ERGONOMICS INTERVENTION FOR ORIENTED STRAND BOARD AND AIRCRAFT PANELS LIFTING AND CARRYING ACTIVITIES OF WATERJET PRODUCTION IN AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY
W.N.F. W Mahmod 1, Ummi Noor Nazahiah ABDULLAH1,2, Norashiken OTHMAN1,2
1School of Manufacturing Engineering, University Malaysia Perlis, Kampus Pauh Putra, 02600 Arau, Perlis
2Northen Human Factors and Ergonomics Research Group, University Malaysia Perlis, Kampus Pauh Putra, 02600 Arau, Perlis
ABSTRACT
This paper is proposing an ergonomics intervention for lifting and carrying Oriented Strand Board (OSB) and aircraft panels in waterjet production of the aircraft industry. Previously, REBA and MAC tool was applied to assess the ergonomics risks among the waterjet production operators. REBA results showed that the main body area that exposed to awkward posture and forceful exertion is neck, trunk and coupling arm and MAC assessment results revealed the pain source was due to heavy load during lifting and carrying activities. The objective of this study to propose an ergonomics intervention of lifting and carrying mechanisms to reduce the neck, trunk and coupling risk among the operators in waterjet production. The user experiences and results from REBA and MAC assessment were translated into measurable design parameters before establishing the design specification and its house of quality (HoQ). Then, a morphology chart was developed to analyse the specification solutions. Next, four concepts were produced based on the HoQ and morphology chart and the Pugh method were applied to choose the best possible concept. Finally, the anthropometric analysis, parametric calculation, material selection and geometrical study were conducted to detail the design before it was tested using the Human Digital Modeling (HDM). HDM results showed that the neck and trunk pain area became green while the coupling pain area remains red. In future, the physical evaluation is suggested to assess the usability of the mechanism design and improve the design to reduce the risk level in coupling area.
Keywords: House of Quality, Lifting, Carrying, OSB, RULA, Human Digital Modelling