The effects of multitasking on quality inspection in advanced manufacturing systems

Abstract

Technological and strategic developments have changed the role of human operators in the manufacturing environment. The highly specialized work force of the low-tech manufacturing system has evolved into the multi-functional work force of the high-tech manufacturing system. Among the multiple tasks that an operator is expected to conduct in advanced manufacturing systems (AMS) are job scheduling, inventory planning, machine set-up, problem solving, and quality inspection.The quality inspection task in AMS consists of a search component, frequently conducted by a machine, and a decision making component conducted by the operator.This quality inspection system is often referred to as a hybrid inspection system (HIS). It has been demonstrated that in general the performance of HIS is better than that of pure human or pure automated inspection systems. This research investigated the effects of different types of defects (presented at the same time in the inspected parts), multitasking (concurrently conducting independent tasks), and their interaction on the operator's performance in the quality inspection task (with a memorized quality criteria) in an AMS.The results indicate that the performance of the operator in the quality inspection task while multitasking in an AMS will be determined not only by the variety of defects that can be present in the inspected parts, but also by the mental processing resources required to meet the demand imposed by the multiple independent tasks and the memorized quality criteria. The best performance will be obtained when the additional tasks' load minimizes the monotony of the quality inspection task without interfering with the processing resources needed for the memorized quality criteria.iii Dedicated to the memory of my father, José Pesante iv

A theoretical framework for evaluating mental workload resources in human systems design for manufacturing operations

“…Numerically controlled machines, group technology, cellular manufacturing and Just-In-Time production systems have revolutionized the manner in which products are designed and manufactured; these advances have transformed the role of the human operator in the manufacturing environment [55]. Cognitive ergonomics deals with the interaction between tools and the user, emphasizing the cognitive processes of understanding, reasoning, and the use of knowledge [39].…”

“…A high workload task that can encompass each of these aspects is that of inspection. The traditional role of quality inspectors is changing from dedicated quality inspectors to operators who perform multiple duties while attempting to perform inspection tasks [55].…”

Effects of Task Autonomy on Performance: An Extended Model Considering Motivational, Informational, and Structural Mechanisms.

“…That is, multitasking will result in the cognitive distraction associated with interference and switching costs and will ultimately have negative effects on performance. Although relatively little research in organization settings has been conducted to supplement the considerable laboratory research, at least one applied study found performance decrements of multitasking in an organizational setting (Pesante, Williges, & Woldstad, 2001).…”

Multitasking information behavior and information task switching: an exploratory study

“…For example, common multitasking behaviors include talking on the telephone when driving a car, or using multiple information systems concurrently (Slaney et al, 2003). Multitasking has been identified as an important area of human behavior research, particularly in home and work environments that include intensive processes that are increasingly supported by information systems (MacIntyre et al, 2001;Pesante et al, 2001;Rubinstein et al, 2001).…”