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Since 2003, Ford has reduced its assembly line employee injury rate by
70 percent through the latest ergonomics research, assembly
improvements and lift-assist technologies
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Ford ergonomists play a key role in reducing worker injuries by
generating data to predict the physical impact of building vehicles;
on average, more than 900 virtual assembly task assessments are made
for each new-vehicle launch
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Ford uses virtual manufacturing to certify the vehicle assembly
process before the first vehicle rolls off the line; the most recent
launches to benefit from the technology include the 2015 Ford Mustang,
F-150, Edge and 2016 Explorer
Company Website:
http://corporate.ford.com/
DEARBORN, Mich. -- (Business Wire)
Since 2003, Ford has reduced the injury rate by 70 percent for its more
than 50,000 “industrial athletes” in the U.S., and many more around the
world, through new ergonomics technology, lift-assist devices,
workstation redesign and data-driven process changes.
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Ford Motor Company has reduced its production line injury rate by 70 percent since 2003 for its more than 50,000 ''industrial athletes'' by using virtual manufacturing and ergonomists. Immersive virtual reality uses a 23-camera motion-capture system and head-mounted display to virtually immerse an employee in a future workstation. Then, the employee's movements are evaluated to determine task feasibility and proficiency. (Photo: Business Wire)
“We refer to our assembly line employees as ‘industrial athletes’, due
to the physical nature of the job,” said Allison Stephens, technical
leader for assembly ergonomics at Ford. “We have made data-driven
decisions through ergonomics testing that has led to safer vehicle
production processes and resulted in greater protection for our
employees.”
While automotive designers focus on a vehicle’s look and the customer
experience, Ford virtual manufacturing experts focus on two key areas –
design feasibility and the safety of employees on the production line.
Two to three years in advance of a new-vehicle launch, Ford ergonomists
virtually simulate the build process using both human and virtual test
subjects to assess the physical labor needed to build a vehicle. In an
effort to reduce and help prevent employee fatigue, strain and injury,
the data collected is used to guide engineering solutions prior to
implementing tasks on the production floor.
Core virtual manufacturing technologies
On average, Ford ergonomists complete more than 900 virtual assembly
task assessments per new-vehicle launch, centered on three core
technologies – full-body motion capture, 3D printing and immersive
virtual reality. Each provides critical data used to evaluate the
overall safety of the assembly process for employees, while maintaining
high vehicle quality for customers.
Virtual manufacturing experts at Ford use the following tools:
- Full-body motion capture provides data on how an employee uses
his or her body to move and complete tasks. Through more than 52
motion-capture markers placed on an employee’s arms, back, legs and
torso, ergonomists can record more than 5,000 data points to evaluate
muscle strength and weakness, joint strain and body imbalance. Similar
technology is used across professional sports to improve athletes’
techniques and help them avoid injury
- 3D printing is used by an ergonomist to validate hand clearance
in the vehicle assembly process in those instances in which virtual
simulation yields unclear results. Employees with various hand sizes
use the 3D-printed model to test how tight the space will be in
vehicle assembly – which helps to drive better production decisions
- Immersive virtual reality uses a 23-camera motion-capture
system and head-mounted display to virtually immerse an employee in a
future workstation. Then, the employee’s movements are evaluated to
determine task feasibility and proficiency
“Motion tracking technology has been used for more than 30 years to
quantifiably assess the technique of athletes and reveal where they may
be susceptible to injury from overuse or from forces that will damage
tissues,” said Gary Scheirman, vice president for applications
engineering, Motion Analysis Corporation. “Using similar technology,
Ford can develop state-of-the-art, safe working environments for its
employees and produce better vehicles for its customers.”
Virtual manufacturing program results
To date, Ford ergonomists have worked on more than 100 new-vehicle
launches globally using virtual manufacturing tools – most recently the
2015 Ford Mustang, F-150, Edge and 2016 Explorer. Through significant
investments in the program, not only has Ford achieved a reduction in
employee injury rates, it has seen a 90 percent reduction in such
ergonomic issues as overextended movements, difficult hand clearance and
tasks involving hard-to-install parts.
“Our goal is to provide a healthy, safe and productive work environment
at our Ford manufacturing facilities worldwide,” said Michael Torolski,
Ford executive director, Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering.
“The ergonomics and virtual manufacturing processes support our injury
reduction strategy and enable early validation of production-technology
changes.”
About Ford Motor Company
Ford
Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in
Dearborn, Michigan, manufactures or distributes automobiles across six
continents. With about 194,000 employees and 66 plants worldwide, the
company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company
provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more
information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.
For news releases, related materials and high-resolution photos and
video, visit www.media.ford.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150716005960/en/
Contacts:
Ford Motor Company
Kristina Adamski
313.588.0849
kadamsk1@ford.com
or
Lloryn
R. Love
313.303.9570
llove22@ford.com
Source: Ford Motor Company
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