Ergonomics And Product Life Cycle

Creating Global Competitive Economies: A 360-Degree Approach

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Ergonomics And Product Life Cycle Tomas Görner, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic, [email protected] Michal Simon, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic, [email protected] Milan Edl, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic, [email protected]

Abstract Ergonomics is a very extensive branch of science that affects all areas of daily life. Classical concepts of ergonomics examine the relationship of three basic elements that react together. This is a human, technology and environment. Ergonomics evaluate the working environment. These include the evaluation workplaces. These workplaces can be evaluated in their design phase, or when already exist. Ergonomics can also be deployed to evaluate and design products, which should also meet the ergonomic criteria. This paper describes the implementation of ergonomics in the area that is known as product lifecycle management, from the perspective ergonomist, industrial engineer. Keywords: ergonomics, product, product life cycle management

Introduction In recent years, the world has been in economic crisis. It has become a magic formula for many failures. Some of them are not caused by the crisis. Global turbulent environment brings many risks. This situation may, however, be understood also in reverse. This phenomenon is possible and necessary to use. The reason is higher competitiveness. Based on the EU Lisbon Summit in 2000 established the so-called road map of research and development. One area is the so-called intelligent products, or concept of production, adaptive manufacturing, digital product development and engineering, etc. Based on this "road map" shows the direction of research. It is streamlining of the production processes, but focus on elements of artificial intelligence, economic efficiency, environmental efficiency, digitalization, adaptability and modularity of the product lifecycle. Ergonomics has the indispensable role. And the implementation of ergonomic approaches and insights into these new concepts is extremely important. However, it is necessary to realize what these new concepts are and how they act ergonomics.

Product In order to discuss the product lifecycle management (PLM) and implement ergonomic principles, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of the product. The product is anything that can be offered on the market to satisfy the needs or wishes of the customer. According to Kotler, the product is any tangible good, service or idea that becomes subject to shifts in the market and is intended to satisfy human needs and desires. (Kotler, 1998)

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The product can be: •

material nature (locomotive, airplane, car, etc..),

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services (hospitality, rental),

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ideas (eg design algorithm),

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person (or transformed public opinion that someone creates - policy),

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place (or transformed public attitudes to a particular place - tourism).

The product itself has several levels, and the higher level of the product has also the highest importance (Kotler, 1998): •

general utility and usefulness (because of the benefits and usefulness of the product the customer buys),

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basic product (transforms the product from utility to specifically use of the product or service),

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idealized expected product (ideal image of the product in the customers eyes),

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addition of a product (or enhanced product, it is something more what exceeds customer expectations),

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potential product (including all extensions and additions that can develop in the future).

When we talk about the product, we must also talk about its sustainability. This means that the development of such a product is always in accordance with the principles of economic, social and environmental sustainability. The actual development of a sustainable product describes a complex set of: •

solutions,

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procedures,

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and technology.

This approach allows you to design, develop and manufacture products with minimal environmental impact. It is this idea is enshrined in the implementation of product lifecycle management. It is therefore not only to fulfill the technical and economic requirements of the customer, but also the fulfilment of social and environmental needs.

PLM – Product Life cycle management In the classical view of companies, to produce the product, there is an idea that the end of product management is its production and shipping to the customer. This view is obsolete and it is necessary to also include other steps, such as service and product disposal. PLM can be thus defined as the management process of "life" of a product from concept through


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production and servicing, and disposal. It is also possible to look at it as an information strategy that integrates people, data, processes, management system and technology. This approach integrates systems, procedures and tools for dealing with the implementation of both the new and innovated product. (Edl, 2011)

Fig 1. What does the PLM mean (Edl, 2011) The actual product lifecycle management is possible to watch many views. It may be: •

view from the perspective of the amount - a marketing perspective,

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sight in terms of product life cycle,

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sight in terms of transformation processes.

The most famous is a marketing perspective. It is a look at the life of the product. The phases can be described using the following steps. Analysis of needs → Concept product prototyping and product development → Preparation of production → Production → Distribution → Sales, maintenance and repair of the product → Product disposal and recycling. The product must be viewed as a whole. That means from the idea to its realization to the disposal of the product. Customers began to realize this vision, when he had to start paying a recycling fee. This charge is in fact reflects the ability of designers to design a product that is easy or hard on the contrary, recyclable.

