a Empatica E4 wristband (capturing electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate, skin temperature) and eye tracking was performed with Tobii Glasses 3, as well as subjective measures of performance via NASA TLX. The results from the physiological data show that the initial 10 minutes of the task showed a positive significant correlation between EDA and NASA Performance score (Spearman rho = .675, p =.016), the second set of 10 minutes positively correlated EDA and NASA TLX temporal demands (Spearman rho = .757, p =.004), while final 10 minutes showed a positive correlation between EDA and NASA TLX physical demand (Spearman rho = .639, p =.025). Such results indicate that skill acquisition over time goes through several stages – individual's anxiety of their performance, then concerns for timely performance, and finally experiencing physical impact – as well as that EDA is good indicator of changing workload demands.The current study will present the findings of the stress and physical discomfort levels, physiological data and preliminary eye tracking data whereby results found that for the initial inspection of the first two components participants move between the instructions for the inspection and the actual inspection, however, analysis of the third component and further components revealed that attention is mainly focused on the component inspection with little fixations towards the instructions. There was also an increase in the development of skill acquisition whereby by participants displayed a decrease in error count (from 1 to 0 over the inspection of 10 monitors), instruction analysis and increase in time of task completions as the average time reduced from 6 minutes 07 seconds for the first component to 1 minute 51 seconds for the last component. (The results from the eye tracking data reveal participants’ gaze patterns during the experiment highlighting the time spent on task comprehension and completion suggesting the skill was acquired during the experimental task. In summary, the current study demonstrates the development of skills through a variety of measures showing temporal progression, mental demand and the physicality of manual handling tasks is a complex process influenced by various human factors, including attention, fatigue, and tactile knowledge. By leveraging physiological data, eye tracking and stress levels the research provides scope into how human skill acquisition is progressive through various factors that can reduce overtime to upkeep and maintain the skills of workers perform in the manufacturing industry.
Sacha Godhania, Iveta Eimontaite, Sarah Fletcher
Open Access
Article
Conference Proceedings