Enhancing productivity of Repetitive Manual Assembly operations

- Use of Principles of Motion Economy and Low Profile Automation

--- S.V.Prabhu

A lot of progress has been made in Automating various manufacturing operations in the
last few years resulting in increased productivity . This increase has been done at a cost
which does not give uniform rate of returns when the same technology is used in different
places, because of differences in wages and other input costs. Most of these technologies
have been cost effective where wages are high or where manpower constraints are
present. They are less cost effective in low wage areas or where manpower is available in
plenty.

The other benefits of such productivity increasing technologies like consistency of

quality, lesser wastage , fringe benefits like better use of power resources , better
deliveries etc. are therefore denied to those who are unable to take advantage of these
technologies.

The human component in any manufacturing is a very important one. No level of

automation will be able to displace the human component fully. Nor it is desirable that
this happens, since , one important aim of any manufacturing activity is to generate
employment.

A lot of efforts have been made in designing automation systems . Most of these systems
have been carefully engineered to increase parameters like space utilization, reliability,
and to reduce energy usage and unnecessary time consuming activities like movements
( of materials etc.). This diligent effort , over the last number of years, has resulted in the
development and availability of a large range of generalized automation devices and
modules like Industrial robots, pick and place units, Programmable controllers, various
types of Pneumatic accessories etc. which can be used to develop systems for specific
applications.

Using these modules for specific applications needs a careful analysis of the operations
which are sought to be either fully automated or partially automated. The aim of any such
exercise would be to increase the productivity of any man-machine system as well as to
get some of the other benefits accruable .

Most of the bench type manual operations found in the assembly of products like
electronic items, electrical switchgears, small consumer products etc. are unfortunately
difficult to automate fully as they have a large content of ‘skill’ elements which require
the dexterity and flexibility of the human hand. Quite a number of these operations also
require a decision making ability which only a human has ( though systems like Camera
inspection have tried to reduce the human involvement in areas like inspection ).

This article is an attempt to develop some operational strategies to be used in enhancing

the productivity of such bench type repetitive manual operations. Some basic Industrial
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Engineering principles have been found to be very useful in understanding the nature of
such operations. Application of these principles has been also found useful in deciding
the extent of automation to be incorporated in order to obtain a cost effective system.

NATURE OF BENCH TYPE REPETITIVE OPERATIONS:

Bench type repetitive operations are typically operations which are completed in a few
minutes and have to be repeated over and over again . An example is the assembly of 2
screw with a retaining washer on a cover for a motor starter. This operation is repeated
maybe several times for the same starter depending upon the number of screw assemblies
required per starter. The entire operation may take a couple of minutes. A process analysis
with an adhoc workstation layout as in Fig 1 for this operation will be :

1. Pick up screw,
2 Pick up starter cover,
3 Insert screw in cover hole,
4 Pick up retaining washer,
5 Press retaining washer onto screw,
6 Repeat operations 1-5 for all the screws required for the cover,
7 Place cover with screw and retaining washers aside for the next operation.

An examination of the activity elements involved in a typical assembly operation , like

the one above, will show that most of the elements can be segregated into the following
categories:

1. TRAVEL elements like REACHING to an object like say the Cover at 1,

MOVING an object like the cover to a position to perform further operations,
2. a) HOLD elements like holding the cover in hand while the other operations are
performed on it. Such a HOLD is the simplest form .
b) HOLD element where some PRESSURE is applied like when the operator has
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to exert pressure while pressing the screw into the retaining washer,
3. SKILL elements like GRASPING the screw or washer to get a hold on it or
POSITIONING the screw in the hole of the cover. These elements require some
amount of finger dexterity ,
4. DECISION elements like when the operator has to decide whether to use a screw
with some defects.
Distances through which the objects have to be moved in the course of the assembly
operations also contribute to the cycle time.
For some typical light engineering repetitive bench type assembly operation the broad
break up of the above elements would be :
1. TRAVEL elements : REACH & MOVE ……. App. 54 %,
2. SKILL elements : GRASP ……………….. App. 23 %,
POSITION ……………. App. 17 %,
3. OTHERS ………………………………………. Rest
( From samples taken on light electrical switchgear assembly operations. The
composition will change for other products , but, the pattern will remain the same )
Improving productivity of such operations would therefore entail reduction of the time
taken for these micro elements .