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Today around the increasingly hear terms like processes, process-oriented organization. Even on PLM and ergonomics can be applied to the process view. (Edl, 2011)

Ergonomics in the process concept If we're talking about ergonomics, it is necessary to establish the term rationalization. Why? Because the modified terms of ergonomic system that is not functioning rationally, it would be a waste of financial resources, and forces it expended. Today's complex rationalization is described as a systematic purposeful activity, to achieve maximum efficiency, methodical, systematic and cost-effectiveness in any event. Rationalization of production is quite extensive concept. Underneath hides a lot of sub-optimization methods. In other words, rationalization of the production process we mean a set of technical, organizational and psychological methods, procedures and measures to raise productivity to a level which, in current conditions is not even imaginable. Comprehensive rationalization can be divided in different aspects, such as the rationalization of technical and organizational, operational efficiency, and streamlining the procedure (Hlavenka, 1995). This view shows also Bureš in his doctoral thesis. (Bureš, 2010)

Process view of the life cycle To be able to apply ergonomic on the product life cycle well, it is necessary to choose an adequate expression of the product lifecycle. As proved and suitable can we use the process approach. This coincides with today's approach to the production system in enterprises. If we think of the most used view of the life cycle of the product (in terms of marketing - product life cycle), it is clear that ergonomics is reflected in all its areas. Another view may be a place of execution phases: •

Management o planning.

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Technical preparation of production, o design, o technical preparation of production, o organizational preparation of production.

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Production workshop, o production of parts, o assembly, o adjusting and testing.

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Between the production line and the customer, o packaging, o storage, o loading and delivering.

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By the customer, o acceptance of the product o unpacking the product,


o o o •

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operation of the product, maintaining of the product, etc.

On site disposal of the product, o dismantling the product, o separation, o recycling.

This is a classic view of the product lifecycle with an emphasis on site implementation. At this point of view we are better able to imagine in what areas will show ergonomics. Will affect product design, ergonomics effects the user, but also workplace design, ergonomics affect the worker. For better understanding of these links and the effects appear to be suitable process view, where ergonomics can be reflected in every phase of product life cycle. If we look at the processes in general, processes are characterized by transforming inputs into outputs. If we look at them according to technical systems theory, and in the transformation process are transformed operand is in the process enters the "initial" state, respectively, in state 1, and performs it in the condition required by the customer, in the second state. Because this system transforms the operand (anything), this is a transformational system. The actual transformation takes place with the help of operators that affect the transformation process. How such a transformation system with the transformation process seems we can see in the figure 2.

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Fig 2. General model of the transformation system TrfS with the transformation process TrfP (Hosnedl, 2010)

Under this model, we can specify the executing system - see Fig. 2, which consists of operators: •

HuS - Human System – man,

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TS - Technical System - technical system,

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AEnv - Activ Environment - active and reactive environment.

These operators allow us to see the impact of individual elements, which we know from classical ergonomic perspective, therefore, work within the system of human, technology and environment. In this system, there is feedback from the transformation process. This feedback can be generalized - see Fig. 2, (feedback marked with circle). It is preferable examine this feedback individually, on the operators, but also between them. Thus, shows us Fig. 3. If we delve back deeper into the theory of technical systems, we can state other facts. For example, the greatest impact has in terms of human operators (worker, operator), which operates mostly in the transformation process by technical means (tools). There is also a feedback between technical system and human, in both directions. This action occurs within the active and reactive environment (in the classical concept of ergonomics is an area of environmental engineering) and information system should provide the necessary information to that effect and control system should support this action by management system. These links can be seen on the figure.


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Fig 3. General model of the transformation system with Operational Process of TS as a concretization of Transformation System (TrfS) with Transformation Process (TrfP) (Hosnedl, 2010)

Application of technical system theory perspective procedure on product life cycle After explaining the process approach and application of technical systems theory, it is possible to assemble the product life cycle in terms of transformation systems. Using a general model of transformation system, with the transformation process, it is possible to systematically create a structured model of the product life cycle stages. It consists of a chain of interconnected systems transformation. The output of a transformation process is the input for the transformation process as follows. This approach shows the following picture.

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Fig 4. Transformation System Life Cycle as a series of Transformation Process (TrfP) (incl. the respective Transformation systems (TrfS)) in its main Life Cycle Phases (Hosnedl, 2010)

Application of ergonomics theory of technical systems for product life cycle The main area that we wanted to focus at this contribution is a new application of ergonomics and transformation systems. As described above, it relates to the HuS (human system), TS (technical system) and AEnv (Active and reactive environment). The main idea of a new approach to the application of ergonomics on technical systems theory is the belief and the facts obtained in practical projects dealing with ergonomics. This idea relates


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to the claim that ergonomics is affected not only the state of the workplace, but also a product or a product that its operation in the workplace arises.

The actual operation of the workplace will manufacture the product. This condition, if we apply the idea of product lifecycle through systems transformation, describes the following figure (Fig. 5). It occurs at the intersection of two product life cycles. Product, whose production occurs in the next phase of the operation of the life cycle of the second product (the workplace).

