A survey of right-angle power tool use in Canadian automotive assembly plants

Right-angle power-tools (RAPT) employed in automotive manufacturing promote greater productivity and quality fastenings, as well as, improve process efficiency. Due to RAPT technological advances automotive manufactures desire to understand their ergonomics consequences within a laboratory environme...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied ergonomics 2021-01, Vol.90, p.103171-103171, Article 103171
Main Authors: Lidstone, Jeffrey, Malone, Gwen, Porto, Ryan, Stephens, Allison, Smets, Marty, Banning, Marc, Cort, Joel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Automotive Assembly
Ergonomics
Power-tools
Workstation Design
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Summary:Right-angle power-tools (RAPT) employed in automotive manufacturing promote greater productivity and quality fastenings, as well as, improve process efficiency. Due to RAPT technological advances automotive manufactures desire to understand their ergonomics consequences within a laboratory environment, however, laboratory-based representation must accurately represent the real world. A survey within automotive assembly plants was conducted to capture RAPT operation data. After examining 80 total RAPT operations, we logged the 3D locations of the fastener location (with respect to the operator), direction and the hand placement location used by operators. Four common locations with respect to the midpoint between the ankle (in cm; X = sagittal plane, Y = transverse plane, Z = coronal plane): 1) 2, 113, 62; 2) 42, 104, 45; 3) -26, 151, 36; 4) -37, 92, 52. These locations can be used to simulate RAPT operations within a laboratory. The survey provided insight into current workstation layout when operating RAPTs and, knowledge for laboratory-based RAPT examinations so that simulated tasks best represent their operation in automotive manufacturing. •Accurate in-field representation during laboratory-based research is paramount.•Limited information of in-field operator and right-angle power-tool (RAPT) interaction.•Majority of operators use right hand to trigger tool, left hand to stabilize/support tool.•Four common fastener locations represent common automotive assembly in-field operations.•Tasks now can be simulated to best represent RAPT operations during automotive assembly.
ISSN:0003-6870
1872-9126
DOI:10.1016/j.apergo.2020.103171