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November 14, 2017

Can This Nifty Invention Help Improve Ford's Build Quality?


Ford is often credited for creating the moving assembly line in 1913. In the 104 years that followed, it introduced workers to performing menial, repetitive tasks day after day. Of course, doing the same thing over and over takes its toll right?

Although the carmaker can’t solve the mental drain of putting on the same set of screws day after day, they did come up with a way to at least reduce the physical fatigue. By partnering with California-based Ekso Bionics, Ford hopes to lessen the chance of injury at its assembly plants.

Called EksoVest, the wearable technology elevates and supports a worker’s arms while performing overhead tasks. It provides adjustable lift assistance of 5 pounds (2.26 kilograms) to 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) per arm. It’s also lightweight and allows the workers to move their arms freely.

Designed and built for dynamic, real-world environments like factories, construction sites, and distribution centers, the non-powered vest offers protection and support against fatigue and injury by reducing the stress and strain of high-frequency, long-duration activities that can take a toll on the body over time.

Ford is already pilot testing the EksoVest at two US plants with plans to test it in other regions.

EksoVest is the latest example of advanced technology Ford is using to reduce the physical toll on employees during the vehicle assembly process. In the past decade, the company saw an 83 percent decrease in the number of incidents or 1.55 incidents per 100 full-time employees.

By investing in technologies such as the EksoVest, Ford hopes to increase productivity and decrease issues such as overextended movements, difficult hand clearances, and tasks that involve hard-to-install parts. Hopefully, with happier, more productive workers, it will also result to better build quality for consumers (hint, hint).

1 comment:

  1. I'm sorry but I don't see how this could prevent an exploding tranny

    ReplyDelete

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