IMPROVING FOUNDRY MULTI CORE ASSEMBLY THROUGH REDESIGN OF THE WORKSPACE
Open Access
- Author:
- Slavin, Aaron
- Graduate Program:
- Industrial Engineering
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- November 04, 2021
- Committee Members:
- Robert Voigt, Professor in Charge/Director of Graduate Studies
Paul Carl Lynch, Committee Member
Andris Freivalds, Committee Member
Robert Carl Voigt, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor - Keywords:
- Manufacturing
Ergonomics
Core Production - Abstract:
- This report covers the detailed study of the core assembly process for a medium production iron foundry that uses the green sand metal casting method. An expansion project that is currently underway will expand the core production capabilities at this facility and improve the manual core assembly ergonomics. Along with this increase in casting production, core assembly will need to expand to keep up with demand. Therefore, a time study and four different ergonomic tools were used to analyze the system. The time study of five typical core assemblies found that 20% of a core assembler’s time is wasted on core transportation, in addition the current ergonomic risk of the job is high for musculoskeletal disorders such as carpal tunnel. The proposed changes to the core assembly process include a pitcher to move the cores for the assemblers. This, along with the layout and tool changes, should result in an increase in production and improved working condition for the assembler by about 50%. These improvements are primarily due to the decreased back and forth from the layout changes, the decreased travel distances. In addition, the use of exoskeletons can have great benefits for core assembly operations with large cores.