CHART 1
BASIC ELEMENTS

TRAVEL SKILL HOLD DECISIO

N
with
Pressure

CURVI- GRASP POSITION

LINEAR
LINEAR

With W/O With W/O

SLIDING OTHERS PRECISE LOOSE
LOAD LOAD LOAD LOAD

A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 D1 D2 E F

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METHODOLOGY TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY

A strategy to improve productivity of such operations would therefore rely on the

following principles:

1. MINIMISE distances through which the hand has to move to get parts and
through which they have to be moved,
2. Use of HOLDING fixtures to free the hand to perform other operations,
3. Use of SIMULTANEOUS motions ( both left & right hand) ,
4. Use of CURVILINEAR motions in lieu of straight line movements with
mechanical stops where a motion has to be ended,
5. Use of NORMAL ergonomic working area to prevent overstretching ,
6. Use of LOW PROFILE AUTOMATION (LPA) devices to perform some of the
SKILL elements.

Chart 1 above shows the broad break up of the various motions found in such operations.
PRE-DETERMINED MOTION TIME SYSTEMS ( PMTS) have been generated and
have been widely used to understand the nature of these motions.

PMTS systems are basically tabulated values of normal time to perform the above basic
motions. The time values have been decided based on a large number of observations and
are decided by the following factors :
1) The distance traveled between 2 points while performing any motion,
2) The position and nature of the target point,
3) The load amount to be moved along with its orientation at the start and end of
the motion,
4) The state of the motion at the beginning and end.
These systems have been successfully used to:
1) Design new work stations,
2) Get an estimate of the cycle time for an operation before the start of the activity,
3) Analyse existing operations with a view to improvising.

Of all PMTS systems used MTM has proven to be universally applicable .

PMTS , used as an analytical tool, will be able to give a micro picture of the operation
under study. This picture can be very useful to decide the strategies required for
improvisation. Referring to the chart above the following course of actions become fairly
evident:

Case A1 & A2-Where possible eliminate the linear travel motions and convert to
Curvilinear motions ( Case B1 & B2) using simultaneous motions
to maximize use of both the hands. Use of Low Profile automation
devices like pneumatic transporters, pick up arms can then be made.
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Case C1 & C2—Convert complex Grasps to simple Sliding grasps using designed
Work station storage bins. Use simultaneous motions . Use of LPA can
then be explored. It should be noted that use of LPA for automating the
SKILL elements pose more Engineering problems and can be costlier.

Case D1 & D2—Using LPA devices for pre-positioning will make final manual
Positioning easier.

Case E- This element puts more fatigue on the operator as manual strength is called
for . In the long run it is better to use some LPA devices to perform this
motion.

Case F- To develop automaticity or rhythm in manual work it is always useful to

Minimize Decision elements. These can be a source of stress on the
Operator, thereby effecting output.

The following diagrams illustrate the progression of the station layout ( Fig 1) to a layout
where the strategies given above have been used.

Stage 0: ( Fig 1)
The cycle time for the operations as per the Adhoc layout given in Fig 1 based on PMTS
analysis is app. 10 sec.

Stage 1: (Fig 2)
The layout given in Fig 2 has no LPA devices. The layout has been rearranged to
minimize distances Grasping of the retaining washers has been simplified. Gravity chute
has been added to carry the sub-assembly to the next station.
The cycle time drops to app 6 sec.

Stage 2: (Fig 3)
The layout given in Fig 3 has been evolved from Fig 2 by adding Vibratory feeders to
orient the Screws for easier grasp.
The cycle time drops to app.5 sec.

Stage 3: (Fig 4)
Pneumatic cylinders have been added to the layout in Fig 3 to give layout as in Fig 4.
The task of pressing the screws through the retaining washers is made easier.
The cycle time comes down to app 3.8 sec.
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CONCLUSIONS:

Proper engineering of Work station layouts , using appropriate productivity improvement

aids can contribute appreciably to making manual work more productive. Some of the
benefits like consistency in quality, better space utilization, and better control over output
can be achieved with a studied approach to designing work stations.

Redesigning existing work systems involve change. Change is normally resisted.

However change , for resistance to be minimal, has to be gradual to allow time for
assimilation. Such ‘evolutionary’ changes have to be planned in stages with time in
between for assimilation and with time in between for proper trouble shooting of
problems and hurdles that may come about.

Use of PMTS along with the Principles of Motion Economy , as can be seen from the
above example, can give nearly 40 % reduction in cycle time. This phase is the cheapest
with maximum benefit and can be easily engineered.

Further improvements with LPA tends to be comparatively costlier with lesser benefit.

S.V.Prabhu

Mob:9820002950 E.mail: prabhusudhakar@gmail.com

B.Tech From I.I.T.-Kanpur

15 years in Larsen & Toubro in various departments.

Free lance consultant for productivity improvements since 1989.

Designer & manufacturer of Special Purpose Equipments

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