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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.
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 ).
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.
CHART 1
BASIC ELEMENTS
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2 D1 D2 E F
….cont..Pg 4
Page 4
METHODOLOGY TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY
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.
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.
….Cont..Pg 5
Page 5
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.
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.
……Cont. Pg 6
Page 6
…..cont pg 7
Page 7
CONCLUSIONS:
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