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Physical Ergonomic Improvement and Safe Design of an Assembly Workstation through Collaborative Robotics
| Content Provider | MDPI |
|---|---|
| Author | Colim, Ana Faria, Carlos Cunha, João Oliveira, João Sousa, Nuno Rocha, Luís |
| Copyright Year | 2021 |
| Description | One of the key interesting features of collaborative robotic applications is the potential to lighten the worker workload and potentiate better working conditions. Moreover, developing robotics applications that meets ergonomic criteria is not always a straightforward endeavor. We propose a framework to guide the safe design and conceptualization of ergonomic-driven collaborative robotics workstations. A multi-disciplinary approach involving robotics and ergonomics and human factors shaped this methodology that leads future engineers through the digital transformation of a manual assembly (with repetitive and hazardous operations) to a hybrid workstation, focusing on the physical ergonomic improvement. The framework follows four main steps, (i) the characterization of the initial condition, (ii) the risk assessment, (iii) the definition of requirements for a safe design, and (iv) the conceptualization of the hybrid workstation with all the normative implications it entails. We applied this methodology to a case study in an assembly workstation of a furniture manufacturing company. Results show that the methodology adopted sets an adequate foundation to accelerate the design and development of new human-centered collaborative robotic workstations. |
| Starting Page | 14 |
| e-ISSN | 2313576X |
| DOI | 10.3390/safety7010014 |
| Journal | Safety |
| Issue Number | 1 |
| Volume Number | 7 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | MDPI |
| Publisher Date | 2021-02-18 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Safety Ergonomics Human–robot Collaboration Safe Design Risk Assessment Safety Standardization Physical Ergonomics Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Manufacturing |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
