Date of Award

1986

Publication Type

Doctoral Thesis

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Department

Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering

Keywords

Engineering, Industrial.

Rights

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Abstract

Most manual materials handling (MMH) studies are concerned only with the individual tasks, i.e. lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, carrying or holding. The combination of two or more individual tasks and intermittent carrying tasks has never been examined physiologically and psychophysically using the same subjects. The combined tasks of MMH are prevalent in many industrial places and in our daily life. The objectives of this study were: (1) To examine the effects of several task variables on oxygen consumption, heart rate, and mechanical work rate for the individual carrying tasks as well as the metabolic and psychophysical responses for the individual and combined tasks. (2) To develop prediction models for both individual and combined tasks of MMH. Ten physically fit male subjects participated in this investigation. Their age and body weight were 24.1 (+OR-) 3.35 years and 78.43 (+OR-) 5.77 kg respectively. Several isometric strengths were determined. Response surface design was used along with the following: weight of load (8, 13, 18, 23, and 28 kg), frequency of handling (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 times/min.), carrying distance (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 m), box width (15, 25, 35, 45, and 55 cm), and height range of life (0, floor - 75 cm, 75 - 150 cm, and floor - 150 cm). With the exception of box width all main effects of task related variables were significant (p < 0.01) using metabolic, mechanical work rate, and efficiency measures for the individual carrying tasks; however, all main effects were significant (p < 0.01) using both physiological and psychophysical measures for the combined lifting and carrying tasks. The combined lifting and carrying tasks resulted in higher metabolic energy expenditure; subjects were willing to handle lower loads as compared to the individual activities. The use of mechanical efficiency and the response surface design yielded a response surface which can be maximized to obtain the optimal level of each task variable. An efficiency model was developed for the individual carrying tasks. Energy costs and capacity models were also developed for both individual and combined lifting and carrying tasks. All models were validated against data from other subjects.Dept. of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1986 .T336. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-09, Section: B, page: 3914. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1986.

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