Work Assist Control for Real-Time Operator Burden Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In production lines, existing measures to reduce operator burden and enhance efficiency are ineffective when there is a shortage of operators, as they rely on human intervention and cannot be fully automated.
Innovation Solution
A work assist device and system that evaluates operator and production facility information to determine and apply improvement measures automatically, reducing operator burden by adjusting work processes and facility settings in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated technologies (industrial robots, process automation systems) are implemented to reduce operator burden, then productivity is improved, but they cannot fully resolve burden in all work processes and require sufficient operators to manage and maintain them
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts work processes and facility settings in real-time based on operator burden evaluation. The control device automatically modifies production parameters, work assignments, and facility operations to optimize both productivity and operator burden reduction, creating a flexible automated system that adapts to changing conditions without requiring additional operators.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-optimization by automatically evaluating operator burden and implementing improvement measures without human intervention. The control device autonomously adjusts work processes, reassigns tasks, and modifies facility settings based on real-time data, enabling the production system to self-regulate and reduce operator burden while maintaining productivity.
2Ease of operation
If existing measures to reduce operator burden are implemented, then operator burden is reduced in some cases, but they are ineffective when there is a shortage of operators and cannot be fully automated
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual burden-reduction measures with an automated control device that uses sensors, data processing, and automatic control mechanisms. Instead of relying on operators to identify and implement improvements, the system automatically evaluates burden through data collection and implements optimization measures, achieving high automation in burden reduction while easing operator workload.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously collects data on operator conditions, work processes, and production status, then uses this feedback to automatically adjust and optimize work assignments and facility operations. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables automated burden reduction that adapts to real-time conditions, effectively reducing operator burden while maintaining high automation levels.
3Ease of operation
If work processes are manually adjusted to reduce operator burden, then operator burden is reduced, but productivity and efficiency cannot be maintained or enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically optimizes both operator burden and productivity simultaneously through real-time data analysis and automatic control. The control device adjusts work processes, reassigns tasks, and modifies facility operations to achieve burden reduction while maintaining or enhancing production efficiency, unlike static manual adjustments that compromise productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically modifies multiple parameters including work assignment distributions, facility operating parameters, and process settings to optimize both operator burden and productivity. By coordinating changes across multiple parameters simultaneously, the system achieves burden reduction without sacrificing production efficiency, unlike single-parameter manual adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
A work assist device includes a work burden degree evaluation unit, an improvement measures storage, a simulation unit, and an improvement measures determination unit. The work burden degree evaluation unit evaluates a work burden degree indicating a degree of burden imposed on an operator due to work from operator information and production facility information. The operator information is information related to the operator performing the work in cooperation with a production facility. The improvement measures storage stores improvement measures for improving the work burden degree. The simulation unit performs simulation of estimating an estimated improvement effect indicating a degree of improvement of the work burden degree when the improvement measures are applied. The improvement measures determination unit determines application improvement measures to be applied to at least one of the operator and the production facility from the improvement measures, based on the estimated improvement effect.