Testing of a workstation efficiency evaluator tool

Abstract This paper presents three studies that test and characterize input errors and their impact on selected outputs of a method and tool to predict shoulder loading and work element time from seated, light assembly workstation layout. Studies examine the impact of 1) different hand loads on shoulder load prediction, 2) potential tool user hand location measurement errors, and 3) tool response to simulated hand location input error. The results of the first study found that predicted shoulder load in response to hand loads from newly created, load specific shoulder load models differed from the original method's base models by an average of 5%–12% within the first 100 g of hand loading and 150%–210% for 1000 g hand loads, depending on the population percentile being predicted. In the second study, average hand location measurement error of participants was within 1 cm of the desired referent value measured from either a virtual or physical workstation. Results in study three showed that the impact of simulated hand location measurement error on average shoulder load and movement time prediction was low ( Relevance to industry This testing of a tool for predicting task time and shoulder loading from layout information in the design-stage of seated, light assembly workstations has shown acceptable performance for light assembly hand loads up to 100 g with an anticipated input error under 1 cm and low output errors for estimated shoulder load and movement time.