Fig 5. Linking of the two life cycles – of the product and of the workplace, on which will be the product produced – the application of transformation systems

The practical example of applying the new approach The following example is inspired by the solution to a practical problem within the automotive industry. Consider a workplace of sequential preparation of parts. Its task is to prepare the parts

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(sub-products with different parameters) for the production line, according to the sequence in which products go final (in which the components are fitted) on the production line. These partial products are added, according to the schedule set sequence, in to the sequential pallet (trolley). The workplace can be adjusted according to ergonomic parameters. Along with the workplace is also regulated by the trolley, which transported the parts to an assembly line. This trolley is crucial. The reason is that it should be taken into consideration and follow-up on work tasks related with this cart. It is a transport the trolley on the production line (manual handling, tractor, forklift truck). Consequently, it is necessary to position the trolley at the production line (clearly and strictly defined area). Then there is the actual handling when removing parts from the cart. So, if we modify the sequence workplace and the sequence trolley for the needs of worker of sequence workplace without taking into account other circumstances, it may be a problem caused by failure of ergonomic parameters, which can move between workplaces. Among the other above-mentioned circumstances that cause the problem of moving between sites, including handling the truck, with operations in the next follow-up work, as well as operations with the product itself. Therefore it is necessary to work with ergonomics as a whole in all areas of the product lifecycle. These areas primarily understand the planning and design. In these life cycle stages can significantly affect ergonomics. The product does not exist and it is proposed. The funds expended on ergonomics in this stage are lower than in the stage when the product already exists. It is necessary to look both in terms of manufactured product itself and in terms of product - the workplace - where the product will be manufactured by the operation of the workplace. This approach can be described as a proactive approach - see Fig. 5. However, if the product and the workplace already exist, it is necessary to follow the corrective rationalization process approach. This leads to the area where the life cycles of both products, of workplace and the emerging product on it, and intersect - operation of the workplace X production of the product.

Conclusion and Summary If we are able, using this new approach, and at this stage of knowledge, to describe the individual effects of HuS, TS and AEnv, with their mutual links, we can go back over the life cycle of the product and determine: •

in what state should be operand input to the transformation system,

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in what state should be the operand at the output of the previous transformation system,

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or we can determine what effect the execution system of the (previous) transformation system, we can also say, which links are present within it.

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So we found ourselves at the very beginning of product life cycle. In this part of the product lifecycle is most possible to influence the view of designers and planners of the production. Than


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they can use ergonomics in product design and in product manufacturing process in which it will occur. This will affect ergonomics: •

in different parts of the final product (corresponding to the appearance of not only technical requirements for functionality, ergonomics as well as other requirements PLM),

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workplaces where these parts arise,

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workers which will produce these products,

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workplaces where the product will be manufactured,

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transportation, storage and handling of these products,

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installation of these products (parts) into the final product,

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ergonomics of whole final product,

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ergonomics for users which will use this product,

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ergonomics for service workers and maintenance workers of this product,

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ergonomics in the disposal of this product.

This comprehensive view and description of linkages and impacts in terms of ergonomics, will be extensive, but should bring a much greater effect than a reactive approach. It should also reach a larger number of participating groups of workers, who can ergonomics influence more than ergonomists in the phase of corrective action. It should also contribute to a greater awareness and understanding of ergonomics only at ergonomist, but especially for those who it can affect the ergonomics by their ideas.

Acknowledgements This paper includes results from Project No. 402/08/H051 Optimizing of multidisciplinary designing and modeling of production systems subsidised by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic.

References Bureš, M .(2010): ‘Metodika digitálního ergonomického návrhu a hodnocení pracovišť ve strojírenských podnicích’. Doctoral thesis, UWB, Pilsen. Eder, E., Hosnedl, S. ‘Design Engineering, A manual for Enhanced Creativity’. Boca Raton, Florida, USA, CRC Press - Taylor & Francis Group, ISBN 978-1-4222-476 Edl, M. (2011): ‘Řízení životního cyklu produktu (PLM)’, e-book from project ‘Kvalitní výzkumný tým zaměřený na problematiku řízení životního cyklu výrobku v prostředí digitálního podniku, UWB, Pilsen Hlavenka, B.(1995): ‘Racionalizace technologických procesů’, PC-DIR s.r.o., Brno, ISBN 80214-0705-0 Hosnedl, S. (2010): ‘Přednášky k předmětu ZKM’, UWB, Pilsen Kotler, P.(1998): ‘Marketing Management’, Grada Publishing, Prague, ISBN 80-7169-600-5