Ergonomic Assessment of Material Handling in CV Joint Assembly

Abstract

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WRMSD) is one of the most common problems that affect productivity in industrial processes. This chapter presents the ergonomic evaluation of the main tasks in a Constant Velocity (CV) Joint assembly process. Tasks selected and evaluated using ergonomic methods were the transport of manufacturing parts on carts, parts supply at the workstation, materials handling within the workstation, and loading of the finished product on pallets. The ergonomic evaluation was performed by applying both Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method, and Rodgers' Biomechanical analysis. The analysis showed the existence of very high and high risk levels. Body regions most affected were elbow, shoulder, trunk, hip, legs, arm, and wrist. Ultimately, this research highlights the urgent need to perform corrective actions and further assessment for the CV Joint assembly process tasks studied.