ErgoMove for Efficient and Ergonomic Assembly Line Production

… is an American corporation that manufactures agricultural machinery, heavy equipment, forestry machinery, diesel engines, drivetrains used in heavy equipment, and lawn care equipment.

During the assembly line process, employees are responsible for moving the picking units used in cotton harvesters. These units are installed on carts, each weighing approximately 2,500 pounds. To set them in motion at the production pace, an initial push force of over 100 pounds is required. As the units travel a distance of 304 feet, they are handled by nine employees. However, manually pulling these carts poses not only push force hazards but also risks related to entrapment and collisions. The Safety and Ergonomics Risk Assessment score is 74 points.

In collaboration with the assembly team, the Blickle experts fine-tuned the parameters of an ErgoMove 1000 to retrofit it onto their carts. As a safety measure and to enhance battery life, the time-out rate was reduced from 60 seconds to 10 seconds. Implementing the ErgoMove 1000 resulted in a significant reduction of operating time for each employee – over 2.5 minutes saved per task. Moreover, the custom-designed cart seamlessly navigates tight turns on the assembly line and interfaces smoothly with existing lift tables. The customer is very satisfied with the result: improved ergonomics and safety at the same time thanks to less physical stress and features like the dead man’s brake, antistatic tread, and foot guards. After using the ErgoMove 1000 the Safety and Ergonomics Risk Assessment Score is only 3 points – a great success.