The situation

Operators tasked with manually verifying joint pressure to detect leaks in exhaust parts were experiencing musculoskeletal strain due to the repetitive handling of testing tools. Several employees required medical leave, leaving the company with staffing gaps that disrupted supply chain efficiency.

My role, team and responsibilities

I got the opportunity to join Eberspächer as a research intern. My role was to better understand the impact of a workstation on the operators' well being and performance and provide recommendations and solutions accordingly. I worked closely with engineers and ground operators to identify the right problem and design the right solution.

Understanding the problem

I began by spending several days on-site to familiarize myself with the plant environment. I closely observed operators at the affected workstation and analyzed their task flow. I also conducted on-the-fly interviews with operators to triangulate observations and validate findings, ensuring my conclusions weren’t based on assumptions.

Key challenges included:

1. Fixed workstation dimensions that disadvantaged smaller-bodied workers;

2. A high volume of manual actions placing excessive strain on the hands;

3. A task sequence that was both physically demanding and inefficient in terms of time.

Crafting the solution

In collaboration with the operators and design engineers, I optimized the task sequence to reduce strain and improve efficiency. I automated the most physically demanding hand movements and proposed mounting the workstation on dynamic air cylinders to allow for adjustable height. The improved workstation was implemented a few months later.

The impact

The number of musculoskeletal strain cases was significantly reduced. The redesigned, semi-automated workstation proved successful and has since been adapted for use in evaluating the leakage status of several other exhaust products.