634 research outputs found

    Instructional factories and training courses: the inception and implementation of training courses for un-skilled and semi-skilled munitions workers during the great war

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    The Great War shell scandal of 1915 was as much to do with a lack of skilled workers as it was to do with the early inability of the Munitions Industry to manufacture the war materials required by the war. The number of skilled workers had never been large and volunteering for the Army on a large scale had drastically reduced that pool. Attempts to avoid ‘dilution’, or the use of un-skilled and semi-skilled workers, particularly women, in the munitions industry in the early months of the Great War failed. The Volunteer Scheme was an initial disaster for the newly created Ministry of Munitions. Recalling skilled men from the Army failed in equal measure. The only way for the Ministry to plug the skills gap, was to bring in semi and un-skilled workers. In 1916/17 Technical Institutes like Loughborough and Aston began to run short training courses for workers

    Simulation of human movement and behaviour in crowded spaces using gaming software

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    This paper discusses the development of human movement and behaviour simulation in crowded spaces as part of the AUNT-SUE (Accessibility and User Needs in Transport for Sustainable Urban Environments) research project. The research starts with applying a video observational method to understand human movement and behaviour in crowded spaces in the real world. Six hours of video were recorded at a multi-mode transportation system and almost 19,000 individual human movements and behaviours were analyzed. Six types of behaviour were derived from the three major movements of free, opposite and same direction. Six factors affecting human movement and behaviour were recognized from the video analysis. The DarkBASIC Professional gaming software was used to simulate the human movement and behaviour in the virtual world. The six factors affecting human movement and behaviour were considered as the parameters for the virtual humans. Case studies considering multi-mode transportation systems, bottleneck and non-bottleneck situations were applied to validate the prototype software system

    Optimization of roughing operations in cnc machining for rapid manufacturing processes

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    This paper presents a method for optimizing roughing operations in CNC machining particularly for parts production through a subtractive rapid manufacturing process. The roughing operation in machining is primarily used to remove the bulk of the material and to approximately shape the workpiece towards the finish form. The manufacturing process described utilizes a 3-axis CNC machine with an indexable 4th axis device that is used to hold and rotate the workpiece. The method used is derived from the multiple approaches in roughing operations that differ in the number and the angle of the orientations. Most of the machining parameters are generalized throughout the process to allow some automation in generating the machining program. Overall, the performance of each of the approaches is evaluated based on the lowest machining time to produce the part

    Achieving workplace inclusiveness by using ergonomics risk assessment

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    Traditional manufacturing work practices do not consider human variability issues during the design process. However, most manual assembly activities demand high levels of repetition and speed without compromising product quality and work productivity. Individual factors including age, gender, skill, experience and anthropometry cause variations in task strategies that lead to variations in individual and organizational work performance. The ergonomics-based risk assessment methods OWAS, REBA and RULA have been used to evaluate risk levels associated with working methods. This paper discusses the need for these methods to understand and highlight the key issues generated by these variations with the objective of minimizing these variations. Methods that can be used to promote working strategies that minimize the level of risk are described. The proposed research method potentially reduces work-related musculoskeletal disorders, injuries, pain, and promotes safe, healthy, productive and more inclusive working strategies suitable for a diverse working population

    Human variability, task complexity and motivation contribution in manufacturing

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    This paper is a preliminary study of the human contribution to variability in manufacturing industry and how motivation and learning play a key role in this contribution. The longer term aim is to incorporate this understanding in a methodology, using principles and guidelines, that aims to help in the design of intelligent automation that reduces product variability. This paper reports on the early stages that are concerned with understanding relationships between human-induced product variability, task complexity and human characteristics and capabilities. Two areas have been selected for initial study in manufacturing industry: (a) the relationship between manual task complexity and product variability and (b) the relationship between employee motivational factors and learning behaviours. The paper discusses the progress to date in conducting initial empirical studies and surveys in industry and draws tentative conclusions of the value of this knowledge to the overall objective of intelligent automation

