Analysis of the effects of group size and learning on manual assembly performance

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Volume Title
A4 Artikkeli konferenssijulkaisussa
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Date
2019
Department
Department of Mechanical Engineering
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Mcode
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Language
en
Pages
10
964-973
Series
25th International Conference on Production Research Manufacturing Innovation: Cyber Physical Manufacturing, August 9-14, 2019, Chicago, Illinois (USA), Procedia Manufacturing, Volume 39
Abstract
On the basis of a prior experimental study, this paper performs a further analysis of the effects of group size (one to four workers) and learning (up to four repetitions per group) on manual assembly performance. More specifically, this paper aims to investigate the factors and the extent to which they affect reduced assembly time as a function of repetitions and reduced productivity per worker as a function of increasing group size. The ultimate aim of this study is to increase the understanding of how working in groups of different sizes develops through repetitions when workers are free to organize their work themselves. The results from the video-based analysis show that with a new, relatively complex product, instructions play a crucial role in learning and the losses caused by the inexperience of workers decrease rapidly through repetitions. Unequal temporal workloads between workers in larger groups increase idleness and cause a significant loss of productivity. The findings presented in this paper give insights for industrial managers when assigning workers to products in variable assembly production of highly customized products.
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Keywords
group size, learning, manual assembly, productivity, activity analysis
Other note
DOI
10.1016/j.promfg.2020.02.001
Citation
Peltokorpi, J & Niemi, E 2019, Analysis of the effects of group size and learning on manual assembly performance . in 25th International Conference on Production Research Manufacturing Innovation: Cyber Physical Manufacturing, August 9-14, 2019, Chicago, Illinois (USA) . vol. 39, Procedia Manufacturing, vol. 39, Elsevier, pp. 964-973, International Conference on Production Research, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 09/08/2019 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.02.001
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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:aalto-202004032705
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[article-cris] Insinööritieteiden korkeakoulu / ENG