Checking Out Ford's Factory Floor Exoskeletons

I'yard at Ford'due south Michigan Assembly Plant, standing behind the yellow line, in prophylactic glasses and a hazmat vest. It'south really loud, all clanging machine parts and dissimilar decibel level bells and buzzers. The space is also vast—ii.6 million square anxiety—dominated by a massive assembly line. Sections twists upwardly, carrying vehicles in a clamshell hoist above workers so they tin can perform operations on the underbody.

Despite avant-garde virtual ergonomics planning, the shoulder remains the weak link in most concrete associates tasks for the 3,500 people work here. This is where robotics come in via the EksoVest—not as a replacement (yet), but equally an offshoot to man operators.

Standing next to me is Marty Smets, Technical Expert, Human Systems and Virtual Manufacturing. Smets got his Masters in Biomechanics and Ergonomics in his native Ontario, Canada, and has been working at Ford since 2022.

"In a x-hour shift, our operators may reach overhead thousands of times to perform work underneath the vehicle. The EksoVest provides up to fifteen pounds of help to each arm as they are lifted overhead. Although this may non seem like a lot, when extrapolated over a full shift, and thousands of overhead reaches, it is equivalent to relieving the shoulder of a load equal to the weight of 24 Mustang coupes per arm each day."

Engage the Exoskeleton

At PCMag, we've covered military and medical exoskeletons, but the EksoVests at Ford seems much more than ergonomic, form-plumbing equipment, and less, well, Iron Human.

"That'due south deliberate," said Smets. "We needed information technology to be fit for purpose, hither at Ford. We'd seen and then many exoskeletons being developed, just zip purpose-built for automotive manufacturing. Initially we tried to develop our ain in early trials, just realized nosotros didn't want to be in the exoskeleton manufacturing business organisation ourselves."

Ford asked Ekso Bionics for something more than streamlined and less complex than the larger, actuated devices information technology had seen. "We wanted [something] more 'digestible' for the operator, and lighter to implement. Unlike the heavier systems, which have to be docked to recharge, the EksoVest is as well energized via springs, which makes it easier and more efficient for maintenance and storage," Smets said.

Any indication of automation is fraught with difficulty within the auto manufacture. To kickoff trouble, Smets' team works closely with the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) to make sure they're serving the operator and keeping them safe.

"The UAW accept worked with us every pace of the way and funded the purchase of our starting time exoskeletons," confirmed Smets. "The fright around exoskeletons has always been if an operator tin lift more, and do more, they'll exist made to work longer and harder, leading to more injury."

Concepting the Belong

The offset version was about half-dozen pounds heavier than the current 9.5-pound iteration and mostly 3D printed.

"That was more most concept, so we could work on the weight and strain problems," Smets told us. "We put the device on several operators, and I told them to 'Await me in the eye and give me a thumbs up or down.' Then nosotros've built on each new model, with operator feedback incorporated at every stage."

Alongside the on-the-shop-floor tests, Smets uses Jack and Process Simulate Man software from Siemens for virtual modeling, building out ergonomic guidelines for the assembly line, utilizing motility-capture cameras to choreograph and plot operator movements off the line.

"Earlier we develop a new role I run it through a digital human model and then I can resolve the strength capability of the operator. This data is fed upstream to the Production Evolution squad and then they tin ensure that by pattern, ergonomics is baked into our vehicles. We did the same with the EksoVest to evaluate fit-and-cease and musculoskeletal issues."

Today the operators can elect to vesture the EksoVest and participate in the electric current product written report. Later on on, Smets will then movement to lab studies where they tin can capture data to compare levels of injury and strain for those wearing, or not wearing, the exoskeleton support.

"Shoulders are very costly joints to repair," Smets pointed out, "and they're one of ii well-nigh damaged parts in this line of piece of work. Our main goal is to improve the quality of life for the operators. Nosotros don't want people retiring after 25 years at the plant and not beingness able to swing a golf club, or a grandchild, because their bodies are and then worn out."

Make Way for Woody

I of the operators participating in the year-long trial is Paul "Woody" Collins. I walked alongside him, staying inside the safety zone, as he completed his assembly line tasks while wearing the EksoVest. Collins has worked at Ford since 1995 and comes from a long line of manufactory workers: his begetter was in the steel industry and his Uncle Laverne worked at another automaker in the Detroit expanse.

"I'm installing the carbon can on the C-Max, right now," explained Collins. "Then all day long I'chiliad walking along, and lifting my arms over my head. Equally I become up the springs on the EksoVest support, my shoulders, [with] the 'horse collar' section around my neck, support the weight of my head every bit I await upwardly.

"When I first starting wearing the exoskeleton, a yr ago, information technology was a bit like breaking in a pair of new work boots," he said. "But after a couple of weeks I realized that as long equally I let the Exo practise the work so everything will flow better. To be honest, I was fighting with it at first, but at present I don't feel information technology at all. I used to come up home, exhausted, fall on the couch and stay in that location. Simply now I accept much more energy. I'chiliad not ready to run a 5K," Collins laughed, "but I'g much meliorate than I used to be."

Moving aslope him, it'south articulate when the exoskeleton is taking the strain and, to be honest, he did look less exhausted than some of the others farther downward the associates line. Plus information technology's class-plumbing equipment, so doesn't make Collins swelter as if inside a robot suit.

"Yeah, I think it looks cool," said Collins, only that doesn't stop his co-workers having a dig at his expense. "Wearing the EksoVest means I go called a few nicknames, similar 'Robo Woody' or 'Rocket Man'—and, you know, a few others that I actually don't want to say."

S.C. Stuart was a guest of Ford for this trip to Detroit.

Source: https://sea.pcmag.com/news/26895/checking-out-fords-factory-floor-exoskeletons

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