    Using a design by features CAD system for process capability modelling

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    Process capability modelling offers a method of matching the shape, technological and cost capabilities of manufacturing equipment to the requirements of components, singly or as groups. This provides the basis of planning tools useful in the capital intensive business of the construction of new manufacturing facilities or the reconfiguration of existing ones. The success of this modelling approach is dependent upon having an appropriate representation of the design geometry. The representation must be such that all geometric inquiries raised by the process capability modelling are either explicitly held within some data representation or alternatively can be derived algorithmically by reference to a geometric model. The representation must also be capable of withstanding the rigours of use within the wider context of implementing an important part of the CAM interface within a CIM environment. This paper describes a feature-based representation based on a feature taxonomy which uses External Access Directions (EAD) as the characterizing aspect of geometry. These EADs become potential machining directions for a collection of features on a component, and are used as an essential link into generative process planning activities. The representation has been used in conjunction with process planning and process capability modelling applications. This paper concentrates on the latter, where the feature representation has been embedded within a proprietary geometric modeller which has been provided with a purpose-built user interface. A feature-based component model is created by the geometric modeller and accessed by functions which enable flexible component grouping and matching to process capability through the concept of a composite component. Subsequent process component grouping within the context of particular manufacturing systems strategies (cellular manufacture, flow-line, etc.) ultimately results in functional machine descriptions and variants

    Shadow-scanned human representations for car seat design

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    Modelling of the human body has a long history as an essential component of computer aided design systems which provide ergonomic analysis of workplaces and equipment. A current Brite-Euram project is concerned with life-cycle aspects of car seating from design through manufacturing and eventual re-cycling. Loughborough University is responsible for driver comfort assessment which is being carried out through road and laboratory trials, the results of which are to be incorporated within the SAMMIE computer aided ergonomics design system. The human body is infinitely variable in shape and dimension and this leads to particular difficulty in generating initial shape representations and subsequently manipulating these to represent individuals or general populations. This paper is principally concerned with a method for capturing shape information and transforming it into a CAD surface representation. The capture method uses a shadow scanning technique where the human body can be scanned in a matter of minutes and ordered coordinate information provided. This information has been processed for input into the DUCT surface modeller where some data reduction can take place before being output in the form of IGES B-Spline surfaces. These surfaces are then processed into a quadrilateral mesh representation that can be handled by the PHIGS functionality implemented within SAMMIE

    Tools for User-Centred Design

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    User-Centred Design aims to involve users at all stages of the design of products. Some of the basic principles are briefly considered together with their relationship to ergonomics. Tools for the application of User-Centred Design are discussed including specific tools such as digital human modelling, personas, manikin characters, inclusive design and human behavioural modelling

    The logical and geometric modelling of a universal machine control reference architecture

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    This paper reports on new research into the computer modelling and simulation of the UMC (Universal Machine Control) Reference Architecture. A key factor in the UMC Reference Architecture is the provision of aset of software configuration tools to facilitate the building of modular machines and machine control structures. In this respect the roles of geometric solid modelling and logical control modelling are emphasised in the paper

    The ageing workforce: a case study

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    Digital human modelling (DHM) most frequently models humans that are able-bodied and of working age. However, increased life expectancy is resulting in employment above ‘normal’ retirement age, often reflected in legislation changing state pension age and freedom for workers to work as long as wish. The resulting older workforce has many positive aspects including increased experience, wisdom, loyalty and motivation, but negative effects such as the loss of capabilities in strength, mobility, vision and hearing will also be present. Inclusive design aims to accommodate more of the workforce in the design of workplaces so it is essential that design methods are able to cope with the ageing workforce. A case study was conducted in a furniture manufacturing company, particularly to investigate the usefulness of a DHM-based inclusive design method in determining working strategies that are suitable for older workers in terms of work productivity, well-being and safety
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